When Staying Put, a small domestic abuse and sexual violence charity working in the Bradford area, contacted the WCIT, it had become increasingly dissatisfied with its outsourced IT support. The organisation lacked the in-house capability to audit the service and seek a replacement, so were looking for an independent, vendor-agnostic partner to support them with the process.
Liveryman Gordon Walker and prospective Freeman Stephanie Ward, both experienced in troubleshooting IT outsourcing arrangements, were asked if they could help.
Gordon and Steph were able to assist the Head of Finance and his team with a process that moved away from detailed technical discussions and instead engaged the supplier at a more strategic business level, by examining the impact the service issues were having on their key users. This opened the door to conversations which established improved service level measures, more formal service reporting, and restructured the governance of the relationship.
These changes have re-established trust in the IT provider, avoiding a potentially expensive and time-consuming procurement process and disruptive supplier switch, while creating a collaborative relationship in support of the vital services Staying Put provides to the vulnerable people who need their help and support.
