Netrio (formerly PCA Technology Group)

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Accounting Manager for a dry-bulk commodity transportation company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PCA Technology Group, and what were your goals?

When one of our developers retired, the company did not want to hire a full-time replacement, but we still had a need for some developer work. At the time we hired PCA, we needed help with generating/developing reports, developing interfaces between our financial system and external systems, and development of portals where reports could be generated along with workflows for approvals. These are just a few of the projects/services we have used PCA for over the years. The goal for each project depended on the end user and the needs of the business, but mostly came down to efficiency, reliability and accuracy.

SOLUTION

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

We used them previously for smaller projects and based on their work, decided to bring them on as a regular consultant once the need presented itself.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The scope of work and project steps varied based on the project. Most of our projects begin with a meeting with PCA to discuss the project steps, deliverables and deadlines. We then normally have touch base meetings frequently to discuss progress and any issues that are arising. PCA is great at being flexible and responsive when deliverables change throughout any project.

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

We've mainly worked with only one developer from their team, but they have been great at adding resources if needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

PCA has continually been able to produce deliverables on the many projects that we have asked them to complete. In a recent project, my company changed ERP systems from SAP to GP. PCA was asked to assist in the modification of our interface programs that bring data from our external systems to our financial system, now GP. PCA was able to make the interface changes as we requested and met our strict deadline.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Their project management style has worked well with my company. The developer is on site each week and is always available via a Teams meeting or call when needed. They are also very good at communicating if additional resources are needed. PCA has been very timely with all projects and have regularly met any deadlines we have given them.

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

Having the developer on site and access to additional resources when needed have been the most impressive. Also, consistently meeting deadlines has been important.

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

Not at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CFO at a nonprofit organization with a mission to end Veteran Homelessness in Minnesota. Our organization has approximately 90 employees throughout Minnesota delivering various social service programs to Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to support them in achieving long-term housing stability.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SUCCESS Computer Consulting?

We hired SUCCESS as our managed IT service provider starting in 2018 to support our staff and organization with IT services and support. SUCCESS has guided our organization in partnership with our leadership through significant growth and change and significant advancement in use of technology to manage our organization and deliver services.

They have helped with numerous projects such as new office spaces, hardware and equipment needs, advancing IT security, and more -- all in addition to ongoing IT support of our staff.

SOLUTION

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

SUCCESS had a reputable brand and image particularly among other nonprofit organizations in our community, and demonstrated a level of professionalism that earned our business.

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

While we have worked with SUCCESS for many years and have an ongoing managed IT services relationship, a particular project most recently involves our journey to a modern workplace and serverless environment. This project has involved multiple steps ranging from transitioning our files stored on the server to the cloud with One Drive, migrating active directory to the cloud, reviewing and implementing device management for enhanced security measures, and ensuring all applications are managed from the cloud.

This effort is the latest of our longer journey to improve our IT security and to ensure employees are equipped with access to data and technology wherever they and whenever is needed.

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

We work with our primary customer relationship manager, a project manager, and various IT specialists based on the stage in the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have effectively completed the file migration and reliance on the survey with no issues, including ensuring all files from the server are accessible in Microsoft Teams and One Drive.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our working relationship is very effective, and we meet both virtually and in person as needed to ensure we are maintaining our working relationship and advancing the project accordingly to plan.

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

SUCCESS Computer Consulting has been steady and reliable, and we most appreciate a primary point of contact who manages our organization's IT plan and advises on priorities and areas of opportunities on a regular basis.

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

We appreciate the relationship and their continued efforts to ensure new staff understand our organization and users.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of IT at NXC Imaging, a distributor and service provider for medical imaging equipment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SUCCESS Computer Consulting?

The network manager, who had worked with us for many years, notified me that he was going to retire, so I needed to find a team to replace this person.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired SUCCESS as our network manager. When they joined, we had an aging infrastructure that the network manager had built on a limited budget, so they initially guided us through a total replacement of our network infrastructure.

At the time, that process coincided with our relocation — we were moving from our corporate offices to a location we were building from scratch. It was a challenging project, but SUCCESS helped us acquire the right hardware. As a separate project, they helped us migrate all of our virtual servers and upgrade them from Windows 2012.

Now, they’re in charge of managing our network and our cybersecurity. They also offer level two and three network help desk support, provide IT support for all of our devices and users, and more.

What is the team composition?

For the relocation project, we worked with a project manager, a couple of technicians, a lead technician, and some field engineers who physically installed the hardware. That team had a total of 10–15 people working with us, depending on the stage of the project. For the server migration project, we required a much smaller team. Still, we worked with a dedicated team of 3–4 individuals from SUCCESS for around four months.

Now, SUCCESS provides me with a dedicated team for help desk support. Two technicians work for me directly two times per week, but I also have access to their entire network operations and security operations centers.

