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When it came to choosing an acquiring company, Boldfield Computing had a number of options. So what made them go with Croft? We sat down with Boldfield’s Managing Director Andy Irvine, to find out what made Croft stand out, how the acquisition process went in practice, and what advice he would give to other companies considering an acquisition.

What were the benefits of choosing Croft as the acquiring company? 

Well, we had a number of suitors if you like. One reason for choosing Croft was just about the warmth of the organisation, the welcome we got. The acquisition process is never entirely financial – it’s got to be about people and human beings too, and they ticked that box. 

Croft also wanted to keep some elements of our company intact. They wanted to keep our office, our staff, our approach to customers. I thought there was a large degree of fit in terms of how we wanted to treat customers and I felt that they had a much wider portfolio than us in terms of UC connectivity and mobile. 

I felt that the Croft approach was about building for the future, rather than just purely asset stripping or cost cutting.

How was the acquisition process?

Every acquisition process is quite long and there are a lot of things like due diligence to carry out, but I felt that the process was very constructive. With Croft, it was very much “what you see is what you get”. If the directors said they would do something, then that is what happened.

There are times in any significant change or big process, where you have some misgivings and need a bit of reassurance. I felt that Phil and Mark were very available and responsive to any questions we had. 

Some of the things you want to ask for during an acquisition are purely business points. They’re very cut and dried. And other things are dear to one’s heart or somewhat emotional. And I felt that they covered off both of those, and that was very reassuring that they would listen to people’s concerns and deal with them rather than just making it a financial transaction.

What was the reaction from your team?

Well, I think that they were very surprised at first. But I think they could see the logic of it. 

A lot of Croft people have been to our offices, from Nikki the sales director to Mark the CEO, so they have been visible and interactive, and they have all said to us that there’s a fantastic team spirit here. 

I still think it’s early days and people are nervous a little bit. But on the whole I think the team feels positive about the change.

We have really tried to make the integration work. One of the things that makes it work is a bit of enthusiasm and trying to get to know people in Croft, inviting them to our offices, going to some of the social things that we’ve already been to.  

What advice would you give to other businesses considering an acquisition?

Look at everything, and have in your mind what a good result looks like for you. 

At the beginning of the process we wrote down what would be good for us, and obviously what would be good for us is we got the right amount of money for our shareholders. But our director Ian and I also wanted a bit of ongoing involvement in the company. We wanted our staff to be looked after. We didn’t want our office to be closed, we wanted our finance director to be hired. So we had a predetermined list of what would be a great outcome. 

And I think, really, you’ve got to make a hard and a soft list. And the hard stuff might be, “I won’t sell for less than X amount of money”, or “there’s got to be 60% upfront”. You can write that hard list, but you also need a soft list that outlines the human side of the process. You’re not selling a second hand car, you’re selling something that you have loved and created over the years. And I think you need to think what is going to be the ideal solution for you? Different companies will have different answers to that question. 

It’s one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make in your life. And we felt that Croft had the best fit for all the items that are hard and soft. Of course it’s about money, but also we feel comfortable, we feel happy, we feel valued.

Any final comments?

I think it’s sometimes hard for a business owner to change because they’ve spent ten years trying to be the king of a small castle. And now you’ve got to understand you’re a prince in a federation. 

You need to make that transition. That’s my advice. And it can be fun because moving into a bigger company it’s stimulating to have a lot of very motivated, very clever colleagues with different skills.

We are excited to announce the acquisition of Blackstar Solutions. This acquisition has led to a significant step in enhancing and expanding our business communication expertise across the UK.

With a wide range of well-known, trusted clients across the UK, the Croft team is enthusiastic about joining forces with Blackstar. The team brings with them a wealth of specialised knowledge in various business communications and telecoms areas, including:

Blackstar Solutions CEO, Nick Smith, said:

“My team and I are really excited to be part of Croft, from our initial interactions and throughout the deal, Mark and Phil have been really honest and open about how we will integrate and the skills we can bring to the group. There is a great cultural fit which is really important to me as it’s one of the things that sets Blackstar apart as a great place to work and for our clients to partner with.  We are looking forward to being able to add even more value to clients with the full MSP offering and developing and growing the business.”

We’re delighted to have the Blackstar Solutions team onboard!

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We have another exciting acquisition to announce… ClearLink Telecoms and Data, a leading provider of cutting-edge telephony technology for the private and public sectors, are joining forces with Croft.

Based in London Colney, ClearLink Telecoms and Data brings with them a wealth of knowledge and expertise within the education IT sector and beyond. Their range of services includes traditional hardware telephone systems to hosted telephony, as well as line rentals and calls.

Director of ClearLink Telecoms and Data, Nick Marks, announced:

“Merging with Croft has provided us with a great opportunity to offer our customers additional services and support”.

