Dataprise

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Governance Manager of an IRA company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide self-directed IRA accounts for alternative assets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Managed Service Provider
• Network Projects

SOLUTION

How did you find PEI?

Online Search

Why did you select PEI over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from PEI were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

PEI is our managed service provider. The services they provide include, but are not limited to:

• proactive remote monitoring
• providing anti-virus, anti-malware, and anti-ransomware protection
• detailed information on device warranties and rewnewals
• backup for all assets in Microsoft 365
• an LMS, which includes simulated phishing attacks
• network scans 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

PEI has been our managed service provider since June 2020; however, our first engagement with them was a Server to Cloud project which kicked off in early 2019. Over the past 5 years, they have proven themselves as a skilled, professional, and dependable partner in achieving our goals. We meet at least annually to discuss changes and improvements that can be made to our security footprint. 

Since onboarding PEI, we have scored well on Cyber Risk Assessments and Penetration Testing.

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

The response time for helpdesk tickets is acceptable and inline with our agreement. PEI is very responsive and promotes open communication.

What was your primary form of communication with PEI?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The people. They have an amazing group of professionals. 

We had an environmental incident one year, and the Director of IT Operations made himself available on a Sunday afternoon to go onsite with me to ensure everything was operational once the building had been cleared of any dangers. That is a service level I would not expect, yet was extremely grateful for.

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

Some helpdesk tickets require more work than others and should be addressed outside of business hours so as not to disrupt the employee impacted or escalated if the amount of time to resolve an issue exceeds 30 minutes to an hour.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the IT Director of Alliant National Title Insurance Company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Title Insurance Underwriter

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Managed Services Provider

SOLUTION

How did you find PEI?

Online Search

Why did you select PEI over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from PEI were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We partnered with PEI to become our new Managed Services Provider (MSP) in January 2024.  We had decided to part ways with our previous partner of roughly 15 years due to on-going dissatisfaction with the level of service they were providing after being acquired by a larger company.  Prior to making a final decision on who our new MSP partner would be, we went through an extensive interview and evaluation process with about a half dozen or so candidates that lasted more than a year due to a variety of circumstances.  We ultimately selected PEI as the best fit for our needs.  Since partnering with PEI, we have been very pleased with their level of service, overall communication, and fair pricing for their services.  I woudn't hestitate to recommend PEI for any IT project or as an on-going IT services partner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since PEI is our new on-going Managed Services Provider, there really are no specific outcomes to mention other than we have been pleased with everything they have done for us so far, whether it be just routine maintenance, general support, or more specific projects, such as server upgrades.

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

Their overall project management is excellent and they communicate and document project scopes, deliverables, and cost well.

What was your primary form of communication with PEI?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

After going through the process of interviewing several candidates to be our new MSP partner, we just felt as though we had developed a good rapport with the people at PEI and that their company values aligned with ours.  Of all the candidates we felt that PEI was just the best fit for us overall.

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

Overall we have been satisified with everything PEI has done for us thus far.  The only area of improvement that comes to mind is that, at times, I think the pace of getting the some of the work done could have been a little more expedient.  But this is being very nitpicky.  Sometimes there are just things that come up which can slow things down or cause unforeseen issues.  But at the end of the day, working with PEI, we have always gotten the work done, and I have full confidence in their team and expertise.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the IT Director of a real estate company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Real-Estate Developer

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Install New Network
• Update security protocols
• Extend WiFi Coverage

SOLUTION

How did you find PEI?

Referral

Why did you select PEI over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from PEI were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

PEI worked to update our office network by replacing older equipment and consolidate some of our network technologies to help make our system more efficient and secure. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They really have a deep knowledge of not just IT services but project management in a way that really compliments the way we operate. PEI knows how to be flexible in the moment and adjust how a project may need to adapt and change in the middle to make sure that they still meet project goals on time and in budget. The staff always exhibits a calm “can-do” attitude. We have always appreciated their approach to solving our project needs.

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

Project Management is efficient and well communicated. They have always delivered on time for us for our project work. PEI are great listeners and work hard to make sure the project starts and stays in alignment with our larger company vison.

What was your primary form of communication with PEI?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The company is well organized and really takes a personal approach to understand our IT needs to provide thoughtful suggestions and solutions to our projects.

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

I do not have improvement comments for the project review where. They really nailed it for us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a landscape consultant at McFall and Berry Landscape Management.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Dataprise?

Before working with Dataprise, I was in charge of our internal IT support. However, doing IT tasks ourselves wasn’t enough, and we decided to bring in a professional partner to help us handle our IT needs. Our main challenge was that our servers were outdated, so we needed to upgrade them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Dataprise handles our entire IT needs, providing us with both on-site and off-site services. Initially, they visited our facilities once per month to set up everything and install new servers. Then, they helped us migrate our Outlook emails. Over the years, Dataprise has also helped us with various projects involving hardware and software installations and server updates.

What is the team composition?

We work with three people from Dataprise, two of whom we interact with regularly.

How did you come to work with Dataprise?

