The Problem
The Kitchen Depot manufacture and design long-lasting, quality kitchens. They install bespoke kitchens in homes across the UK that match their unique style, taste, and budget. Our motto is simple, it’s handmade by us, so it’s perfect for you. They are a UK-based company with 20 showroom locations and 2 production facilities across the country, specialising in bespoke and individual kitchen designs. Customers work with a designer to create their kitchen, and workers and machinists create the specialist pieces to turn the design into a reality.
This design process takes a lot of file space and system power. Designers use powerful Computer Aided Design (CAD) software to visualise each individual kitchen setup to show to potential clients. Each kitchen design is scaled exactly to the client’s specification and inputs computer and actual sketches to create the one-of-a-kind design.
The Kitchen Depot was suffering with failing infrastructure, with systems unable to cope with the volume and speed of work needed. After repeated and ongoing performance issues, caused by the company having grown substantially with the infrastructure remaining the same, they approached Techcare for a solution.
The Kitchen Depot has grown since initially opening in Shropshire as a small, family-run business. Now they have 20 different sites to contend with, in locations from Scotland to Hemel Hempstead. The existing systems and servers they had were simply not up to the job anymore.
The processing power demanded of The Kitchen Depot’s bespoke designing software was increasing, and the systems couldn’t cope. They kept crashing, losing completed work, making customers wait a long time for quotes and designs, and hampering efficiency drives.
Techcare were called in to update the systems and make them able to carry the weight of the demands The Kitchen Depot needed, while also maximising efficiency and leaving room for the business to grow.
The Solution
Techcare formulated a plan that could suit The Kitchen Depot’s needs short-term or long-term, with a range of budgets. The Kitchen Depot chose a longer-term solution, as the business was expanding, which including a full tech system overhaul that brought them in line with the very latest developments in the industry. Techcare was even able to formulate a package that suited and met all of The Kitchen Depot’s needs.
The Outcome
Now, designs are completed faster, systems benefit from improved security, more staff are able to use systems concurrently, customers get their quotes earlier, and systems are far more reliable. Team members are also made much more efficient.
The Kitchen Depot's Managing Director said “All budgets were catered for, all options were explained to us in detail and any questions were answered fully – we were impressed by Techcare’s knowledge and professionalism. Our technology systems are now transformed and we are delighted to maintain a fantastic working relationship with Techcare. Their managed support service which includes proactive maintenance and reactive support has proved every bit as good as the initial outfit. Any of our team can call the IT helpdesk any time for advice and nothing is ever too much trouble.
“We highly recommend Techcare.”
Karl Frankham, Managing Director of Techcare, said “During the first meeting The Kitchen Depot required a partner that could manage all technology elements of their business”.
“With plans for major growth they needed a partner that could provide Network cabling, IT Infrastructure Services and ongoing proactive and reactive support across their 20 UK locations with further growth planned for the foreseeable future.”
“We are proud of the outcomes from this project. The new systems and infrastructure we have implemented has saved The Kitchen Depot time and money so they can concentrate on their business growth and we can continue to help support the day to day of their business.”
The Kitchen Depot’s recent customer kitchen renovations
