IT GOAT

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The North American Guitar offers high-end guitar buyers, sellers, and luthiers a hybrid retail/marketplace model for buying, selling, trading, and consigning vintage and boutique guitars ranging from $3k to $400k USD in value. I'm the general manager running day-to-day operations while simultaneously overseeing the development of a new platform for guitar collectors that adds pricing data tools, portfolio management, and user-to-user messaging and offers on top of our existing functionality for buying, selling, trading, and consigning guitars.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire IT GOAT?

I hired IT Goat to:

1. Take over managed services from our previous provider in the UK (we moved headquarters from London to Nashville in 2021)
2. Migrate our Microsoft tenant from UK to US
3. Become MSP for a company we just acquired in the US (Carter Vintage Guitars)
4. Migrate Carter Vintage from Rackspace to TNAG's Microsoft tenant in order to get the companies under one IT roof, while still maintaining 2 separate brands via alias email addresses
5. Move Carter Vintage from landlines to VOIP and set up IVR to help better manage high call volume

SOLUTION

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

I initially reached out to IT Goat due to their strong organic presence on Google and great reviews. After speaking to their CEO, Mike Murphy, about their approach of keeping everything as simple as possible, growing alongside our fast-growing business, keeping costs as low as possible, being transparent about all options in a given situation, and their willingness to fly agents from Dallas to Nashville when needed, I was quickly sold. I'd just finished speaking to an LA-based provider who was offering similar services at nearly 1.5x the price, so it was an easy decision to go with Mike and team after I realized he was offering amazing service at a really reasonable rate.

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

This question is redundant with the above question.

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

4x tier 1 support staff 2x tier 2 support staff 1x head of support staff 1x COO 1x sales 1x project manager 1x accountant 1x CEO

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

1. Now that both companies are on the same Microsoft tenant, we save time daily via Teams communication
2. The VOIP phones put in place at Carter Vintage save us money each month, but more importantly, the IVR/phone tree system they put in for us has led to much more efficient management of the high volume of inbound calls. Previously all 15 phones rang every time someone called, then had to be manually transferred. Now, callers can press 1 for Sales, 2 for Repair Shop, or 3 for our Front Desk, so the vast majority of callers immediately reach their desired destination.
   1. In order to ensure this change felt on brand, they also worked with us to use custom recordings and custom hold music rather than a robot voice and generic music. This final bit may sound like a minor detail, but for a vintage guitar store with finicky customers who have loads of other places to take their business if desired, it makes all the difference, and IT Goat went above and beyond to ensure these updates to the phones didn't scare customers away
3. They've set me up with admin permissions on our Microsoft account, so I can quickly take care of simple change myself like a forced password reset for an employee, the initial phases of onboarding/offboarding employees, etc. I previously had to contact our MSP in the UK for this and often wait overnight for an update
4. They've cleaned up our use of shared inboxes, making internal operations much smoother overall
5. They've put virus, spam, phishing, etc. in place 6. Prior to migrating Carter Vintage from Rackspace to Microsoft, they stepped in to resolve a situation in which someone's email had been hacked and used to send out 10k+ spam emails.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow between our team and theirs was incredibly effective. Not only was Jon, the lead on the project, easily reachable at any time (and even went above and beyond to provide his personal cell number), but so was anyone else in the company, including Mike, the CEO. I can't emphasize enough how readily available the IT Goat team has been for us throughout this project despite having other clients to keep up with as well.

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

They all options in a given situation with the right amount of technical detail for their audience at the time. They can quickly adjust the amount of detail given on the go depending on who's being spoken to / who's making the decision, and it's saved us all a lot of back and forth throughout the project. 

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

Nothing I can think of at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Executive Assistant at a small financial advising firm

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire IT GOAT?

Our company was struggling not having any IT support fro day to day technical issues.

SOLUTION

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

I selected IT Goat because I liked how responsive, informative and accommodating they were.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

They address my concerns honestly and in detail. They made sure that we were all on the same page and provided me with all the information needed. I felt like they truly were concerned and cared that the outcome was satisfactory and fair.

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

I first spoke with our local sales rep who then forwarded me to the accounting department but there seemed to be a miscommunication so they connected me with the owner to make sure there was no further miscommunication. Once we spoke everything was resolved very quickly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

knowing that we don't have to worry about our security and always have an expert who can help when needed has been a great comfort.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I am the main point of contact. I think dealing with other members of the team has been a bit more complicated but people on my team are still getting use to the process and communication via ticket system.

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

I like that they take the time to do whatever is needed to communicate effectively and timely.

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

Know more about Mac computers.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Torch Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in mission-driven consumer brands. I am an operations associate that focuses on managing many of our vendor relationships.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire IT GOAT?

