Integris

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the SVP cashier of a community bank. We have about 22 employees.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

Our main business challenge was to address our cybersecurity and risk management. Moreover, we needed someone to handle our IT needs because we didn't have an internal IT engineer on our staff.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris handles all of our IT needs and cybersecurity. Their team orders hardware and purchases software licenses for our computers. The team also fixes IT issues when things aren't working and monitors our network. We've subscribed to Integris' one defense program, which is how they track potential cybersecurity threats.

Most of Integris' services are remote. However, they come to our offices every now and then when we require something that can't be fixed over the phone. Those instances relate to hardware fixes or installs. For example, if we get new computers, they come in and replace the old ones. We outsource most of our servers to them using EverSpace, but we still have physical switches and servers. Whenever those go down, Integris comes in to fix them.

What is the team composition?

We work with two account executives and an IT engineer. The three of them are present at our IT meetings, do our IT minutes, and keep up with our agenda, which is an added plus.

How much have you invested with them?

We pay them about $120,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in May 2018, and our engagement is still ongoing. In fact, we just resigned our contract.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since working with Integris, our examinations and audits have gone a lot more smoothly. My stress level has been very low as well because their team handles a lot of our IT needs. They're even willing to talk to our examiners and auditors, which I like.

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

Integris offers great project management, and our account executives are excellent. They deliver on time, stick to the budget, and respond well to our needs. Moreover, their ticket response time is very fast. Whenever we send a ticket for a small issue, they reply within four hours; if the ticket is for an important issue, someone from their team calls us within 30 minutes. We have monthly meetings.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I would like to give a shout-out to Rob (Mentor) and Matt (Account Executive).

What did you find most impressive about them?

We're very happy with everything Integris does for us. Ever since we've been with them, they've been great at trying to establish a backup that works best for us. We haven't implemented that solution yet, as it has been a pricing thing. However, everything about Integris' service is great. They provide options for us to consider, as well as advice whenever we don't need something we thought we did. I like how honest they are.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I've been very pleased and happy with Integris' work, so I don't have any constructive feedback for them.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Be honest with them. The more honest you are about what you want for your company, the better the communication will be throughout.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the general manager of The Wine Source, a fine wine and spirits shop with a little gourmet department based in Baltimore.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

When I joined the company, we worked with a local and independent IT technician who came to our store to do basic IT things. However, the growth of our company, our POS needs, the compliance with credit card processes, and our overall daily operations were overwhelming for him. Therefore, we hired a local company that, at the time, was called Tier One. Since then, that company was absorbed into what today is Integris.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We've been working with Integris for at least a decade. As mentioned, they were called Tier One before, but we're still working with a lot of the same team members. In the beginning, they came in and completely upgraded all of our cabling, storage, and backend systems, taking our store to a new level of operation.

At the time, their service was monthly and included eight hours of on-site visits per month. Those visits were sometimes late at night after we closed the store (we usually close at 9 p.m.) or even on weekends if needed.

Currently, Integris helps us with all of our IT needs, which includes hardware management, such as desktops, laptops, and even some integrations to iPad tablets. The team has also helped us order and install new equipment. For example, we have temperature-controlled storage cabinets, which Integris installed for us.

Moreover, their team oversees everything IT-related. When we work with third-party providers such as our phone service or internet providers, Integris provides us with consulting and even service if needed. In addition to that, they support software installments and maintain our external cloud and cybersecurity services for us.

Integris provides a lot of off-site services that we don't see. For example, they just provide us with a cybersecurity report because, as mentioned, they manage that service for us externally. This includes addressing any weaknesses. Overall, their team ensures that our office suite is working correctly.

What is the team composition?

There are around half a dozen of Integris' team members on which we can rely. At any given time, I can have direct contact with them. Their team has evolved over the years, and we've definitely met a few new teammates. Moreover, some of the teammates who were involved a lot in our project before have moved to other areas within Integris.

