Wexford, Ireland · Est. 2017
The team behind your IT.
Eight years. Every client a referral. We think that says more about us than any brochure ever could.
8+ years in business 100% referral clients South East Ireland
Our Story
Every client. A referral. Eight years of growth. Not a cent on advertising.
Every client that's ever worked with us came through a referral from someone who already did.
How we got here
hbs connect was founded in 2017 and started trading in January 2018 out of Wexford. For the first few years we cast a wide net, broadening our service offering as much as possible.
We made a deliberate choice: stop being generalists, become specialists. Build deep expertise, deliver it at a consistently high standard. That decision shaped everything that followed.
Eight years later, we've never spent a cent on advertising. Every client has come through word of mouth. We think that says something.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Founded |
| 2018 | First clients |
| 2020 | First hire |
| 2022 | Growth year |
| 2022 | Huntress partner |
| 2023 | Fleet refresh |
| 2026 | A bigger year |
hbs connect founded
Helmut founded hbs connect in Wexford in 2017, with Alison named co-director from day one. The partner and steady support behind every step since. The founding principle was simple: IT should be personal, fast, and honest. No pitch, no jargon — just do the job properly.
Growth built on trust, not spend.
- 47+ Years in business, Trading since January 2018
- €0 Spent on advertising, Ever. Not a cent.
- 293+ Businesses managed, Across the South East and beyond
- 100% Clients from referral, Still counting
How We Think
Three questions we ask before we change anything
Before we recommend anything, build anything, or change anything in a client's environment, we run it through three filters.
Is it secure?
Cyber Security isn't a feature we add. It's the foundation we build on. Every environment we design is aligned to the NIST framework — identify, protect, detect, respond, recover. If we can't say yes with confidence, we build until we can.
Does it make people more productive?
Technology should get out of the way and let people do their jobs. Microsoft 365 Business Premium, deployed properly, is our baseline. If a solution creates friction, we don't deploy it.
What happens if it fails?
Every client environment is built assuming something will eventually go wrong. Immutable backups, redundant connectivity, and a documented recovery plan mean we're never starting from scratch. We recover fast, every time.
The people behind it
Everyone here comes from a customer service background. Hospitality, retail, hands-on client-facing roles. That's not a coincidence. It's how we hire.
Helmut Burger-Smit - Managing Director
Founded hbs connect in 2017 after a career in hospitality and retail — which is probably why every client gets treated the way he'd want to be treated himself. Dad of two, and a firm believer that every day is a school day.
Shane Redmond - Technical Director
First hire in 2020, now a director and part-owner. Clinical attention to detail and always learning — his background stretches from computers into electronics and mechanics. Outside work, a car nut with a weakness for building track-ready Fiats.
Alison Bates - Director
Founding director since 2017, running marketing for hbs connect. Brings a non-technical lens to a very technical team — fresh eyes, honest feedback. Outside work: her own Pilates studio, a candle business, and two kids.
Sinead Kavanagh - Office Manager
Runs finance and HR — and, unofficially, the parent of the crew. Brings the accounts know-how (ACCA), joined in June 2022 and kept everyone on track as we grew fast. Mum of three, happiest on a beach with the family.
Daryl Roche - Support Engineer
Ex-military, with customer service and manufacturing on the side — joined in November 2021 as our third hire. CompTIA certified. Heads-down work ethic, never short of a joke. Outside hbs he's always fixing something: cars, home projects, somebody else's problem.
Dean Rossiter - Support Engineer
Came from consumer electronics retail — that's where he learned to translate technical problems into plain English. Joined in 2022 and now handles escalations and project work alongside Shane. Car guy, soft spot for video games.
Michael Glynn - Support Engineer
Methodical by nature — won't let a ticket go until it's done in the right order. Joined in July 2025 from an IT apprenticeship at a multinational manufacturer, CompTIA certified, with call-centre customer-service instincts. Into Lego, games, football, and steam trains.
James Hanlon - Support Engineer
The newest face on the team. Fresh out of a BSc in software systems development, bright and detail-focused, with a natural way with clients. Learning the craft quickly. Football fan and keen Liverpool supporter, plays badminton, and big on staying fit.
Why clients don't leave
"They answer the phone, and nine times out of ten they solve the problem right there and then. That alone puts them ahead of every other IT company we've tried." Professional services client, Wexford
We answer the phone
When something goes wrong, you reach a person. Not a ticket queue.Plain English, always
We explain things clearly. No jargon, no condescension.We know your business
After a few months, we know your systems better than you do.Proactive, not reactive
We fix problems before they reach your desk.No hidden extras
Transparent pricing, every line item explained. No calls you weren't expecting.We care
Genuinely. Your success is our success. That's not marketing copy.
Still have questions?
Where are you based?
Our office is at Wexford Office & Business Park, Whitemill Industrial Estate, Wexford. Our strongest roots are across the South East: Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wicklow, plus Dublin. Remote-first support covers the rest of Ireland, and we support clients internationally when they expand: UK, Asia, Australia, the US.
How big is your team?
We're a team of eight, which means you're working with a tight-knit group that communicates well and knows every client's environment. We're not a faceless national provider.
Are you taking on new clients?
Yes, absolutely. We'd love to hear from you. We're selective because we want to do things properly, and we'll be straight about whether we're the right fit. The first step is a free IT review.
What makes you different from other IT companies?
Honestly? The people. Everyone here has a background in customer service. We're not just technically good — we're good to work with. Fast, friendly, plain English, and genuinely invested in your business.
We already have an IT company — how does switching work?
We manage transitions regularly and handle the whole process. The IT review is the starting point. We get a clear picture of where things stand, and if you want to move forward, we manage the full migration from your existing provider.
Let's find out if we're the right fit.
The IT review is a no-pressure conversation. We look at your setup, tell you honestly what good looks like, and you decide if we're the right fit.