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Croft is excited to announce our sponsorship of Bristol Bears for the 2024/25 season, continuing the partnership into a seventh season.

The Croft logo will feature prominently on the sleeve of the Gallagher Premiership Home and Away and Investec Champions Cup shirts as the Bears target success on the domestic and European stage.

Last summer, Croft completed the acquisition of long-standing Bears Club Partner Blackstar Solutions, whose logo appeared on the shirts for six seasons.

The two organisations have a strong partnership, with Croft providing telephony and internet connectivity at the Bristol Bears and Bristol City High Performance Centres and are continuing to improve the fan experience through contact centre technology at Ashton Gate.

“The value of a long-standing relationship is really important and we are delighted that this partnership is now continuing with Croft. We are looking forward to a seventh season together.” said Sarah Farrar, Bristol Sport’s Chief Commercial Officer

Nick Smith, Chief Operating Officer at Croft added: “We’re excited to announce that our sponsorship of the Bears men’s and women’s teams is continuing for another season. We’ve proudly supported the Bears for the last six seasons and look forward to continuing our partnership.

At Croft, we’re not just sponsors – we’re passionate fans who share the same values and vision as the club. Renewing our sponsorship was an easy decision because of this strong alignment.

Beyond our role as fans and sponsors, we’re also deeply involved with Bristol Sport, providing essential telecoms services.

“It’s been incredible to witness the unwavering support from fans over the years, from record season ticket sales to packed crowds and skyrocketing shirt sales. Ashton Gate offers a truly unmatched experience, and we can’t wait for the season to start!”

Up the Bears!

We’re excited to announce that Croft has been named 8×8 EMEA Partner Solution of the Year! This prestigious award recognises our team’s exceptional skill and innovation in implementing unified communications and contact centre solutions.

In a field brimming with strong contenders, Croft emerged as the clear frontrunner, as Oliver McCleery, 8×8 Channel Account Manager, explains. “Croft delivered an incredible win in the enterprise sector,” he said. “Not only did they secure an upfront deal for 8×8 UC, CCaaS, Voice for Teams and SecurePay, they also laid the groundwork for future expansion.  Croft also designed and delivered the solution, working in partnership with 8×8 Expert Services which was a key element of the deal.”

Our winning project? A large-scale, multi-country deployment for a major enterprise client. We tackled complex challenges head-on, delivering a comprehensive solution that transformed their operations.

The Client’s Challenges:

Our Bespoke Solution:

The Croft Difference:

Results That Speak Volumes: The Croft team implemented an 8×8 cloud-based solution that addresses remote work challenges, delivers pristine call quality, and boasts 99.999% uptime. Its user-friendly interface simplifies management, while built-in features eliminate the need for unreliable third-party add-ons.

Ready to transform your business communications? Contact our experts today to discover how Croft and 8×8 can elevate your unified communications and contact centre capabilities.

We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of NCI Technologies. This acquisition will expand our Managed IT & Support team and strengthen our reach in the South West.

NCI is a market leader in IT support, cybersecurity, and cloud phone systems. They’re known for being proactive, reliable, and dedicated, qualities that align with the Croft ethos!

We’re confident that this acquisition will enable us to provide even better services and proactive solutions to our business and education customers.

With NCI Technologies’ expertise and our shared commitment to excellence, we look forward to an exciting future together. 

NCI Technologies’ CEO, Chris Penrose, said:

“The team at NCI are excited to be part of Croft, I have found Mark and Phil to be extremely honest, flexible and supportive throughout the process.  I really can’t thank the Team at Croft enough for their time onsite helping ensure the initial transition steps were as smooth as possible. It is a good time for NCI to be part of something bigger, the team have a lot to bring to the table and I am sure it will provide new and interesting possibilities, both internally and for our customers.”

We’re delighted to have the NCI team onboard!

 

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We’re proud to announce that Croft has achieved the 3CX Titanium partner status.

Titanium is the highest level a partner can achieve with 3CX and is awarded to the most successful and experienced partners with a history of deploying and supporting 3CX’s solutions.

Croft is one of only eight Titanium partners in the UK, a significant achievement only awarded to elite 3CX partners.

Becoming a 3CX Titanium Partner marks a significant milestone for Croft, and we’re incredibly proud of our team that supports and maintains our client’s 3CX systems.

What is 3CX, and Why is This Achievement Noteworthy?

3CX is a leading provider of software-based Unified Communications (UC) solutions, offering PBX (Private Branch Exchange) systems that streamline communication across various mediums.

3CX is trusted by over 350,000 companies with over 12M daily users. The reason so many companies choose 3CX, is the easy set up, low costs and advanced features. 

Achieving the Titanium Partner status within the 3CX ecosystem is a testament to Croft’s commitment to excellence, expertise, and proficiency in delivering 3CX’s telecom solutions.

The journey to Titanium Partner status with 3CX is arduous, demanding a high level of technical skill, dedication to customer satisfaction, and a proven track record in implementing 3CX solutions.

This elevation signifies Croft’s deep understanding of 3CX products and its capability to provide comprehensive, tailored solutions that meet diverse client needs.

“We are thrilled to welcome Croft as our newest Titanium Partner in the 3CX family. Their dedication to excellence and commitment to delivering outstanding communication solutions make them a valuable addition to the elite 3CX partner network. With their extensive expertise and innovative approach, we are confident that Croft will provide unparalleled service and support to businesses seeking to enhance their communications infrastructure with 3CX.

Congratulations to everybody at Croft on achieving this significant milestone, and we look forward to an increasingly successful partnership for years to come.”

Paul Clarke – Senior Channel Manager – 3CX

“Our journey with 3CX actually started with losing a customer to the product. Having investigated with the client why they chose 3CX instead of Mitel, I came to the same conclusion they did. It was the right fit.

3CX is a very forward thinking platform, open standards based and able to be adapted to meet a very wide range of customer demands. It also allows you to be creative in your approach with the customer and really delivers one of the core values Croft has with our “bespoke by design” motto.”

Steve Harrison – Account Director – Croft 

 

Benefits for our Clients

For Croft, this achievement signifies access to enhanced support, exclusive training, and advanced tools provided by 3CX. This empowerment enables us to deliver even more robust and efficient communication solutions to their clients.

For clients, partnering with a 3CX Titanium Partner ensures access to cutting-edge technology, seamless implementations, and premium support.

As a 3CX Titanium Partner, we can offer our clients the following benefits:

The Future Ahead

Croft’s ascension to the Titanium Partner tier with 3CX underscores our current prowess and sets the stage for continued innovation and growth.

As technology evolves, Croft’s commitment to staying at the forefront of telecom advancements promises exciting possibilities for clients.

Are you looking for a Trusted 3CX Partner?

At Croft, we’re committed to providing our clients with high-class advice, support and expertise.

Contact us to discover how 3CX can solve your communication challenges.

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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