Softcat

Key Metrics

• Eliminated physical card printing costs: Transitioned from costly, time-consuming physical access cards to scalable digital access management for 1,500 employees

• Streamlined visitor management: Automated guest registration and tracking for 10-15 daily vendors across multiple offices, reducing administrative burden

• Enhanced audit compliance: Full audit trail capabilities support ISO certifications and internal audits with comprehensive access and camera logs

• Improved insurance claim resolution: Clear video evidence reduces deniability and expedites insurance processes

• Reduced operational overhead: PoE-powered system eliminates need for specialized electricians, enabling in-house IT team deployment

Background

As one of the UK's leading IT infrastructure and services companies, Softcat has built its reputation on providing expert technology solutions to organizations across the country. With approximately 1,500 employees and a growing network of offices, Softcat understands the critical importance of robust, scalable technology—not just for their clients, but for their own operations as well.

The company's rapid growth in certain departments created unique challenges around access management and security oversight. With vendors regularly visiting their offices and a dynamic workforce requiring frequent access control updates, Softcat needed a solution that could scale effortlessly while maintaining the security standards expected of a trusted IT partner.

The Challenge: Credential Tracking

Softcat's legacy access control system had become a significant operational burden that was impacting the company's efficiency and administrative processes. The physical card-based system presented multiple operational challenges that were becoming increasingly difficult to manage as the company grew.

The most pressing issue was the costly and time-intensive process of printing physical access cards for every employee. With Softcat's dynamic workforce and frequent staff changes, this manual process consumed substantial resources and created administrative bottlenecks. "It was highly unscalable and highly irritating to print out physical cards for every single user," explained Ed Harper, Softcat’s Senior Property & Workplace Manager.

Beyond the operational burden, the system created administrative oversight challenges. The company “didn’t have enough visibility over who had access and who didn't," making it difficult to track access permissions effectively. Occasionally, former employee cards would surface unexpectedly or vendors would retain cards longer than intended. While not critical security breaches, these tracking gaps created administrative complexity for a company maintaining strict ISO certifications.

The lack of integration between access control and video surveillance further complicated incident investigations and compliance requirements. When security events occurred, piecing together timelines from fragmented systems became a frustrating exercise in digital detective work, often consuming hours that could have been spent on more productive activities. As Harper puts it, the old system "took a bit of a mission just  to keep it running.”

The Solution

Softcat's decision to implement Verkada represented more than just a technology upgrade—it was a strategic alignment with the company's philosophy of deploying solutions they could confidently recommend to their own clients. After all, there's no more authentic endorsement than putting your own operations on the line.

The implementation began with a comprehensive assessment of their security needs across multiple office locations, focusing on both access control and video surveillance requirements. The deployment covered all critical areas of Softcat's headquarters, including full perimeter monitoring with cameras positioned at every entrance and exit.

Strategic camera placement outside communications rooms provides essential audit trail capabilities that support ISO certifications, while comprehensive access control manages entry points throughout the facility. "It gives us a good audit trail as well when it comes to our internal audits, or ISO certifications,” Harper explains. The real innovation lies in the seamless integration between these systems—when employees badge in and out, the system automatically captures contextual video footage, creating a complete audit trail that eliminates the data silos that plagued their previous setup.

The Power-over-Ethernet design proved particularly valuable for Softcat's deployment strategy. Unlike traditional systems requiring specialized electrical work, the PoE approach allowed Softcat's in-house IT team to handle the entire installation without external contractors. This not only reduced implementation costs but also demonstrated the kind of straightforward deployment that Softcat values in the solutions they recommend to clients.

The Outcome

Enhancing Employee and Visitor Experiences and Oversight

The transition from physical cards to Verkada Pass has transformed Softcat's access control operation. "It's cut down so much on admin, which frees up our time to be able to do more, basically," Harper notes. The company now manages access permissions for approximately 1,500 employees through a SCIM integration with Verkada that has eliminated the administrative burden of physical card management.

At the same time, Verkada Guest has improved how Softcat manages their substantial daily visitor traffic. With 10-15 vendors typically visiting their offices each day, the automated guest registration system has eliminated manual check-in processes while providing comprehensive visitor audit logs.

The guest management system extends beyond simple registration; Softcat has customized it to support unique business processes, including a car booking form for visitors who need to use company pool vehicles. Users can digitally sign agreements covering insurance requirements, age verification, and driving record confirmations, creating a complete audit trail while streamlining the approval process.

Delivering Measurable Business Impact

The practical benefits of Verkada's solution became immediately apparent during a recent incident that could have been costly. When a large truck attempted a three-point turn near Softcat's overflow parking area, it damaged barriers and infrastructure. The high-definition camera footage provided irrefutable evidence for insurance claims. "There's no deniability," Harper noted, emphasizing how clear video evidence expedited the claims process and ensured full coverage for the damages.

Supporting Sales and Customer Relationships

Perhaps most importantly for Softcat's business model, the company's direct experience with Verkada has enhanced their ability to serve clients effectively. "There's no better way of selling than having a direct use of the product," Harper explained. The hands-on experience allows Softcat's team to provide authentic insights about installation processes, use cases, and operational benefits when consulting with clients.

A Look Ahead: Building an Even Smarter Office

Building on their successful initial deployment, Softcat is exploring expanded applications of Verkada's platform to further enhance their security posture and operational efficiency. The company is particularly interested in implementing license plate recognition capabilities with their existing ALPR cameras to automate vehicle access management in their parking areas. Additionally, they’re looking to extend temporary access capabilities for visitors through the mobile app, allowing guests to badge in and out independently while maintaining appropriate security controls. These would further streamline the visitor experience while providing enhanced tracking capabilities.

Softcat is also evaluating additional Verkada products that could provide valuable data insights for facility management and operational optimization. The company's methodical approach to expansion reflects their broader philosophy of thorough evaluation and strategic implementation—the same methodology they apply when consulting with their own clients.

As Softcat continues to grow and evolve their security infrastructure, their partnership with Verkada serves as both a practical security solution and a powerful demonstration of their commitment to deploying the innovative technologies they recommend to clients. This alignment between their internal operations and customer offerings reinforces Softcat's position as a trusted technology advisor in the UK market, proving that when it comes to security technology, they truly practice what they preach.