Integris

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner of a real estate and vacation rental management company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

I needed desktop support for my office's 45 employees and computers and network administration.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris has provided managed IT services for us for about four years. They provide desktop support and administrate our network. 

For a time, I had a representative assigned to my account we would meet once a week. This representative identified that we needed to move our data from a server-based infrastructure to a cloud-based infrastructure. For this project, Integris did an assessment, presented a proposal, and then led us to a transition to SharePoint. 

What is the team composition?

Previously, I worked with Ben (Former Senior Client Success Manager) and another teammate who’s no longer with Integris. Currently, I have another account representative and a technical team.

How did you come to work with Integris?

Integris’ owner came to Galveston, Texas, to speak about cybersecurity. I heard his talk and was so impressed that I met with him about working with our company and invited him to speak to our real estate group about cybersecurity. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2018, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although the transition to SharePoint was painful, it’s been worth it; ever since everything is set up and working, things have been great. Overall, the migration Integris led has been a sea change; we’re thrilled with that. 

We’re in a storm event area, and I used to remove my physical server every time a weather event happened. Once we moved to SharePoint, everything changed dramatically. I don’t fear losing data anymore and no longer have the added hassle of removing a heavy server. 

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

When I worked with Ben and my other former representative, we met once a week, and they kept the program going. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I have a wonderful representative from Integris — she’s amazing. Moreover, the support technicians are terrific; they’re patient and know when to escalate. My realtors and staff all work with them well. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Unfortunately, things have changed since Integris has integrated into their current brand identity. Before, they were very customer and relationship-centric. Now, it’s hard to get anybody from their team to talk about billing. Sometimes, businesses try to make things automatic, but we need someone to talk to when there’s a question. Integris needs to have someone who answers the phone in their accounting department. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You need an account representative to have one teammate to call who’s watching your back.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a managing director for an economic development consulting firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

Our previous IT consultants didn’t provide us with the necessary framework for our computers to meet industry security standards. They left us on our own a lot, so we sought another consulting firm to meet our needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris handles all of our IT needs from top to bottom. They monitor our systems to ensure everything is running smoothly. The team also provides ongoing IT maintenance support, so we call them whenever we encounter issues. Additionally, they manage and host our software and purchase our hardware, including laptops, desktops, phones, and video monitoring systems. Once they purchase hardware, they schedule technicians to set it up. 

They’re also responsible for handling security breaches and confirming that our backend systems are locked down. The team has facilitated training sessions on tackling malware and spam. They also make sure our systems are compliant with industry standards and that we’re continuing to maximize our security.

The team has also implemented our cloud-based system and remote work system. The Integris team primarily works off-site, but they’ve visited our offices to set up video conferencing systems and address ad-hoc issues. 

What is the team composition?

I regularly work with Evan (Senior Systems Engineer), a security consultant, and two others. We also interface with engineers who help troubleshoot IT issues.

How did you come to work with Integris?

I’m not sure how we found Integris initially. I spoke with them a few times while we were still working with our former IT provider. When we were serious about changing providers, I knew to call them. After meeting with the team to discuss our needs, we decided to move forward.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $100,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Integris implemented such a powerful platform that we had no break in service when our employees had to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We weren’t concerned about how to shift to a remote working environment because Integris facilitated a seamless transition. 

Moreover, Integris is so committed to security that they go above and beyond to maintain secure systems. We work with significant corporate clients who require strict cybersecurity systems, and Integris has helped us work with our clients to ensure we’re meeting and exceeding their standards. 

They’re also top-notch when it comes to addressing technical issues. If they don’t know something off the top of their head, they work diligently to identify a solution.

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

Integris is professional and organized, and they communicate extremely well. They’re great collaborators who stay on top of everything. They think of things we normally wouldn’t even consider, so I’m very satisfied. We communicate via phone, and I meet with our security consultant biweekly to discuss our security needs. We also send support requests via email; our support requests are relayed to their ticketing system, and then they call us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve made my life and job easier; I don’t have to think about IT anymore because I know Integris has my back. I call them whenever our clients have questions about our security or when something goes wrong with our systems. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their biggest weakness is their response time. Sometimes, they take hours, or even a day, to address support tickets. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you need a capable IT provider, hire Integris. They’ll care for your needs from top to bottom, and you won’t have to think about it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m Chief Operations Officer at Any Baby Can, a nonprofit community-based organization. Our mission is to partner with families to build stability, develop skills, and unlock each child’s full potential. We offer a continuum of services, including:

• Parenting and childbirth classes that give parents the tools, skills, and confidence to raise a healthy family.
• Help children with development delays reach their full potential and increase the parents’ ability to support their child.
• Provide support, medical case management, and resource navigation for children with special healthcare needs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

We needed assistance to improve our organization’s IT practices.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris provides managed IT services for Any Baby Can. They provide troubleshooting services (on a remote basis) that focus on resolving software and hardware issues through a ticketing system. They also work with us on special projects such as robotic process automation, firewall, and wireless access point upgrades.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, Integris helped us plan and execute migration of our information to a Microsoft SharePoint site. This helped us transition to a hybrid workplace model.  Altogether their support helped improve our agency operations so that we can better serve our clients.

