IT Services Firm Realizes Speed, Stability and Business Value with Windows 7 Professional

1. Windows 7
Customer Solution Case Study
IT Services Firm Realizes Speed, Stability and
Business Value with Windows® 7
Overview “Since we’ve deployed Windows 7 at our customers’
Country or Region: Northern Ireland
Industry: Software/Hardware Sales, Help
businesses, none of them has asked to go back.”
Desk Support, Technical Consulting Martin Lyons, Director, Nitec
Partner Profile
Serving the Northern Ireland market, Nitec
provides full turnkey solutions (Microsoft
software, HP hardware, follow-up support, Nitec Solutions Ltd. provides turnkey IT solutions for small and
and consulting) to small and medium
enterprises. medium enterprises (SME). Their wide range of services includes
technical consulting, project implementation, help desk support,
Business Situation
Nitec needed a faster, more stable hardware and software sales, training, and software development.
platform that would offer customers
maximum value, improved energy
efficiency, and better power management. Nitec noticed that its customers’ business operations were being
significantly impacted by sluggish, unstable PC experiences. Due to
Solution
After deploying the Windows 7 platform, budgetary concerns, upgrading existing hardware was not an
Nitec was impressed by the speed, option.
stability, and value of the system. It also
appreciated the additional features that
greatly streamlined their operations. With the deployment of Windows® 7 operating system, Nitec
Benefits brought in significant rise in the speed, stability, and cohesiveness
 Faster processing times of its operations, resulting in an increase in both productivity and
 Improved stability
 Energy savings
efficiency. Customers also benefited from the operating system’s
 Extended battery life ability to work with existing hardware and software investments to
provide a value-rich feature set, energy savings, and better power
management.

2. “In this current Situation Solution
For more than a decade, Nitec has provided With the deployment of Windows 7, Nitec was
economic crisis, we customers in Northern Ireland with a full pleased to note dramatic improvements, both
can’t escape the fact range of technology products, consulting internally and at client locations. The most
services, and help desk support. The immediate and important advantages, Lyons
that our customers are company specializes in the sale of Microsoft® notes, were the speed and stability of the
more cost-sensitive.” software, while HP is their preferred vendor new operating system. “Boot-ups are
for hardware. Most of the company’s clients significantly faster – we’re not sitting around
Martin Lyons, Director, Nitec are running Microsoft Office and other and waiting anymore.”
custom SQL Server®-based applications on
HP servers. Energy savings was touted as another key
feature. “It used to be harder to run systems
Nitec’s several hundred SME business clients economically,” says Lyons. “With Windows 7,
are made up of professional services, such as it’s much easier.” Enhanced power
architects and lawyers. The average number management offers users more control over
of computers for each firm is 50-75, with only the operation of their systems. Nitec also
2-3 percent supporting an in-house IT staff. appreciates the improved hibernation
For a large majority of clients, “we are their functions; consultants can rest assured that
virtual IT department,” says Martin Lyons, their laptops will resume from sleep mode
Director, Nitec. “We like to look at it like we’re quickly and reliably. Extended battery life is
sitting on their boards as their IT directors.” another favorite feature, as Nitec employees
travel extensively to client locations and don’t
Speed and stability were the biggest points of always have easy access to a power source.
contention among Nitec’s customers. They
were frustrated by slow reboots, often leaving The company has also benefited from the
their desks to take a break while waiting for Windows 7 Federated Search feature. Using
their systems to become accessible. Cost was the Start menu, or numerous other places
another major consideration impacting within Windows 7 or Microsoft Office, clients
clients. “In this current economic crisis, we utilize Windows 7 just like a search engine, to
can’t escape the fact that our customers are scour a local PC, HomeGroup, network,
more cost-sensitive,” notes Lyons. Nitec external drives, or the Internet. Since the
needed to deliver a stable, value-rich Control Panel, tasks, and command-level can
platform that offered customers more now be searched, users can type questions or
features and functionality for their money – phrases in the Instant Search box to easily
without requiring expensive investments in locate features and applications on their PCs.
new hardware.
Nitec’s budget-conscious customers have
In-house too, Nitec needed a reliable, been very pleased with the value provided by
“It used to be harder to efficient mobile power management solution
for consultants working in the field. A more
Windows 7. The system’s flexibility makes it
compatible with a wide range of legacy
run systems robust and user-friendly search functionality hardware and software, which means clients
economically. With would enable the company’s consultants to
work significantly faster when trying to locate
can run it on their existing PCs and servers
without having to spend money upgrading or
Windows 7, it’s much key files, applications, or other resources. replacing their current technology
easier.” investments.
Martin Lyons, Director, Nitec

3. For More Information In addition to the positive feedback he’s Windows 7
For more information about Microsoft received from his customers, Lyons measures Faster and more reliable: Windows 7 will help
products and services, call the Microsoft their satisfaction by what he’s not hearing. your organization use information technology
Sales Information Center at (800) 426- “Since we’ve deployed Windows 7 at our to gain a competitive advantage in today’s
9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft customers’ businesses,” he says with a smile, new world of work. Your people will be able to
Canada Information Centre at (877) 568- “not one of them has asked to go back.” be more productive anyway. You will be able
2495. Customers who are deaf or hard-of- to support your mobile work force with better
hearing can reach Microsoft text telephone Benefits access to shared data and collaboration
(TTY/TDD) services at (800) 892-5234 in Among the advantages Windows 7 has tools. And your IT staff will have better tools
the United States or (905) 568-9641 in brought to Nitec’s operations, the following and technologies to enhance corporate IT
Canada. Outside the 50 United States and key benefits stand out: security, data protection, and more efficient
Canada, please contact your local deployment and management.
Microsoft subsidiary. To access information  Increased Speed and Stability: Nitec
using the World Wide Web, go to: consultants and their customers have been For more information about Windows 7, go to:
www.microsoft.com equally pleased with the faster processing www.microsoft.com/windows/business
times and more reliable operations
For more information about Nitec enabled by Windows 7.
Solutions, Ltd. products and services, call  Improved Power Management: Mobile
+44 28 9442 7000 or visit the Web site at: laptop users have appreciated the
www.nitec.com improved hibernation functions and
extended battery life.
 More Efficient Search: Windows 7
Federated Search has made it easier for
Nitec and its customers to find documents
quickly and easily.
 Better Value: The advanced features
included with Windows 7 give customers
more functionality for their money, while
compatibility with existing hardware has
meant big savings in hardware upgrades.
Software and Services
 Products
− Windows 7 Professional
© 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. This case
study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.
Microsoft®, Windows® and SQL Server® are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are
property of their respective owners.
Document published June 2009