The teams at Croft and ClearLink Telecoms and Data are excited about this collaboration. By combining forces, the new partnership fosters innovation, improves efficiency and increases our breadth of services to provide even better white-glove services to our clients.

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We are thrilled to announce that Croft has acquired business communication experts, Direct Line Communications (DLC).

With a customer base in both England and Wales, the Croft team looks forward to expanding their services across the UK. The DLC team brings with them a depth of knowledge in:

Managing Director of DLC, Paul Wood, said:

“IT support has become more and more important in the telecom space, so our customers were asking more about reputable IT companies they could use. It was a natural fit for DLC Ltd to embed with Croft, due to your brilliant reputation in the IT space and us being the Gateway to Wales. We are excited and look forward to all the opportunities this will bring”

Based in North Wales, DLC have been providing communications and IT services for 30 years. With their ethos, “complicated communications made simple”, we knew they were going to be a great fit for Croft.

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Before Croft acquired Kiwi IT in February 2023, Steve Priest wasn’t looking to sell. After a conversation with his Business Partner, Rob Green, whose business (Cloud9) had also been recently acquired by Croft – he decided to meet with Mark and Phil to discuss the possibility of an acquisition. We sat down with Steve to discuss the acquisition process and becoming part of Croft. 

What were the benefits of choosing Croft as the acquiring company? 

When I first spoke to Mark (CEO) and Phil (CFO / COO) from Croft, I was impressed by their approach. I’ve had a number of other companies over the years contact me about selling, but I found Croft particularly easy to deal with – so I was happy to start a conversation. I had a preference for Croft because I liked what they had to say. One of the key factors for me was that the Kiwi team in the Midlands had a very low staff turnover, and most of the team had been with me since the beginning. I didn’t want redundancies, and Croft has been true to their word in preserving the whole team.

How was the acquisition process?

The process was extremely easy and straightforward. From the initial conversation to the completion of the deal, it took only three months – and I know that some of Croft’s acquisitions have been even quicker than that. We went through the due diligence process, and we were able to reach an amicable and sensible decision. There was a degree of leniency and acceptance in how we worked out the transition plan which worked really well for us. 

What was the reaction from your team?

Naturally, there were some concerns among the team as they had been working in a small business environment for years. They were worried about what would change, and how this change would look. But Phil and Mark from Croft came and spoke to the whole team to provide support and reassurance. The team were also supported by Tania – Croft’s People and Integration Manager who helped them adjust to the change in the business. Fortunately, there were no redundancies, and the team responded positively to the merger.

Did the acquisition bring about any changes in career opportunities for employees at Kiwi IT?

Absolutely! The acquisition opened up new career opportunities for the Kiwi IT team. We went from a team of 28 to now being a part of a larger organisation with 200 employees. There’s a much larger ladder to climb in terms of career growth for employees, so we’ve seen a number of promotions within the business since the acquisition. 

What advice would you give to other businesses considering an acquisition?

It’s an extremely easy process. From the first conversation with Mark and Phil to completion, the process took less than three months. We managed to achieve a solid agreement – and it’s clear that Croft did their due diligence. I also liked how there was a degree of flexibility in the acquisition / transition plan, to help integrate how we worked at Kiwi IT. Through conversations, all of my concerns were relieved. Croft was understanding and addressed the concerns I had, especially regarding staff retention, so I’d say that the process was smooth and efficient.

Any final comments?

As the former Managing Director of a small business, I’ve now found myself on the board of a larger organisation, thanks to the acquisition. (It has been a promotion for me!) Kiwi IT was never on the market, but I’m really pleased with my decision to sell. It’s been encouraging to witness the high level of engagement, support, and involvement of Phil, Ben, and Mark from Croft in most decision-making processes. Despite the inevitable unsettling period that happens during significant business transitions, the Croft team has consistently demonstrated active engagement and encouragement throughout. Ultimately, the acquisition was a painless, efficient process and I’d recommend Croft to other businesses interested in selling. 

We’re excited to announce the acquisition of expert IT Support and Service specialists, Boldfield Computing.

Based in Cambridge, Peterborough and London, the company has established itself as a reliable and esteemed partner in the field of IT support and cloud services, with almost 41 years wealth of experience. 

Boldfield Computing provides an extensive range of smart solutions, IT support, and cloud services to a diverse client base. Their clientele spans from small to medium-sized businesses with as few as 5 employees, to large corporations with multiple sites across the UK, encompassing over 300 employees.

Through this new exciting collaboration, Croft MSP broadens its array of IT, telecommunications, connectivity, mobile collaboration, and security expertise.

We’re thrilled to be joining forces with the Boldfield Computing team, and we’re looking forward to sharing their passion for IT and innovation. Their values of trust, professionalism, and communication mirror Croft. 

“With this new partnership, we can develop and grow to provide an even better and more comprehensive service. This is a very exciting opportunity for our colleagues. We are already enjoying working within the Croft family and can see a very bright future ahead.”  – Andy Irvine, Managing Director of Boldfield Computing.