Additionally, Integris provided in-kind support with some IT projects as well as agency events through their corporate volunteer program. We are grateful for this support!

What is the team composition?

Throughout Any Baby Can’s relationship with Integris, we worked with different Integris teammates on various projects and staff support needs. My primary points of contact, Integris Chief Information Officer and Managed Services Concierge, are accessible, follow through on agreements, and are reliable partners. Integris team of professionals also work diligently to resolve our staff support requests.

How did you come to work with Integris?

I started working at Any Baby Can in 2019, and we were already engaged with them. The Any Baby Can / Integris relationship goes back to 2013.

How much have you invested with them?

The range cost for special projects is usually between $2,000–$8,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Integris in February 2013, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Integris has responded well to our organization’s rapidly changing conditions. They’re reliable and trustworthy.

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

Integris has a ticketing system that we have access to. We can generate the tickets by email or phone call and track the ticket status on their platform. We can also see which teammate from their staff is working on the ticket.

We have great communication with Integris; they’re responsive and accessible. When we contact Integris, they usually get back to us within a couple of hours. We also have in-person meetings and weekly meetings through Microsoft Teams and Zoom to discuss the project’s priorities and status. 

Integris meets deadlines and stays on budget. Whenever there’s an issue with a deadline, they let us know, and we adjust our timeline as needed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with Integris’ accessibility and reliability. They’re good at explaining the technical terms to our team, which has helped us build a strong working environment that has grown over time.

Another aspect I’m impressed with is Integris’ community sense. Some of their staff have volunteered at our organization's events — they’ve gone above and beyond. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

As a nonprofit, we have a shoestring budget. Integris has done a great job at lowering their costs for us, but if they could provide added services, that’d be great. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of technology at Esler Companies.
 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

We hired Integris for their managed IT services. When we acquired new offices in Texas and Oklahoma, they were already our existing IT services provider, so we just decided to continue our partnership with them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris handles our IT-related needs. They provide help desk support for all our teammates in our new offices. For instance, if somebody locks themselves out of their computer or clicks on a virus, their team is in charge of addressing that. Additionally, they do all the computer builds and ship the computers and other necessary equipment out to different teammates. They also help us identify and implement pieces that we need to improve our IT security. 

We plan to do more security projects in the future with the Integris team.

What is the team composition?

We’re usually in direct contact with two people from their team, Amy (Client Success Manager) and Gino (Virtual CIO).

How did you come to work with Integris?

They were already working with the previous owner of our company when we acquired the new offices.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Integris in September 2020, and our partnership is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In the beginning, we needed to sort out some transition issues; there were a lot of back-and-forth conversations between Integris and us. However, now that their team is in place, everything has been going well. They adhere to their service-level agreements and manage our support ticket queue very nicely. Also, the quality of their work has been really good.

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

Once their team understands the deliverables for a specific project and gets the right people involved, they’re able to deliver on time and manage everything the way it should be managed. Moreover, we have bi-weekly meetings with them to make sure everything’s on track. They also help us right away whenever we have a problem.

For communication, we mainly interact via email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We like how the Integris team is staffed appropriately — we never have any issues in getting all the work done.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As mentioned earlier, we had some transition and communication issues early on. They’ve already fixed that, and the entire process has been much smoother since then.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Make sure to tell them what you want and how you want your project to be managed. Be receptive to their ideas as well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT Director at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. We also have a preschool and other educational programs on campus.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMD?

We needed a company that could help us become Cloud-based. We wanted to have a more agile mobile workforce and a better frontend experience for our staff, and we didn't want to rely on many on-site tool servers anymore.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired TechMD to help us become Cloud-based. We started the engagement by providing them with all of our current information, which included our network infrastructure and our list of inventory in terms of machines. TechMD did a great job of getting everything organized — they did a lot of discovery to try to get things not just properly documented but working as well.

Our network infrastructure, both Wi-Fi and switchover structure, was quite antiquated and was far past its usable life cycle. TechMD helped us create a more robust system and solved our networking issues, including issues with our phones, printers, IoT devices, and computers. We also had a big reliance on hardwired LAN because our Wi-Fi was quite fickle and didn't work very well. 

TechMD’s support allows us to have a strong network infrastructure that could support some of our future goals, especially from the Cloud side. They also provided us with more visibility on our network so that our support could be more pleasant and efficient.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Angelique (Project Coordinator), Gus (vCIO), and one other person from TechMD.

