It’s not all about superyachts, big-screen TVs and soft furnishings here at Harris Grant. Sometimes we get really excited about a clever bit of software that lets us do our job better.

Alfresco is a powerful content management and collaboration tool that helps us run the biggest, most complex projects like clockwork.

Our client relationships often stretch over many years. And that means there’s an awful lot of data to keep track of over the course of a project’s history. Even the smallest job can typically generate many thousands of assets, from wiring schematics, CAD renderings and photos to tender documents, checklists and day-to-day correspondence between staff, contractors and suppliers.

All that data needs to be accessible for seamless sharing, whenever and wherever it’s needed. For instance, an initial design proposal rubber-stamped by our purchasing department must be instantly available for reference by engineering teams two years later when we’re revisiting a client’s site for upgrades. And that means we need to know the origin, status and version history of every scrap of information throughout a project’s lifecycle… from original commissioning to technical support and after-care.

Close collaboration is the key to every successful Harris Grant commission. And at busy times as many as 40 concurrent users – at our Guildford base and on-site anywhere in the world – can trust the Alfresco platform to get answers they need, quickly and securely.

It’s all down to the coding skills and tireless support of our Alfresco partner Ixxus (www.ixxus.com) who provide round-the-clock support, upgrades and hand-holding to keep the content management show running.

“With Alfresco and Ixxus we’re able to manage every project in a highly structured manner from start to finish” notes Neil Grant. “Improved information sharing has enhanced collaboration between internal teams and external partners. And the end result for all our clients is faster, more efficient project delivery”.