In this case study we look at how the combination of technology and a great customer/supplier relationship can bring success to a business in a competitive environment.
The last ten years have seen phenomenal changes across all aspects of our lives, not least of all in how we buy and listen to music. For many the challenge of adapting to this rapid change was too much but not for Select Music, an independent specialist supplier and distributor of 30,000 different classical music CD and DVDs.
Throughout this turbulent time Select Music has benefitted from the advice and knowledge of the team at SIRE Technology who have been able to guide the selection and then manage the installation of key IT solutions that have benefited the business.
Brian Murdoch, IT co-ordinator, Select Music, explains more:
“The changes in the music distribution industry in the last 10 years have meant that any IT decisions are always taken with the unsaid anxiety of whether we will even have a business in 2-3 years hanging over us. However, we recognised that, if we did not make some investments to improve our efficiency, then we would only be hastening our own demise.
“SIRE understands the limitations that we face and we have developed a great relationship with them that is based on our trust of their advice and their understanding of the highly unusual market situation in which we are striving to thrive.”
Select Music’s previous experiences with IT support had not been so positive and they were hesitant to invest too heavily in large scale programmes. Most recently SIRE managed the company’s migration to Office 365, which removed the need to invest in new hardware and has given Select Music a number of benefits, including greater data storage capability and improved efficiency for those members of staff that are not office based.
Going the Extra Mile
The importance of the relationship between customer and supplier has been fundamental to the success of the various IT projects over the past decade.
SIRE has provided far more than just IT support, it has been able to make suggestions on other aspects of the business such as improving the functionality of the warehouse system. Brain Murdoch also appreciates SIRE’s commitment to getting the job done and going that extra mile. He cites several examples including their responsiveness to software queries that may not be strictly within their remit and not clock watching when on site but a real commitment to complete the project regardless of how long that may take.
Russell Cook, MD at SIRE also heralds Select Music as an A* customer:
“They talk to us, trust us and explain the changing context of the industry in which they are operating. With that knowledge we are able to make far more valuable recommendations. They have also embraced and welcomed our apprentices and working on live projects with real customers is a key element of any apprenticeship programme, but some clients are not always as receptive and forget that we all need to learn.”
With SIRE’s help Select Music has continued to thrive.
“Although the ‘physical music distribution pie’ is getting smaller we have been able to maintain our presence and out adapt our way of working to the latest methods for accessing music. We now work with in excess of 50 different labels and can start to make tentative plans for the next three years,” concludes Brian Murdoch.
Who knows what the future will hold for this business and the wider music distribution industry but the vinyl revival is already underway, so with its IT and customer support finely tuned there is no doubt that Select Music is ideally placed to maximise on any opportunities as and when they may arise.
About SIRE
With over twenty years’ experience, SIRE is an established and award winning provider of Cloud technologies, systems and processes. These often innovative business continuity systems and processes make a real difference to the operations of their customer organisations. For more information on SIRE, its products and services visit www.sire.co.uk or take a look at the You Tube channel.
