As technology grows more advanced, so does the need for tech support. From multi-national retail companies with large internal technology departments to single establishments with nothing more than a desktop computer, tech support is an important foundation for any network.

As the U.S.-based sales and marketing subsidiary of an Italian design furnishing manufacturer, Kartell U.S. sells home furnishings in four company-operated and two licensed stores, grossing about $100 million annually. With only 20 employees nationwide, its operations are too small to justify an internal IT department and too scattered for a localized consultant to handle.

Director of retail John Ryan says that Kartell needed all of its locations to use the same systems and to have real-time capabilities that could keep accounting and inventory information current with headquarters and the traveling sales force.

Ryan was also seeking improvements in internal communications and wanted a system that could be strong and secure enough to protect valuable data.

Like most retailers, “we have a lot of information that is really valuable to us,” Ryan says. “We’re not a big company, but we had really outgrown the types of consulting firms that we had been using.”

Since 2004, New York-based Sinu IT Service has supported IT infrastructure with unlimited support for a flat monthly fee. Without having to invest a lot of capital in new equipment, Kartell could use Sinu as its IT department and upgrade as needed. From mobility solutions to file-sharing, back-up and security, Sinu can provide support remotely or in person. As a result, Kartell has been able to focus more on its core business and less on computer and networking problems.

“It’s like having our own IT department,” Ryan says. “Everyone has a much greater comfort level with our technology and they feel supported.” Previously, “the way that our locations used our sales and distribution program was inefficient and not too reliable. We had all feared the technology before.”

Not size-dependent
David Owen, principal of Sinu, says that because the company provides unlimited IT support for a monthly fee, its unique business model creates a vested interest in ensuring reliable networks for its clients. Another advantage of using an IT provider is that it can standardize programs and applications across a wide network, whether it is comprised of a dozen employees in a single office or a retail company with thousands of locations across the country.

Many consultants, Owen says, operate thusly: “something breaks, they show up and fix it, submit a bill, then leave and wait for something to break again. We build systems that are stable and robust because, if something breaks, we have to pay for it.”

Some established systems, while fine for large-scale operators, may be too complex for a small organization like Kartell. Sinu worked with the Italian retailer to create a solution that was not only easier to use but more cost-effective and less prone to problems.

“One of our philosophies is that whenever and wherever possible, simplify, simplify, simplify,” Owen says. “You don’t always need fancy bells and whistles: what you need is a solution that answers directly to your business needs.”