For on-site tasks, we work with a couple of Integris members and their team leader. Additionally, there's an account manager for our cybersecurity services.

How did you come to work with Integris?

We didn't actually bring on Integris. We hired Tier One, which has since grown to become part of Integris. Originally, we simply did a Google search and found that Tier One had an impressive website, so we scheduled a meeting with them, and they didn't disappoint.

How much have you invested with them?

We pay them a monthly fee of around $5,500 for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since July 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Integris is currently a large national company. When we started with Tier One, they were a local company with offices within 10 miles from ours, which helped us create a close relationship with great understanding. Since then, Integris has been able to maintain that type of relationship and sensibility despite becoming a larger entity.

The way that I measure the success of our partnership is by noticing the fact that, even though they've gone through major changes in 10 years, our relationship still feels like we're communicating with a local company that understands what it means to be a small business.

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

We're not very strict with our deadlines because our projects come up when they come up; they're not planned in advance. In other words, many of our projects result from something going wrong on our end, such as our systems going down or our internet signal getting lost. Those instances have forced us to rethink our existing systems and see how we can avoid those issues in the future.

Despite the nature of our projects, Integris has always been very accurate with their initial estimations. Additionally, our projects' sense of urgency and immediacy has always been acknowledged.

Although our monthly fee might seem expensive for others, we gladly pay it considering what we get. Our store is open 12 hours per day, almost every day. Still, we have the ability to get a hold of someone from Integris if something happens any time of the day, any day of the week.

We mainly communicate via email. We're very respectful of Integris' billable hours, so our projects always start with an email service ticket. The team almost always replies quickly to those service tickets, which are then followed by a phone call.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Tim (System Administration Supervisor) is a newer member in a supervisory role, and he has been super accommodating and has worked hard to understand who we are. We've been undergoing some internal changes, and he has been very adaptive in understanding our needs and how things are changing.

Moreover, Logan (Network Administrator) has been a roll-up-the-sleeves-and-get-the-job-done kind of person. He's always available and has the best attitude. Whenever either of both sides has dropped the ball, he has established a wonderful dialog. Overall, he offers supreme high-level customer and technical service.

What did you find most impressive about them?

As mentioned, although Tier One has grown into Integris, they've been able to maintain the same high level of service, attention, and technical skills. After Tier One's acquisition, we could have just searched for another local company. However, we got to understand that Integris had very talented team members, so we stuck with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our relationship with Integris as a global company is relatively new, so I can't think of anything they could improve at this moment. Our needs are limited compared to those of other companies they work with.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Don't feel pressured to know everything about your needs. Integris is great at helping you identify your problems. If you identify an issue, be as articulate as you can with it, and they'll always come to the table with solutions. Thus, be as communicative as possible so that they can do their job.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief information and innovation officer for a bank. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

Our previous managed IT service provider didn’t deliver a great service, so we engaged Integris to handle our IT support needs and manage our network.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris manages our network equipment in our data center alongside our server. They also help IT desk support and work on our security needs. They don’t often come on-site, but they assist us when we have hardware issues. Moreover, their resources do a lot of remote software installations. If we need to replace equipment, they help us with the ordering process. 

Most of our banking software programs are outsourced to another data center. However, we have a few banking apps with servers in our own data center, so Integris helps us with those servers. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve paid them between $500,000–$1 million. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership started in April 2023, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our partnership with Integris is going strong, and we’ve been happy so far. We have a service-level agreement (SLA) with them, and the success metrics are based on how well they respond to tickets. If they respond within our agreed-upon time, then everything goes well. If they don’t, the agreement has a clause that requires them to provide some credits back to us on a service. 

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is great. We’ve done a couple of significant projects with them, and those projects have gone well. The team’s communication is also good. We typically use phone calls and emails and occasionally have Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings, depending on the topic. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with Integris’ ability to learn our environment and understand how to support a bank — they’ve gone above and beyond. Moreover, they incentivize their resources to keep their documentation and knowledge base current. If someone else comes in and has to handle a similar issue, the documentation comes in handy. That’s how they meet our SLA, and it’s their difference maker. 

