Springboard IT

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Project Manager and tenant advocate in Commercial Real Estate Transactions. I assist the restructuring of businesses through growth assessments, design development, furniture procurement, construction contracts review, project oversight, relocation assistance and facilitating communications between the GC/Subcontractors/owners, etc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Springboard IT, and what were your goals?

During pandemic, the said company assessed their real estate needs and decided to relocate and simplify operations. Springboard was involved from inception as all IT infrastructure was streamlined & redesigned for a new space with focus on upgraded Audio Visual and conferencing needs. Goal was to have them work closely with out low voltage contactor and shepherd the redesign and relocation of existing server.

SOLUTION

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

I had the pleasure of working with them on prior projects. Was relieved when my client informed me that Springboard was their current IT company.

Describe the engagement and overall scope of work in detail, including the stages of the partnership.

They attended weekly project meetings, site meetings as required, provided proposals and detailed explanations as needed from concept to completion. (and beyond, as they provided post "live for business" support.

What were the terms and the value of the lease, and what percentage did Springboard IT take in commission?

No applicable to this review

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

3+ - Business consultant, Project Manager & site installers/support

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the engagement or general feedback about the services?

I would highly recommend Springboard to any company. They are extremely engaged with professional feedback and follow-through.

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

Accountable, present & responsive.

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

They followed up post project to discuss take-aways.

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

No - they should be the model for other IT companies. Appreciate the lunch they purchased for the team on move day as well!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a Creative Director

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our company needed Mac support over the years which included assessment and resolution of urgent issues as well as ongoing maintenance. Springboard was truly a partner. The team helped us meet our client deadlines with their knowledge of the latest Mac technology and provided guidance when we needed to make changes. They also successfully supported two office moves that required coordination with our corporate building management and various vendors.

SOLUTION

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

We searched for qualified Mac vendors in the Philadelphia area.

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

Springboard's support started with ad hoc help when we were in crisis mode but evolved to a maintenance contract which was much more effective in keeping our Macs in great working order. Bi-monthly calls with a Mac specialist that was familiar with our set-up and could understand our needs were key to keeping our focus off tech issues and on client work.

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

We had regular contact with one IT specialist but there were other team members available for backup. The IT support team was always reachable via email. And we could set up a call quickly with our account director for larger projects, like office moves, within a couple of days. We felt that we were their only client.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Once our maintenance contract was in place, our Macs were never down for more than an hour which was key for our deadline-driven business. Springboard also supported us through three complex office moves and was available to coordinate with our company's IT internal resources and all other parties involved. Their attention to detail and level of customer care made us feel at ease through each transition.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

In the past, we had onsite visits but during the last year and a half, all interactions were online via email. For any urgent issues, a quick call and remote access through TeamViewer worked well for support.

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

I appreciated that they adapted their support and consulted with us over the years as our team's needs changed. There was always a human connection, not just tech support. Springboard cared that we succeeded and that made them stand out.

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

I can't think of anything that could have made our work easier. Unfortunately, our parent company decided to streamline vendors, and they are located abroad. Otherwise, we would have continued working with Springboard. We are deeply grateful for all their hard work over the years.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Production Supervisor at an Audio/Video Production company based in Malvern, PA. We have 10+ employees and produce content for clients all over the country with very tight deadlines.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

As a fast paced Audio/Video Production company heavily based in Apple/MacOS. We have some unique technology and IT needs. We rely heavily on our production assets being available to multiple producers from a central server with low latency. In addition COVID-19 has forced us to be flexible and work remote, which created new challenges.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to improve reliability of our network. Optimize our connection between work stations and our Server. Improve our ability work remote as needed and just overall improve our technology and stay up to date.

SOLUTION

How did you select Springboard IT?

Because of some of our unique needs, our upper management gave myself, Production Supervisor, and our Senior Video Producer the ability to interview several IT companies. Springboard had a retail store near us where we had learned about their IT services. At that point we contact the IT team and built a wonderful relationship from there.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we started using Springboard IT they did an initial overview of our current network and systems that were put in place by our previous IT provider. After the initial assessment they provided suggestion on how to improve what we had and also plans for keeping everything up to date. Over the years they have helped us maintain equipment or upgrade if needed. Also provide proposals for the future so we can plan and budget accordingly.

What was the team composition?

Springboard's team has always been available when needed. We've had a couple Account Managers but they've all been wonderful. They are the direct point of contact for projects and proposals. Anytime we've had issues we can reach out the rest of the IT team easily though phone, email, or the great online chat! Each member is very friendly and knowledgeable.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Over the past 3+ years Springboard has been able to help us with a wide range of iissues, making sure we know and understand the technology. We've had various accounts setup by past companies, Hosting, SSL, VPN, etc, that we may have never had control of. Springboard makes sure we know and understand these accounts and helps monitors them for expiration/renewal. Beyond that they will point us in the right direction when a piece of equipment is worth repair/upgrade or just replacing.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow is one area that has always been improving since we first started using the Managed IT Service. More recently they implemented an online chat. This has made a contact them even easier and response time is great. Not that we had any issues in the past with phone or email. They have always been available when needed.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The knowledge and availabilty. As a company that is heavily Apple/MacOS based, we never had an IT company that was as efficient with help. We had been pushed towards PC and Windows solution which would create other issues in the past. Springboard was focused on working with us to make sure we had a solution that worked for us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I'm sure over the years we've had some suggestions. Springboard listened to us or had already been working on them internally. They are always trying to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a partner in a marketing consulting agency based in Philadelphia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We did not have an IT strategy before we met Springboard. They took us through the steps necessary to create one and now we feel that our IT is a business advantage. Additionally, their day-to-day support of our 45-person MAC network is invaluable for making our employees happier and more efficient.

What were your goals for this project?

• Get the employee noise level down (complaints).
• Move to the cloud
• Eliminate time solving IT problems
• Eliminate hardware costs besides laptops

SOLUTION

How did you select Springboard IT?

We went through a selection process that included meeting different vendor teams, letting them diagnose our current situation, explaining our goals and objectives and letting the vendor suggest action plans to meet those goals and objectives. Springboard was the obvious choice and their listening skills were second to none.

Describe the project in detail.

After the initial project kick off, we went through a few stages. First, we locked down our new IT strategy. Then Springboard help us solve ongoing problems to achieve a new baseline of IT activity.

They eliminated servers, moved us to the cloud and help our team members with the "new normal" of how we operated in our new technology setting. Then, we went to more day-to-day support and monitoring. Today, there are occasional IT or software projects, but achieved our goal of consistent day-to-day consistency around technology.

What was the team composition?

We had a lead account manager and they communicated the needs of our team to their team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Employee complaints down
• Costs of hardware down
• Team happiness up
• Billable hours up
• Time spent on IT problems down

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very - they are supper easy to contact via a variety of ways (email, phone and text) and their response time is fast.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their understanding of our company and their ability to listen to what we needed greatly impressed us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Our wish is they would bring us new ideas and processes we could invest in to make our technology even more of a business advantage.