IT managed services (software audits, performance reports, anti-virus management, policy management, help desk, virus & malware protection and removal, etc.) Annual training (phishing campaigns, security training, penetration testing, policy review, etc.) Email spam filtering (using Proofpoint as a base, and proprietary anti-phishing software on top of that to prevent phishing attacks) Business backup + email archive servicing (100% data warehousing and archiving to preserve, search, hold & comply with regulations) Endpoint detection and response (24/7 thread hunting and remediation)

SOLUTION

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

Selected them based on several factors including comprehensiveness of service, ability to be agile, and price. I initially found IT Goat online. I had initial conversations with them and they were great at understanding our needs as a business and were able to tailor a solution that fit our business needs and budget.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

There were several implementation points first was the device onboarding and HR management. This included getting a list of all devices and users to ensure effective onboarding moving forward. Next was a remote monitoring software install on each company-owned device. This was short 15 minute sessions with each user to download the software. The last part was the email implementation which included a spam filter and Ironscales (or end point detection) solution. This didn't require any management or involvement on our end, but did cause some downtime during the initial onboard. Now it's ongoing IT support, mostly in relation to troubleshooting issues as a result of the email spam filter.

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

I've worked with 4 different members of the team.

1. Michael, the CEO
2. Keeli, a project manager
3. Sabboth, the lead on implementation
4. Josh, a lead IT desk support manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There are a number of different emails that have gotten caught in the spam filter that are in fact spam, and should not be hitting our inbox. It has saved us on one or two occasions!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Collaboration was very easy. The onboarding was easy and we were able to do it all in a good cadence and get up and running quickly. It's easy to work with the team to troubleshoot issues as they come up.

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

I was most impressed with Mike's involvement in the process. He really made it fun and easy to work with throughout the process.

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

I think one thing IT Goat could be better at is making sure to follow through on workflows on their end. For example, I asked for several policies throughout implementation, or to increase the duration of spam filter delivery emails, etc. I have had to follow up several times to ensure those get done. I can't trust they will get something done without having to really stay on top of it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Sales Development Manager for a national agtech product, distributed to customers with commercial grade deep fryers, and oil management needs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire IT GOAT?

The quick growth of our company post-pandemic meant a need to hire the experts to get us setup to onboard new employees and partners quickly, while allowing us to continue our work and not slow us down. IT GOAT delivered and then some.

SOLUTION

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

Significant track record of great service for small start-up company's, all the way to major corporations. There was no need to do much searching after the resources and service structure was laid out. They were able to get right to work.

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

Simple put - IT GOAT was able to receive and upload all necessary resources and tools onto the provided laptops for existed and incoming employees long before their start date. This allowed us to focus on the important things, and not have to slow down.

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

It's clear that IT GOAT prides themselves on being a team and approaching relationships and business with their partners the same way. We had contact with the president, along with many others to assure out needs were taken of timely and efficiently.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to get new hires up to speed and equipped with all necessary resources long before their first day, which gave us the ability to be strategic in the learning curve and what we felt was important to make them comfortable and ready to hit the ground running.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very cohesive - they are always available when and if we need any additional tech support or understanding on how to access the newly uploaded resources and equipment.

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

I think I've touched on this above, but their attention to detail and ability to assure that we are completely taken care of in way of their teams approach. There wasn't a time they were unavailable or unwilling to resolve or troubleshoot any issues we were having real time.

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

None that come to mind - we were more than happy with the timely fashion they were able to assist us, and remain happy with services.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and owner of an oil and gas operator in Texas.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IT GOAT?

It helps not having to deal with the IT infrastructure besides all the other aspects of the business that we have to keep track of and operate daily.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

IT GOAT eliminates the hassle of managing the firewall, Internet, or any associated suite that we might need for our business. Basically, they do all of our IT maintenance and support, but they’re pretty specific to our needs.

Their team has built a service center that runs our wireless Internet and has a backup to protect our local Internet. They also manage our Microsoft Office suite and the security for all of our connected devices. If there’s any hardware to be hooked up, they do it on-site, and any backup or help without the hardware is done off-site.

What is the team composition?

We have a few contacts, but we mostly call Mike (President) if something is important. If it isn’t urgent, we submit a ticket through the front office person.

How did you come to work with IT GOAT?

We’d been using Mike at his previous company. He knew the ins and outs of the business, so we believed he’d understand our unique interests and be able to suit them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve probably spent between $12,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in January 2020, and they’re still providing maintenance and support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work is an overall success. Our servers and databases work in a timely manner and without downtime, and all our devices are secure.

How did IT GOAT perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed well. IT GOAT is available for support whenever we need them. We communicate through phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s easy to talk about our problems with them. Even if we don’t know what the issue might be, we know they’ll fix it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have a ticket system, and sometimes they need to solve tickets a little bit faster. However, just by emailing and calling on the phone, they’ve improved significantly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

IT GOAT really tailors to your needs, and they can provide those services for anybody that might need them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a data services company providing analytic, consulting, relationship marketing and digital analytic services. We believe data-driven insights are the spark that connect people and brands in a powerful, endearing way. I am director of data solutions and manage the relationship with IT GOAT.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire IT GOAT?

