Molesworths is a firm of solicitors in Rochdale that has been providing legal advice to the local community for more than 180 years.
The company supports businesses and individuals with legal problems and major transactions, from a house move or relationship breakdown to an employment issue or business sale.
Molesworths’ existing IT infrastructure was nearing the end of its useful life. Among other issues, the servers were old and almost out of support, and connectivity was unreliable. A relocation to new premises presented the ideal opportunity for the firm to revamp its IT.
However, it was not a simple case of ‘out with the old, in with the new.’ Moving is one of the most stressful events in people’s lives, and relocating to a new office is no different, especially when your new ‘home’ – a former bank – is Grade II listed and has been vacant for years.
Unforeseen problems with the building delayed the move and IT go-live dates multiple times. Conservation issues, including the discovery of bats in the roof, caused delays in the renovation work. Progress was also stalled by the age of the building, specifically the thickness of the walls, which presented challenges when it came to installing fibre.
However, Central’s meticulously planned, phased approach helped minimise the impact of the disruption. The upgrade was rolled out over two years, with only the final elements completed in the weeks and days before the physical move.
“There was no big bang,” says Central Client Director Mike Dunleavy.
“It wasn’t a case of ‘we show up on Monday, we’re in a new office, and we have all these new IT systems to contend with.’ We factored in the main changes before the physical move, which removed a lot of the pain for the users.”
Central upgraded the company’s server infrastructure and migrated its data to Central’s private cloud service in a local tier-three data centre, significantly increasing physical and virtual security and improving performance and resilience.
An upgrade to a Cisco Meraki enterprise solution enhanced connectivity and provided better control over guest access, an important safeguard when clients visit the office.
Completing the refresh, Central upgraded the hardware used by Molesworths’ 30+ staff and installed a new VoIP telephone system.
Throughout the project, Central overcame the challenges posed by the move to deliver the best possible outcome for Molesworths. Dunleavy recalls juggling the changing dates to ensure that the company had the connectivity it needed without paying for it twice – in both the old and new buildings.
The result has been a smooth transition to a high-performing IT system that complements Molesworths’ smart new high street presence and can support its business needs for the foreseeable future. Its new set-up has significantly improved security, performance and speed, with an Internet connection that is ten times faster than in the old office.
Paul Dixon, one of the partners at Molesworths, says, “Our move to new offices was a significant project that called for a more advanced IT system, and that’s exactly what Central has delivered. We now have a modern set-up that’s efficient, stable, secure and fit for the future delivery of legal services.
“Aside from Central’s IT expertise, their flexibility was exceptional. We had to postpone the go-live date three times due to various issues with the refurbishment, but Central took it all in their stride. Their can-do attitude and ability to adapt meant one less headache at a stressful time. They are also great people to work with.”
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