Varsity Technologies

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a project manager at a healthcare clinic.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Varsity Technologies?

We needed an IT service provider.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Varsity Technologies provides managed IT services for our company, including cybersecurity and help desk support through a ticketing system. The team has installed hardware and software, including laptops and electronic medical records. Varsity Technologies offers on-site and off-site services.

What is the team composition?

We work with around five teammates from Varsity Technologies. 

How did you come to work with Varsity Technologies?

Varsity Technologies was already engaged with my company when I started working here. 

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working at my company in October 2023, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don't work directly at the IT department so I don't have quantitative metrics to share at the moment. Varsity Technologies' work quality meets our expectations.

How did Varsity Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Varsity Technologies delivers work on time and on budget. We communicate using different tools. We submit a support ticket through the team's system, and they usually respond quickly. I've also reached Varsity Technologies via email, and we have phone calls as needed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm mostly impressed by Varsity Technologies' communication and fast response.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be beneficial to assign more teammates available for on-site services. Aside from that, Varsity Technologies is flexible and tries to call at the time we're available.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the CFO and COO of a nonprofit religious Church in San Francisco.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Varsity Technologies?

We outsource our organization's IT requirements and have a long work relationship with Varsity Technologies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Varsity Technologies functions as our organization's IT department. The team provides user support and manages our network. They also support us in purchasing and installing hardware and software. Varsity Technologies manages our IT requirements remotely and offers on-site services as required. We're currently working on implementing a new workflow project on Microsoft 365. 

What is the team composition?
I've worked with a broad team from Varsity Technologies, including engineers, a tech support team, project managers, and Patrick (President & CEO).

How did you come to work with Varsity Technologies?
My company's engagement with Varsity Technologies precedes my time working here, so I'm unsure how we contacted them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent over $1 million with Varsity Technologies. In the past year, we spent over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Varsity Technologies in 2000, although I started working at my company in October 2002.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The current project with Varsity Technologies is meeting expectations regarding enhancements and improvements. We had a cybersecurity incident last summer, and Varsity Technologies immediately noticed and addressed it. I rely on the team, and they're supportive. Everyone I've worked with has been fantastic.

How did Varsity Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Varsity Technologies meets deadlines and stays on budget. The team is responsive and mostly communicates through phone calls and emails.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I want to highlight Marek's (Systems Engineer) work. He always resolves our issues, and I feel a great comfort when he's assigned to work with us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We have a stable field tech assigned to our account, and I feel like he's a member of our staff. I rely on him when we have an issue, and he's my first point of contact. I appreciate Varsity Technologies assigns stable professionals to our account. 

Are there any areas they could improve?
I can’t think of anything for Varsity Technologies to improve. I have a direct line with Patrick and contact him immediately when something needs to be improved.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?
I recommend new clients be available and maintain the schedule Varsity Technologies provides. One of my problems is that I get too busy, and some tasks slip away. If clients adhere to Varsity Technologies' schedule, they'll get the most out of their engagement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work for a TK-8th grade public charter school located in Northern California. We have 5 schools and a central office.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Varsity Technologies?

We hired Varsity Technologies to support 3 of our locations with IT support. Varsity is supporting 2 school sites and our central/network office. The support they are providing is day-to-day IT help and supporting me with thought partnership around our technology planning.

SOLUTION

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

We selected this vendor because their vision aligned with the work we are doing and specifically because they are familiar with working with schools. The things that led us to this decision were the people from Varsity, the amount of services and help they were willing to providing and the cost. We previously worked with another company who although they had the technical expertise, they weren't familiar with the school environment and that led to some challenges. We were excited to work with Varsity because of their experience with the work we do.

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

Varsity Technology provides technology support to three of our locations. This includes managing support ticket requests where they provide remote and on-site technology support. Varsity and I also have regular meetings where they support me with upcoming technology planning including roadmapping, budget planning, etc.