IT goat is our desktop support, IT management company for helping us maintain our day to day support of of all of our employees and contractors with their computer needs.

SOLUTION

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

When we were looking for an IT management company that would partner with us to provide the support we needed, price, structure and cultural compatibility all came into play when selecting IT GOAT over other parties we interviewed.

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

IT GOAT provided two primary services one was the transition from our former parent company to our new status as a separate entity separate from our former parent company infrastructure. We purchased all of our employee computers, laptops and desktops, both MacBooks and PCs from our former parent company. After they were wiped clean by the parent company, ITG set the computers up with all the requisite software and connected them to our new company network, which they also assisted in getting set up.

On the backend, they also helped with all of the DNS settings to make sure our email was flowing properly and being delivered with our established domain severed from our former parent. Additionally, they provide Spam and Phishing protection. On an ongoing basis they provide desktop support and onboarding/offboarding of new/departing employees as far as getting them set up or retrieving computers and accessories.

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

6 - Owner and Project Oversight, Technical Backend Lead, Operations Lead, Account coordinator, 2 tech operational staff persons - this has changed as staff has changed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Successfully migrated us to new environment. While not flawless, all hiccups were not unexpected due to the speed at which we were making the transition. All hiccups were met with acceptable speed of resolution. Ongoing relationship continues to proceed as expected. We meet regularly to review any open tickets, should there be any.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

There was a good plan and a continuous communication flow.

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

I think that they are responsive and care about the work and the relationship.

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

I think some of the hiccups were avoidable, but otherwise, they have been great.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the clinical operations manager of an interventional radiology practice organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mercury Managed Services?

We wanted to build a new clinical office and surgery center.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’re our IT team for all of our computer and software needs. We told them what we wanted and how big our working site was. After that, they came in, looked at the space we were building, and came back to us to establish everything we needed for our current and future staff in terms of IT needs.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with around 4–5 people so far. Initially, we engaged with Mark (President), and he’s the one I spoke to when we decided to go with Mercury Managed Services for this project; he brought us proposals, plans, and pricing. Currently, we work closely with Brett (VP of Services), who also worked on getting all of the equipment that we needed for the office and the surgery center. In addition to them, there’s a person who set up the wiring at the beginning and another couple of new staff members that are going to work with us as well.

How did you come to work with Mercury Managed Services?

We engaged a couple of years ago, so I don’t remember how we found them, but I’m glad we did.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2019, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We couldn’t be happier with them. It’s been a smooth process.

How did Mercury Managed Services perform from a project management standpoint?

Their customer service is 100% on top of everything If there's an outage or issue. In terms of communication, we use Microsoft Teams for communication, phone calls, and a help desk ticket system via email. They’re very punctual, and we can reach out to them anytime in case we need to talk to their service or billing team — that’s been very helpful for us as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attention to detail and their customer service is what stands out the most about them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s something they can improve on.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be upfront with what you want for your business — the more information you provide, the better they can put a package together.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Daring Foods

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Producer, Distributor and Marketer of Frozen Plant Based Chicken 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire IT GOAT to accomplish?

• Security
• Outsourced IT

SOLUTION

How did you find IT GOAT?

NA

Why did you select IT GOAT over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from IT GOAT were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Onboarding / off boarding employees, email security / anti phishing, remote login support for when things aren't working. Great company when it doesn't make sense to have someone full in-house. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Timliness in responses, executing requested tasks, solving problems

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

They delivered on time and were organized with their ticketing structure. They fit my needs and are alays avaialble when I call. 

What was your primary form of communication with IT GOAT?

Virtual Meeting

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

Speed, willingness to work with me to understand my needs . 

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

Billing / Invoice simplicity. Easy to add folks to the platform, but harder when a business shrinks to then have to discuss appropriate pricing. But, we solved and got there. So overall, no issues.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Operations Manager of Bike Mart

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Bike Mart sells new and used bicycles, in addition to service and maintenance on all brands and types of bicycles.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire IT GOAT to accomplish?

• Manage our IT infrastructure

SOLUTION

How did you find IT GOAT?

Referral

Why did you select IT GOAT over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from IT GOAT were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Bike Mart operates 6 retail locations.  The scope of our relationship is to manage our network, IT infastructure as well as provide ongoing support to keep the operation running.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Geting open tickets closed in a timely turnaround.  

Responding immediatley when retail systems down.

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

IT Goat has done a great job overall managing our IT.

What was your primary form of communication with IT GOAT?

Virtual Meeting

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

Great people.

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

No.  There were some bumps in the road early on, but they overcame them and the relationship has been smooth since.