Blog from Server Case UK

Sales Speak – September 2017

Published by Mark Lambert on 25th Sep 2017

Welcome to the latest sales speak and I want to start by thanking you for your continued support.

Our customers have come back from your holidays, looking bronzed, refreshed and eager to buy so September has followed August in being a good sales month for us.

I’d like to pause there to say thank you, your support is always appreciated and we’re happy that we are able to provide more of our customers with server solutions.

Our new starters have settled in well and hit the ground running in building new relationships with a variety of system integrators, managed service providers and IT Resellers.  If you’d like to talk to Tie, Lee, Luke or Keith about the server solution you require then just call +44 (0)1283 576 162 or email on [email protected]

 

Having ideas not above your (Work) station!

We have had some great successes with 4U 4 x GPU Rendering server systems and we have continued to strengthen our status as a Nvidia Quadro partner in the workstation solution marketplace.  Because of this we have started to stock the In-Win PE and PL Pedestal Chassis range to enhance our current Logic Case and In-Win Rackmount offering.

We will shortly be launching our own dedicated workstation brand called Velocity WS. Keep your eyes open for the details but we’ll bring our Server Case excellence and customisation to high powered workstations in both rackmount and pedestal formats that will save you time and money.

 

Remember, remember all of November, cases and components in stock!

Due to our increase in chassis and solution sales we have a huge 140 cubic meters of stock arriving at the end of October and beginning of November!  What this means for our customers is there will be much more available stock of our popular Logic Case models such as the SC-415A and SC-43480B, along with more 4U storage chassis in our UK warehouse.

We have been working with our largest customers for many years now to forecast their requirements and to ensure their stock continuity. 

Logic Case especially is proving extremely popular now and we encourage our customers, new and old, to get in touch with an account manager to discuss forecasting so we can continue to ensure healthy stock levels of your favourite products.

This can hopefully result in more opportunity for both Server Case and its customers to grow in the ever-expanding white box server marketplace.

 

i9 and x299 motherboard made for each other 

Talking of expansion, we have recently sold our first batch of i9 Servers to one of our international customers.  We’ve seen a lot of demand for the i9 CPU’s with the x299 motherboard due to its higher frequency cores and ability to multitask whilst maintaining solid performance.  We coupled this with our In-Win 2U chassis which was thermally tested to specifically house the i9 CPU. 

 

OEM requirements

Outside of server solutions we can also create through our OEM channels CE approved and thermally tested products if this type of fixed industrial product requirement is part of your marketplace.  Feel free to talk to myself about this if you have any questions or you know the solution you need.

 

The Art of Sales: No accounting for taste, a great account manager knows relationships are more give than take. 

Let’s get the elephant out of the room, yes, we are here to make money. We have mortgages, we have families, we have bills and every so often we like to buy a few nice things too.  

But that isn’t the only reason why we are here, if that was the case then we wouldn’t care as deeply as we do about providing the right solution and we wouldn’t have as many customers returning over the years.

We made the decision to go with account management because it means we can support your organisation with change and growth. It offers consistency, support and long-term thinking.

The following list is what I ask of myself and of my team. Dedicated account management is about building a long-term relationship and we are proud to be able to offer that.      

5 things that make a great account manager are:  

• Excellent communication skills with both the customer and colleagues.
• Adaptable and not afraid to get involved with the dirty work.
• Have an excellent ability to earn trust and confidence from customers to form long standing relationships
• Organised and passionate
• Pushes the thought boundaries of the business they work in and their customers ideas too.

 

Let me know what you think makes a great account manager, we are always happy to receive feedback and make sure our customers are happy.

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The Need for Speed

Published by Andrew McLean on 18th Sep 2017

Megahertz (MHz), Gigahertz (GHz)……What are they, what do they mean and how many do you need?

It sounds complex and daunting if you are new to purchasing IT solutions but really it isn’t, and a little knowledge will put you in a more confident position when looking for a new solution.

When procuring new equipment, knowing these numbers will go a long way to ensuring you buy the right tool for the job. You will also be comfortable knowing you are wringing every last potential drop of ROI from your investment whilst maintaining uptime and stability.