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

We worked with the onboarding specialist, the director of operations, the engineering team and our assigned field technician during the onboarding process. I worked regularly with the client success manager for regular check ins and planning. We've also worked closely with the field technician since he is the most familiar with our set up and he is the one on site regularly to provide in person support. I've met with the CEO and president as well a few times to check in on how things are going and to touch base on difference aspects of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within the first few weeks of working with Varsity, I've heard so many positive comments from the staff at each location with how impressed they are, how much they've found Varsity helpful and with how grateful they are that we are working with Varsity. To me, that shows how successful it has been because my main goal is that my staff feels supported with technology and they've all been raving to me (unprompted) with how great it is to work with Varsity.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It has been great. Varsity is very good with communication, sending things out in a timely manner and following up as needed. I know who I need to reach out to for different questions and I know how to contact them. This has allowed the workflow to run smoothly. Varsity is very organized and has great systems in place to allow all work to get done as expected.

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

There are so many things that impress me about Varsity but there are two main things that stand out to me. The first is there specialization in supporting schools and non profits. This is huge to us because we need a company that understands our needs and is able to support us accordingly. The second is the willingness and friendliness of all Varsity staff. No matter who I am talking to, everyone has been so helpful, patient and supportive. It makes working with them a joy.

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

At this time there isn't anything they could be doing differently. I'm so impressed with them and I'm looking forward to working with them for many years to come.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Peninsula Family Service provides comprehensive services that support individuals and families at various stages of life. Originally a small organization founded in 1950, Peninsula Family Service has grown to recognize the need for innovative, professionally-led, locally-targeted solutions to secure the wellness and stability of our neighbors. The community has rallied behind this mission, providing fundraising support and volunteers to establish and grow expert-led programs.

The Bay Area has grown and evolved over many decades, and we have been there every step of the way – providing support, caring for our neighbors, and becoming a deeply trusted part of this community. We are grateful to share our legacy and ongoing mission with so many members of our community, as we continue to bring support, education, and resources to those who need it most. CFO

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Varsity Technologies?

PFS relies on Varsity for management support, and IT strategic services.

SOLUTION

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

PFS went through a through selection process. It was import to find a IT provider that had knowledge and background in supporting non-for-profits.

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

Varsity provides our organization with full managed IT services, consulting, and cybersecurity. As part of that, we rely on them to assist us with workplace performance, technology innovations, risk and compliance. We are working with Varsity to move us full to Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 in 2022.

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

Varsity has a great team that provides help desk, field, engineers, and ongoing management planning. What is best is that we've had the opportunity to work with the same people that are assigned to us. We have direct relationships with the Founder/CEO and the executive team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The biggest asset is the great team that Varsity has. They are able to effectively communicate through different stages of the project from assessment through requirements and follow up post implementation.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We have a great working relationship from the support to interactions with the management team. And we always know that we can call or text the execs at Varsity and they will respond.

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

The team is the greatest asset. It is a pleasure to collaborate not only on big projects but also on day-to-day operations.

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

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Senior Director of the Marketing and Communications at Grace Cathedral. We are a 100+ year old organization and have over 50 employees.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Varsity Technologies?

We use Varsity are our outsourced IT organization. They do everything from wiring up our building, setting up lap tops, running our entire website and troubleshooting.

SOLUTION

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

I was not part of the vendor selection process. They have been a trusted IT organization with Grace Cathedral for 10+ years.

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

From my personal experience, Varsity Tech support responds to all of our helpdesk ticket requests. They do it very quickly and spend the time to ensure that things are working. They also send staff from their team to come on site and help us as needed. A lot of our staff at Grace are not very tech savvy and Varsity is extremely patient with them.

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

I have worked with approximately 5 different team members from Varsity and even the founder. The expertise vary from junior IT helpdesk personnel to back end Web Server support. They are all stellar.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We migrated from a shared service for our web site to a dedicated service with WP Engine. While it seems like a small task, it was something that Grace Cathedral had not undertaken in the past. Varsity assigned Dan Pham to stay with me through the weekend and we both made sure the the move did not crash our website. This was extra critical to have someone on site over the weekend because that actually was a peak time of activity for our organization.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

For the example I listed above the planning and migration went very well. We worked with 2 other external parties and we all knew our roles and responsibilities.

