Iron Comet Consulting, Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the clinical operations manager at a medical institution.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to make a change to our IT services. We needed something more robust with a partner familiar with the HIPAA standards and guidelines, so we were covered in that end too.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Iron Comet Consulting handles all of our IT needs; they take care of any issues related to our internet, computers, and most of the systems we use to take care of our patient’s information. In addition to that, we purchased computers and other kinds of software from them.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with around six people from their team that are always familiar with our project, which is nice. Some of the people involved are the owner, project managers, and technicians, all very pleasant and polite.

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

We were searching for IT professionals and reached out to several other companies that did presentations for us. We ended up choosing Iron Comet Consulting because they were familiar with our requirements, were local to us, and we didn’t feel like we’d be just a number to them.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m not an IT savvy person, and they take everything related to that off my plate, which allows me to focus on other things. They’re taking care of everything required by law compliance-wise to protect our patients’ privacy on the security side of things — they’ve ensured that we’re not vulnerable to attacks.

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

They’ve been great. We normally use their portal with a ticket system, but I can also call them whenever something needs to escalate, which is rare because their team is responsive and always jumps right on things.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Their responsiveness is outstanding; we had contact with other providers, but I didn’t feel like those other companies were looking for our best interests at the end of the day. We don’t sense that with Iron Comet Consulting — they’re always meeting our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on — they’re focused on ensuring that they’re protecting our patient’s information, which is of utmost importance to us.

Any advice for potential customers?

Sit down and have a conversation with them; they’re knowledgeable and will teach you things that you haven’t even thought about.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the owners of a home-building company that’s been in business for over 25 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Iron Comet helps us back up our IT system and handles major and minor issues with our computer systems.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Iron Comet team backs up our computer infrastructure, including the installation of software pieces. We tell them what we need, and then they take care of it. For instance, every time we need to replace or add a computer, we simply go to them to do it.

We’ve also bought a phone system from them, and their resources monitor it. If there are any issues with this system, they handle it. Moreover, if we have problems locating folders, they work remotely to help us; they get into our computers and help us resolve such problems. 

In terms of working on-site, Iron Comet comes to our offices when they need to install or fix issues with our printers or computers. Meanwhile, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly everything has been done remotely, although they’ve come here a couple of times. 

What is the team composition?

I work with Bryan (Senior Technician) for any issues or questions. He takes care of minor and major issues. Meanwhile, John (COO) checks if everything is running smoothly and keeps us updated.

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

We’d moved our offices a couple of times, and we’d gone to a company that was close to our location. However, that engagement didn’t work for us. As a result, we turned to Iron Comet. They were more often available in times of emergency than the other company, so we pursued our partnership. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $50,000–$200,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them around June 2002, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Iron Comet’s work quality is flawless. If they try something that doesn’t work, they come back and do whatever needs to be done to repair it. For one, they’ve successfully restored one of the software pieces we’ve used, which has been highly beneficial for us. Moreover, their availability and flexibility are awesome. We work long hours, and somebody from their team always helps me when necessary. 

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

Iron Comet has done a good job in terms of project management. We’ve had some hiccups before, but only because we’ve had to reschedule; it’s not their side’s fault. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The level of Iron Comet’s professionalism is the most impressive thing about them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do monthly monitoring, which has worked out well for us. Iron Comet’s monthly fee includes repairs and maintenance services that can be done either physically or remotely, which is highly convenient. You can also call them without extra costs because that’s included in their bill. 

On top of that, you can back up your system by yourself or go to the cloud. However, with all the hackers around, you’ll feel comfortable that Iron Comet is the one backing up all of your information.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a rheumatology practice; I’m a solo practitioner, and I’ve been doing this for 14 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed help with setting up our IT infrastructure.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Iron Comet Consulting, Inc. came in and helped us with the EMR set up and all of the IT deployment. They’ve also been assisting us with computer issues, setting up the faxes, and the telephone systems, among other things. In addition to that, we use them for all security matters, like Firewalls and that kind of stuff.

Their work has been remote, except when they can’t do something remotely; that’s when they come in.

What is the team composition?

We’ve been working with Dwayne (Project Manager), Brian (Technology Manager), Todd (CEO), and John (COO).

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

They were referred to us by the consulting company that helped us set up our practice. We chose them because they were timely, helpful, polite, and they made us feel special.

How much have you invested with them?

We invest $200–$250 on them every month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since November 2007, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re happy with their work, and the feedback from our staff and employees has been satisfactory. Their efficiency and work around the schedule are excellent.

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

They meet deadlines and respond quickly — the overall communication has been excellent. In terms of communication, we use emails, text messages, and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their promptness and ability to solve problems are impressive. They never struggle to fix something, and they get it done right away and smoothly. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on — I have no complaints at all.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the business manager at Immediate Med, a family practice urgent care facility based in Savannah, Georgia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed help with our IT system.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Iron Comet is our managed service provider (MSP). They monitor our medical software package and conduct offsite backups. When we have an issue with our computers, they’re able to go in and resolve the problem. Most of their assistance is done remotely, but they also send technicians to our facility as needed. 