Put simply, CPU clock speed, or clock rate, is measured in Hertz — generally in gigahertz, or GHz. A CPU's clock speed rate is a measure of how many clock cycles a CPU can perform per second. For example, a CPU with a clock rate of 3.6 GHz can perform 3,600,000,000 clock cycles per second

 

So, more Hertz means faster, right?

Yes & No……. A CPU in a new computer billed as 2X faster than an old computer does not mean twice as much finished work gets done in the same time frame.

Internal cache design, bus speed, disk speed and network speed all contribute to the computer's actual processing speed and performance (the overall throughput)

Think of a ‘Hertz’ as a tick of the clock. Architectural advancements in CPU’s generally mean that a newer CPU will get more work done per tick of the clock so YES, a new CPU should be faster than an old one EVEN IF you run them at the same speed, BUT other ‘Bottlenecks’ (or weak spots) in the components of the system do have a huge overall performance impact.

Techy guff aside, it really is brutally simple……ANY machine EVER built by humankind is/ was only as good/ fast/ powerful as the sum of its poorest/ slowest/ weakest parts.

Computers are no different AND we also have their task/ software to consider. As we discussed last time, it’s no use having a 40 core 2.6GHz Xeon CPU when the work you are doing is single threaded software base that can ONLY EVER use one CPU core. In this example, your single threaded software would run almost twice as fast on a quad core CPU WITH THREE CORES DISABLED, leaving one core running at 4,6GHz.

Similarly, the parts selected to build the machine are absolutely critical. If you select a monster fast 20 core chip, it’s no use speccing a single stick of 2GB RAM at a lowly speed of 2133mhz. A ‘fat’ bandwidth CPU needs a fat pile of fast RAM in dual or quad channel, ESPECIALLY if it’s feeding 4 big GPU’s with 11GB of their own RAM each.

On the flipside, you would be stark raving mad to pair 64GB of 3000MHz RAM on a basic motherboard with a dual core Celeron CPU as that CPU simply doesn’t know what to do with that much RAM and isn’t capable of running in sync with it’s speed.

It’s simply a case of a balanced set of components all ‘singing’ together harmoniously in terms of performance, compatibility and reliability.

It’s this level of understanding of the whole computer ecosystem that enables us to tailor any system to your needs. We understand that everyone uses PC’s, servers and workstations very differently and for a myriad of different tasks and software.

It’s for this reason that, on our site, you won’t see piles of ‘Super sexy, GTi, Turbo, Go-Faster-Striped’ machines covered in LED's and bleating about Gigahertz, Megahertz and overclocking.

We CAN do all of that if you like, but it’s MUCH better for you if you give us a call on +44 (0) 1283 576162 and tell us exactly what you need your new machine for, what your upgrade plans are and what your performance and stability expectations are……then we’ll be able to deliver a machine that will genuinely make a difference to your business with outstanding performance, bombproof stability, faster workflow and a rapid ROI.

 

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What's Happening at Server Case UK – September 2017

Published by Marketing on 11th Sep 2017

Our new website is almost here

I want to make it as easy as possible for you to be able to purchase a server that meets your needs.

I don’t think that is asking for too much but everywhere I look, there are barriers for customers. It might be poor design, insufficient stock, technical incompetence or just too high a price. The barriers turn a search for a solution into an ordeal.  

That is why I really can’t wait until the first week of October to showcase something special. Our new site is almost ready to be unleashed and it’s good... Ok it’s very good!

It’s a site which will remove hurdles and be the easiest place to purchase server systems. I think you’ll agree when you first see www.serverstore.com.

We will of course continue to supply quality pre-built server systems such as HP Enterprise and Dell on the site. Our delivery standards will remain high, our prices will remain extremely competitive and our technical knowledge will still support you before, during and after purchase. You’ll be able to buy them straight from the site however there is something a touch more exciting.

The exciting bit we’re offering is customisation. You can customise your trainers, your digital tv package, your car and even the layout of your local newspaper website. So why can’t you customise your server? The simple answer is that now you can.

Server Store will allow you to build a server from scratch on screen and create a system that matches your requirements and your budget. There will be no more trade-off between having to make do with an off the shelf product that doesn’t quite meet your needs or paying through the nose to get system you want.    