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

The founder takes a keen interest in ensuring excellent customer service. All of the employees are very well trained, very patient and over all very nice people. -- Working IT Helpdesk is not an easy job and customers can be a bit wonky. Varsity team really know how to work with us!

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

Nope.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the administrator for a small grantmaking organization that invests $10-$14MM in nonprofit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Varsity Technologies?

As a small nonprofit, we needed assistance managing both technology and technology strategy for our work to amplify the impact of Bay Area nonprofits. Working with Varsity Technologies allows us to keep our toolkit not only current, but forward-looking, and ensuring that we're responsive to community need.

SOLUTION

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

Varsity's commitment to the nonprofit sector mirrors our own. Their understanding of our operations and our responsibility to wise use of digital tools allowed us to collaborate together on solutions.

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

Varsity manages our business suite and cloud solutions and integrations with our grantmaking software tools, and is there for special projects that strengthen our cybersecurity: from user practice to device management to SSO to privacy.

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

We started our relationship with the President, and have had unfettered access to COO, lead engineers, sourcing, and tech support staff, knitted together by effective CSR.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Varsity routinely allows us to pilot new products and create shared learning about the appropriateness of technologies for grantmakers. In the meantime, our small staff of 10 feels supported and confident about the tools they manage for us.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Varsity is committed to using strong and effective ticketing systems that keep up apprised of progress on open issues and new projects. We have open channels to key staff and management.

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

Varsity has remained committed to the nonprofit sector and has committed to diversifying its own workforce. It's important to us to see how they are opening doors and supporting the careers of women and BIPOC technologists.

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

Varsity continues to take the pulse of our staff to make sure service meets expectations and keeps me on a monthly feedback schedule in addition to project debriefs. We know we all have to think about how to do things better, and I feel comfortable anytime Varsity wants me to reflect on where they want to improve.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of San Francisco Pretrial Diversion Project, a nonprofit, community-based pretrial services agency. We provide a comprehensive range of services, including arranging in-custody release, diversion, owner-cognizant court team, and supervision and release. We’ve operated for 45 years and are embedded in San Francisco’s criminal justice system.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Varsity Technologies?

As most companies, we rely on technology to run our agency. We collect sensitive criminal justice data and run a process to input it into an algorithm that generates reports for the courts. Therefore, we need to manage the data and track outcomes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Varsity Technologies provides basic IT services. They offer a wide range of support and serve our needs. We track outcomes from everything from case management services and releases to public safety court appearances and more. Overall, they manage our entire technology platform.

Additionally, they’ve purchased and installed software over the years.

What is the team composition?

The number of team members ranges based on the project. We’ve had some large-scale implementations where we’ve needed to accommodate a 24/7 operation. There’d be about 5–6 people from Varsity Technologies’ team at those points.

On a daily basis, we have access to their support line. Since we operate 24/7, every day of the year, including holidays, their support lines work with us day and night because we can’t afford our network to go down. They’re on call for us, and they have one main person working in the office to provide hands-on support.

Finally, we’re in contact with a couple of people from their management team — we constantly meet with them to coordinate for additional services.

How did you come to work with Varsity Technologies?

Over the last three years, we’d tripled our size, so we needed a technology company that could keep up with that growth and our sophisticated operation and handle all the new technology we had to implement. Our COO found them and brought them on board.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve probably spent between $250,000–$500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2018, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything works within our metrics.

How did Varsity Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve always done an excellent job, and they’re very accessible. We communicate with them in person or through email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciate their responsiveness. Also, they’ve demonstrated a wide range of knowledge on the technology we use even though we’re a specialized industry. Overall, they’re good people, and we appreciate them as partners, collaborators, and effective problem solvers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There have been challenges in some of the projects we’ve implemented, but I think they’ve been related to the number of people we had to support the implementation. However, those issues are related to how much we can afford as a nonprofit. If we could spend more money, we’d do it. It isn’t always their fault.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very thorough about your need and outline a plan that everyone can look back at if there’s a challenge. Also, create a realistic scope of work and make sure everyone understands it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Office Manger for 4Cs. 4Cs provide childcare for low-income families and subsidized care with the mission that every child pre-K services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Varsity Technologies?