For comparison, our previous vendor couldn’t come up to speed and meet our SLA even though we went through multiple training sessions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Since we’re a bank, we have audits and exams. Our previous vendor has thrown in more resources focused on those audits so issues could be remediated quickly. Meanwhile, Integris has taken a little longer to address these items.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about what you want, and ensure you cultivate a partnership with Integris rather than a one-sided engagement. We’ve done that by putting contractual obligations around the SLA. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president of a bank.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

We needed an IT service provider that could source IT issues and support us with compliance audits and exams required for banks to stay in business. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris is our managed IT services provider. The team manages our network and sources IT issues. The team supports us with compliance audits and exams required for banks, providing the necessary paperwork and documentation. Integris provides support through a ticketing system and has purchased and installed hardware and software as we require. 

What is the team composition?

We work with two primary contacts: Joshua M. (Strategic Account Executive) and Joshua A. (Tier Three Systems Engineer). The teammates participate in our IT steering committee meetings.

How did you come to work with Integris?

We originally engaged with CalTech, which was acquired by Integris. We met the team through the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, which we're part of. The association had a list of endorsed service providers who were required to go through a critical process to become part of this list. The association sponsors a lot of events, and that is how we found the team and contacted them.
How much have you invested with them?

We spend $5,800 monthly.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with the team in December 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Integris goes above and beyond and helps us prepare for our audits and regulatory exams. The team is available to answer questions when they know we have regulators on-site at our bank.

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

Integris sends a survey after they close a ticket so we can provide feedback. The team maintains a quick turnaround time on tickets and ensures all tickets are addressed within or under 24 hours. We communicate via phone calls and email. Communication is one of Integris' strongest features; their response time is quick, and nobody on our team has had a bad experience talking to Integris. The team is professional and courteous. 

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Joshua M. and Joshua A. do a great job equally. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Integris' customer service and communication have impressed me the most. I can contact a teammate quickly through phone calls and call the team when I need them to prioritize an email. We can contact Integris after hours, and my team has confirmed they've never encountered a rude teammate. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Integris' improvement opportunity would be to maintain the project management team since they change frequently. We work with the same engineers, but on the project side, we constantly work with new teammates. The project's follow-up can improve, too. Many times, aspects are left out after Integris closes a ticket, and the team needs to go back and look at them. Integris does a great job at resolving issues, but when the team closes a ticket, it's not always really closed.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I suggest looking for a partnership because there are many IT service providers that can provide basic services. Integris' team is like an extension of our bank and essentially outsources our company's IT needs. If you're looking for a partnership, Integris will fulfill your needs. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the CEO of a commercial bank in southwest Kansas with about $310 million in assets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

We didn't have the personnel or expertise to keep up with our cybersecurity needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris manages our network and cybersecurity. The team provides automated software patching, network configuration, reporting, and monitoring. Integris also assists us with disaster recovery.

What is the team composition?

We work with a main mentor, an account representative, and a primary technician. Integris also has several technicians of different tiers with whom we contact to resolve tickets.

How did you come to work with Integris?

We started working with CalTech, which has recently merged with Integris. I met the team's representatives at different conferences, and when the need arose, I contacted them. We engaged with the team because their work niche was community banking, which is similar to our industry.
How much have you invested with them?

We've paid roughly $200,000 a year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We met with Integris around six years ago and subscribed to their services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven't had any data breaches since partnering with Integris. We're also successful in our government reviews, exams, and audits. We rely on Integris to have a functional network to complete our daily tasks. 

