This 25-year-old Dublin firm specialises in corporate and commercial business, such as in the construction, telecomms and oil distribution sectors, and also has a life and pensions subsidiary. Like all insurance firms today it has a high dependence on its computer systems.
"Basically, if the computer systems are down, we are not doing business," said Sinéad Reilly, financial director of Norman Thompson Insurances. "About four years ago, we had some problems and we were not happy with the responses we got and looked around for a reliable IT supplier to look after us."
Having found Ergo and started its first contract at that time, the relationship has been deepening ever since. "At first, it was maintenance and support, with a network upgrading project and a generous helping of advice," Reilly said.
"Then, we moved to remote monitoring of our servers and network and onto the fully managed service we enjoy today. We are very clear on the main benefit. We passed on the headaches. We are just users and have our own job responsibilities and pressures. It has just been great to see IT issues dealt with professionally, often preemptively because the Ergo team just fixed something before we had to make a call. When we have had occasion to call, the response has been knowledgeable and friendly because they always send people who knowour system and know their stuff."
Norman Thompson Insurances has made a number of technical advances in the period, notably secure remote access for managers and others who work occasionally from home."There is also the Relay insurance system for brokers which is central to our business," Reilly said. "Ergo has looked after all of the technical liaison so that there are no issues in working with Relay through upgrades and so on. All in all, this firm got exactly what it wanted."