As self-storage giant Ready Steady Store expanded across the UK, their IT setup couldn’t keep up. Unreliable connectivity, fragmented systems, and unmanaged assets led to frequent disruptions, affecting operations and the excellent customer service the company is known for.
A new partnership with ctm changed everything — stabilising their IT infrastructure, improving security, and enabling them to scale with confidence.
“It’s not just a supplier relationship — it’s a partnership. We trust ctm to help us face whatever challenges the future brings.” Mark Mailer, Head of Development
Reliable technology and connectivity are vital for Ready Steady Store’s operations. “With some of our 23 sites unstaffed or only partially staffed, we rely on technology to serve customers efficiently,” explains Kate Black, Head of IT.
“For example, if a customer needs help at an unmanned store, our staff can access camera feeds to guide them where they need to go.”
But before engaging ctm, Ready Steady Store’s ability to provide great customer service and operate efficiently was disrupted by frequent IT challenges. Issues included unreliable connectivity, unmanaged devices, and limited visibility over IT assets. Combined with broken promises on features and poor responsiveness from their previous IT provider, this led to frequent downtime and frustrations. A particular low point was when one site was offline for three weeks due to a cancelled connection.
“There were lost opportunity costs because my time and senior management’s time was tied up arguing with our previous supplier and handling legal issues, rather than focusing on improving the business.” Mark Mailer, Head of Development
Security was another growing concern. With sensitive customer and business information at stake, Ready Steady Store wanted to strengthen how they stored and managed data.
In 2023, Ready Steady Store partnered with ctm to upgrade their IT infrastructure. After such a poor experience with their previous supplier, ctm’s flexible approach was reassuring, explains Mark Mailer, Head of Development.
“ctm’s three-month notice period, essentially a rolling contract, gave us confidence because it meant they had to keep delivering good service.”
The first major project involved enrolling and managing all devices across their 23 locations into a single, centralised system — Microsoft Intune — and establishing consistent security policies and controls.
This was a game-changer for the business, giving them comprehensive visibility and control for the first time. “Now our entire IT environment is managed and controlled, which just wasn’t possible before,” Mark says.
“Working with ctm really feels like a partnership. If we need advice, technical expertise, or support with projects, they are always available.” Kate Black, Head of IT
Having a secure, reliable and well-managed IT infrastructure has allowed Mark and Kate to focus on development projects and strategic initiatives rather than firefighting IT issues.
“ctm allow us to focus on the business’s strategic goals rather than just trying to keep the wheels on the bus. Now we can dedicate a week or month to a project rather than grabbing an hour here and there among the chaos.” Mark Mailer, Head of Development
“The biggest benefit is peace of mind,” Kate says. “ctm have given us the ability to sleep at night without worrying, because we know it’s all under control. They feel very much like an extension of our internal team.”
Mark highlights the value and cost-effectiveness of partnering with ctm: “We get all the benefits of a well-resourced IT team without the overheads of employing extra staff.”
“Many suppliers stop giving you access to their experts after the honeymoon period, leaving you with interns. But with ctm, we still have access to all their experts and can speak to their senior leadership at any point — and that’s incredibly valuable.” Mark Mailer, Head of Development
ctm’s ability to deliver effective remote support to multiple sites across the country has been a key benefit, ensuring that geographic location is no barrier to operational efficiency. “We’ve only needed an engineer onsite once in two years,” notes Mark.
“Our staff are really happy with ctm’s support because they’re quick to respond and resolve issues. Their deep knowledge across the team and strong internal communication mean nothing takes too long to fix.” Kate Black, Head of IT
Having a technology partner that can deliver consistent support no matter the location gives Ready Steady Store confidence in their ability to grow.
“If we acquired another 20 sites tomorrow, we know ctm could handle the IT, no problem,” Mark reflects.
ctm has helped Ready Steady Store significantly improve their cybersecurity posture. This includes implementing multi-factor authentication, compliance policies, and encryption to safeguard sensitive information. Ready Steady Store now has greater confidence in the security of their customer data and proprietary information.
“We recently became Cyber Essentials certified. Achieving this was made a lot easier because of all the security measures ctm had put in place.” Kate Black, Head of IT
A key win for Ready Steady Store was the ability to remotely wipe lost or stolen devices — something they previously couldn’t do. This dramatically reduced the risk of data breaches, bringing much-needed peace of mind to the team.
“Before, if a laptop was stolen, it was a bit of a nightmare wondering what data might be exposed,” Mark says. “Now, we can wipe it remotely and know everything is safe. It’s no longer about the cost of the data — just the cost of a new laptop.”
“The support ctm gave to our end users while implementing new security measures has been incredible,” Kate says.
As Ready Steady Store looks to the future, they’re confident in their IT setup, knowing that ctm will be there to support them through expansion and any other challenges. From improved security to streamlined operations, Ready Steady Store has found in ctm a partner who empowers their growth ambitions.
“It’s not just a supplier relationship — it’s a partnership. We trust ctm to help us face whatever challenges the future brings.” Mark Mailer, Head of Development
Kate recommends ctm to other businesses with multiple locations: “Geography isn’t an issue when you have a partner like ctm. They deliver exactly what they promise and make our lives so much easier.”
