SMC Design’s network transformation with Vizst
From battling against a slow MSP, to being empowered with Streamlined IT
The brief
SMC Design is a leading design consultancy, delivering award-winning projects across the cruise, hospitality, and leisure industries worldwide.
As a medium-sized consultancy, SMC Design needed an IT partner who could provide clear, straightforward advice without unnecessary complexity.
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The challenges
Their previous Managed Service Provider (MSP) was slow to respond, creating operational delays and frustration.
SMC Design required a trusted IT Partner to take on the full responsibility of functional and efficient IT, to enable them to continue providing exceptional customer services to multiple clients.
Being a design agency, there were unique standards required to support high performance creative work stations, collaboration, storage, fast file transfer speeds and large software ecosystems.
The solution
Vizst Technology began by assessing SMC Design’s existing infrastructure, identifying opportunities to improve performance, reliability and cost efficiency
A comprehensive network refresh delivered a modernised LAN environment with upgraded Wi-Fi and switching infrastructure, improving connectivity and creating a more resilient foundation for future growth.
Alongside the infrastructure improvements, Vizst introduced responsive managed IT support, giving SMC Design direct access to experienced engineers who could resolve issues quickly and minimise disruption to the business. Flexible remote desktop and virtual desktop solutions were also implemented, enabling staff to work efficiently wherever they were located.
To further optimise the environment, Vizst reviewed SMC Design’s data storage and backup strategy. By reducing unnecessary data retention and streamlining backup processes, major cost savings were achieved without compromising resilience or compliance.
Throughout the engagement, Vizst focused on providing honest, straightforward advice. Rather than recommending unnecessary technology, the team worked closely with SMC Design to deliver practical solutions that supported the company’s objectives, reduced operational complexity and created a clear roadmap for future IT investment.
The results
Simplified Vendor
Management
Consolidated support into a single, trusted partner
£20k
Annual Savings
Through optimised data backup and reduction
(from 43TB to 29TB)
Improved Productivity
IT issues resolved faster,
reducing disruption for the team
Since partnering with Vizst, SMC Design has achieved significant operational and financial benefits.
On top of these are the qualitative changes like reduced stress and risk, direct access to skilled engineers who proactively support and guide staff as well as having unlocked some budget for future IT & AV projects.
The benefits
Acronis Back Up
Bespoke design created the biggest cost saving.
Managed Service
Ongoing Managed Service support from Vizst set up and in place.
Network Refresh
Mix of Aruba and Extreme Networks.
Remote Connection
Use of FortiClient and Azure Virtual Desktop.
“Vizst is the only one I would recommend. Any support tickets we’ve raised have been resolved quicker than my expectations. Beyond the monetary savings, the stress relief and productivity improvements are incredible – I can ring support with a small query and have an engineer not only answer it, but remote onto my laptop to show me more than I asked for.”
Andi Keats
SMC Design