Genesis Insurance Brokers (IB), faced a critical challenge with their IT services. As a prominent player in the short-term insurance market since 1994, they needed a robust IT infrastructure. The company boasts over 100 years of combined expertise, a vast clientele exceeding 1000, and a national presence, including head offices in Johannesburg, a Port Elizabeth branch, and satellite office in Cape Town.
The Problem
With a workforce of 33 employees, including remote sub-agents, Genesis IB’s operational success depends on a robust IT infrastructure and dependable IT services. The merger with Allsure had brought about a change in providers, which later landing up causing disruption to the business. A lack of responsiveness and accountability caused significant issues, including a severe server crash that impeded client servicing. Consequently, Genesis IB sought a new solution.
The Solution
To address their IT woes, Genesis IB turned to Zinia, a trusted IT services partner with whom Directors Ryan Carr and Jared Carr had a prior relationship during their time at Allsure. Their selection of Zinia was based on their commitment to accountability and service culture, coupled with extensive experience in the insurance industry, including handling HRS (Sasfin) and the specialised insurance application, Flexi.
Zinia provides a range of IT services:
- Infrastructure monitoring and management – 3 onsite servers and workstations
- Microsoft 365 licensing, administration and support
- Firewall and antivirus
- Cloud backups
- New hardware provisioning
- Remote/on-site IT support
Zinia is presently in the process of migrating their core Flexi system to the cloud, transitioning from an on-premises setup to a fully hosted solution. This strategic move is aimed at reducing the risks associated with hardware maintenance and coping with the constant changes in software environments. Traditional static hardware solutions struggle to adapt to these evolving requirements.
Furthermore, even with the installation of backup power sources like generators and solar systems by Genesis IB to maintain their on-premises infrastructure, the threat of load shedding remains a concern.
The Benefits
The collaboration with Zinia has brought several advantages to Genesis IB:
- Fast turnaround times, minimising downtime for seamless operations
- Confidence that IT issues will be resolved accurately
- Peace of mind, knowing that IT security is vigilantly maintained
- Ensuring the future sustainability of their technology environment enables Genesis IB to stay aligned with their growth objectives and remain competitive in the market
“The strong partnership between Zinia and Genesis IB, is built on the pillars of accountability, trust, and responsiveness. We value Zinia’s unwavering dedication to ensuring maximum uptime for our business, promptly addressing any issues that arise.”
Ryan Carr, Director of Genesis IB
