Simply Smart Technology

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a marketing communications organization that’s focused on behavior change marketing. My position is partner and VP.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Simply Smart Technology?

We needed an IT service provider that was responsive to our needs and address our fast growth.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided a number of services, including establishing and protecting our overall IT and security. Additionally, they’re responsible for IT support and new staff IT onboarding. They provide a responsive 24-hour hotline for inquiries as well as consultation on ways to maintain security and build our infrastructure for IT as we grow the company. 

They’ve done both in-person and remote work. While most of their work has been remote, they analyzed our infrastructure and onboarded new equipment in-person.  

What is the team composition?

I worked with about 3–4 people. My main contact is their CEO, but we interact with a number of people through their support line.

How did you come to work with Simply Smart Technology?

They reached out to me when we weren’t happy with our previous IT services provider. I wanted people who were responsive to our needs as a growing business. They were excellent listeners, asked great questions, and seemed to prioritize customer service.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $5,000–$6,000 at this point. Their fees have been manageable.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since September 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their ability to be timely in meeting our staffing needs paired with their responsiveness are both impressive. They’ve provided the level of consultation that a growing business like ours needs. 

How did Simply Smart Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

They laid out an onboarding timeline from the beginning, so timelines were fast and organized. We needed a team that could jump right into the work, and they did a great job managing that. They can really respond to immediate changes within a traditional structure. We communicated over phone calls, emails, and texts. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness and willingness to meet our needs as a growing company stood out. At times, I can be demanding but they’ve been responsive to all our requests. They were flexible in taking on a significantly shortened onboarding period, which met my needs.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any critical feedback and am looking forward to watching their team grow over time. They’re a small company that will have more infrastructure and resources as time goes on.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t let their lack of flashy marketing materials convince you to not consider them as a partner. They have a great track record and will work hard to meet your needs.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of finance and technology of the Chicago Urban League, a civil rights organization. We primarily help African-Americans in the fields of entrepreneurship, education, and the workforce.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Simply Smart Technology?

Our contract with our provider of nine years was ending, and they provided all the hardware on a three-year contract and gave us a set price per month. Come the next contract, they would replace all the equipment (servers, switches, computers) and set the price for another three years. It worked well for us when we started out and had old equipment, but I started questioning if we were getting the most bang for our buck.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provide 100% coverage. We don’t have an IT person in the building other than myself, and I know enough to get myself into trouble. They get in there and fix problems if someone gets a virus or something goes wrong. Our previous contractor charged us to have someone on-site 75% of the time. Now, we’re just doing phone support with Simply Smart. They control and provide all our PCs, laptops, servers, and switches.

What is the team composition?

I’ve dealt with Chris, Jason, Marcella. There was another resource that helped set up our laptops as well.

How did you come to work with Simply Smart Technology?

I got a cold call from Chris. I then met with him and Erin about what we were doing, what we were looking for, and the pricing I needed. I interviewed four different companies in total, and what I found refreshing about Simply Smart was that they didn’t expect me to give them my business after they provided me pricing. Others were hesitant about giving me numbers.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $89,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since February 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The tale to be told here is that Simply Smart did what they had to do to allow me to return all the equipment to the old provider and starting using the new equipment in almost two weeks.

How did Simply Smart Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

I was shocked at how well they did it. On the flip side, I was busy so I couldn’t hold their hands either. They were able to handle it. They were transparent and good at maneuvering around roadblocks.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their expertise in putting everything together stood out. I was shocked by it. They really know what they’re doing. They replaced all the equipment for 50 employees in about two weeks. They don’t clock out right at 5 pm either.

Are there any areas they could improve?

So far, I haven’t seen any. Every time I have an issue we call the smart desk and they take care of it. I’ve yet to have an issue they can’t resolve.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the BIM manager and IT coordinator of Wright Heerema Architects. We’re an architecture and interiors firm, and we mostly work on corporate interior projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Simply Smart Technology?

We hired them to completely manage our IT environment.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Simply Smart Technology’s primary focus is to manage our system. They also develop new technologies on an as-needed basis. They provide remote work most of the time but visit us on-site on a weekly basis to make sure things are working optimally.

When the project began, their team completed a full audit of our entire system, including the intake of all equipment. They intensively talked to me and my team’s leadership to ensure they were providing what we wanted.

What is the team composition?

There have been many people over the years, but there are five people we interact with on a regular basis.

How did you come to work with Simply Smart Technology?

We chose them because we liked how focused they were. Their team is smaller but still able to tackle big projects and stay on top of current systems. In the beginning, they took time to get acquainted and know us personally. It became clear that we were a company they were going to be invested in. We weren’t just one client out of many.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve invested approximately $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership began in April 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Simply Smart Technology’s strongest points are their expertise and proactivity. They understand the scope of a problem and often handle it before I bring it to their attention. Because of the nature of IT management, no news is good news. If everything is working and running smoothly and there are no problems, that’s my metric of success. Things are going well when we’re not hearing about issues.

