Vertical IT Solutions

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work as the CTO of a non-profit organization with about 150 employees spanning several continents.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Vertical Computers?

We hired Vertical Computers to host Abila MIP as a service. They did a great job and we therefore contracted them to provide technical helpdesk support (MSP) services to our staff as well.

SOLUTION

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

We interviewed server vendors and ultimately chose Vertical Computers due to their good reputation and overall flexibility.

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

As mentioned, we’ve engaged Vertical Computers for several services. The first was the migration of a locally hosted instance of Abila MIP to a server owned and operated by Vertical Computers.

They undertook the entire migration and, toward the end, did a good job of training our staff to access the new version. Afterward, and separately, they began offering helpdesk support to us.

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

We’ve worked with about half a dozen different technologists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Both projects were a success – Abilia’s software is running well and our staff get the help and support they need.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

On the whole, communication has been good.

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

Vertical Computers is extremely flexible regarding the scope and terms of service they offer. They go out of their way to precisely tailor their services and agreement to meet our needs. They clearly treat clients as unique organizations.

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

Onboarding took longer than expected.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the office manager of a year-round camping facility in the San Gabriel Mountains.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vertical Computers?

We needed to connect our phone services. We have people working on-site and people working from home, so we wanted to make it feel like we were all together in one office.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Vertical Computers came to our camp and looked at our system, talked to our team, and went through different options to improve our system. They primarily increased our Wi-Fi signal to get out vertical phones to work better.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with Josiah (Tier III Engineer) and Matthew (Tier l Engineer).

How did you come to work with Vertical Computers?

Josiah worked with us in the past, and we chose them because we felt we knew and trusted them. They also presented the product well and offered ongoing support, which is great.

How much have you invested with them?

We invest $210 with them every month.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They work with us until every part of the process is done. They’re also fast at handing off their work and taking care of any problem that arises.

How did Vertical Computers perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re a responsive team; I usually send emails to their support team, and Matthew calls me back within an hour. In terms of communication methods, they have a ticketing system in place.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve always been competent and have amazing customer service — they’re quick at responding to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

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

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the lead pastor of a church in Livermore, California, called Celebration Chuch.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vertical Computers?

Our church office’s phone used an old VoIP system, and its hardware was very problematic, so we were looking for a solution.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, Kody (COO) came from Southern California to meet with all of our staff. We told him our needs, and he explained to us what would best fit them. He proposed developing an app to use as our phone system.

Then, Vertical Computers developed that app for us. When it was ready, we informed our staff that we would pass from our old system to the new one. Kody came again and sat with us to provide us with an over an hour-long tutorial.

There were around 25 people from our staff in that meeting room, and we had everyone download the app on their phones. Then, Kody handed a very well-written explanation of what to do to everyone, and he walked us through the app setup.

He solved every question until we were fully set up, contacting and calling each other through the app. After that, we canceled our former phone service and started using the app.

What is the team composition?

Kody was our main point of contact, and he was very involved throughout the development. Vertical Computers also assigned a technical individual to us, but I don’t know how many more people from their team were involved in the project.

How did you come to work with Vertical Computers?

We had a relationship with Kody, and we found out what his company did, so we started talking with him about this issue, gaining interest in seeing how they would solve it.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $20,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around February 2021, and the project is now finished. I don’t recall how long it took Vertical Computers to develop the app, but it wasn’t much, and we’ve been using it for many months now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone was pleased with how this project was done, from start to finish. Before having this app, we had seven different phone lines, which were unnecessary. Now, the diversity of our phone extensions are handled through the app using a single phone line.

This app has also modernized our processes. We eliminated all the physical phones from our walls, and now, our members use their own cell phones to take and make calls. This also eliminated the concern of our different vendors not knowing where to call when they needed to contact a specific person within our staff. Now, they get answered by our receptionist, and she transfers the call to the right person.

We’ve achieved enormous efficiency, and now, contacting our staff members is effortless and streamlined. We also protect each individual’s cell phone information. People only know they’re calling the church’s office, and they get transferred to the person they need to get a hold of, no matter if they’re working remotely.

How did Vertical Computers perform from a project management standpoint?

Vertical Computers was very efficient and worked quickly. During development, we could call them at any time and get an immediate response. To this day, they’re still very responsive.

