Teal

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

SeQuel Response is a direct response marketing agency focusing on direct mail to direct-to-consumer customers. I am the VP of operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechGen?

As a small agency, we didn’t have the ability to have an in-house IT service for the setting up and maintenance of our network and IT.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They manage everything in our company as it pertains to IT, including everything from remotely monitoring the health and uptime of our server and network to disaster recovery and backup plans in case we lose any data.

On all laptops and user machines, they handle orders for new employees, manage the setup process so that it has all of the technology we need directly installed, and provide support anytime a user has any issues with their machine throughout the entire lifecycle of our laptops.

Starting in 2020, we also hired them to help us improve our information security. They’ve helped to rewrite all of our policies and procedures, as well as respond to business risk requests. We’ve now mapped out a plan of what we need to do on a quarterly basis along with a plan for vulnerability testing and patches to the system when necessary.

What is the team composition?

I’m not sure of the exact number, but I do know the team is at least a little over ten people on the call center and then a few more who I interact with specifically on a regular basis.

How did you come to work with TechGen?

Since they were brought on before my time at the company, I’m not sure what the original selection process was like, but I do know that I am constantly being pitched by other service providers and have never considered moving to any of them.

They have grown with our company, so they have been able to meet all of our needs as an organization while still maintaining the small company feel where I can recognize the voices of the people we call and can have regular communication with their owner and know that we are an important partner to him.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of our engagement has grown significantly over the years as our team and processes have grown, to the point where we now spend an average of about $3,500–$4,000 a month with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first started working with them around July 2012 and have continued to partner together ever since.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The number one way we measure the success of the project is whether or not we are staying current with the technology needs of our clients. So if our clients send us their technology requirements from an infrastructure and information security standpoint, if we are consistently able to meet those, they are doing a good job in our eyes. Almost without fail, it has been the case that we are either ready to deliver on that need or can do so with only a small adjustment to one of our offerings.

On top of that, the accuracy of new account setups has been one of our biggest pain points in the past, where machines would come in and have a lot of different problems with the setup, and their team has been able to eliminate that problem completely.

How did TechGen perform from a project management standpoint?

We have great access to their ticketing system so that I am always able to go in and look at the status of any ticket that we’ve submitted. The teammates will also send email updates to let us know that they are working on our issues rather than just sending a notification when it’s done, which I really appreciate.

Another metric I track is the frequency of recurring problems. We will never stop having any problems and not have to call their team, but if it’s the same issue happening over and over again, then that becomes a problem. Their team reacts quickly and thoroughly enough that we very rarely have anything come up twice.

What did you find most impressive about them?

As for what’s most impressive about them, I would have to go back to their growth with us that we’ve experienced. Their current capabilities are so far from what their capabilities were five years ago when I started working with them. Their ability to stay ahead of what we need from them without losing the personal touch has been incredible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think occasionally as employees are trained, there’s not always complete consistency in the procedures that they are following so we can run into issues there, but they do a great job of making sure that they shorten that onboarding window and get people fully up to speed as quickly as possible, so I don’t think there’s any more that they could be doing there that they aren’t already.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I think transparency is the biggest key to a successful relationship. Letting them know what I’m trying to solve for so that they can come up with solutions instead of me calling them and telling them how to fix it is a much more productive way to approach their team, and if you do that you’ll be very effective in your partnership.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and partner of Information Technology Coalition, a government contractor providing IT and business services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Aligned Technology Solutions?

We were looking for IT support. Everything from end-user support, to security and help desk issues.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Aligned Technology Solutions came in and took over our entire internal IT infrastructure. They modernized all of our IT systems, reconfiguring our wireless for internal and guest use, and securing our wireless infrastructure. They gave us access to a help desk as well as remote user support.

The team also conducts ongoing security monitoring to help reduce our threat and vulnerabilities.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with upwards of 20 different people from Aligned Technology Solutions. We’ve worked with various engineers, their executive management team, and help desk folks.

How did you come to work with Aligned Technology Solutions?

When we were looking for a partner, we conducted a broad virtual search. We interviewed about five companies, but the personal attention we received from Aligned Technology Solutions set them apart. They made us feel like we weren’t just going to be another customer, but a partner.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $200,000–$1,000,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since April 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Aligned Technology Solutions does a quarterly review with us, which is an analysis of various aspects of the system. We’re able to monitor the technology side of our engagement through that, and we also have strategy meetings. 

The real benchmark of the team’s success, however, is that our corporate office no longer gets calls with IT problems. As a business owner, I’m able to provide my team with the tools they need to be successful. 

