A Sheffield technology company that predominantly supplied cloud hosting services to law firms throughout the UK before the pandemic, has seen demand for its services skyrocket over the last 18 months and is now winning contracts with Yorkshire businesses across all sectors.
This follows Yorkshire based chartered accountancy and business advisory firm, Hentons, becoming one of the first companies outside the legal industry and in both Sheffield and Yorkshire, to take advantage of etiCloud’s cloud-based IT and VoIP telephony capabilities.
Hentons initially began using the system in early 2020 and has since rolled it out across its offices in Sheffield, Leeds, London, York and Thirsk. The system replicates Hentons’ office-based IT and phone systems for the firm’s 120-strong team, enabling them to work completely seamlessly and securely, regardless of whether they are in the office or working remotely.
As part of the system’s success, Hentons scooped a top award at this year’s prestigious Yorkshire Accountancy Awards when Moosa Sacha, Hentons’ IT manager, was presented with the ‘Support Staff of the Year’ award in recognition of the work he did with etiCloud.
Demand for etiCloud’s services have soared since the start of the pandemic and during the first two weeks of lockdown the company signed up a number of new customers with them now servicing more than 6,000 employees who connect to their agile digital workplace to work securely anywhere, any time.
etiCloud, which was founded in 2015 now employs a 30-strong team and has recruited four new employees in the last three months. Other notable contract wins with Yorkshire based businesses include Emsleys Solicitors, Jordans Solicitors and Senior Architectural Systems.
Mike Hague, director of customer excellence at etiCloud, said: “Nowadays it’s vital that companies and organisations across all sectors offer a digitally agile workplace so that employees can get things done, regardless of where they are. Many businesses had already embraced this concept, but the pandemic suddenly made it a requirement for all types of companies across all industries, who needed a fast, secure and reliable service.
“Up until last year we mainly supplied services to the legal sector and have a client base of more than 200 law firms from across the UK, as well as being an affiliate partner with the Law Society. However, we had very few clients in our hometown of Sheffield, or in sectors outside the legal profession, so this has become a major growth area for us over the last 18 months and Hentons has become a fantastic example of how our platform is ideally suited to firms in other sectors.
“We initially began speaking to Hentons in 2019 and began the installation at the start of 2020. This meant the firm was in an ideal position, with a robust and secure desktop solution, as well as a VoIP system that enables incoming calls to be transferred to mobile phones, for all its employees, when the pandemic hit.”
Moosa Sacha, Hentons’ IT manager, said: “The pandemic has been difficult for every business, but etiCloud’s system has proved hugely valuable to our entire team and our clients, who have continued to enjoy a standout level of service, when they’ve needed it most.
“Although there are several cloud-based and VoIP systems on offer, using a local, Sheffield based business that can provide a personal, bespoke service, with consistent points of contact who take the time to understand how we work, is hugely beneficial. Crucially, it was an extremely smooth integration, with a system that is straightforward to use and understand, and as we continue growing and recruiting, it’s scalable so we can quickly and easily add new individual users.
“To receive an award in recognition of our efforts and our work with etiCloud speaks volumes about our position at the forefront of the accountancy industry as well as our ambitions to continue innovating. It’s a superb achievement for everyone involved.”
The Yorkshire Accountancy Awards’ judging panel praised these innovations and how Hentons, which is ranked as one of the top 100 accountancy firms by fee income in the UK by industry bible Accountancy Age, had responded to the Covid-19 pandemic. It said: “Moosa Sacha was a standout performer for Hentons at the outbreak of Covid-19, working long hours to complete IT projects that were necessary to support the shift to home working. The judges were delighted to recognise Moosa’s achievements with this award.”
