About This Case Study
Grassroots IT has worked with Northrop since 2017, initially providing Managed IT Support for their Brisbane office before expanding to provide project, digital transformation and support services for all staff nationally. The team provides advice and guidance directly to Northrop COO Justin Davies, which influences their company-wide IT strategies. We also help with ongoing Digital Transformation projects using Microsoft Power Apps & SharePoint.
IT solutions tailored to achieve results
Justin Davies said Northrop values Grassroots IT’s proactivity. “IT is an ever-evolving landscape, and Grassroots identify things on the horizon and draw it to our attention early for due consideration,” he said. “They assist with the decision making process by doing initial research about the value any proposed changes may bring to the business. It helps us to see the whole picture.”
Mr Davies said Grassroots IT take the time to understand Northrop’s business, ensuring they appreciate how different IT solutions may or may not work for the company.
“Grassroots IT have been involved with some project deployments off the back of Office 365,” Justin said. “It’s clear that they know the products well and how to get the best from them.”Mr Davies said that rather than employing an expensive, “best practice” solution in every situation, Grassroots IT instead suggest and implement solutions that are practical and fit for purpose – while never compromising on quality.
“At Northrop we are a consulting firm ourselves, and we work hard to be a trusted partner,” Justin Davies said. “That’s what Grassroots IT are for me.”
“They have a vested interest in helping me in my role, and I have confidence that they genuinely want the best outcomes for us,” he said.
Strategic insight with the personal touch adds value
Natalie Butler, Northrop’s Business Support Manager, echoes Justin Davies’ comments. “In my experience with IT suppliers, Grassroots are the cream of the crop,” she said. “They are our go-to because they have won our confidence as experts who are always ahead of the game.” Again, Natalie emphasised that Grassroots IT conform to their clients’ needs, rather than the other way around. “They have been incredibly adaptable with us,” she said.
“They don’t try and make us fit their IT solution – they listen, understand and make sure their solutions work for us.”
Natalie said Northrop and Grassroots IT share the same ethos on how to look after clients. “We throw a lot of challenges at Grassroots IT but they’re always very flexible. They always look for the best outcome and find ways to make things work,” she said.
Just as Northrop’s COO values Grassroots’ proactivity, so too does Natalie. “They aren’t limited just to their internal knowledge. They ‘rub shoulders’ with the outside IT world, so they often bring us opportunities to save money and capitalise on what’s new,” she said. “David is super-proactive and well and truly across things. We feel there are no missed opportunities thanks to Grassroots IT.”
Grassroots IT’s strategic viewpoint is another area that adds significant value for Northrop. “They have an ability to look at the broader horizon, and encourage us to look at things over say the next 5 years before we make a decision, rather than just focussing on what’s important today,” she said. “We find that so, so valuable.”
“In terms of high-level project work, we work closely with Rowan, Tony, and David,” Natalie said. “They are always happy to share their insights and expertise at all levels of our business.”Natalie said that Grassroots IT’s ticketing system works well, but never gets in the way of human interaction. “It’s not a barrier to our relationship at all. We work closely with the support team, and Grassroots have even refined their processes so they work for us – not just for the sake of a system,” she said.
As with any long-term relationship, there are bound to be a few minor hiccups along the way. But it’s the way they are handled that really counts, Natalie said. “If ever things don’t work, Grassroots fix it so it won’t happen again,” she said. “They obviously have very good internal training and a good balance between the tech people and the client-facing account managers.”