How did you come to work with SUCCESS Computer Consulting?

SUCCESS was recommended to us by a trusted partner, another local consultancy. I had a couple of criteria for my evaluation process in choosing a partner. Firstly, they had to be local to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Secondly, they had to have the size to be able to scale, ensuring that I would get the service I needed to keep my network secure. SUCCESS was better, by far, in this second criterion than any other local company.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent around $500,000, including a yearly spend of around $100,000 and some projects of around $50,000–$60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

By the end of 2019, our network manager told me that he was retiring on March 13th, 2020, so we had to find someone and complete the migration process before that date. We selected SUCCESS in January 2020, and they were ready to take over our network by March 2020. Since then, we’ve continued working together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

From a security perspective, SUCCESS provides us with monthly reports for EDR (Endpoint Detection & Response), user awareness tests, and phishing tests. So far, we haven’t had anyone fail a phishing test, which is really good. Additionally, our users have been satisfied with SUCCESS’ service, which is also good.

How did SUCCESS Computer Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

From a budget management perspective, we’ve never been over budget, which is really good for us. As for meeting deadlines, SUCCESS would have met the deadlines they agreed to for the relocation project if our schedules didn’t change.

During that project, they were very flexible and responsive to changing schedules, which I really valued. We were collaborating virtually due to COVID-19, and the supply chain issues associated with commercial construction were significant, so we experienced several delays in our construction process. Still, SUCCESS was able to handle those changes and reschedule key resources and tasks so that everything was ready for us when we were finally able to move into our new facility.

We communicate via Microsoft Teams and emails. Additionally, SUCCESS uses ConnectWise to manage the project, so we use its ticketing system. We also have our own internal portal.

What did you find most impressive about them?

SUCCESS has invested time and effort in learning what is important for us and our business model. They’ve taken ownership of our network and hold themselves accountable for its performance and security.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They’ve done everything I’ve asked for, so I can only tell them to keep doing what they’re doing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ensure that there is a complete alignment and understanding of the requirements and risk factors, and come up with strategies to mitigate those risks.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Finance & Administration at Envision Benefits Group. We provide Benefit, HR & Payroll services to employer groups in the New York region.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PCA Technology Group?

We have a smaller company and needed help with our IT services. We have had a couple other companies that we have used in the past but they were not meeting our needs. We found PCA and have used them not only for our outsourced IT services but they have also helped us with Cybersecurity documents and now we are moving and they have been such a great partner in helping us gather everything.

SOLUTION

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

We did a RFP for a few vendors in the area that we found by a search and also by referrals. PCA was one of those companies and after interviewing each and going through them all. PCA seemed to be the best fit for us.

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

We currently have PCA on for all of our technical needs, they help us when we have new hires and any difficulties with our network and computers. Currently we are in the process of moving offices and Todd (our rep) has been out to help look through our new space and make sure we have all the right equipment for the move. He also is ready to make sure he is there prior to move in to make sure that we are already ready to just plug in when we need to move into the new office space. We could not do this without them and we are glad to have such a great partner like PCA & Todd.

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

Todd is our main resource for larger projects (like our move), we use their service desk/team for any day to day issues we may run into. Mike also met with us to help us review our Cybersecurity policies and was gracious enough to provide us with some templates to help make sure we were up to date.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Todd met with us to go over what our move would entail and what our next steps were to make sure we were up and running. He sent us over a quote for any equipment we needed to purchase in advance (larger office space). We are on target to be moved into the new space by the end of this month.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We email with Todd and communicate that way when we have something coming up for the move. PCA Technology Group is always responsive and we feel that we are in good hands with him as the lead on this project.

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

They have been our best experience with outsourced IT services, we recommend them to any of our clients that are in a similar situation and looking for a great solution.

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

Not at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the VP of Finance for a mid sized material handling equipment dealership with 2 branches.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PCA Technology Group?

We have a longstanding and ongoing value-added partnership with PCA. They provide all of our IT support, and do so flawlessly. Our relationship with them is very dynamic, and I appreciate them being on our team.

SOLUTION

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

They were in place before i started 8 years ago, but I feel like we have further cemented the relationship over my tenure. Steve and Daryl as well as all of the rest of their team are first class.

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

Ongoing IT support, cybersecurity, hardware, and IT infrastructure.

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

All members of the help desk, Daryl is our primary contact, and Steve is our relationship contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Proactive cybersecurity training I feel has benefited our organization substantially. The added education has help us neutralize the ever rising threat and vulnerability.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow is seamless. The lines of communication are open in both directions, and needed information is presented timely.

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

The relationship we've developed is what stands out the most. Steve comes out and we review plans for the future, hardware, software, etc. We review in detail, identify needs, and they offer recommendations. We have an open discussion, and make educated decisions.