How did you come to work with TechMD?

Initially, we had an existing MSP that wasn't quite meeting our needs. We had done some research and became aware of TechMD. They're fairly local to us here in our county, and they had such a glowing record that we just chose to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. September 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen a 10–100x increase in our Internet speeds, and we now have full coverage of our campus. The biggest measured outcome, I would say, is that we now can fully use our phone systems and printing systems to their full potential, which wasn't something that we could do before because of our network infrastructure. We have removed 90% of our hardwired pipelines, and we now have most of our workforce on Wi-Fi.

In terms of my time, TechMD probably saves me at least 5 hours per week in network troubleshooting on-site, and that is due to the increased technology and the management tools that are available with our new systems. 

How did TechMD perform from a project management standpoint?

TechMD performed well in terms of project management. They’ve done an excellent job of staying on budget. The team at TechMD had rallied and not only ended up saving us money, but started our project months early, which is why we were able to finish when we did. They’ve really creative and aggressive about constantly searching out new opportunities for equipment.

We typically communicate through email and Microsoft Teams meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

TechMD is all about the customer experience. They're really intentional about how they do their client management process. Gus, our vCIO, leverages the TechMD resources to solve our problems. Our account manager is also sensitive to our specific organizational needs and our industry as well. They're all about helping us win, and that's spectacular for an MSP.

Aside from that, their team of account managers has a really great width of experience. They were able to find someone who has a lot of relevant knowledge in our area, so choosing them was a very easy decision just because of how they hire their account managers and their expertise. Just interacting with them has been so amazing, and we love the way that we work together. Overall, they're a great company that prioritizes their mission over their bottom line and makes sure that they can help us the best they can.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They’ve gone above and beyond my expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.  

We are a distributor of industrial equipment and supplies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with the vendor?  

The need for access to IT professionals on an “as needed” basis so that we didn’t have to immerse ourselves in the challenges involved when we are not experts in that field.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

An ongoing relationship where they are available by phone as needed for computer and software support.

What is the team composition?

They have a team of IT people available to help us as needed.

How did you come to work with the vendor?  

They bought the previous IT group that we had contracted with to provide this service.

How much have you invested with them?  

Approximately $5-11,000 per year over multiple years.

What is the status of this engagement?

Ongoing

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are not bogged down with computer and/or software issues; as a small company this is critical for us.  When we needed new equipment or wanted to become cloud based they were a valuable resource to advise, implement, and provide ongoing support.  

How did the vendor perform from a project management standpoint?

Excellent.  We have a vCIO who is always prompt and responsive and gives us a feeling of being taken care of even though we are a small company.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their follow-up support is impressive.  And the vCIO concept.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing that I can think of.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the interim executive director of the Spirit Mountain Recreation Area, a four-season resort in Northern Minnesota.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

Our organization isn’t large enough to have internal IT support. Our previous IT services provider took on another role, so we hired Integris.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris provides IT support and helps us purchase IT equipment, providing on- and offsite services. Their purchases have included a server and laptops. The team has also rewired our chalet. More recently, they’ve helped us assess a number of vendors for a POS system.  

What is the team composition?

Initially, we worked with a salesperson. Currently, we have a dedicated point person who handles our tickets when we have issues, though we’ve worked with the VP of sales and about 4–5 teammates from Integris. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them around August 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're grateful for Integris' help. For example, they provided valuable advice when we were trying to find a new POS system. The VP of sales looked at all our responses from three different vendors, contacted them, and did informational interviews. From there, he shared his opinions with us, which was helpful because we don't have the technical understanding and knowledge he does. On top of that, they provided this support without additional charge. 

The rewiring process also went very smoothly; they were able to identify areas where we had potential issues and address them, which we appreciated. Overall, Integris is a knowledgeable team. 

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

Regarding project management, they're responsive and have good communication. The team lets us know if they run into a problem and get issues resolved. Our communication channel depends on the subject. For example, we send them a ticket through email if we have a technical problem. We also have a lot of email and text message communication. Regardless of the medium, Integris is always very reachable. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm impressed with Integris' responsiveness, which can be challenging for service providers. The team is also knowledgeable, and I feel confident they're taking good care of us. Even though I'm not very knowledgeable and don't have a lot of basis for comparison, I know Integris addresses our issues, which is comforting to me. Moreover, they're supportive and want to ensure we're okay. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

In the initial sales process, the salesperson could have taken more time to fully understand our situation in terms of where we were starting. Although the issue has been rectified, that was a bit of a hiccup on their part at the beginning. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don't be afraid to ask them to go beyond what you might traditionally ask from an IT provider. Integris has gone above and beyond the call for us. Although it's not assumed that a provider will do that, I've learned that if you don't ask, they can't help you. Take advantage of the team's expertise because they're willing to share it; it's certainly benefited us. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the legal administrator of Hanft Fride, a law firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

Due to our company's growth, we wanted to outsource our IT needs to another company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris has been our IT services provider for more than 20 years; we’ve purchased hardware and software from them, and they host our servers, take care of our internet security, and manage our licensing.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with a handful of people from their team, including Erin (IT Client Success Manager), who is my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Integris?

