Goodside was established in Galway in 2006, and from the outset the mission was to provide comprehensive, professional and trustworthy IT services and software products for Small to medium size businesses across Ireland.
The Goodside head office is based near the centre of Galway city, where the two Dominick streets converge on a junction with Raven terrace and Fairhill Road Upper, in an old stone building called Lock House that lines up on one side with the Eglinton Canal.
Lock House, Galway
Origins
Goodside was formed by Stephen Connolly, a proud Mayo man living in Galway since he started his college days in 1997, which led to a Bachelor degree in Digital and software systems engineering from GMIT. On completion Stephen took up a System engineering position in CBE in Claremorris: CBE were (and remain) the largest provider of Scanning and EPOS software in the country. In 2004 Stephen took up a position with Arramount furniture, where he became their IT manager and was central to the software development and implementation of an integrate ERP system across all stores of the nationwide brand.
Stephen has always had a huge interest in business, having cut his teeth from a young age in his parent’s furniture store “Mayo Furniture” in Claremorris. It felt like an inevitable progression to set up his own business, which he did in 2006. Goodside Business Solutions was founded with an aims to provide Irelands hardest working, trustworthy and professional IT services company. Stephen could see that many Irish businesses were not in a position to take advantage of emerging IT products and services, or were being held back by aging infrastructure or inefficient processes.
A Broad Range of IT services
Goodside provides a large range of IT services, ranging from straightforward computer support and antivirus management to complex network infrastructure design and maintenance. For some companies we become their ‘IT department’, the go-to for general computer or software issues. For other businesses we provide more specific services, which can range from software support to LAN installation or data migration.
While based in Galway, Goodside has customers in various locations, from Mayo and Limerick to Roscommon or Dublin.
Developing New Software
As well as supporting existing software Goodside has also been hard at work on its own software product for managing small and large retail companies in different industries such as furniture, stoves and fireplaces, computer repair services, and logistics services. This product, called Horizon, is a web-based product that can be both installed into a customer’s premises or accessed over the internet (cloud) on a monthly subscription basis. It offers robust accessible support for core business processes such as managing customers, tracking stock, capturing order and sales information, and providing detailed reports.
It’s a Team Sport
Goodside is blessed to have a great and committed hard-working team. It is clear that a business is only as strong as the sum of its parts, and only as healthy as its employees are happy. Having a good team working together and focused on meeting goals is vital to, and indeed almost defines success. Goodside has a core team with complementing skills working together to provide top notch services.
Our History
2006
2008
2010
2012
2013
2014+
2006
Beginnings
Goodside is formed in Galway City. The first debate and one of many was on the name. After numerous arguments and drinks in Busker browns the name Goodside was unanimous. Goodside is an abbreviation for “Good” “Secure Information Design Enterprise”.
Its first software project is an Access/VBA program designed for a construction company, as well as a number of websites and IT service work.
Initial IT clients included Irish Flooring, Castlerea, Arramount Furnture(Country wide), SE Construction, Loughrea, A.R Henry and Henry & Co Accountants, Claremorris and Loughrea.
The first office was in Calbro house on the Tuam Road in Galway City. As with all startups, enthusiasm was high and everything was new.
2008
2006 – 2008: Growth
The number of regular customers grows along with the booming Irish economy. The Celtic Tiger is still in full swing, and rumours of its demise are actively ignored by the increasingly speculative and inflated markets.
IT is also changing rapidly, with Broadband finally beginning to get its act together and social sites like Facebook and Youtube coming online and lighting up homes and offices. The IPhone arrives and Android is born. Buzzwords include ‘knowledge-based-economy’, ‘high definition’, and ‘going forward’
Goodside moves to an office in the Liosbaun Industrial Estate, still on the Tuam Road, and works on a number of projects, such as a retail management system for Arramount Furniture that will become the Horizon system, and an Ambulance Control system for a private ambulance company.
2008: Things go Topsy Turvy
Triggered by a housing crash in the US, the globally interwoven complex framework of CDOs, Credit Default Swaps, and assorted abstract financial institutions such as banks go kaput in the night.
The Irish economy is immediately immersed in the chaos. The Celtic Tiger barely gets the last rites as the property market explodes and what will be a long draggy recession takes hold.
Goodside and its customers, many of them young businesses, have little shelter from the storm. Tough times!
2010
Steady as she goes
A series of harsh budgets cut into the pockets of the Irish economy while the banks switch from handing out loans like lollipops to a process like plucking white hens teeth in a snowstorm.
The IMF take over the major financial decisions and young people take off in droves for Oz or Canada or wherever they get a berth. The chaotic crash gives way to a more stable trough. The winter goes as low as -15 Celsius.
The show though, goes on, and businesses gradually make a painful transition from giddy highs to value-focused services.
Goodside continue to improve the Horizon system in tandem with the fast-growing nationwide furniture company EZ Living. More customers are welcomed aboard and existing clients are kept up and running.
Goodside moved to Sandyford business centre in Bohermore, where we took up residence with a great Solicitor firm called Ian J Foley solicitors.
The Need For Laptop and Computer Repair…
Goodside realised there was a huge requirement for consumer laptop and computer repair, so with this in mind Goodside formed a partner company namely PC Pitstop which operated from Sandyford business centre, Bohermore.
2012
PC Pitstop
PC Pitstop Retail and Service centre is established in Prospect Hill Galway as a partner to Goodside Business Solutions, and for three years operates from Bohermore as a sales and repair centre for computer and mobile gadgets. It’s an educational experience though the market is still tough. Thousands of phones, tablets, laptops, desktops are fixed: danced-on screens, dog-eaten cables, laptops run over by cars, iPhones straight from the washing machine. It turns out that Windows 7 is actually pretty reliable, and that Samsung Galaxy screens are bloody expensive. PC sales go down, tablet sales go up, laptops improve in spec but are built with more plasticy plastic.
Times A Changin’
The Irish Economy is still somewhat slumbering in the doldrums, with expectations adjusted and spending habits lowered. Businesses that have survived are leaner and more focused. The Tech giants like Apple, Google, Samsung, and Microsoft keep churning out versions of ever more sophisticated gadgets and services. New buzzwords include “cloud”, and “web two dot oh”, but no longer include “soft landing”.
2013
Green Shoots?
The multinational Tech companies in Ireland felt narry a breeze while the rest of the country was buckled by a squall. Finally though there are signs of growth and optimism, and the tide of doom and gloom begins its retreat. The summer boots up with some genuine summer weather, though Christmas is a stormy washout.
Goodside strategically decided to close PC Pitstop retail shops store doors on Prospect Hill and fully focus on the business to business sector. The Goodside Team moves to Lock House on the West side of Galway, though customer machines continue to be fixed while focus shifts to providing them with better services and a brand of “support with initiative”. Cloud computing finally becomes usable as data connections reach a point of reliability. Buzzwords include “selfie” and “twerk”.
2014+
2014 opens with more stormy weather and severe tidal flooding in Galway that comes within 10 metres of Lock House. Having exited the bailout the Irish economy is rehabilitated- back walking without the crutches after the crash.
Goodside continues to work day by day on creating new opportunities and providing value to customers. Onwards and upwards!
Supporting Irish businesses since 2006
50+
Long standing Business Customers
5
Metres from Munroe's Tavern
+50000
Problems fixed
10000
