NobleTec Unlocks Opportunities for SMEs with Enterprise-Class Storage

Overview

Challenge

• Data is vital to organizations of all sizes, but smaller companies often feel like high-quality storage technology is out of reach.

Solution

• NobleTec is making Hitachi Vantara technology accessible with affordable storage solutions combined with one-on-one service.

Outcome

• Schools and other SMEs benefit from enterprise-class storage features, including Hitachi’s 100% data availability guarantee.

Challenge

In smaller public and private sector organizations, building an effective IT strategy can be challenging. Like every business, data is your lifeblood, but getting the technology and support you need to manage and protect that data can be difficult. Large vendors are often too busy chasing multi-million dollar contracts with banks and insurers to give smaller businesses the attention they deserve. And many SMEs don’t have the budget to afford enterprise-class hardware or build up internal expertise.

NobleTec was founded on the premise that every customer should be treated with the highest standards of courtesy and respect. Unlike larger IT channel partners, which often struggle to maintain one-to-one relationships with smaller clients, NobleTec is deeply invested in building long-term partnerships, with a special focus on local community organizations such as schools and other educational institutions.

The challenge for NobleTec is to bridge the gap between these customers’ technology goals and their limited resources. “We’re trying to find multiple ways to fit customer needs with different capabilities, different budgets and different solutions,” says Tahece Clayborn, Technology Adviser at NobleTec. “We will do what it takes to find a configuration that works.We don’t just walk away because we can’t fit the solution into the budget available.”

Solution

To succeed in its mission, NobleTec needs to build partnerships with hardware and software vendors that share its belief that smaller businesses deserve better from their technology suppliers.

“When Hitachi came into our office, I was blown away by their focus, their technology and their level of expertise,” says Michelle Foster, Senior Account Executive at NobleTec. “When our customers hear about Hitachi’s 100% Data Availability Guarantee, they can hardly believe it. And when they see the technology live, it’s really compelling, because no other vendor can do it.”

Tahece Clayborn adds, “When we first partnered with Hitachi, it was really clear that they wanted to work with partners like NobleTec that could bring back the one-on-one, hands-on relationship with smaller clients. The first opportunity that we worked on together took seven months to close, and it proved to the customer that both NobleTec and Hitachi were there for them every step of the way.”

Outcome

According to Foster, “Although many of NobleTec’s clients are smaller, community businesses, from a technology perspective they have the same concerns as large enterprises. Cybersecurity and the opportunities and risks presented by AI are huge issues. Energy efficiency is a big deal, too, both in terms of cost reduction and sustainability.” 

NobleTec’s partnership with Hitachi empowers customers by giving them access to enterprise-class technology that helps them address these challenges. For example, as Foster recalls, “In some cases, we’ve shown clients how Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform One (VSP One) Block systems could reduce their energy consumption by 50% or more. And the 100% Data Availability Guarantee — which is completely unique to Hitachi — is a huge deal for customers who need to protect their data against cyberattacks and ransomware.”

Tahece Clayborn concludes, “NobleTec and Hitachi have the same vision. Whatever the size of your business and whatever your budget, you deserve a good level of service from your technology partners. Together, we’re finding solutions that make the right technologies accessible and affordable for customers of all sizes.”