Andromeda

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the deputy director of executive services for a park district.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to keep our IT services under one umbrella.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Andromeda has worked on numerous projects for us. For example, their team installed servers and migrated us to Office 365. In 2015, they also rewired and networked our administrative building.

They essentially provide IT and cybersecurity consulting. We have a weekly visit with one of their lead field technicians to address any outstanding issues, but their team does a lot of remote work too. They also give us insight into upcoming technologies to ensure we’re up-to-date.

What is the team composition?

In total, I’ve worked with 15–20 people from Andromeda.

How did you come to work with Andromeda Technology Solutions?

The company started working with Andromeda before I joined the team.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than $200,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership with Andromeda began over 17 years ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We continue working with them because Andromeda offers great customer service. If they make a mistake, their team admits it. They listen to our needs and wants, which is important.

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

Andromeda has great project management skills. If there’s turnover, however, there can be breaks in communication. Overall, their communication’s good. If I have any issues, I can talk with Andromeda’s owner. He gives us his utmost attention and resolves the issue.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed by their loyalty.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When there’s a transition with our account manager, I’m not always notified until it’s done.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Openly communicate with them. If you have an issue, call them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CFO of Interdom LLC, a freight transportation company. We move containerized intermodal freight over domestic railroads.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Andromeda Technology Solutions is our IT service provider. They provide network, email, and antivirus support.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Years ago, they set up our email servers through Webmail, and until recently they’ve provided maintenance support.

They also set up our domain name system (DNS), routers, firewalls, security, and antivirus software. We’ve even bought servers from them.

Now, they send someone to our office to work on-site a few times a week too. Plus, I call them anytime we have a technical problem and need their help. 

What is the team composition?

Over the years, I’ve worked with the president and about 10–15 other people.

How did you come to work with Andromeda Technology Solutions?

Andromeda Technology Solutions bought the company that managed our phone system. We’ve worked together ever since.

How much have you invested with them?

I’m sure we’ve spent about $150,000 over the years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since January 2005.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had very few problems over the years, but whenever we have faced an issue, Andromeda Technology Solutions has been able to fix it on-site or remotely. For example, one time our emails were being marked as spam. Within a few days, Andromeda Technology Solutions moved us to a new server with our own IP address to fix the issue.

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

I’ve been very impressed by their customer service. They’ve met every deadline and are very responsive. We typically communicate over email or phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I am blown away by their responsiveness. At any time, I can pick up the phone and call their president. If he doesn’t answer, he gets back to me very quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. They’ve met every one of our needs.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would tell new clients to begin the project with a well-defined need and ask them to provide several options. From there, they’ve provided several options at different cost levels. They’ve always been able to recommend the most cost-effective option.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT administrator of West Suburban Women's Health. We’re a private OB-GYN practice.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I manage our electronic medical records (EMR) but we’re a smaller company and have different needs. We brought them on to be our outsourced IT support partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Andromeda Technology Solutions handles all of our IT-related services, from our internet security to our cloud hosting. They moderate and monitor our systems as well as provide cloud and smartphone device management. In the beginning, we used them à la carte for issues here and there. However, now we’re on a retainer with them and they provide monthly support service for any issues. I can call anytime I need something.

Their team helps in a variety of ways. They upgraded us to Windows 10 and make sure we’re up to date and compliant on everything. If a doctor has an issue with their computer, Andromeda Technology Solutions remotes in and solves the issue. Most of their work is remote but they come to our office if needed. For example, years ago, we were having terrible Wi-Fi problems, they came in and replaced our wireless access points.

They’ve also supported us during the pandemic. We’re a group of all women with kids at home. Homeschooling children in a pandemic has its own challenges so we decided to change our giant conference room into a classroom. However, it’d be difficult for the kids to be pulling from our Wi-Fi network. Andromeda Technology Solutions set up and hardwired a separate network for the kids. They got everything ready to go in a week. They did all of the wirings and ensured our ports were alive all in a room that normally wouldn’t need it.

What is the team composition?

Everyone has 1–2 technicians they speak to over the phone when they need something done remotely. I normally work with John (Account Manager) and another team member. Nathan (LAN Technician II) has come in person multiple times. Another one of their team members handles a lot of our big picture setups.

How did you come to work with Andromeda Technology Solutions?

They've been with our company since before I joined. I believe our organization had a previous IT provider that wasn’t meeting our needs. That’s why they switched to Andromeda Technology Solutions.

How much have you invested with them?

Annually, we spend anywhere from $25,000–$50,000 depending on needs.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started around January 2010.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I came into my position three years ago. From where we are now compared to where we were then — in terms of how the office functions and how smooth everything runs — is phenomenal. This is 99.9% due to Andromeda Technology Solutions’ assistance and help. They guide us and recommend suggestions that enhance our business. Everyone is happier and a lot less frustrated.