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

Integris delivers work on time and on budget. We collaborate through the team's customer portal, which they use to manage the project.
Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Eric (CIO & Senior Strategic Account Executive) has been working with us since the beginning of our engagement. He's always available whenever we have a question or an issue. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The company we began working with was similar to our organization, and after their merger with Integris, they maintained their cybersecurity division without major changes.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When Integris has employee turnover, sometimes it takes them a while to get things lined up again and work as smoothly as they normally do. I'm aware this happens in other companies, too. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I suggest establishing a personal relationship with Integris' team and having a representative who is willing to take a stake in your situation.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the technology manager of a regional glass company that provides residential, commercial, and auto glass services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMD?

We needed an IT-managed service provider to manage our company's high-tiered technological needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechMD helps us with mobile device management and the administration of our Microsoft 365 license. TechMD manages around 90% of our IT support remotely, and there are some cases where the team needs to come to our location to install software or provide on-site maintenance. TechMD is also responsible for our network security and firewall set up. TechMD provides help desk support through their ticketing platform, where we can submit support tickets with different priorities.

What is the team composition?

We work with Mike (Technical Account Manager), who manages any specific needs regarding our account and contract. We also work with Matt (Service Manager), Dylan (IT Support Specialist), and other 5–6 IT technicians. 

How did you come to work with TechMD?

My company's engagement with TechMD precedes my time working here, so I'm unsure how we initially contacted the team. We started working with TechMD when they had a different name. Back then, we were a small company that didn't require an internal IT team, so we searched for an external managed services provider.
How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $250,000–$500,000 on this project, roughly $100,000 a year.

What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with TechMD in the fourth quarter of 2018, and our engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

TechMD resolves IT issues quickly and has helped us streamline our operations tremendously, which has been very beneficial for our company. TechMD's team is highly proficient, and if they don't have an answer to my issue, they have a plethora of professionals who collaborate to come up with a resolution for us. The quality of their work is consistently accurate and high-quality. 

How did TechMD perform from a project management standpoint?

TechMD meets deadlines and resolves issues in a timely fashion. Our support tickets have different priorities from 1–4. Priority one is an issue that is critical to resolve right away, like a network outage. TechMD's time resolution for priority one ticket is 1.28 hours from when we submit the ticket to when it's resolved. The time resolution for priority two tickets is 1.1 hours.

We mostly communicate with TechMD through phone calls. We also communicate via email, and all our conversations are linked to their ticket portal. We also communicate through their help desk portal.
Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I want to highlight Mike, Matt, and Dylan's work, who have been great to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm impressed with TechMD's ability to be receptive and understanding. The team takes as much pride in helping us as if they were actual employees of our company. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although every company can improve and grow at all times, there isn't a negative thing I can say about TechMD — they're constantly growing. IT companies go through acquisitions, and TechMD has had two name changes. As long as they keep being communicative during those acquisitions, that would be helpful. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I suggest being open and honest about your needs and expectations with TechMD and explaining all the details about your project. The team needs to know as much about your company as possible so they can best serve you in the IT realm.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of network and technology at a sporting goods manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

As the landscape changed, we needed additional network security resources to help with initiatives and projects. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris provides us with network security services. Initially, we had on-site meetings to help them understand how we operate and provided them with network diagrams. However, our network has changed as we’ve grown. 

The Integris team works closely with our team back and forth to push projects forward. Integris has also upgraded our security throughout our partnership. The team has vetted new products and integrated them. They’ve also helped us implement Ruckus Networks and Cato Networks.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Brian and Jay (Security7 Co-Founders) since the beginning of our partnership; Brian works on the technical side of things, while Jay focuses on sales. We’ve also worked with Shannon (Client Success Manager), who acts as our project manager and liaison with third-party vendors. 

How did you come to work with Integris?

I wasn’t involved in their hiring. However, I believe we initially found a security company through a referral. Then, Integris inherited that company’s team.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2008, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve worked with Integris for 15 years, in which we’ve been able to implement new products, security projects, and networks. Moreover, we have a good relationship with the team. 

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very forthright with us and always go above and beyond to meet our needs. Integris is also very prompt whenever we need it. 

