As GreenZone Cleaning and Support Services grew into a thriving, award-winning company, they needed a reliable IT partner to upgrade their infrastructure and keep it running smoothly. They weren’t only looking for technical expertise and value for money, but also a partner with whom they could build a relationship — trustworthy, approachable, and easy to work with.
GreenZone’s IT leadership shares how ctm has supported their growth, how the partnership has evolved, and the far-reaching benefits of ctm’s services.
“ctm’s support is invaluable. The monthly cost is insignificant compared to the value we receive.”Luke Styles, Technical IT Manager
Founded in 2010 by a handful of people around a dining table with a vision for environmentally friendly commercial cleaning, GreenZone is now thriving with over £20 million in revenue and 1,400 employees. This impressive growth, while reflecting their commitment to quality and sustainability, also brought significant IT challenges.
“We started with a single server and a lot of spreadsheets — the business ran on spreadsheets,” recalls Martyn Sheriff, GreenZone's IT Innovation and Systems Development Manager. “As we grew, it became clear we needed stronger infrastructure and a company that could support it.”
“We must ensure a reliable IT service for both our field-based staff and head office. Our old single server was under heavy demand, causing frequent connection breakdowns.”Martyn Sheriff, IT Innovation and Systems Development Manager
GreenZone sought a new technology partner — one that could not only support their current operations but also enable future growth. After evaluating several options, they chose ctm.
“Rupert and his team offered by far the best of the proposals we received. ctm wasn’t the cheapest, but we were focused on value for money.”Martyn Sheriff, IT Innovation and Systems Development Manager
ctm first designed and implemented a new Microsoft Azure-based IT infrastructure, which proved a significant improvement over GreenZone’s previous setup. Close collaboration between ctm and GreenZone’s internal IT team helped ease the complexities of migrating data and systems.
“Migrating our data and systems wasn’t without challenges, but ctm were always on hand, always happy to help, and always by our side to make sure things ran as smoothly as possible. They are approachable and easy to deal with.”Luke Styles, Technical IT Manager
Martyn quickly developed a strong rapport with ctm’s Managing Director Rupert. “From the word go, I hit it off with Rupert. He had this knack of understanding what I wanted, and I was impressed by his systems knowledge. He’s often suggested things I hadn’t considered and exceeded my expectations of what’s possible.”
Martyn also appreciates the consistency of ctm’s support team. “With some companies, you rely on a specific technician you trust, but with ctm it doesn't matter who you get — every technician is equally capable.”
“Our trust in ctm is built on their actions. When I ask them to do something, I know it’ll get done, no question. I never worry about any project because I know nothing is beyond their capabilities. They understand everything about IT and infrastructures — in fact, they teach us a thing or two.”Martyn Sheriff, IT Innovation and Systems Development Manager
One of the biggest benefits of partnering with ctm is the freedom it provides GreenZone’s internal IT team to focus on strategic initiatives that drive growth.
Beyond major projects like the initial infrastructure migration and a recent switch to SharePoint, ctm also handle ongoing server maintenance, backups, and other routine tasks. This frees up GreenZone’s IT team to concentrate on key projects and IT management.
“ctm save me hours each day by taking care of routine system checks and monitoring,” says Luke Styles, GreenZone’s Technical IT Manager. “If I had to do those tasks, I wouldn't have enough time to dedicate to critical projects, like the bespoke business enterprise system we’re building, or to ensure everything runs smoothly onsite.”
“Without ctm, our IT department wouldn’t achieve as much as they do,” Martyn agrees. “They’re contributing more than they know.”
“ctm’s support is invaluable. The monthly cost is insignificant compared to the value we receive.”Luke Styles, Technical IT Manager
GreenZone and ctm’s partnership is built not only on technical expertise but also on trust and flexibility. Over the years, ctm has proven to be a reliable partner, offering consistent support without the hard sell often associated with technology providers.
“It gets my back up when companies keeps pestering us to buy something. But we don’t get that hard sell from ctm. They only recommend what’s genuinely needed.”
Martyn Sheriff, IT Innovation and Systems Development Manager, GreenZone
This trust extends to day-to-day operations, thanks to ctm’s responsiveness and proactive management. They often resolve issues before they become problems.
“If something goes wrong, ctm know as quickly as I do and they’re already on the case,” notes Luke. “They usually fix it before I even need to ring them.”
“When there are challenges, we can call Rupert and he'll deal with it, and put somebody in charge of resolving the issue,” Martyn says. “There’s never any drastic problems, but we know that if anything does happen, it will be sorted quickly.”
“What I like best about working with ctm is that they just get on with things. I sometimes forget about them because everything just works. They do their scheduled tasks, report to us regularly, and need very little input from us.”Martyn Sheriff, IT Innovation and Systems Development Manager
Martyn also appreciates ctm’s flexibility in adapting to their changing business needs over the years. “One reason we’ve stayed with ctm for six years, beyond our confidence in their abilities, is their willingness to be flexible.”
As GreenZone continues to grow, their partnership with ctm is also evolving. “We’re now exploring their cybersecurity services. It’s an evolving partnership, and I have no interest in going elsewhere,” says Martyn.
This ongoing relationship, built on mutual respect and a shared commitment to excellence, has been a key factor in GreenZone’s success. “I’m happy to endorse ctm in any way I can,” Martyn concludes.
“A good technology partner is willing to build a relationship, provides value for money, has deep knowledge, and delivers what they promised. ctm does all of this.” Martyn Sheriff, IT Innovation and Systems Development Manager
The partnership between GreenZone and ctm highlights how the right technology partner can support a company’s growth, offering invaluable peace of mind and the freedom to focus on what matters most: building the business.