When we first looked for a partner, we started working with an IT company one of our coworkers recommended. From there, we got directed to Dataprise, but I don’t remember how that shift happened.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around 2016, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Dataprise’s support has helped us get rid of the everyday IT issues we used to have. Since they upgraded our servers, we’ve noticed a big difference in our downtime.

How did Dataprise perform from a project management standpoint?

Dataprise’s communication and support have been outstanding. Whenever we have an issue, they take care of it quickly. Other service providers tend to be more focused on reading their script when clients request support that they don’t really hear what they’re saying. However, working with Dataprise isn’t like that; whenever we communicate with them, they offer a personal approach while remaining professional. This aspect is really important for us.

Dataprise is also very quick and efficient at addressing issues. They provide us with a hotline number to get support whenever needed, and we can also send them an email to open a service ticket. Moreover, we have monthly Microsoft Teams meetings to go over any concerns and current projects. These meetings used to happen in person before the COVID-19 pandemic.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Dataprise’s knowledge level is impressive. Additionally, they’ve demonstrated an excellent ability to talk to everyone on our team in a way everyone can understand and address different issues. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing that Dataprise could improve would be their responsiveness to standard service tickets created via email. On very few occasions, Dataprise has taken over three hours to answer our service ticket emails.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

VP, Corporate Operations at Bond. Bond is revolutionizing personal security & Peace-Of-Mind via a novel platform that intertwines innovative technologies and AI, with human operational excellence.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dataprise?

IT is mission critical at Bond in order to maintain 365\24\7 operations. We needed a trustworthy partner to release us from all IT elements and have the peace of mind it is handled by professionals.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Simple. They're not a vendor as this section title says, they're partners. Dataprise is an industry leader, offers expertise and comprehensive solutions across all IT domains, strong SLAs and the feeling you're never alone.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

Service includes 365 managed IT services, including on-site weekly visits. Ad-hoc projects were added such as facilities and infrastructures.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Main focal points were the technicians assigned to us. However, service delivery manager, service delivery coordinator, sales, and others were always available to us when needed. High service awareness is clearly in their DNA.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All projects were successfully completed. Dataprise always assign a project manager to tie all edges.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. We really appreciate their fast turnaround times and executions.

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

The dollars associated to the agreement comes second after the focus\intention they invest in you.

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

Not that I could think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and CEO of a trust company. We handle investments and estate plans.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Dataprise?

We were fulfilling our IT needs in-house, but we started to have difficulties. Hence, we needed a firm who could take over our computer needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Dataprise started by upgrading our servers and putting us on the cloud. They now provide cybersecurity and data redundancy services for the overall protection and management of our services. Additionally, they've facilitated the internal team's transition to remote work.

What is the team composition?

We have two primary contacts: a relationship manager and a technical manager. We’re also in touch with their helpdesk and cybersecurity team.

How did you come to work with Dataprise?

We sent out an RFP and narrowed it down to those who had a presence in Nashville, Tennessee. We interviewed a few and eventually decided to go to Dataprise’s site. We were impressed with their facilities and the whole team, so we decided to hire them.

How much have you invested with them? 

We’ve spent around $130,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement started in November 2016, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s been a very positive experience. Dataprise’s data redundancy work has allowed us to worry less about our servers going down — we always know our data is protected. Additionally, thanks to their help, we've successfully transitioned to remote work.

How did Dataprise perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve built a fantastic relationship with Dataprise — they respect what we do and value our time. They’re highly responsive. To communicate, we use emails or phone calls. We can also go to their website and make a service request.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m highly impressed by their expertise and commitment to technology. Furthermore, they value relationships, responsiveness, and respect.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any complaints — they’ve done a great job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take their advice, use their expertise to your advantage, and make them a part of your team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of operations at a legal collections law firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Dataprise?

Our clients are extremely strict about security because we store a lot of sensitive data, so we needed someone to help us with our IT needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Dataprise supports all of our IT needs, and they help us store our data securely. We have around four servers that they host for us on the cloud, and they make sure that we’re compliant with security standards. Additionally, they manage our emails, work with software vendors, and ensure that everything in our office is running correctly. For example, if one of our computers is having an issue, we call Dataprise, and they take care of it for us. We work with them on a day-to-day basis.

What is the team composition?

We work with three engineers on a daily basis. Then, if I have to escalate an issue, I contact Scott (Service Delivery Manager). We also work with Matt (Corporate Recruiter & Talent Acquisition Advisor).

How did you come to work with Dataprise?

We used to work with a different vendor, but they weren’t meeting our needs. As a result, we reached out to a law firm in our building for a recommendation, and they were using Dataprise.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in August 2020, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We struggled during onboarding, but eventually, we picked things up. Everything’s been smooth sailing since then. They’ve done a great job — we no longer have any unexpected downtimes, which is a huge deal. Furthermore, being on the cloud has allowed us to eliminate some issues we were having before. Thanks to Dataprise, our internal team works much more efficiently and effectively.