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

We’ve worked with Brian and Jay for a long time and think very highly of them. Brian knows our network security inside and out, which has helped us implement many initiatives. Additionally, we also have a good relationship with Shannon.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Brian, Jay, and Shannon are very easygoing and open to bouncing ideas back and forth to come up with the best solution. Integris focuses on doing what’s best for our company instead of their own interests. Overall, they’re heavily geared towards helping their customers to improve their situations. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There isn’t anything they need to improve at the moment, though my work with Integris has been limited since they inherited the team we hired. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend Integris fully in every capacity. The team is very open, so as long as you’re also open, you can have a good partnership with Integris. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive support manager of The Capital Chart Room, a small financial firm that helps business owners integrate their business and personal wealth planning. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

When I joined the company years ago, we had one IT specialist that did everything related to technology. As the industry grew, we needed more compliance security and cybersecurity services. We outgrew that specialist’s services, so we switched to Integris. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris initially assessed our technology and helped us identify where to upgrade things. They asked us about our cybersecurity concerns relative to being a financial company regulated by the FCC. From there, they built a secondary proposal for what we needed to do in the next phase of the engagement. 

They’ve since implemented their prosal. Since then, the engagement has had a wash-rinse-and-repeat pattern — we call them when we need to solve a problem in terms of cybersecurity. Our equipment gets outdated every few years, so they help us replace what needs to be replaced. 

Moreover, they’ve purchased and installed hardware and software for us several times. We made the decision to use a cloud-based system a couple of years ago, and they’ve helped us with that, too. They do both on- and offsite services. 

What is the team composition?

They’ve assigned three teammates to our last big project. We don’t have a major project right now, but they assign 1–2 teammates to help us if something goes wrong. Jorge (vCIO) serves as our account manager.  

How did you come to work with Integris?

We looked around and received bids from several companies. Integris had the best proposal in terms of value.

How much have you invested with them?

Our last big project has been about $15,000, including equipment and working hours. Meanwhile, we pay around $2,000 per month for their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the partnership in October 2015, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Integris has made it easy for us to transition into a remote work setup. Anecdotally, I enjoy their services. They focus on our needs and do what they need to do to solve a problem — they stay on it until it’s fixed. I particularly like working with Jorge. He understands our company and systems better than anybody else. 

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

They meet timeline and budget requirements for the most part. For communication, we can email a specific support address for any problems. If the issue is urgent, I can call them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The friendliness of their services is impressive. They’re dedicated to solving our problems. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I miss their ticketing system. For context, Integris acquired the original company we were working with, and that original company had the ticketing system. Through that system, I could look at my tickets at any time. It was a portal for clients. I don’t know why Integris doesn’t have it, but I wish they do. 

Moreover, I’m not sure what staffing problems they have, but I wish they’d add a few more teammates so we could get faster responses to our problems. That may seem like an unfair request, but I feel the original company has slowed down in response times since being acquired by Integris. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go with Integris and have Jorge as your account manager if possible. On top of that, communicate clearly about what you need and expect. Everything should work itself out. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of DFW Plastics, Inc. We manufacture underground enclosures. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Integris?

Integris manages our IT hardware. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Integris manages and installs hardware for us. They also install software for us except for our business software, which an independent consultant handles. Moreover, the team provides maintenance and hosting services. They offer both onsite and remote tech support, too. 

At present, we’re in the process of building a new server hosted in our building. We’re looking to expand our bandwidth and make it run efficiently. On top of that, their team keeps us updated on all of our warranties and lets us know which ones are expiring and what needs to be replaced. 

What is the team composition?

They’ve provided us with one account manager and several technical managers that work on our system. We mainly work with Jonathan (Strategic Operations Manager), who recommends what we need to do to improve and secure our system. Meanwhile, Chris (Infrastructure Administrator) deals with hardware installation. 

How did you come to work with Integris?