If I tell one person about an issue, the entire team knows because they communicate among themselves. We don’t have to re-explain our problems from the beginning every time we call or speak to a different teammate. Because they know who we are and what our system is like, they know the type of problems we have.

Simply Smart Technology always listens to us and ensures they’re providing what we need. If something new pops us, they don’t push extra charges. They’re always ready to help and make sure our system is cohesive.

How did Simply Smart Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is great. Their team is extremely responsive, and our partnership’s biggest benefit is that they know us very well. I've noticed that when they’re busy helping multiple clients, processes will often slow down. However, they more than make up for that because they constantly go the extra mile to ensure the project’s completion. Everything is always completed to a higher level than my expectations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really like that they’re a woman-owned business — that’s a big plus. They have a great ability to understand the problem and come up with a solution. Their team is nimble in quickly reacting to our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re excellent at finding great employees and providing efficient training. I’ve noticed that new team members are brought up to speed very quickly. This is their biggest fault because they tend to lose some really good people who have been trained. Simply Smart Technology’s inability to hang on to employees is the only thing I’ve noticed has been a bit of an issue. However, their new employees always produce top-notch work. Because the transition is fantastic, it’s never been a big problem at all.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the COO of AllCell Technologies, a company that makes lithium-ion battery packs for everything from small bicycles to solar backup systems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Simply Smart Technology?

We’re a small company that wanted a skilled IT team with a diverse range of specialties. We weren’t big enough to hire a full IT staff but also wanted more than one person providing the service, so we began looking for an IT managed services firm.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our main server was crashing about once a week, so they spent time working on that and getting it back to running continuously without problems. They also cleaned up a lot of garbage that was left on the system. When we hire a new employee, Simply Smart Technology gets the person set up with an email, SharePoint Exchange, and all the passwords and access material they need. They even make sure our equipment is updated and has the most effective anti-virus programs.

What is the team composition?

We have two main points of contact. Whenever we have a problem though, we just contact their general IT support team via phone, email, or website.

How did you come to work with Simply Smart Technology?

While we were searching for a local IT firm, Simply Smart Technology called us. I talked to them and a few other companies, but Simply Smart Technology had the capabilities we needed at a price we could afford, so I hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $42,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We partnered in June 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We rarely have any unplanned downtime for our servers, and my workload has dropped significantly. Before hiring them, I was inundated with complaints from users. For new employees, they’re set up and ready to go within an hour, a process that used to take me hours.

How did Simply Smart Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

They provide weekly updates that review what they’ve worked on. The team communicates well, and the owner is frequently involved in the work. Whenever we submit a ticket, they send a note that tells us who’s working on it. The whole setup costs less than hiring a full-time IT person and makes it feel like we have our own personal IT agency.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re willing to work with and support nontraditional software. For example, we have a custom ERP system for new employees, a SolidWorks CAD, and an old small business server that they manage. Unlike other firms, they didn’t charge us extra for providing those services. Also, when we need to update our hardware, they suggest the equipment that we need, not just the newest things.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had a backlog of issues and communication, but they resolved that with the weekly updates.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was managing director at a $10 million+ not-for-profit association representing construction manufacturers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Simply Smart Technology?

Simply Smart was hired for managed IT services including servers, phone systems, internet, and individual machine management.

What were your goals for this project?

Our IT infrastructure was unreliable, and we needed a myriad of upgrades to ensure zero server downtime and service for all individual users.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Simply Smart was a great balance of experience and value for our budget, and they understood our project scope.

Describe the project in detail.

Erin (Owner & Lead Technologist, Simply Smart) envisioned an entirely different IT infrastructure than the unstable, virus-prone, unreliable, decentralized setup we had. They installed new equipment, rewired the entire system, and instituted a remote help desk process to address user issues quickly.

What was the team composition?

Initially, Erin (Owner & Lead Technologist, Simply Smart) designed and installed the system. She then took a consultative role in all our IT projects, including website, telephone system, and more. Her help desk support team was always available to our staff.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work immediately improved performance drastically. Simply Smart has a seat at our table as if they are our very own employees. Their partnership mentality has helped us develop an incredibly stable IT environment that has not once been compromised, neither by virus nor intrusion.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

As a trusted partner, Simply Smart arranged to be at our on-site IT meetings. They collaborate remotely with cross-functional and sometimes international teams. They're consistently present and proactive. Help desk ticketing was seamless, and responses that weren’t emergencies were done in 24 hours.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Simply Smart represents modern technology with traditional relationship-oriented business practices. They’re focused on great outcomes that make the IT infrastructure completely transparent in our day-to-day work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I cannot think of any improvement areas for Simply Smart. They know IT and know business relationships. They're refreshing to work within a landscape that is typically a financial drain for non-profits.