Their help in transforming our conference room into a classroom was absolutely fantastic. This was right in the thick of the pandemic when everyone was trying to set up their home offices. I know they were very busy but they made it a priority to help us get that going. We were exceedingly grateful. They’re wonderful.

What’s more, Andromeda Technology Solutions is attentive and responsive. They don’t have a lot of turnover which is really nice. We really like their client portal. I can call them late at night if there’s a doctor or device emergency. I just can’t compliment them enough.

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

They’re a multifaced company with different departments. However, if we’re working with one department and have to pull something from another department, it’s completely seamless. I don’t have to chase anyone and I’m contacted instantaneously. We’ve found them to be so incredibly helpful. They’re patient and dedicated. I’ve even corresponded with their owner. Their whole team is really hands-on, which is lovely. There’s no such thing as a dumb question.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their response time is phenomenal. I can usually get a problem fixed ASAP.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Because of the pandemic, some of their team members were working remotely so there were some hiccups initially in getting everyone connected. I can’t really fault them on that because the whole world was dealing with this. Once they got everything set up properly, they were humming along great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Define parameters around what you want and need. Have a plan set up even before signing the dotted line. If you verbalize what you need, then everyone will be on the same page. Andromeda Technology Solutions will be able to handle whatever you need because they take direction very well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of Deep Coat. We’re a small business in the manufacturing space that services plastic products by coating them with metal. This allows the plastic housing for electronic devices metallic properties, meaning they could conduct electricity as a metal housing would.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

When we acquired our company, there was only a single person who was taking care of all of the computers, which wasn’t enough. We still needed support managing our computer network and firewall as well as a resource who could handle general IT concerns.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Andromeda Technology Solutions serves as our primary managed service provider (MSP). Aside from general day-to-day IT support, they’ve installed all of the readers for our key fob system so that we wouldn’t have to worry about leaving our doors unlocked all day. They also installed our first WiFi network ever and currently manage it. 

Recently, we’ve started to transition our operations from on-premises services to a cloud-based model. They’ve assigned a different resource to oversee the overalls scope for that project.

What is the team composition? 

We mostly work with an account manager who coordinates our support tickets. He makes sure that each ticket is assigned to a technician and that we’re getting the service that we need. Behind him, there are as many as seven technicians working, though there’s only ever one technician supporting us at any given time. 

How did you come to work with Andromeda Technology Solutions?

The new ownership of Deep Coat was already working with them for one of their other businesses, so it was a pretty straightforward choice to bring them here.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $30,000 in 2020 alone, which puts us north of $50,000 over the last two years.

What is the status of this engagement?

This partnership has lasted since March 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When it comes to response time, I’m very happy with Andromeda. It’s extremely rare for them not to quickly pick up an issue. 

I’m also happy with their ability to solve problems on the first response, though I might give a notch lower than my satisfaction with their response time. The reason is that they’ve had 1–2 technicians who haven’t been as skilled on their own. Those resources have needed a lot of support or a second person to polish their efforts.

That’s probably compounded by the fact that Andromeda didn’t fully understand some of our legacy hardware. We probably should have addressed that when we were onboarding them into the business. However, our system is pretty complex, so I don’t demerit them much for that. Their owner actually got involved and was transparent about demonstrating how the situation was difficult and what they were working on to resolve it.

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

They mostly adhere to our concerns and issues as they come up. When we have larger-scale projects, they’re very attentive and make sure that the appropriate number of team members get involved. We’re now in the process of finalizing our efforts to begin constructing a new facility, and Andromeda has been very proactive with letting us know how we need to collaborate so that they can best support us during the transition. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really appreciate their level of customer care. When their account manager and owner engage with us, they make us feel like we’re important to them. We’re not just some number to them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If we were going to improve anywhere, it would probably be to have a more thorough understanding of our hardware and how it’s mapped out. They’ve been working remotely since before the pandemic, which can be hard if they can’t physically be here to look at something. 

There have been quite a few times when I’ve been trying to resolve a hardware issue while on the phone with an Andromeda team member, and there’s a mix-up because we don’t have the devices that they think we do. A complete mapping of our hardware could help them provide better guidance.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of IT of a company that manufactures vanilla extract and flavors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Andromeda Technology Solutions to keep our networks up to date and secure

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Andromeda Technology Solutions manages and monitors all of our servers. They also apply patches and provide desk support for our team. We can contact them whenever our computers aren’t working.

Our biggest challenge was transitioning from our previous IT provider to our new one. There was a lot of information that we did not have so they had to start from scratch.

They did have to come on-site to change out hardware but then they did everything else remotely.