Recently, our system had a glitch; when someone called and got transferred, the call didn’t go through. Our receptionist immediately sent an email to Vertical Computers’ tech support agent and got an immediate response, and the problem was solved promptly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Vertical Computers’ solution personalization was impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of something that they could have improved on. As every other company does, we have tech-sufficient and tech-deficient people. However, Vertical Computers had a great ability to work with even the most technologically challenged people in our staff.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend Vertical Computers to anyone. They did well for me, and I know that they’ll do as well for someone else.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m VP and part-owner of a residential home remodeling company. We specialize in bathrooms, sunrooms, and patios.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vertical Computers?

We needed help with managed IT services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Vertical Computers handles all of our IT, VoIP phone systems, and internet needs. We initially needed them to set up our computers and servers. Most of the work is done remotely. Sometimes they’ll come on-site to set up a new employee’s computer.

The team also created a sales presentation and contract app for us. It serves to design, build, and price out projects. They did front-and backend development, as well as hosting.

What is the team composition?

We work with Steven (President), Kody (COO), and Joe (Business Development).

How did you come to work with Vertical Computers?

Steven is a family friend.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $300,000–$400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2007, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app has helped increase our sales closing rate by 20%. The VoIP system helps us run more efficiently here at the office. In general, we enjoy better internet speeds, too.

How did Vertical Computers perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re extremely honest, straightforward, and easy to reach. The team seems to be on top of things, too; if there’s an emergency, they react as fast as possible. Typically, they resolve any issues quickly.

For the app, Joe was our project lead. The communication was great. He was very responsive. Even if a server was down at eight o’clock at night, he’d jump right on the issue and figure out what happened. They’re always happy to jump on and help at any time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I know the team, personally, and they care about our business running smoothly. They genuinely like to see their customers succeed. I don’t get the feeling that we’re just a number or an account.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes we find out that there’s a service that they offer but we didn’t know about. It’s great they’re not trying to upsell us but those services would be great to know about.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to use them. They won’t disappoint.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of operations at Westgate MFG, a lighting importer and distributor for industrial and commercial usage.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vertical Computers?

We were looking for a partner that could help us remodel the architecture of our IT infrastructure to fit our current usage.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Some of the key elements of our initial relationship with Vertical Computers included migrating a workgroup organization to a fully-configured domain, developing and implementing a data security solution, and evaluating our WiFi infrastructure to make adequate changes for a more reliable UX.

More importantly, they guided us in purchasing the necessary hardware and software to create a virtual server environment that supported our main ERP system. We wanted to replace and virtualize it since it had been running on an outdated physical server.

What is the team composition?

We mainly communicated with Steven (President) and Erik (Tier III Engineer). Additionally, four different people from their team did most of the IT work.

How did you come to work with Vertical Computers?

I worked with Steven at other companies in the past. He had just joined Vertical Computers when I reached out to him. He asked me to take a look at their company profile, and I was happy to hire their team upon doing so.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $30,000 on the ERP system.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started our initial project in January 2019. Since then, we have been relying on them for general IT support. We have an IT resource who seeks Vertical Computers’ help when necessary.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, my impression of Vertical Computers’ work has been a really good one. They’ve produced outstanding outcomes for all the tasks we’ve assigned them with. Apart from that, they have good customer service and it’s very easy and pleasurable to work with them. 

How did Vertical Computers perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management approach has been very effective. They’ve worked sharply and they haven’t overlooked commitment dates.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Vertical Computers has been a very thorough team. They’ve thought ahead in terms of examining and addressing issues that could affect our project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There have been times when I wish things could have happened quicker — something that took five days to finish could have been done in two days. They can always respond a little bit faster.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take your time and be very thorough in looking for a partner to oversee your IT systems. It’s a critical experience, and you wouldn’t want to regret being led down the wrong path. If you decide to work with Vertical Computers, interview their team and get them on-site to review your content to assure the success of your project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT Manager of URBAN ARMOR GEAR, LLC.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vertical Computers?

We needed someone to provide one of our stores with IT consultancy and managed IT services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Vertical Computers serve as are our one-stop solution for IT services. They help us set up our active territories of service, data logging, and system management. They also helped us with our security outfit in the past.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with Steven (President), Erik (Account Executive/System Engineer), Kody (VP of Operations), and another technician. The resource they provide depends on the specific project.

