Asgard Group
A real estate investment company, established in 1991 and based in London partnered with Unicorn in 2006.
“We wanted a smarter way to work”
Maria B. Jensen
Background
Asgard Group had for a number of years been working with the restrictions of an inadequate IT system and had started the process of migrating to updated infrastructure. The real estate industry as a whole was just starting to see the impact of using the latest technological advances and Asgard Group could see the opportunity that technology would bring; improving efficiency, making communications more secure and enabling remote access.
A part-time IT Director
Asgard Group hired Darren, one of Unicorn’s roster of experienced part-time IT Directors who took responsibility for rethinking Asgard’s entire IT strategy. He worked closely with the team to understand the inner workings of the business and designed a brand new, highly secure IT system.
“We were initially hindered by our first choice of IT set-up. After a few months we realised it was not going to work how we wanted. Although we are a small company Darren never underestimated the impact an IT issue can have on our business.” Jensen recalls.
Darren also managed the IT help desk service provided by Unicorn. He understood exactly the consequences of an IT problem at Asgard and would proactively monitor and advise on pre-emptive measures to avoid potential issues. “It meant that we did not have to repeat everything multiple times, to give the background to who we are, what we do and what the problem was, because Richard knew us, it is a truly personalised service” says Maria.
The new IT department
Not all businesses are lucky enough to have their own internal “go-to” IT resource or have access to expert tech know-how. And that’s where Unicorn’s part-time IT Directors are so valuable. Asgard Group’s main office is located in London, employees often travel and can be based overseas for long periods of time. So, secure access to data and files remotely was a key factor in the choice and set up of the IT system.
“Darren really listened to what our needs were. And at the same time built a strong relationship with our business. He always took on board our requirements and prioritised our concerns.” says Maria. “Plus, having the monthly face to face meetings, meant that he could also spot issues with hardware and peripherals that the remote monitoring may have missed”.
A dedicated single point of contact
Having a part-time IT Director who is responsible for the entire IT function, and has a direct relationship with the business owner, is part of our unique proposition. We also monitor IT systems round the clock, ensuring data is always safe, protected and secure. With a help desk team available to respond to questions by phone and screen-share. At Unicorn, our support team are focused around two main company values: speed and approachability. That means we use our IT expertise to solve problems fast.