What is the team composition?

At the beginning of the project, I worked with Mike (Account Manager). Then we worked with Amanda (Project Coordinator), Michael Engel (Jr. Systems Engineer), and Dan (Senior Engineer). We’ve added a few other folks as well.

How did you come to work with Andromeda Technology Solutions?

They were referred by our marketing firm. I compared Andromeda Technology Solutions to other providers I met at trade events and chose them because they communicated well and had a strong help desk structure. The other companies that we considered didn’t offer the same kind of support.

What is the status of this engagement?

We initially started the project in February 2020, but it was put on hold due to COVID-19. We didn’t really pick up the project until May and we finished in July 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They kept our networks up and running and made sure that our users had remote access to the network. The users that did have to reach out to them have provided favorable feedback because they responded quickly and followed up with them.

They’re also more proactive than other groups I’ve worked with in the past. Once we got everything up and running, they began looking into the future to maintain our stability and grow with the business. They’re truly an active partner. 

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

They usually met deadlines, but in the event that they couldn’t meet a deadline, it was clearly communicated. Due to the nature of the project, we worked very closely with them and had regular meetings depending on the phase we were in. Sometimes we met weekly, other times we met daily.

They’ve also been very transparent. If something didn’t work out, they let us know and told us how they planned to prevent it from happening again in the future. Overall, we had a great relationship with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were always looking for ways to improve. As we talked through problems, they came up with solutions to help us build on what we had. As they worked, they noted small things that needed tweaking. Sometimes they asked to fix them while they were working on something else because it would make things better in the long run. Instead of ignoring things, they brought them to our attention, documented it, and moved forward with a plan.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t really have anything for them to improve because whenever I need something they come up with a solution.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

New clients need to be transparent about what they’re trying to get out of the project. If they understand all of the client’s expectations, they can identify other things that can help them meet their goal.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of a tax preparation and financial planning company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We’re not a business unless we have phones and computers without bad actors interfering in them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Andromeda manages cybersecurity and provides phone and network solutions. Their team has done our IT for over 20 years now. As our business needs have evolved, they’ve evolved our technology with it.

How did you come to work with Andromeda Technology Solutions?

We initially heard about them through a mutual connection and knew one of Andromeda’s owners. Their team was responsive, ethical, and effective.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $15,000 annually on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started our ongoing partnership in January 1996.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The best outcome is limited contact with them because that means our systems work. We never lose data or experience significant downtime. Although their team can’t necessarily control those situations, they’re always responsive to any issues. Andromeda does an excellent job, and I would never leave them.

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

Their team’s fantastic. They quickly complete projects without much involvement from us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed by their thoroughness and ability to anticipate potential business needs. They're professional. If we call them about a task, we don’t need to follow up with them. That’s rare in this field.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d love them to expand into other areas.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you need something, ask them and then let them handle it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of a national design and engineering consulting company. We have practitioners across the country that consult on mechanical, electrical, architectural, structural, and design engineering.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were working on a project to reactivate a hospital that had been closed for several months. Before the hospital closed, it was underfunded so it hadn’t received necessary tech upgrades or support. We were hired to get the hospital up and running so it could take in COVID-19 patients.

As part of this project, we needed secure WiFi and a network that could support staff and patients. We brought in Andromeda Technology Solutions to build out the network, WiFi, and infrastructure so it could function well in a healthcare environment.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we went on-site to see what was already available. We found tons of old network and WiFi equipment. Andromeda Technology Solutions entered the serial numbers of the existing equipment to determine if we could still use it and get the network online. They assessed what was there, what was useful, and what could be supported going forward. Then they ordered new pieces, and once they were delivered, they installed and programmed everything so the system would work effectively. Then they monitored the system to make sure we knew what was going on within the system at all times.

What is the team composition?

We worked with an account manager, their junior and senior technicians, a telephony account manager, a telephony project manager, and a few other account managers.

How did you come to work with Andromeda Technology Solutions?

I’ve worked with them on other client engagements, so I knew about them and their capabilities. They’re also very close to the facility we were working on for this project. When I called, they picked up and were ready to be on-site that day. I knew they were going to be responsive, quick to react, and nimble. Finally, they had enough staff members to get a big project like this done.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $700,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together at the end of March 2020 and we wrapped up in April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This project was mission-critical — the hospital needed to be able to check-in patients in a matter of weeks. On top of that, this facility needed to be reliable because it’s supporting healthcare during the pandemic. Andromeda Technology Solutions understood the urgency of the project and were able to deliver and install a reliable solution in just three weeks.