They reached out to us when we were looking for computers to buy.

How much money have you invested in this partnership?

So far, we’ve spent around $5 million with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 1999, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve kept us running in great shape; we’ve had hiccups along the way like anyone else, but they’ve solved them quickly. Also, the internet service we get from them is great.

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform well with project management; they assign a team to us every time we have a project together, and they manage the logistics and planning of the task. Integris is also good with communication; we use emails, phone calls, meetings, and their ticketing system.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their organization within their team enables them to have experts in all their areas — if I need something, they connect me with someone who knows exactly what I need.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’ve overcome the challenges that have arisen throughout the project, but everything has been good recently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Reach out and start a conversation with them and see if what they offer matches what you need; they have a wide spectrum of services, even things people don’t think about.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Research & Development Analyst for City Net, a homeless services agency serving throughout California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TechMD?

We contracted TechMD to be our IT consultant organization-wide. They guided us through the transition from our former email and Productivity suites to our new "ecosystem". They also were our daily IT services, answering calls and resolving tickets from our staff.

SOLUTION

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

We found TechMD through a combination of online research, asking other nonprofit peer organizations, and personal contacts. Our deciding factors were their history of working with other nonprofits before us, their cost, and their reputation.

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

They set up our email system, productivity software suite, agent installation for all devices (for tech help), as well as hardware and network assessments. They also handled our entire migration for around 175 employees with our file storage and emails.

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

We had many leaders available for many of the steps through the process, including the Project Coordinator, the Project Consultant, the vCIO, the Proactive Services Manager, and others.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We successfully migrated around 175 staff and over 200 devices to a brand new email and productivity suite, including all of our 8+ year file storage for really important client and infrastructure resources, and it went off as well as we could have hoped. There was a learning curve, but they made themselves available in open Virtual Meeting rooms for hours at a time for many days in a row to field all questions and walk people through their questions and processes.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was effective and quick. We had a small team that worked with a small team of theirs, and our regular meetings plus day-to-day communications managed what we needed, helped diagnose any issues, and produced an effective strategic plan and implementation.

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

TechMD is very communicative. I never had trouble reaching them, and they were diligent to reach out or respond via email or phone regularly. Their technical expertise was excellent, and they had plentiful resources that they shared with our staff.

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

Their billing process and invoicing was often confusing, and we had to work with them over a long period to get it to where our Finance Team could understand it all accurately and clearly in a format that was effective.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of finance and administration for Matsuura Machinery USA. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

Integris has done many things for us, including a long-term business IT strategy that fits our budget and goals. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris utilize new technologies at various points in time. For example, they’ve upgraded our network infrastructure in 2016. They’ve also reconfigured our wireless network. In 2020, we switched to a hosted server environment. In between those major projects, they did miscellaneous projects. All of these projects have involved setting up new user PCs. They also do hardware upgrade support as needed. 

Moreover, they offer a combination of on- and off-site services. Initially, they assigned a regular site personnel in our office. As we’ve progressed into new systems, we’ve started using their online support ticketing system on top of their on-site support. 

What is the team composition?

The team composition varies per project, but we often work with senior-level people from their team. We also collaborate with project managers. 

How did you come to work with Integris?

Back in 2013, we were searching for an ERP system and were referred to Mark (Founder). That started our conversations, and they bid for our project at that time. That was the start of our engagement. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $1.1 million. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the engagement in August 2013, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t use success metrics when it comes to IT, but we’ve held Integris to high standards and measures of performance. In terms of the usability of the systems they’ve proposed, they meet and exceed the goals we set. 

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

Integris’ project management has been great. Whenever they develop a project plan, they collaborate with us and have regular meetings throughout the project, depending on its length. At the end of each project, they create a summary and come back to us to discuss our experience and whether or not we met our objectives. 

To communicate, we send maintenance tickets online. For project meetings, we do video conferences through Microsoft Teams. We talk over the phone as needed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Integris has become a partner for our company. We’ve had a long-term relationship, and they’ve supported us well over the years. They listen and match their services to our expectations and budgets. For that reason, we’ll most likely stay with them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m a firm believer that there’s always room for improvement somewhere. We can always work on having better communication between our teams. On our side, we can work better on defining the project, while their team can work better on defining what our expectations should be. Nonetheless, they’ve done well in all areas of communication with us. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Look at the level of services that Integris offers versus other teams. The professional involvement their staff can offer over the years is also important.