Illingworth Seddon Build Business Confidence Through Reliable Communication

Client Overview

Illingworth Seddon Chartered Financial Planners is a highly respected financial advisory firm based in Cheshire. Holding the prestigious Chartered Financial Planners status—the gold standard for financial planning in the UK—the firm is an Appointed Representative of St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc. Illingworth Seddon serves clients across Cheshire, North Wales, Wirral, Merseyside, and Shropshire, offering bilingual services for Welsh-speaking clients. With over 100 years of combined experience, the firm is dedicated to delivering trusted, specialist advice across all areas of financial planning.

The Challenge

In the financial services sector, trust and seamless communication are essential. Illingworth Seddon’s legacy Mitel phone system was nearing end-of-life and no longer met the firm’s evolving needs. They required a modern, reliable communication solution that would support their commitment to client accessibility and service excellence.

The Solution

Illingworth Seddon sought quotes from three major providers. Croft, having already supported the firm’s connectivity and phone system for several years, was among them.

Croft distinguished itself by offering clear, unbiased advice, without any sales pressure. In contrast, other providers took a more aggressive approach.

Illingworth Seddon selected 8x8's cloud phone system after carefully evaluating their specific requirements as a financial institution and the options provided by Croft.

Security formed the cornerstone of their decision-making process, given the critical nature of their business operations. 8x8's comprehensive portfolio of security certifications aligned perfectly with Illingworth Seddon's stringent compliance obligations.

Data sovereignty represented another non-negotiable requirement. The firm insisted on keeping their communications data within UK borders, making 8x8's UK-hosted data centres an essential differentiator from offshore alternatives.

System reliability was equally paramount—any service interruptions could prove costly for their operations. 8x8 addressed this concern through its robust platform architecture and proprietary technology stack, which maintains consistent performance even across variable network conditions. This capability is underpinned by their comprehensive 99.999% uptime service level agreement, which uniquely covers both system availability and call quality metrics, providing Illingworth Seddon with the reliability assurance they required.

Croft managed the entire transition—from sourcing to installation—with professionalism and patience. The installation was completed on schedule and with minimal disruption to the team.

What truly set Croft apart was its exceptional after-sales support. As Illingworth Seddon made adjustments post-installation, Croft responded swiftly and effectively, ensuring the system continued to meet the firm’s needs.

“Croft always respond quickly with minimal fuss. They aren’t pushy salespeople—just honest, knowledgeable professionals. Croft are a trusted business partner.”

—Martin Savage, Operations Director, Illingworth Seddon

The Results

In financial planning, confidence and reliability are everything. Illingworth Seddon’s clients must be able to reach their advisers without delay. Thanks to Croft, the firm benefits from a robust, future-ready communication system.

This partnership demonstrates how technical expertise, proactive service, and genuine trust can support a business. For Illingworth Seddon, Croft didn’t just deliver a phone system—they delivered peace of mind.

Illingworth Seddon plans to integrate 8x8 with Microsoft Teams to enhance the platform's value and also connect 8x8 with their CRM system with Croft.