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

I don't have any areas for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of a small business consulting firm. I work with entrepreneurial leadership teams to help them align their vision and plan to accomplish it by working as a cohesive, healthy team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PCA Technology Group?

Last summer I opened a new office and asked PCA to help us optimize our technology set up for a great

SOLUTION

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

I had been working with PCA as an EOS client of mine for more than a year. That work gave me the opportunity to see their professionalism is not only an external veneer. It extends internally to their exceptional organization and maturity in how they operate their overall business.

I was confident I had the experts and that was reassuring since I am not a technology expert myself. I had a busy business to run and wanted to outsource IT to the best.

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

PCA worked with my team to identify our technology needs for several areas: -within our conference room physical space where we host entrepreneurial leadership teams for EOS working sessions -for the multiple devices on our virtual and in person team -a great hybrid experience for clients joining my sessions remotely.

After we identified the best fit for our needs, PCA quickly provided a detailed, clear proposal with multiple options and price points. They concluded all the work within two weeks and have been available for several follow up needs and accessories as we've used the space and recognized additional needs. They manage our cloud, cybersecurity and website licenses/security on an ongoing basis.

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

The Sales Director, Steve, and Network Engineer, Trevor, actively engaged us over multiple conversations to determine and meet our exact needs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It was easy, quickly delivered and has worked seamlessly since they did the work.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They kept us regularly updated and proactively reached out at each stage.

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

Their level of professionalism. They explain technical concepts in easy to understand common language and help you determine the best fit from financial, practical and technological perspectives.

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

Nothing, PCA delivers an exceptional level of expertise and quality service.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Chief Operating Officer for Journey’s End Refugee Services

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PCA Technology Group?

Our previous managed IT services company was not meeting our needs, definitely not proactively looking out for us and only had one person available to help and he always had to be on site - when Steve reached out to us and told us about PCA we were excited about the level of service they could offer our growing nonprofit - which has included not only managed IT but also getting us set up with better security measures and policies.

SOLUTION

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

We looked into a few local MSPs but the level of communication, the availability of the Helpdesk, the friendliness of the staff and their willingness to work with our nonprofit budget made us choose PCA.

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

They provide everything you would hope for from a MSP, remote Helpdesk services, cybersecurity training for staff, guidance and insight on future planning, and proactively make sure our tech and data are safe.

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

Oh, a lot - Steve, Steve,Brad, Matt, Trevor, Chris, heather, and probably some other Helpdesk people I can’t think of.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our agency is in such better shape now that we work with PCA. We can be sure that our data is protected and we are keeping up with the times.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The whole team is always very responsive, we’re not the experts in IT so they’re always great at explaining things and being willing to answer our questions.

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

I’m such a big fan of PCA, I love that they aren’t just here to provide IT support — they care about our mission too.

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

I really can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at a tour agency that specializes in international destinations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SUCCESS Computer Consulting?

We needed help with our IT needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SUCCESS Computer Consulting does IT services for us and helps us expand as the travel industry evolves. Their efforts have also included hardware and software purchasing and on- and offsite support.

What is the team composition?

We work with their whole cloud-based team, Stacy (Sales Account Manager), and Mark (Strategic Account Manager).

How did you come to work with SUCCESS Computer Consulting?

I knew Eric (Owner), reached out to him, and after having a chat, we started working together.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent $200,000–$1 million with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 1998, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since we started working with them, we’ve gone from being a zero-technology company to a cloud-based business that can work everything remotely. Their assistance over these decades enabled us to minimize our overhead and succeed through new tech.

How did SUCCESS Computer Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management has been excellent in terms of meeting deadlines and staying on budget. In addition, they’re very sensitive to us being a legacy client within an industry that has suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic; they’ve helped us out immensely with their response times by being much more reactive to our viruses and security breaches.

Regarding tools and communication, we’ve used phone calls and emails.

Overall, we have nothing to complain about; they’ve been an exceptional partner.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They respect the longevity of our partnership — it’s evident that they’re sensitive to our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on — they’ve been phenomenal.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to go through an interviewing process with them to ensure that they are the right fit for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of a law firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SUCCESS Computer Consulting?

We needed help with cybersecurity and network maintenance and improvement. In particular, we wanted to ensure that our network and computers worked as quickly as possible and there weren’t delays in receiving and sending emails and data.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our IT department works with SUCCESS Computer Consulting. They oversee our whole networks and servers. If there’s an issue, they handle it, including problems with our devices, telephones, and so on.

What is the team composition?

We have around five people handling different areas. We have a lead, and then a team works with that lead.

How did you come to work with SUCCESS Computer Consulting?