How did you come to work with Vertical Computers?

They were a referral from other investors.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2019, and it’s been ongoing since then.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I am very satisfied with their service. There were quite a few issues in our first project that was beyond my knowledge, but they helped me tackle those issues, and provide me with a very informative analysis of what needed to be done — they’re very knowledgeable.

How did Vertical Computers perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very good at meeting deadlines. We set our priorities based on how urgent they are and set the deadlines for them. We are able to finish everything smoothly according to plan.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What I like about them is they have a very personal approach. They’re not a big company wherein when you have a question, you have to create a case, and wait for people to respond. I can just call them or email them, and I’ll get my answers right away. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They go above and beyond with what we request, so I don’t see anything they can improve on. If they do have any other areas they could improve on, I wouldn’t know because I don’t need it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communication is very important. A lot of projects fail because those involved aren’t on the same page. What I like about Vertical Computers is we can all sit down together, and make sure we have everything covered. They know the objectives of our projects and what we’re trying to achieve. What I would recommend is to just make sure they know your needs, and ensure that the service charge is reasonable and wouldn’t surprise you in the future.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the founding partners of National Thermal Processing, an aerospace accredited heat treat facility. My title is general manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vertical Computers?

The original reason why we went to Vertical Computers was for voiceover IP (VoIP) for our phones.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Vertical Computers set up VoIP for my business. We had a standard phone number and answering machine with a phone company. With VoIP, there is a dial by directory. We have it forward to our phones. It transcribes voicemails to emails, and it can transfer calls to my cellphone when I’m not at work. This allows me to answer calls for clients that need assistance after hours.

We have a data retention program. We switched over some of our equipment to digital formats. In order to do that, we had to have a cloud-based backup system.

The aerospace community come out and audit us for a week every year. We needed to be set up on a off-site cloud back up system. Vertical Computers was able to get us backed up within four hours before closing.

Because of COVID-19, a majority of the work now is done remotely. They’ve done emergency services for us as well.

What is the team composition?

I work with about five people, including Steven (President).

How did you come to work with Vertical Computers?

An alarm company suggested that we reach out to them. Once we were trying to set up our phone system, we were having issues with compliance with our fire alarms. Vertical Computers stepped in, and everyone, including the fire department, is happy.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent under $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them about two years ago. We have a monthly service subscription with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s been a great decision to work with Vertical Computers. Their work has saved us money. We had one issue when we started, and they had it fixed within 20 minutes. It’s very seamless.

How did Vertical Computers perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management standpoint, they’re amazing. To say that they meet deadlines is an understatement, they’ve fixed things for us and gotten our feet from the fire very quickly.

I can communicate with Stephen through social media, but primarily it’s through email and phone. If we have an issue, I can text one of our reps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their customer service makes them stand out. It made it easy for me to understand and do my part.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t see anything. They’re great for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Vertical Computers has been a great vendor for us. They’re willing to answer any questions. They’re good guys that are willing to help.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am IT director at Threshold, an aviation company. We are a full-service aviation repair station, and we manage and maintain private jets. We also charter private jets, and we have a fueling operation at the Chino Airport, too.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vertical Computers?

We had another managed service provider (MSP) that wasn’t doing a good job. We hired Vertical to replace them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Vertical helps us manage our IT infrastructure as well as provide day-to-day support to end-users. They do both remote and onsite work for us. 

We moved our entire VoIP phone system over to them. They helped us virtualize all of our hardware, like our servers. Vertical also helped us beam internet to different facilities at the airport, and they set us up with a Cradlepoint LTE failover for our location in Auburn, California. They’ve definitely been pivotal on all of those things.

We are still working on different initiatives. We’re about to start a complete network overhaul, so we’ll be ripping out all of the network infrastructures in our three offices. We’ll be redoing them and putting in all new equipment with their help.

What is the team composition?

Kody (COO) and Steven (CEO) onboarded me, but my main point of contact is Josiah (Tier III Engineer). 

How did you come to work with Vertical Computers?

I found Vertical on Yelp, and I chose them because I felt like they truly cared. I interviewed quite a few other MSPs, and I felt that they gave a general business pitch. They didn’t really care about what we wanted or needed; they just cared about getting us as a client. However, Vertical took the time to learn about our company. 

