Harrods Bank Case Study

The Challenge

IT Document Solutions originally started working with Harrods Bank through strategic alliance partner Storm Technologies, a long-standing and loyal client. ITDS had managed its print network for several years and in 2016 the Bank was relocating to new premises. During this period of transition, the Bank took the opportunity to upgrade its IT infrastructure. This created the ideal opportunity to refresh the print fleet and update the solution to provide further efficiencies for the business.

The Solution

IT Document Solutions recommended a technology refresh, replacing their Lexmark printers with several new Toshiba e-Studio 4505AC multi-functional devices. Toshiba offered faster, hardworking devices designed for higher output print environments, so was an ideal fit for Harrods.

The new Toshiba devices were implemented at the new site along with the legacy dot matrix printers (originally supplied by ITDS) for fast-transactional print, which had to be reinstalled as part of the system relocation.

Wherever possible, it’s the ITDS philosophy to review current equipment and reuse suitable technology wherever possible to offer the best value solution to its clients. Harrods Bank already had an existing secure pull printing solution in a place called Papercut, as part of the refresh the existing card readers and software were reused from the previous solution. In addition, two smaller Toshiba 306cs print devices were installed at the Knightsbridge main Harrods store and an extra multifunctional device was installed in the DR centre (Sungard colocation) facility.

One of the senior consultants at IT Document Solutions, commented:

“Harrods Bank is a great company to work with, they are open to looking at new ideas and ways to improve their working practices. As a result, we continue to evolve their print solution to continue to drive efficiencies and reduce costs across the business.”

The Benefits

The transition to the new office was seamless and proved to be an ideal opportunity to update the Bank’s print network.

The refreshed print solution has enabled the business to benefit from improved functionality and better print quality at a more competitive price. The Bank is continuing to benefit from secure print for its users across the network thanks to the re-integration of the existing Papercut solution and card readers, which improves document security and reduces print waste. This software is proven to reduce print costs by up to 30% by implementing print rules and the redirecting of expensive print jobs to a more cost-effective device.

The IT team continue to see improvements in the tools available to staff daily and, as a result, has saved valuable time and money, more importantly, the remote diagnostic software means they no longer need to order expensive consumables, place service calls, or take meter readings. This proactive service and support continue to be of huge value to Harrods Bank.

IT Manager, James Tewes from Harrods Bank concludes:

“The refreshed solution provided by ITDS has delivered great results, the implementation was seamless alongside our office move and users now benefit from devices offering better functionality. It’s refreshing to work with a partner that advises on enhancing a solution rather than a complete overhaul.”

The ITDS account manager went on to say:

"Our continuous improvement programme encourages us to make changes as and when required. We saw the relocation as an ideal opportunity to help our client deliver improved technology and reduce the cost of ownership. As a service provider, it’s our responsibility to knowledge share, informing our clients when new technologies are available as a viable option to the business and commercially sound.”

‍