We found their original company through a referral. Then, they were sold to a different business, which merged with Integris. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested more than $100,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Integris in January 2020, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Integris has expanded our bandwidth and doubled our speed; they also deal with the carrier that handles our bandwidth. Since Jonathan has been working for us for many years, he’s truly aware of our entire system, what it needs, and where we’re going. 

How did Integris perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re highly efficient when it comes to managing projects. If there are any budget changes, they tell me about them before they happen. Moreover, they tell us if we truly need a budget change or if it’s unnecessary. 

For communication, we have Zoom calls where they update me on a project’s progress. Apart from that, we generally use the telephone and email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Integris’ main strength is their knowledge. They’re up-to-date and knowledgeable about what’s in the industry and what new things are coming to the industry. They can implement those and continue to improve their service times. Overall, the knowledge they’ve acquired over the years is outstanding.   

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’ve been improving and growing over the years. However, I can tell what they don’t need to do — they shouldn’t be faceless. If there’s a problem, we should be able to talk to someone immediately. We shouldn’t have to leave messages or create work tickets all the time. If there’s an emergency, we should be able to contact someone. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be honest and straightforward with Integris. Explain your expectations, and then let them do the work and prove themselves. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the system administrator for an online law school and university based in California and Colorado.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMD?

When I joined the university, I discovered we had a lot of legacy equipment, including old hardware, software, and storage systems. Therefore, I started looking for different cloud storage and hosting systems and ultimately decided to go with Microsoft (MS) 365.

We decided to go with MS 365 because, as a higher education facility, we would basically get the license for free. Still, I wasn’t familiar with the MS 365 suite. Knowing how extensive it was, I started looking for companies to build the backend of the environment and hand it over to me.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechMD helped us implement MS 365 for our university system. Their scope included managing the system implementation, helping me set up a SharePoint environment with MS Azure, and teaching me about MS Azure online management systems.

When working with other clients without internal IT staff, TechMD would normally do the entire setup themselves. However, since I was here, they simply gave me instructions on how to do certain tasks to help us save money. In addition to the implementation, TechMD helped us get new hardware. They used their partnership with Dell to help us order a large number of laptops and equipment.

What is the team composition?

I mainly worked with one teammate from TechMD, but there were two teammates involved: Angelique (Project Coordinator) and a main technician who was my main point of contact. Initially, I also had the phone number of one of TechMD’s department heads, so he was the first team member from TechMD I communicated with.

How did you come to work with TechMD?

I started looking for various companies and found TechMD. One of our university's student service staff members had gone to TechMD’s office to ask for a business card and gave it to the former system administrator. Although that person didn’t reach out to them, the student service staff member still had the card and gave it to me.

When I contacted TechMD, I discovered that they were a one-minute walk from us, so they were able to come on-site for free to do an on-site survey; that was the main reason we went with them. If we ever needed them to come in and fix something for us, they would be able to do it, making our relationship easier.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent close to $11,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together in November 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were working with very old processes and IT equipment, but TechMD made the transition to MS 365 easy for us. We were able to order new equipment through them using their connections. Moreover, the fact that we upgraded from our local file server to cloud storage in SharePoint and OneDrive for on-demand files made working hybrid a lot easier for us.

Before working on this project, our Colorado location didn’t have access to our files because they also used local file servers, so we had to use Dropbox and other tools. This was a cumbersome process because we had to use multiple file-sharing software services. Now, both locations can see our entire files through SharePoint.

How did TechMD perform from a project management standpoint?

Although we experienced some delays, those were on me. Given that I was only one person in charge of this project, I had some issues jumping back and forth between different duties, so I ended up missing meetings or not having time to go into certain ones. TechMD was still very punctual and met all the deadlines that were their responsibility.

What did you find most impressive about them?

TechMD made everything go very smoothly, and the information they gave me was readily available.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was nothing TechMD could have improved on. If anything, the issues we’ve experienced have to do with MS 365 directly rather than the job performed by TechMD.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust the skills of TechMD’s technicians — they’re very knowledgeable and well-trained.