Once we signed our contract, we started working that night because we were in a big hurry. They were dedicated and established a family environment. That was really nice and quite a change from my previous experience and the other companies that I interviewed.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we’ve spent about  $40,000–$60,000.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2018, and it’s ongoing. We just renewed our contract with them for another two years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our priorities included the overall security of our devices, as well as modernizing our company. Vertical has completed those tasks over and above. 

They really helped to bring us into the 21st century as far as technology goes. Our previous provider didn’t play a big role in strategy, but Vertical Computers has leveraged their expertise and team to help us modernize our business.

How did Vertical Computers perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through email and text.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their dedication is impressive — they are always willing to go above and beyond. There’s never something too big that they can’t handle. There’s always a fix, whether it’s them handling the problem for me or we deal with it together. I love when we collaborate and can solve issues or plan out new projects together. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, I just think they need to hire more people like the ones they have. If they do, they’ll continue to grow. They’ve never dropped the ball or let us down. We have no complaints; we’re all really happy with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Hire them — 100%, hands down. Just stop looking at anyone else and hire Vertical.  

I would definitely come prepared with a list of action items and the things that are most important to you. You should prepare your internal documentation and make sure you’re providing them with all of the information they need to do what they do so well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a menswear clothing and footwear brand. My role is to look out over the IT infrastructure for our different sub-brands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vertical Computers?

In IT, there are all sorts of problems. We were going through a lot of transitions. We were building out a brand new warehouse.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The new warehouse was just a cement box. We were working on filing that in with all the data, equipment, and power we needed. We were able to leverage Vertical Computers to help with our equipment needs and any additional support. We do have a small IT staff in-house, so they didn’t need to do day-to-day work.

Their team addressed issues at the warehouse that allowed our team to focus on the other brands and our headquarters.

A lot of their work was done onsite, but recently, their support has been mostly through email. They help us get familiar with some of the products we use through them.

What is the team composition?

We typically work with four team members, including Steven (Founder) and Eric (Account Executive). They’re our go-tos when it comes to strategy, meeting with me yearly or quarterly. We discuss how the business is doing, and they fill me in on things that they’re working on for other customers that we might be interested in. We also interact with their helpdesk and email support teams.

How did you come to work with Vertical Computers?

I had a previous connection with Eric and knew his knowledge. Since its inception, he has been working with Vertical Computers, so when he vetted Steven for us, it was an easy decision.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in late 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

If we have a problem with a vendor, we start looking elsewhere. I haven’t run into that with Vertical Computers. They’re very accessible. The warehouse was set up in a timely manner.

How did Vertical Computers perform from a project management standpoint?

They do a good job at laying out the tasks that need to be completed. We can leverage them for any type of IT support. Most of our communication was split between phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is very personable. They understand where we’re coming from a business perspective.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When we first started rolling things out, we were both trying to figure out the level of support we needed. But once we determined that, there have been no issues.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’ve been really happy with them. One of the benefits of working with Vertical Computers is that you can talk directly to the people doing the work. You’re going to get a clear answer whether they can support or whether they cannot. They’re able to break things down simply for their customers.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a native sovereign nation, and I’m the IT director. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vertical Computers?

Our previous hosting company experienced a ransomware attack. As a result, they were no longer suitable for us to use as an organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Vertical Computers provides application hosting services for us. They work on a monthly retainer basis and provide technical services. We provide the necessary information, and based on that, they do the hosting implementation. In terms of technical support, they work on speed problems, access issues, and software updates that we can’t perform by ourselves.

What is the team composition?

We work with around 3–4 people from them. 

How did you come to work with Vertical Computers?

This project is based on a requirement of our procurement process. Vertical was one of the many firms that we contacted, and they had the lowest bid. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2020, and the project is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There aren’t any particular success metrics, but they do what we need them to do. So far, their performance has met expectations, and their technical support is actually quite good. We haven’t seen anything bad yet. 

How did Vertical Computers perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done a good job with communicating. They were a little slow at the start, but this is the first application of this type that they’ve hosted. Since they’ve started running it, they’ve been doing fine. We communicate with them by phone or through email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their technical support makes them stand out since they’re very responsive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They don’t quite do 24/7 technical support. The only thing I’d say they could do to improve is opening their technical support hours outside of their usual time.