Waterstons at Home with new contract

May 22 2008 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal

AN IT consultant is celebrating after winning a major contract with a housing firm that will see it bring together 4,000 people from 500 locations.

Durham-based Waterstons has landed a contract with housing, care and support services giant Home to implement the company’s internet, intranet and extranet strategy.

Waterstons will use Microsoft’s Sharepoint product to allow employees and associates to access company information from any device, in any location.

Waterstons’ executive consultant Alistair McLeod said: “Home are passionate about delivering high standards of customer service and we are going to help them use the latest communication and collaboration techniques to achieve those goals.

“This technology will give Home the ability to collaborate and share documents with suppliers, tenants, construction companies and other third parties in any location.” Paul Kelly, Home’s IIE project manager, said: “We were looking for an IT consultancy that we could build a long-term partnership with and Waterstons’ track record demonstrated a commitment to doing just that.”

Waterstons, whose current clients include Newcastle International Airport, Durham Business School and Grainger plc, expects its revenue to grow by 15% to 20% over the next 12 to 18 months on the back of the Home deal. The firm assisted Newcastle International Airport after it found its software systems could no longer cope with the sustained growth it was experiencing.

Home is one of the largest providers of affordable and supported housing in the country and currently owns and manages in excess of 52,000 dwellings. The company, which is headquartered in Gosforth, Newcastle, employs over 4,000 people and operates from 800 sites across the UK.

Go to nebusiness.co.uk/technology as Waterstons’ executives answer your company’s IT problems.