PCMS

Unipart chooses PCMS to deliver IT transformation

Unipart Automotive, part of the Unipart Group, has awarded a multi million pound IT management contract to PCMS, one of the UK’s leading managed service providers. The contract is part of a complete business transformation programme being undertaken by Unipart Automotive that will evolve its IT provision across the business and help to drive cost savings and efficiency across its operations.

As part of the five year contract, PCMS will provide a complete managed solution comprising service desk, desktop service, infrastructure support, hardware maintenance and project delivery. This development will enable Unipart Automotive to revolutionise its legacy systems with a model that will support the future direction and growth of the business while enabling business continuity, effective risk management and optimum IT performance. IT suppliers are also being consolidated, with PCMS providing Unipart Automotive with just one point of contact.

Unipart Automotive is the largest independent supplier of aftermarket components in the UK and operates a nationwide network of almost 200 branches that support around 20,000 independent garage customers across the UK. To enable all businesses to integrate and achieve efficiencies, PCMS will be supporting the introduction of new back and front office IT systems to drive business benefits in terms of performance, efficiency and productivity.

Essential to this will be PCMS' provision of a dedicated service desk and its knowledge of the business. After 25 years of working with the company providing software solutions, PCMS already understands the issues, challenges and objectives of those working for Unipart, which was a key strength when it came to the selection process.

Karen Johnson, Unipart Automotive IT director, comments: "We're delighted to be continuing to work with PCMS. Their existing knowledge and understanding of our business meant we knew that they would be able provide the support our business units need straightaway. We also knew that they were both a good cultural fit and customer focused. By managing a number of third party suppliers to keep our internal provision minimal, we knew PCMS grasped the different challenges to keep us moving forward."

Garry McLauchlan, director for managed services at PCMS, explains further: "As with most businesses, Unipart Automotive wants to focus on its core business activity, but with IT a fundamental part in its day to day running, we're able to provide the expertise to keep Unipart's systems up-to-date with the flexibility to grow and advance the business. We're delighted to be continuing our 25-year relationship with Unipart and excited to be using our skills in a new area of the business to help drive the transformation programme."

The tendering process was managed by Grange Consultants, a leading group of independent IT consultants, which provides advice to blue chip organisations on achieving IT service efficiency and effectiveness in an environment of continuous business change. For Unipart, Grange evaluated the market and the key service providers to enable them to make a decision that matched their objectives.