Iain McFarlane, Director of Technology at Boldfield Computing added: “We have been very conscious to ensure that our customers and staff were put first when deciding who to merge with.  The opportunity to combine the best of Boldfield’s responsiveness and ability to react to change with the scale of the Croft MSP Group will ensure all our customers will benefit from continued support as well as open opportunities for more integrated communications and access to a broader skillset.”

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Following the two acquisitions in February, we are thrilled to announce we are joining forces with yet another leading IT company, Badger Computer Services.

Established in 1992, Badger Computer Services was formed to provide IT support services to the educational and business community of North London and the Northern Home Counties.

Badger quickly became established as a leading service provider, boasting around 25 full-time engineers servicing in excess of 100 schools across 18 boroughs along with a broad selection of commercial clients.

“Over the years we have been approached many times. On each occasion, the fit was not right for either of us as individual business owners, our staff, or our clients. When approached by Croft and speaking to Mark, Ben, and Phil, it was the first time we felt we were speaking to people and a company that was of a like mind towards our staff and our clients. We decided to proceed in joining Croft because it gave Suraj and I the freedom to do what we love doing which is looking after our clients as well as the opportunity to expand and benefit a wider organisation with our experience. Our staff will also have increased opportunities for personal and career growth. Our clients will benefit from increased resources and expertise in areas that we have previously had to outsource. We are pleased to say that, as of the end of March, Badger Computer Services including all our staff, Suraj and I are now a part of the Croft team. We very much look forward to working with Croft to help our clients, both new and old by leveraging the expertise within both Badger and Croft.” – Sacha Alter

We are confident Suraj Shah, Sacha Alter and the Badger team will be a great asset to Croft.

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We are delighted to introduce yet another fantastic acquisition, Kiwi IT.

Based in West Midlands, Kiwi is a specialist IT solutions provider to UK SMEs and mid-market sectors. Building on over 20 years of experience, Kiwi have earned a strong reputation as an innovative cloud and digital transformation specialist.

“This deal is the perfect combination for Kiwi IT. Our values and approach have been and continue to be client focused, an approach and attitude shared within Croft MSP Group. Combining the attributes and values of these two great companies enables us to strengthen our service offering and become a true “one-stop-shop” for IT, Security and Unified Communications technologies. This is a very exciting opportunity for our team who are all looking forward to the future at Croft.” – Steve Priest

We are looking forward to welcoming Steve Priest and his dedicated team of experts to Croft.

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We are pleased to announce our latest acquisition of managed services provider, Pure IT.

Based in Southampton, founded in 1998, Director Steve Macklin and his team have delivered exceptional IT services & support to businesses covering the South of the UK, including:

Having built a stellar reputation for excellent customer service and efficient technical solutions, Pure IT bring over two decades of valuable experience to Croft and share in our strong focus on customer service, and a dedication to understanding client business needs. Director, Steve Macklin said:

“At Pure IT, our focus has always been ensuring our customers receive the highest quality service. I strongly feel these attitudes and values are reflected in Croft. This merger will benefit our staff and customers by allowing for more resources, increased reach across the UK, and the capability to maintain our quality of service and personal relationships with our expanding clients. We are excited and look forward to all the opportunities this will bring.”

All the team here at Croft are excited to welcome the new members of the team and work in partnership to achieve great success.

 

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Croft is pleased to announce the acquisition of IT consultancy specialists, Clovertec. 

If you are an existing Clovertec client and require the Remote Support portal or the Helpdesk, please click the direct links below. For emergency out-of-hours support, please call 0113 8873710 and select the option for Emergency out-of-hours.

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Based in Leeds and established in 2008, Clovertec has been providing high-quality IT services and solutions including: 

The experts at Clovertec are sure to be valuable additions to the team here at Croft. Croft will be welcoming Charlie, who will be working hard alongside our consultancy team during the merger, and Idris as Director of Managed Services along with 12 members of their fantastic team. Here is what they have to say: 

“This is a major milestone for Clovertec and a great deal for Croft, finding two likeminded companies and joining forces will strengthen our ability to service customers and provide a great opportunity for employees to develop and broaden their horizons.”- Charlie

“The Clovertec team and I are excited to join and be part of Croft. With their service offering combined with ours, we can better service our clients and offer a wider range of services and reach across the UK.”- Idris

“For our customers, this merger means we will introduce our IT skills and expertise into Croft then grow and expand upon them. The team you know and are familiar with, are still here as their knowledge and expertise is needed to continue our services to you, our customers. We will continue to work as we always have, same office, same people using the same systems and support tools. Other than the branding changing from Clovertec to Croft, everything else will still feel the same. We will however have additional products and services we can now offer, so if you have any requirements, please reach out to us.”

This is just the beginning of a very exciting year for Croft and our growing team with more updates to follow soon! 

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