From Risk to Resilience: Supporting Sigma Group’s IT Evolution

Since launching their Goods Not For Resale (GNFR) service in 2007 with retail fitouts and refurbishments across the UK, Sigma Group has steadily evolved, transforming retail spaces into brand leading, sustainable environments. Today, Sigma Group oversees large-scale store installations and refurbishments, solar PV projects, HVAC, decarbonation, energy management schemes and logistics across a network of 5 regional warehouses and two managed service offices. Sigma Group’s growth brings complexity from an IT perspective: 9 critical servers, 360 users (including contractors), and no internal specialist IT support, all underpinned by strict cybersecurity and compliance standards.

Over the past 7 years, Everything Tech has been Sigma’s trusted IT managed service provider (MSP). What began as reactive support evolved into a proactive collaboration, with a robust IT roadmap designed to strengthen resilience at every level. Everything Tech has implemented multifactor authentication, guided Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation, securely hosts core infrastructure, and supports cyber insurance. A central pillar of its strategy, the Security Operations Centre (SOC), is currently in development. Once operational, the SOC will deliver continuous monitoring, advanced threat detection, faster incident response, and stronger compliance, crucial elements of a mature security posture.

The Challenges

• Sigma Group required a trusted MSP to partner with to deliver secure, compliant, and comprehensive IT support across their entire operation.
• Managing 9 core servers and standardising systems across 5 UK warehouses and two managed service offices (including remote working colleagues) posed significant operational and IT security challenges.
• Day-to-day IT stability is essential, but Sigma Group also required a strategic, forward-looking approach to drive continuous improvement that aligns with Sigma Group’s operational needs and stakeholder expectations
• Achieving and maintainingCyber Essentials Basic and Plus accreditations required hands-on technical support, system hardening, and ongoing security oversight from Everything Tech.
• System renewals and upgrades, such as Windows 10 to 11 transitions, need careful planning and execution to avoid disruption.
• In response to an increasingly complex and evolving cyber threat landscape, strengthening Sigma Group’s cybersecurity posture became a key priority.

Our Solution

Taking a long-term approach, Everything Tech focuses on building resilience rather than simply reacting to risk:

• End User Support: We provide IT support for 360 users, including contractors. Over the past six months, IT support tickets have decreased by 25%, reflecting improved system stability and user satisfaction.
• Long-term IT Roadmap: We developed a comprehensive, tailored IT roadmap that supports Sigma’s growth and continuous technology improvements. This roadmap includes proactive cybersecurity measures such as a Security Operations Centre (SOC) for real-time threat detection, ongoing device upgrades, mobile device management, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and assistance with the Windows 10 to 11 upgrade well ahead of the October 2025 deadline.
• Cybersecurity & Compliance: We guided Sigma through the full Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation process and continue to proactively support their renewal this year. This certification reassures private equity stakeholders and senior leadership, adding significant value by demonstrating effective IT risk management to clients.
• Server Hosting & Management: Everything Tech securely hosts and manages Sigma’s nine critical servers. Our proactive monitoring ensures high availability, robust security, and compliance, freeing Sigma to focus on their core retail operations without concern for server downtime or maintenance.
• Cyber Insurance: We also support Sigma in navigating cyber insurance, helping safeguard their business against evolving cyber threats.

What Sigma Says:

“Over the past years, and particularly during the last six months, as we reviewed our support levels to match rapid growth resulting in a long-term MSP partner contract, Everything Tech has been instrumental in supporting our business strategy and have consistently worked to meet our IT requirements. The strengthening of the service, giving it longevity, has resulted in a dedicated support team who very much feel part of the Sigma Group and not just viewed as an external partner. Our Account Manager, Zale, has spearheaded this support with a proactive and collaborative style which has added value to our account and the IT roadmap. The team who has been pivotal in the service and support of our business – Sam, Matt, Andy, and Mark – I cannot speak highly enough of as individuals and professionals. Any issues we have are now escalated quickly when needed, so things get sorted promptly, which has been a differentiator and exactly what we need in such a fast-moving environment. We are now working with a solid team that is aligned in approach. Everyone’s friendly, upfront, and easy to deal with which is testament to the culture within Everything Tech. In my role as Group Compliance Director, having an MSP partner we can trust is crucial, and since I rejoined Sigma nearly 3 years ago, Everything Tech has been exactly that.”

Stephen Woolf CMIOSH CMaPS MIEMA CEnv

Group Compliance Director Sigma