How did Aligned Technology Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve honed a very simplified, but well-run process with them. The team comes in, we identify scope and requirements, and do a strong resource allocation with them. Then, with PMP-like processes, we monitor the project from beginning to end.

We’re using Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and other basic project management tools.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In the four years we’ve worked together, we’ve never had a help desk ticket gone unanswered or a problem unsolved. Aligned Technology Solutions is incredibly responsive and very well-resourced.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re constantly improving, and they’ve done a great job. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a good understanding of your problems, so you can find the right partner to handle those problems. Also, if you look at the cost-benefit analysis between bringing in a company like Aligned Technology Solutions versus internal resources, and you’ll see there’s great value to bringing them on.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the partners for a commercial furniture dealer and seller of commercial office products and services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechGen Consulting, Inc.?

At one time, we had our own embedded IT person but they left for bigger and better things. He suggested we hire an outsourced IT provider since everything was already implemented, but we needed someone who could come onsite as needed.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They more or less take care of all of our IT needs. Their team has embedded software so they can remotely access our server and help individuals. They help with our specific software, like our accounting software, and general management situations. They also help with our sales-oriented projects that relate to our embedded software. They handle all aspects of that software to help train and coach our people. 

We also buy our computer hardware through their team, since they’re a reseller for Dell. From there, they do all of the specifications. For example, one of our teammates had a very old computer and needed a new one. They came with a new computer, downloaded and embedded all the software, and took care of everything. 

What is the team composition?

I’m not positive how many employees they have, but a variety of different people support us and answer the phone. I’ve personally talked with 8–10 individuals from their team. 

How did you come to work with TechGen Consulting, Inc.?

I found them online. I was looking for someone local. Since we’re a small business, we weren’t looking for a large company or anyone out of state because I wanted someone to be hands-on. I interviewed 2–3 companies. Reid (Founder) responded to me within 15 minutes, and some bigger companies took days to get back to me. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spend between $36,000–$40,000 per year on their services. They have a flat fee per computer, charge for emergency or after-hour needs, and charge for additional projects, so the total spend ranges but it’s all appropriate for the work they do. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together for approximately six years, since around 2014. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

I’ve been very happy with their work. No one is perfect, but they fix their mistakes and I don’t see any change in my future with them. 

How did TechGen Consulting, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They do very well. As they’ve increased their staff, they can put us in contact with individuals at different levels of expertise. If we need something specific, I can go to a level two individual with more training and experience. 

They’re very responsive. If there is an emergency, we can go to their site and type in a request, so they will contact us remotely. They’ll let us know if it’s a moderate or high-priority request, so we know when to expect to hear back from them. I can typically get someone on the line within five minutes if I call them, and if it goes to an answering system, they’ll call back within 15 minutes. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The hands-on approach from Reid, despite how busy he is, stands out. He always gets back to me in a reasonable period of time and they are very well managed. 

It’s a field that is saturated with other businesses looking to sell me their services, but I’m a relationship person and I’ve been happy with TechGen Consulting, Inc. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Everyone can improve, but nothing specific has been a problem. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them a chance if you’re a small business—they’ve done a really nice job for a company our size.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of a financial performance company called Foresight CFO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Aligned Technology Solutions?

We worked with them to develop the productivity tools that we needed to scale our team successfully and continue allowing our employees to work effectively on our platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team assessed our needs as a company, taking into account where we were at as a business and where we wanted to go, and then came back to us with a set of strategic recommendations.

Those included alternatives around managed IT services that they could provide to us to help our team be more productive. We evaluated those against our financial considerations, and then selected the approach that they then got to work implementing across our team.

What was the team composition?

I mostly worked directly with Gar (Principal & Founder) to coordinate their efforts.

How did you come to work with Aligned Technology Solutions?

I had worked with them at a previous position that we were both at several years ago and was impressed with their capabilities. I reached out to them about this project when the need arose, and they said they could help so we moved forward from there.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work with them started in 2015, and they continue to provide technology services today.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We mostly measure their results by their responsiveness when we run into issues, and often they have somebody working on, if not resolving, the problem within an hour of us putting in the work order.

They are incredibly proactive about maintaining, upgrading, and patching everything so that the technology is never top of mind because it flows so seamlessly. The only issue we ever face is that sometimes individual users have issues with their specific site speed because our team is so spread out, but that’s not on the ATS team.