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

They were transparent about pricing and how long each phase of the project would take. We had daily touchpoints and larger weekly discussions with the project team. They participated in those meetings by updating us on their portion of the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were positive and energetic. This was a pretty big project, but they didn’t skip a beat. They just wanted to focus on the project because they knew that this was part of a greater response to a national emergency. They definitely stepped up and brought the project together.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were a couple of changes along the way, so I would have appreciated it if they took the time to understand the big picture. They could also do a better job of communicating pricing and total cost with all stakeholders so there were no surprises.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get to know them as a company so you can have a better understanding of the products and services that they offer. Then thoroughly describe what you need. That can help you figure out what you need for your project and what holes they can help you fill.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company is Clear Spring Health, and I am the senior vice president of sales and marketing. We offer health insurance to seniors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Their team is responsible for redesigning our web page.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked with them to redesign an existing landing page at the start of the project, and then once that was complete, we moved on to creating a brand-new website that was more fully fleshed out and would be able to take the place of the landing page.

We started with a fact-finding phase and then using that information from our users to design the wireframes of the project. From there, they created the content that would go onto the different elements of the website, and we are currently reviewing everything with hopes of taking it live in October.

What was the team composition?

There were two members of their team involved in the work.

How did you come to work with Andromeda Technology Solutions?

We were first introduced to them when they were working on the website of an affiliate company that we own. They did a great job there, so we decided to bring them on for our own project.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, the project has cost about $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The landing page and website redesign process kicked off around January 2020 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I think they do good quality work. Everything is delivered on time and without any significant bugs or issues that we have to work through after initial completion, so we’ve been very satisfied with their performance overall.

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

They have done a great job of communicating with us about all aspects of the project. We use Basecamp as our PM platform, so everything has been consolidated there and we’ve found it very easy to keep track of our progress towards milestones and any requests or questions we have sent to them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We like the fact that they are a local company a lot, and I think in part because of that they have been very responsive to our immediate needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think there are any ways in particular in which they could have been a better partner.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come prepared with as many notes as you have on your idea for the new site because that will give you a huge head start in hitting the ground as rapidly as possible.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of IT at Family Health Network, a company that insures Medicare patients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I needed someone to assist me in building a website for the company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have three companies with three different websites. I went to Andromeda to get support in consolidating the three websites into one. We had a marketing team to work with them to design the website. They used WordPress. We’re about 80% completed.

What is the team composition?

I've worked with the project manager and the lead tech person.

How did you come to work with Andromeda Technology Solutions?

They worked with me at my previous company.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $20,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2019, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They've been great to work with. Our marketing team has been working hand-in-hand to make sure it’s being built as we desire. According to them, the site is pretty good so far.

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

The project manager is great to work with. She keeps us engaged and lets us know what's going on each step of the way. We use Basecamp which is very helpful and easy to follow. We communicate via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication is good. They keep me posted with what’s going on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their development team is offshore. If we need an update, we have to send it in time so they can have it ready by the next day. The time difference isn’t an issue but it’s something that’s there.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get a good project manager from them and make sure you can work with the time difference. When you want to update, know where the timelines are so that you get it to them on time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a digital marketing and social media public relations company, and I am the head of operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our goal was to create and maintain reliable IT infrastructure.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their involvement covered reviewing all of our physical equipment and making sure that our network was running smoothly and securely so that everyone could transition to remote work. They have continued to maintain all of our systems as well since then.

If any of our computers or applications aren’t working properly, our employees will submit tickets to their team and those will get taken care of. We meet once a year to discuss client satisfaction and any changes that we want to make to the engagement.

What was the team composition?

I work with one of the owners as well as our account supervisor, customer success manager, and a number of technicians depending on what kind of tickets we submit and when.

How did you come to work with Andromeda Technology Solutions?

We were recommended to them by another company that we were partnering with at the time.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost is around $3,000 per month or about $75,000 in total so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership started in March 2019 and is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s hard for us to track specific results of their work because the network itself is fairly new, so we don’t have old speeds or issues to compare it with. They respond very quickly to all of our requests, however, and our calls and connections aren’t getting dropped the way they were at the very beginning of the partnership.

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

We use a ticketing system to keep track of all of our work together, and that has been a really successful system so far. They are good about responding and communicating proactively whenever an issue is taking a little bit longer, and we hop on a phone call every once in a while, just to help make sure we’re all on the same page.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their knowledge of the industry is absolutely excellent. We have never had a problem that they weren’t able to find a solution for, which we really appreciate. Between that knowledge base and the timeliness of their responses, they make us feel as though we are in the best of hands.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they have been able to improve on anything that we’ve brought up to them, so I really don’t have any complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Having a successful partnership with them doesn’t require any particular expertise or special touch. If you are unhappy with anything, make sure you voice that right away and get it addressed, but they are always more than willing to work with you to make sure you are totally satisfied.