The new site features a very easy to use configurator for building your own server which uses high quality components from vendors such as Supermicro, Asus and In-Win. You’ll be able to pick the parts you require to build the perfect system. We’ll then build it and deliver it to you.  

The new site will be launched in the first week of October and I look forward to sharing Server Store with you. I know you’ll love it.

 

In-Win, Keith and biscuits!

As the distributor for In-Win IPC in the United Kingdom, we’ve had some very successful months and August was no different. Our dedicated In-Win Business Development Manager, Keith Osborne, has been working tirelessly to deliver solutions to new and existing customers.

Due to this ongoing success, we’re pleased to say that we’ve ordered another container of mixed stock, containing OEM project work and chassis for distribution through the UK channel.

If you need to get in touch with us about OEM or In-Win please contact Keith Osborne who will bring the biscuits to your meeting… if you ask nicely!

 

OEM projects and a special offer!

As I’ve mentioned above, August has been a great time for us and OEM projects. We’ve had several projects ordered and completed. These projects show the true diversity of the industries we support because they have been for a wide ride range of markets and of varying size and scale.

Our customers are a great bunch and some work in particularly interesting fields, for example one recent customer is a specialist in satellite tracking! We developed a completely custom 1U chassis for them which would house bespoke internal components.

OEM is a big focus for us now and we would be happy to talk to you or any of your customers to help with their OEM requirements.

As a thank you to our OEM customers, we have a special offer. if you contact us to discuss your OEM requirements during September 2017 and you confirm and pay for the order, we will give you a £100 high street voucher!

No strings, no loyalty card or points needed to be redeemed, just a thank you for supporting Server Case. 

 

Training and development of our team

One thing I am proud of is that we value our staff highly and we invest to make sure they are at the top of their game.  

We will always invest in our people by providing both professional and non-professional qualifications to further their development. We understand that ultimately it ensures that our customers receive the best service possible.

Recently, our senior management team completed a professional Leadership in Management course that will allow us to support our employees to create more positive outcomes. In turn, this will help us to provide a better service to you, our customer.



 

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Sales Speak – August 2017

Published by Mark Lambert on 21st Aug 2017

Welcome to Sales Speak where once a month I’ll be giving you an insight into my team and the world of sales at Server Case.

 

No growing pains here

It’s been a very busy time here generally but especially within the sales team which has nearly doubled in size. 

Thanks to you, our wonderful customers and your increased demand, we have significantly invested in the growth of our company.

We’ve welcomed three skilled and talented technical salespeople. We added Keith Osborne, our In-Win Business Development manager at the end of June and then Tieran Berrey and Luke McDonnell joined as internal sales executives in July.  

All this growth has made it a very exciting time to be part of the sales team and the office is buzzing from all the new conversations with new and existing customers. 

Summer lovin’ or summer blues?

Sales wise it’s a consistent time of the year, people are on holidays, the kids are getting bored and sales tick over, but as much as I love the warm days it’s also frustrating.

I love to continually improve as an individual and deliver more results for my customers and the more relaxed summer pace jars with me. I want many more happy customers and that’s what I want my new recruits to want too.

We are achieving all our sales projections and have just posted our 16/17 accounts which show a growth of 100% in net profit from last year which is an incredible achievement.

We have also significantly increased our stock holding to service the growing demand for our two major brands Logic Case and In-Win.

So, it’s a happy time for us but I’m not one for resting on the beach with a book!

OEM purchases aren’t as difficult as you may think they are

One of this year’s real success stories has been our increase in OEM sales, we have several additional large volume bespoke chassis requirements than this time last year.  

It’s interesting because historically there was a perception from customers that OEM modifications carried high minimum order quantities.  This provided a barrier for those looking to create their own custom chassis in smaller quantities.

We have worked with manufacturers and along with our own knowledgeable sales team we have informed OEM customers that you can purchase from 50 pcs quantities, this makes it realistic for SMEs as well as large companies.

We will continue to focus on this area as it helps support the growth and success of Server Case UK so please do get in touch with our sales team to find out more details on creating your own custom chassis.