Additionally, Iron Comet handles our cybersecurity and HIPAA compliance. They also set up our servers and internet connection. They’ve installed our firewall, offsite backup, and most of our PCs. They’re an all-around, full-service organization. 

What is the team composition?

We work with Todd (CEO), John (COO), and three technicians. 

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

We first got involved with them after they sold us our medical software. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around early 2005, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Iron Comet is always available, and they’re responsive within an hour of a phone call. 

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

They’re wonderful at project management. If they have a recommendation, they’re very upfront about it. They tell us what we need to do; they pinpoint what we need as a company without being pushy. They’ve known us so well after working with them for so long. 

We communicate via phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are responsive and personable, and they take a real interest in us. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Layout exactly what you need from them. 

I have no hesitation recommending Iron Comet to anybody that needs an IT partner in the healthcare industry or beyond.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of finance in All American Quality Foods, which is a retail grocery chain that operates in 43 locations with about 2,800 employees. We have a revenue of around $160 million per year, and we have separate IT and networking for each of our stores.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed an employee stock ownership program (ESOP) to give our employees the ability to pull up information about their accounts through the website. There was no off-the-shelf ESOP software when we first started four years ago, so we had Iron Comet write it for us. 

When the platform became unable to handle the number of employees and started causing problems, we turned to Iron Comet once more to help us fix the system.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Iron Comet wrote the first version of our ESOP software about four years ago. They gave us a questionnaire and we discussed the requirements with our main contact. They came back to us with a prototype, which we tested and tweaked. 

That ESOP software has been working pretty well until recently when it became unable to accommodate a large volume of employees. That’s when we commenced our second project with Iron Comet. 

They developed a disaster recovery software and we’ve been deploying off-site backup equipment in conjunction with it over the last six months. Iron Comet has been putting all of our servers in containers, making them easier to relocate and ensuring that we can be back up and running within 4–6 hours instead of in 12 days or more.

What is the team composition?

Todd (CEO) was the only person I worked with on the first project. 

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

I’m not the one that selected Iron Comet to be our IT firm. They started with us 25–30 years ago, before I joined the company. They’ve grown to provide more and more of what we need over that time and have continuously modernized our systems.

Several other companies tried to convince us to change over to them, but Iron Comet has always given us a good price and great service, so there’s never been a need to switch providers.

How much have you invested with them?

The latest development project cost $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The latest round of development ran between June 2020–July 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Iron Comet wrote reports that tracked how easy it was for users to access and change information within the platform. It’s already live, and it’s working fine.

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

Most of the interviews and discussions were done in person, and the development was done remotely. Todd gave us sets of questions to answer, and he got in touch if he needed clarification. He set deadlines for all of the different parts of the project, and he and his team delivered in the time we talked about.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Todd was dedicated to making sure that everything was as secure and as non-hackable as possible. Another thing that stood out about him is that he was always easy to work with. If we had a question or wanted to make a change, we just contacted him and explained what we wanted. He came up with solutions pretty quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of something they didn’t do well. The communication, pricing, and service level were all good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should think about what you really want to accomplish and do some research on what the desired results are. It would help to set a timeframe as well. If you contact Iron Comet without a good idea of what you want and in how much time you want to achieve it, it’ll take a while for the team to figure that out.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I was handling IT support personally, which included everything from installing Windows on computers to figuring out why someone’s computer wasn’t functioning. This took away a lot of time from me actually running the company.
 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Iron Comet Consulting handles all of our IT operations, especially when it comes to answering our team’s questions. If any of my staff have issues with wifi, accessing programs, or faulty equipment, they can go directly to Iron Comet Consulting for help. 

They also manage all of our phone software, because my whole team has new work phones — with this software, we can connect directly with each other and streamline our communication. Iron Comet Consulting set up all of the equipment in our new office, including computers, work phones, webcams, and both a primary and backup server.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked most closely with Todd (CEO), though my team also interacts with a few different technicians.

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

Their offices are very close to ours, so I was already familiar with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $50,000–$100,000 with Iron Comet Consulting up to this point.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Iron Comet Consulting in September 2020, and we are still working with them. 
 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve really helped us become streamlined. Before we brought them on, our computers were too old to even have wifi capabilities — Iron Comet Consulting moved us onto new phone systems, upgraded our internet service, and set up webcams and speakers so we can actually have meetings online. 

On top of that, they’ve given me a lot more time to do my job, since my team has someone they can call with technical issues.

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

We primarily communicate with them via email and phone. Their offices are very close to ours, which can help communication. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive thing about Iron Comet Consulting is their quick response. Todd would always answer any questions that I had as soon as I asked them, and he made sure to always ask how things went after new installations or upgrades. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any improvements that I would list. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If the whole team is turning to the CEO for technical support, it’s worth it to hire an IT person.