Provide Manage IT services for the organization. I was not involved with bringing on Varsity initially but am responsible for making sure Varsity is the best cultural and technological fit for the organization as well as compliant with state regulations.

SOLUTION

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

As a non-profit, we have fiscal responsibility to make certain our federal dollars are spent appropriately. Varsity is also focused on the non-profit space and therefore their staff understands our needs.

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

Managed IT services are Varsity's primary services for 4Cs. Primarily network and desktop support.

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

I work with Anna and Kevin primarily. Anna and Kevin for equipment purchase. Baise, Michael, and Estifanos for field technician services. On the service desk, I do work with everyone but primarily Brenden.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

3 areas where Varsity overperforms. Estifanos has really shined in helping our staff and elevating our technological capabilities since the pandemic. He has been instrumental in getting the 4Cs to a higher level. Kevin also worked to help make all the purchasing requirements move forward. Brenden is the most amazing service desk person. He follow through on technology issues is always excellent. I refer to them as our Dream Team. These individuals are the primary reason why the 4Cs renewing our contract.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Kevin, Brenden, and Estifanos are the primary people I work with and their service has been excellent.

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

I am surprised at the level of customer service from a tech company. Varsity personnel are very patient especially working with our staff which technologically savvy. Varsity is very caring and the never make our staff feel inadequate.

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

Lack of continuity with the service desk. Turnover is expected but could be managed a little better. Varsity did, however, assign Brenden who really understands and knows our organization.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

AFS is a non-profit organization focusing on family services, foster care, and adoption and mental health. I am the Home Approver Specialist.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Varsity Technologies?

Managed IT Services. Laptop support specifically for on-boarding of new employees and new assignment of equipment.

SOLUTION

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

I was not involved in the selection of Varsity at that time.

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

Manage the AFS network. Varsity provides IT Support, Network support, help desk, and equipment deployment.

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

I work with 2 people in particular, Van and Estifanos. They work with me for setting up new PCs and configuring new computers for new hires.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Varsity team does a very good job in ordering new PCs and getting them configured in a timely manner for the organization's new hires. It is a very easy process in working with Varsity.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?
I'd like to shout out Ezelle (Cloud Ops) and Van (Field Engineer). They are both highly professional and knowledgeable, and we appreciate how kind and experienced they are as well. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The Varsity team is very effective and knowledgeable about technology and how it fits with AFS.

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

Whenever there is an issue, especially a complex one, the Varsity team finds a way to help and resolve an issue.

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

The Varsity team are problem solvers and once in a while, very rarely, would need to give a realistic timeline especially with difficult problems.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Mission Graduates is an organization which helps students to prepare, get into, and graduate from college. Focus on serving LatinX, immigrants, and Black youth and families. I am the CEO of the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Varsity Technologies?

Hired Varsity to be the organization's managed IT provider.

SOLUTION

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

We were not happy with current provider at the time. I had our CFO reach out to a few different firms and we selected Varsity. For our organization, supporting our staff and translating IT into a language our staff is comfortable with was the primary factor in our decision. We also looked for a provider that could help us scale our program operations to multiple sites.

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

At the time, we grew to new school sites and need functioning connectivity for staff at a school site which is separate from the school district's IT connection.

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

The CFO at the time made the decision.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have been able to successfully scale to five new sites since our partnership with Varsity. Our goal is to typically add 1- 2 new sites every year.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their manager has been helpful with translating technology issues and processes into a language we can understand. Terrance is also very helpful and elevates his work beyond satisfaction in order for staff to understand technology appropriately.

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

As a result of feedback from us to Varsity, Patrick was able to put a texting platform in place which helped with a work solution for students and staff to accommodate a communication solution around a school district's guidelines.

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

Requisition process during a supply shortage could be improved with better relationship with a vendor.