The Art of Sales

I love my job. I’ve said it and I’m happy to say I am one of those people who wake up happy to go to work. I’ve got a good team, meaningful challenges and every day I get to talk to great customers.

What I don’t like however is bad sales, shoddy sales techniques, lies and poor service is something which shouldn’t belong in our industry.

Each month, I’ll write a listicle of what makes sales an artform. This is my opinion and mine alone but drop me an email with your thoughts and we can talk server solutions too! 

5 things that make a good sales person are:

 

• Excellent listeners 
• Too many salespeople forget that it’s the customer who has an issue that requires a solution, so listen first and sell appropriately.
• We have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason!
• Excellent product understanding
• This may sound like common sense but you’d be surprised at the lack of product knowledge that I have ran in to whilst I’ve been a customer.
• I love what I do and that starts with knowing the positives and negatives of our products. My team doesn’t just sell, it advises of the correct technical solutions.
• Calm under pressure whilst extremely tenacious
• You customers are a great bunch but sometimes (…and we’ll say just sometimes!) you’re hit with a last-minute rush from your customer and you call me in a fluster. That’s ok, it happens but the important thing is to stay calm and deliver the goods.
• They cannot think in terms of one sale but building a business within our business
• We don’t work in a silo, it’s not about scraping up every penny and upsetting the customer to make a sale. I am proud that at Server Case we work as a team, from technical, to sales, to marketing and delivery, we all work together to provide the best solution for the customer.
• The sales team has an important role within the organisation but our outlook matches the wider outlook.
• Good leadership qualities that allow them to support the rest of their team around them.
• We work together, a team is as strong as its weakest link and using experience to navigate difficult waters is a skill which I intend to pass on to my team.

Thank you to our customers (and our soon to be customers!)

Our customers are key to our success and we believe in excellent customer service, our trust pilot ratings are consistently high (not bragging but 9.6 / 10!)

I’d encourage any new customers to approach us with any enquiry, small or large, so you can see for yourself the service our existing customers receive every time we provide the, with a solution.  

To encourage this, I’d like to offer all new customers in September free delivery on their first order with us through an account manager.

To all existing customers (I haven’t forgotten you!) I would like to offer delivery at 50% of usual cost if you quote the code “servingyou0917”

Have a great month and we’ll speak more sales soon!

Cores for concern?

Published by Andrew McLean on 9th Aug 2017

This summer we’ve seen the launch of Intel’s latest and greatest ‘Core i7 & i9 series with the announcement of the new flagship i9 7980 XE (Xtreme Edition) 18 core (36 Thread) monster scheduled for release in Q3 this year.

Whilst nothing new to the server arena, this number of cores is a gigantic leap for the desktop & workstation market. Until recently (with AMD’s 16 core Ryzen launch earlier this year) most desktop & workstation CPUs have topped out at either 4, 6 or 8 cores……..looks puny in comparison right?....not necessarily.

How many cores do you need?

This depends entirely on what software you are running and what workload you expect your machine to do. For example, a big virtualization server may be running 500 virtual machines in an office block. Each user will need a share of CPU power/ time/ resources as well as memory, storage, network and internet access. Clearly a powerful machine where very much a ‘the more the merrier’ approach to CPU cores and memory will benefit.

A workstation user primarily working on 3D modelling for the movie/ visual FX industry would also benefit from this as the software in this sector will usually use as much RAM and CPU cores as it can because the software is coded to do so.

Change this workstation to a 2D design system for a package like AutoCAD and it can be a different story. Some software is ‘single threaded’ or maybe only coded for 4 cores. In which case you could run it quite happily on intel’s £1500 i9 7980XE 18 Core (36 thread) uber monster beast with ease……..HOWEVER, you will, if that quad threaded software is your main use, have wasted the best part of £1300 because you will only be using 4 of the CPU’s available 18 cores. A quad core (4 core/ 8 Thread) CPU would have been more than sufficient at around £230.

The same logic can be applied to any server, workstation, laptop or gaming PC. They are all very different machines. They all have a specific job to do and should be configured for task. Put simply, tools for the job.

Your business needs aren’t ‘off the peg’...

Neither are our systems.

 

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