The stability achieved since the change to BTG means Generation Homes has experienced dramatic efficiency gains due to improved reliability and substantially reduced support calls.
When Generation Homes’ Accountant and Business Systems Manager Jordan Hodder began exploring IT infrastructure improvements and a change in service provider, he wasn’t dealing with a broken system.
Things worked – technically. But constant support tickets, the resulting unexpected bills for providing assistance and a nagging sense that reliability could be better, told a different story.
“It always felt like something was wrong or something had broken,” Hodder recalls. “Now we’ve moved to BTG, that seems to be almost non-existent.”
Generation Homes operates across nine regional offices throughout New Zealand, connected to a support office in Tauranga.
With over 100 staff and external contractors relying on centralised IT infrastructure to access their Accredo accounting software, production server and Microsoft products, any disruption impacts the entire business.
BTG redesigned network connectivity between the offices, eliminating costly VPN boxes and significantly improving performance.
They moved the Accredo system and file servers to local cloud hosted infrastructure, providing faster response times and more predictable costs.
The transition, completed in mid-2025, went smoothly.
“Now things just don’t go wrong,” Hodder observes.
BTG had anticipated the amount of monthly support based on the previous provider’s patterns.
Instead, actual support needs have been substantially reduced because issues simply aren’t occurring.
BTG Business Development Manager Ted Ebbing recalls, “When I approached Jordan about why the support hours had gone down, he just looked at me and said, ‘Well, that means you’ve done a really good job.”
Generation Homes’ previous provider followed an inflexible ‘industry standard’ cost model that didn’t suit Generation Homes’ specific needs.
When Hodder, who has a strong IT background, asked them about alternative solutions, their answer was consistently ‘no’ or ‘that’s the industry standard’.
“They weren’t willing to look at other options,” he explains.
“The new support agreement structure was easy to understand and eliminated the fear factor around calling for help. The regions now receive predictable monthly costs without unexpected bills and they’re getting premium service with all levels of engineering support included,” Hodder says.
The transition was intricately planned and any of the team’s concerns addressed.
“People can be nervous about change,” Ebbing notes. “They might want something better, but some question: ‘am I just going to get something worse?’”
He ensured every detail was covered for Generation Homes.
“Ted was very good in terms of working through with me to ensure we had like for like and nothing was missed,” Hodder says. “That gave me confidence in going, ‘yep, we’re not losing anything’.”
Hodder’s knowledge of BTG’s work at another Accredo site boosted that confidence. He had witnessed first-hand the performance improvements BTG achieved at that complex site.
“One of the key things about BTG is they were willing and open to having a discussion about bespoke solutions and working through ensuring what we set up would be best for us,” Hodder explains.
What sets BTG apart, he says, is personalised service.
“They get to know you, how you work, what you’re doing and where you want to go – and they actually remember it for next time,” he says.
This relationship extends to strategic planning.
BTG’s deep understanding of Accredo systems meant they could optimise Generation Homes’ infrastructure specifically for the building company’s needs.
“Having that knowledge is extremely beneficial because they know how to best set it up,” Hodder notes.
Looking back, Hodder’s only regret is not switching providers sooner.
His advice to other businesses experiencing IT frustrations? “Don’t put up with bad service. There are companies that will tailor solutions to your needs – you don’t have to be forced into a box.”
