Admiral helps Willow Foundation unlock growth potential

Nov. 15, 2010 - PRLog -- Admiral Group, a leading provider of IT, telephony and facilities management solutions, has worked with national charity Willow Foundation to replace its ageing IT network infrastructure and telephony systems with new systems which help to improve efficiency, flexibility and allow the charity to grow its operations.

The Willow Foundation is a national charity based in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, which arranges special days for seriously ill adults aged 16-40 years old.  The charity aims to create a unique and unforgettable experience tailored for each beneficiary, with these special days helping to break the stress and difficult realities of diagnosis and treatment.  The charity was established in 1999 and has grown rapidly to deliver more than 7,500 special days since its inception, generating £3 million per year with 40 employees and many more volunteers.

With the growth of the charity, its existing telephony system struggled to cope with increased call volumes.  As charitable organisations operate in an increasingly competitive sector, Willow Foundation also needed to implement the latest IT systems. To ensure it can manage its clients, donors and contacts effectively, the charity planned to implement a new customer relationship management (CRM) system, specifically designed for charities, called Raiser’s Edge. Helen Evans, finance director at the Willow Foundation was responsible for engaging new supplier partners who could take a more holistic approach to the charity’s technology infrastructure requirements.  Helen engaged Admiral Group after inviting numerous suppliers to submit competitive proposals.

Admiral’s approach was to ensure that any new IT investment would generate maximum return for the charity.  It started by installing new file and print servers, a Microsoft Exchange server and a terminal server, to replace a failing server purchased when the charity had just five employees.  To maximise hardware usage, Admiral used VMware server virtualisation software to run multiple applications from a single physical server.  As a Microsoft Accredited Supplier, Admiral also arranged low-cost charity software licences across a range of Microsoft applications.

Admiral conducted a ‘network refresh’ to upgrade cabling to the latest network standards.  This also allowed a new digital telephony system to be installed, using the IT network to carry telephone calls over the Internet (IP).  The new Aastra IntelliGate system easily accommodates the existing 40 telephone extensions while allowing plenty of room for expansion.  Offering voicemail, call transfer and caller identification for all users, the system also allows the receptionist to see the status of all 40 lines on-screen to check who is busy or available to take a call.  Calls are answered and forwarded with a simple mouse click.  

Helen Evans, finance director, Willow Foundation, commented:
“Admiral gave clear advice, always communicating in layman’s terms.  All of the installation work was completed without a hitch.  All charities know that investing in new technology diverts valuable money away from charitable work, so we had to be certain that it would deliver a positive return on investment.  Admiral has proved they offered the best value for money for our organisation.”

Paul Allen, managing director – communications business, Admiral Group, commented:
“Admiral works with many charitable organisations such as Willow Foundation and we work hard to understand their needs.  There is often a dilemma for charities when investing in new technology, but in our experience even modest levels of investment make a rapid return for charities.  The new investment means that they eliminate costs associated with supporting expensive, ageing systems.  It also leads to efficiencies and removes technology barriers which build up over time, holding back new innovation.”

To find out more about Willow Foundation and to make a donation to support their work, please visit their website at www.willowfoundation.org.uk.

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About Admiral Group
Admiral Group provides a wide range of office technology solutions for the 21st Century. Through its exceptional customer focus around design, installation and maintenance of office technology solutions, Admiral has developed lasting partnerships with clients and suppliers alike. A privately owned organisation, the Admiral Group has experienced phenomenal growth since its formation in 1996.

With headquarters in Luton and satellite offices across the UK, Admiral offers the full resources of a major national organisation delivered through a local point of contact. Admiral invests heavily in management processes and staff training to ensure a first class service across all of its core business activities. Admiral is a preferred supplier for many of the leading hardware manufacturers and software suppliers and its engineers and technicians enjoy the highest levels of accreditation in the industry.  For more information, please visit www.admiral-group.com

For further sales and marketing information about Admiral Group, please contact:
Mike Josephs, marketing director, Admiral Group
Tel: 01582 557922. Email: MJosephs@admiral-group.com

For all Admiral Group media enquiries, please contact:
Miles Clayton / Simon Bennett, Agility PR Limited
Tel: 01992 586190.  Email: miles@agilitypr.co.uk /simon@agilitypr.co.uk

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About Admiral Group
Admiral Group provides a wide range of office technology solutions for the 21st Century. Through its exceptional customer focus around design, installation and maintenance of office technology solutions, Admiral has developed lasting partnerships with clients and suppliers alike. A privately owned organisation, the Admiral Group has experienced phenomenal growth since its formation in 1996.

With headquarters in Luton and satellite offices across the UK, Admiral offers the full resources of a major national organisation delivered through a local point of contact. Admiral invests heavily in management processes and staff training to ensure a first class service across all of its core business activities. Admiral is a preferred supplier for many of the leading hardware manufacturers and software suppliers and its engineers and technicians enjoy the highest levels of accreditation in the industry. For more information, please visit www.admiral-group.com