How did Dataprise perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done an excellent job. All their processes are clearly outlined in emails they regularly send us, which we sign off on through DocuSign. We also have weekly phone calls where we go over our issues. Dataprise has beaten all the deadlines we’ve set while being extremely transparent on their progress. Everything’s laid out for me — I know all our downtimes, so I’m able to plan for them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Dataprise team is accessible — not only do I have access to their engineers, but I can also easily contact the CEO if I need to. Even though they’re a large company, their customer service is fantastic and personalized.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their staff turnover rate is relatively quick, so we have to go through the onboarding process more often than we would like. However, I understand that it’s common in their industry, so it’s not a big issue.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about what your expectations are and spell everything out.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the COO of the nation's leading accounting and research firm for non-profits and associations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dataprise?

We wanted a more sophisticated service provider for all things IT from strategy and hosting to day to day and helpdesk support.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We chose Dataprise based on best fit of 4 proposals we received and my history from working with them at a previous employer.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

Our Dataprise team overseas our IT environment from data storage and infrastructure, to new equipment procurement and deployment, to helpdesk services 24/7. I meet with my service team leads bi-weekly and we pay a monthly fee per user.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We work with several resources, from our designated team to a SharePoint expert to PC Depot.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our environment has come a long way in terms of sophistication, modernization, data security and migration from servers to the cloud. Dataprise has been supportive of our efforts and given terrific advice and guidance as we move towards "current".

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We started with weekly Teams calls and have moved to bi-weekly for our managed IT services. For project work, we have weekly progress calls until the specific project has ended.

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

The depth of their expertise is the most impressive thing.

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

Sometimes I would like more timely turnaround on communication or requests.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of IT for ICEE. We’re the makers of frozen beverages.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wireless Watchdogs?

Our company has a large field of users using mobile tablets and cellphones. To manage and monitor the different plans, we hired Wireless Watchdogs for their cost-effective managed IT solutions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Wireless Watchdogs to help manage and support our devices in the field and keep track of all the bills and usage. They go through each device, send us reports of unused numbers, high usage numbers, plans, and accounts that need updating, as well as helping us with upgrades and overall maintenance so that we don’t overspend.

Basically, they receive the bills and analyze them. They have access to the accounts and help us manage it all, and they send us a monthly email with the reports and data of what we need to do to make things better.

What is the team composition?

Brad (Account Representative) is our primary contact. But of course, there’s a whole support personnel behind the scenes that we work with here and there.

How did you come to work with Wireless Watchdogs?

I don’t remember how it came about because I wasn’t in charge at the time, but it was for their service to help with the management of our cellular efforts which we were struggling with. They ran an analysis based on the bills we provided them and they showed us how much we could be saving up on bills a month if we started with them right off the bat.

The decision to work with them was a no-brainer and they’ve been amazing since.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend roughly around $5,000 a month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2005, and our partnership has been ongoing ever since.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have any exact metrics, but I would say that they save us a lot of money monthly on our bills. I know the quality of their work, and they handle all the services that we need done like the call center, repairs, ordering and managing unused devices, and providing advice on the changes needed for the bills.

How did Wireless Watchdogs perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is excellent. They’re able to meet all the deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Honestly, at this point, we’d only really evaluated them. But they handled the work exactly how they said they would. We went through a trial run with them and everything went well. For the last 15–20 years they’ve just done so well that they stand out. I have absolutely no desire to shop outside 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not off the top of my head. We’re pretty satisfied.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide them with all the account bill information as much as possible so they can do a thorough evaluation of the cellular situation.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior procurement specialist for an air compressor manufacturing firm. I work with the purchasing team to do contracts for North America. As a whole, we do many different things in manufacturing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wireless Watchdogs?

We had multiple people working on cell phones throughout the business. To make it easier, we consolidated down to Wireless Watchdogs. They deal with Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We call and say what we need to do, they ask for approval and then take care of the rest. One of their big responsibilities is reporting. When a massive bill comes in, we want to pay the full price but don’t want one call center to pay the full price. So Wireless Watchdogs breaks it apart for every single line and who it belongs to and their call center. Then it gets back to them so not one call center is eating the entire cost.

They also work on importing lines over from multiple carriers as well as trying to make sure if anything’s broken or damaged. In those cases, they get ahold of me and we work out what they need to do for the next step.

How did you come to work with Wireless Watchdogs?

Other internal members engaged with Wireless Watchdogs; I was not a part of that process.

How much have you invested with them?

We invest about $6,000 a month.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started in October 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This saved us a lot of money. Their response times are pretty good. Wireless Watchdogs follows our policies and accommodates any changes within those policies. Their quality is great, and their team constantly follows up and asks questions. They address tasks right away and do whatever it takes to resolve issues.

How did Wireless Watchdogs perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is good. I heavily rely on them. We communicate through phone calls, emails, and a shared mailbox.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very responsive and their quality is great. If there are issues or questions, they reach out to me or call me. They get things taken care of within an hour, depending on circumstance. Their team is great to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There are certain things that may have an issue but it’s usually not their fault. The communication was back and forth, but it wasn’t clearly defined. That was an issue on both Wireless Watchdogs and the carrier. One party thought one thing and the other thought differently. Instead of clarifying it, it shifted and we had to correct it later. After that, it’s been smooth sailing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Wireless Watchdogs will be able to manage 95% of the work, but make sure to have internal team members be responsible for making sure procedures and policies are set in place and approved.