Somebody referred them to us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve probably spent between $500,000–$1 million. It must be at least $100,000–$200,000 a year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in January 2017, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our overall computer systems have improved dramatically compared to our previous consulting company. Everybody’s computers are faster, so the work is more efficient. All in all, they’ve been a significant improvement for our firm. They’ve not only made us more efficient, but their efforts have resulted in a decrease in our IT spend.

How did SUCCESS Computer Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is excellent. They always do what they say and get everything done on time. I don’t work with them directly, but when I’ve dealt with them, it’s been by phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness is outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve done a great job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them an opportunity.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing and IT coordinator for Perma Tech, a loading dock equipment manufacturer based in Buffalo, New York.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with PCA Technology Group?

We engaged PCA for their IT consulting services. Our team had an agreement with a local Buffalo company, but they weren’t keeping up with technological changes and weren’t responsive. As a result, we replaced them with PCA.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

PCA initially did a full evaluation of where we were since our team had multiple types of PCs and licenses. We needed to update our server and licenses while unifying and upgrading our equipment. On top of that, we had to upgrade our accounting system. As a manufacturer, we also knew that we’d need to upgrade to a full ERP system in the future. 

Our company ordered all of our computers through PCA. We included laptops so that our people could work from home. The team increased our security using VPN, training us on cybersecurity best practices and making sure we were compliant with existing policies during audits. They helped us meet requirements so that we could apply for cybersecurity insurance. 

Moreover, we did a big jump to Microsoft 365, so their resources trained us on the new products inside the Microsoft suite. Further, they upgraded our computers connected to cutting machines. We upgraded our software from CAD to SOLIDWORKS; we also went from having individual licenses to being cloud-based. 

At present, PCA continues to provide full-service support for our hardware, software, server, and network. We’re working with them both internally and externally. Lance (Network Engineer) comes in once a week to check on things and know if vendors and users have any questions or issues. 

We’re currently getting ready to kick off our new ERP system. PCA will be working with our global ERP provider, which runs all of our departments in one system. Their resources are assisting in our migration. The team is backing up our old system, which involves our accounting records. We have a cutoff point in November so we must ensure we have those records by audit time at the end of the year. 

What is the team composition?

Apart from Lance, we work with Mike (CEO), who personally looks after our account. We meet with him twice per year as part of our contract to be proactive in planning for adjustments and additions. Brad (Senior Network Engineer) and Matt (Network Engineer & Telephony Specialist) also collaborate with us. We work with 3–4 people continuously for staff members forgetting passwords, getting locked out of their computers, and learning new programs.

How did you come to work with PCA Technology Group?

We did some research in the Buffalo market. As a privately owned, medium-sized company, we considered our budget and location. PCA was local and was within our budget; they were responsive and thorough in answering our questions. That was impressive. 

Jason (Account Executive) was our first point of contact with PCA, and he did a nice job of going through the outline of our needs. He drew up proposals with Mike’s help, generating programs that could help them address our needs — this was wonderful because the programs were scalable to our budget.

In the end, we decided to hire them as a full-service vendor; we decided that the number of services they could provide would be worth our budget. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $25,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. We’ve signed a five-year agreement. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

PCA’s turnaround time is within hours, and our systems never go down for over 24 hours. In other words, the team has excellent response times. When we have internet downtime, they have a good plan for redundancy that keeps us up and running until the broadband is back on. On top of that, migrating to a brand new clean email system is great in terms of managing our tickets. Transferring to Microsoft 365 has lowered our costs, so that’s been a great recommendation from them. 

Moreover, everything has been streamlined. They have access to our GoDaddy domain and security watch cards. These things normally require multiple points of contact, but since PCA has permission to access them, they simply tell me what’s been renewed. They then put everything on our bill. I have one point of contact and one bill — this has been a huge benefit for us. 

Overall, I’m 100% satisfied with PCA. Our team members, president, VP, and controller have also been highly satisfied. We have a variety of technology users — from beginners to advanced — and the PCA team has been truly helpful in bridging the gap between them. They’ve exceeded our expectations; if they don’t know how to answer our questions, they figure things out. 

How did PCA Technology Group perform from a project management standpoint?

PCA’s project management has been excellent. There are never any surprises in terms of pricing. They provide great monthly reports, which tell me how many help tickets were put in or how the compliance of our software is doing. We can monitor our servers and capacities along the way. 

Simply put, the team interacts with us like a true partner — it’s like having our own IT department. They’re here when we need them; they come on-site when they can’t handle something remotely. 

To communicate, we use a ticketing system, emails, and phone calls. Their billing system works well. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their customer service and response times are impressive. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. I’ve been truly happy with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Measure the size of your business and indicate how you’d like PCA to work with you. They offer different programs that can complement your IT department. They can also be your whole IT department if you’re a small to medium-sized business. Be transparent about your needs so they can provide the best services.