How did Aligned Technology Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is incredibly smooth with them. When we migrated our nearly 200 users from Microsoft to Google Suite, everything was on time and effective, and they prepared us completely for what to expect and how to navigate that transition. We really have no complaints.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re not just executing requirements; they put technology in the strategic context of where the business is going.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing at all comes to mind that they could improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director Sales & IT of Lundell Manufacturing Corporation

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a fabricator of flexible materials creating custom acoustical and thermal insulation composites along with seals and gaskets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Teal to accomplish?

• Cybersecurity
• Information storage, backup and recovery
• Hardware recommendations

SOLUTION

How did you find Teal?

• Online Search
• Other

Why did you select Teal over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• provided initial 3rd party IT services we didn't have internally.

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

William and his team have worked to understand our business and IT needs. They have created a cohesive strategy to Co-Manage our IT challenges. They have recommended and coordinated upgrading our internal infrastructure with wireless routers and updating our desktops/laptops along with creating multi-layered backup and recovery. They continue to monitor the ever changing market and recommend the lastest version of software and hardware upgrades.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our cybersecurity now meets our cybersecurity insurance policy. We have on-going training for our employees regarding cybersecurity. Our hardware and network is faster due to Teal's recommendations.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Prompt respones, timely quotes, and annual reviews.

What was your primary form of communication with Teal?

In-Person Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They provide more of a personal touch. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something Teal could have done differently?

Recommend a range of solutions right away vs. just one way of approaching.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Chief Operating Officer of a company providing a marketplace in which families seeking to hire caregivers privately have access to a broad network of highly vetted caregivers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Aligned Technology Solutions?

Virtual help-desk and security management of company computers.

What were your goals for this project?

Secure computers and access to help-desk services when needed.

SOLUTION

How did you select Aligned Technology Solutions?

The reputation and extraordinary competence of their co-founders (I had worked with them in the past). I knew that I could count on them.

Describe the project in detail.

Each new machine purchased for the company is made safe through their secure system. Weekly evaluation of each machine happens in the background without users noticing at all. Same with all necessary updates. In addition, help-desk services are all conducted through their ability to "take over" the machines (with permission).

What was the team composition?

Their help-desk.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We've been extremely happy with their service for six years and have never considered seeking out an alternative vendor.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They stay on top of all unique processes through their systems that are both transparent and easy to understand.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their commitment to ensuring customer satisfaction. They do a wonderful job at following up even after an issue is resolved to make sure the solution continues to work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nope!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and operating manager of large outdoor recreation facility, The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Aligned Technology Solutions?

For many years now, Aligned has been our 'outsourced IT department' providing application support, hardware and security management, and general help desk support.

What were your goals for this project?

Efficient access to quality and up to date IT support. As a small business, it's never made sense for us to try and bring IT in house. We do not have enough year-round needs for a fulltime in-house staff, and we did not want to get locked in on the skill set and experience of 1 inside staff member.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I worked with the Founders of Aligned in a prior business and had complete trust in their skills and integrity.

Describe the project in detail.

Ongoing application and IT support and periodic IT project management.

What was the team composition?

We generally have a lead person at Aligned who coordinates their staff assets to address our needs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

I honestly think of Aligned as a great 'IT Department' that is always on call when needed.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

With very rare exceptions, we ask, they deliver.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We never feel like 'just a client'. Their staff take ownership of projects and problems and efficiently get the job done. I have also been impressed with how personable their staff is. Always easy to communicate with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I know of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Vendor Centric is a management consulting firm that specializes in vendor and contract management. I am the Founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Aligned Technology Solutions?

We hired ATS to manage our IT operations which include hardware selection and set-up, virus protection, device monitoring, VOIP and on-demand support services. We also work with ATS on ad hoc projects as needed. We recently used them to help with information security policies and procedures

What were your goals for this project?

Find a one-stop shop for managing and troubleshooting day to day IT stuff, as well as an ongoing resource to help with strategic decisions.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had worked with Don and Gar previously and knew of the great work they do.

Describe the project in detail.

1. Managed IT services (device monitoring, virus protection, troubleshooting)
2. Hardware standardization and advice
3. VOIP selection, set-up and support
4. Information Security policy and procedures development
5. On demand help as needed

What was the team composition?

I work with several folks at ATS. Gar is my primary point of contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

I've worked with them for 8 years because of their excellent service and cost effective structure.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Seemless.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Ease of submitting support tickets. Responsiveness. Thoroughness in resolving issues. Flexibility. I'd highlight their friendliness and overall 'good culture'

Are there any areas for improvement?

No