Applied Tech

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CIO/COO of MEDILOGIX

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide durable medical, respiratory, and npwt equipment to post-acute healthcare facilities nationwide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Applied Tech to accomplish?

• Provide complete IT infrastructure
• Provide remote desktops and endpoint management
• Provide advisory services for all aspects of IT

SOLUTION

How did you find Applied Tech?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Applied Tech over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Smart People

How many teammates from Applied Tech were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The initial scope was to provide virtual desktops and hosted servers for our ERP platform. Over the last 12 years, the scope has expanded to include end point security, Azure migration and site recovery, Microsoft license management, cybersecurity consulting, and various other integration and expansion projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Secure and responsive access to desktop/server resources by remote users.
• Server infrastructure with network access from on prem office.
• Control cost of IT staffing and investment in hardware and software.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our account and project manager, Daniel Malishkin, closely managed tasks and set reasonable expectations. His team is very responsive and timely. His broad experience is invaluable to us and we rely on him and his team for expert advice and special projects.

What was your primary form of communication with Applied Tech?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Very easy to work with. Always looking out for our best interest. Their support and solutions are solid. They set expectations up front and deliver solutions on time and cost effectively.

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

The recent transition of Virsage to AT came with some challenges, primarily getting the new AT people familiar with our unique environment and prioritizing urgent issues.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at a community bank.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Applied Tech?

We were looking for a managed IT service provider to manage our company’s network.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Applied Tech provides us with managed IT services. They’re our network provider and manage our office’s network needs. Applied Tech also provides us with tech support through a ticketing system. 

Moreover, Applied Tech has also provided their expertise and assistance in cybersecurity. They’ve worked on projects about multi-factor authentication, endpoint detection and response (EDR) for individual workstations, and cybersecurity training. 

What is the team composition?

Applied Tech is a large company with numerous teams. We regularly work with the same local team, although I’m unsure of the number of specialists and their positions. 

How did you come to work with Applied Tech?

Our previous network provider was a small company that Applied Tech bought. We had an existing contract with that company, which Applied Tech honored. When we started working with Applied Tech, they were already familiar with our company’s needs, and we ended up renewing our contract with them.  

How much have you invested with them?

We invest around $50,000 annually with Applied Tech. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Applied Tech in December 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Applied Tech is extremely helpful, and all our staff is happy with their service. Whenever we need assistance, we call Applied Tech, which resolves the issue quickly. 

How did Applied Tech perform from a project management standpoint?

Applied Tech meets deadlines and stays on budget. They’re responsive to our budgetary needs since we’re a small business. We have monthly meetings with Applied Tech to review our strategic plan and requirements. They’re responsive and resolve tickets in a timely manner. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything for Applied Tech to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you don’t receive an answer from Applied Tech’s support team, don’t hesitate to contact one of Applied Tech’s managers. A manager is usually available who is responsive and ensures your issue is resolved as quickly as possible.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a department manager at a law firm focusing on real estate law.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Applied Tech?

We required managed IT services, so we hired Applied Tech.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Applied Tech takes of anything that falls under IT for us. They provide us with help desk support, do system administration and engineering work, and take care of our system updates. Additionally, they help us install software and hardware, such as PCs and cybersecurity software. For example, they’ve installed Sophos Intercept X for endpoint protection.

Applied Tech’s services are both remote and on-site. We have two on-site help desk technicians who stagger their shifts, so we have on-site support from 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Any time after that, they provide us with remote support.

What is the team composition?

We work with 4–5 teammates from Applied Tech per project, including our two on-site technicians and a project team consisting of a project manager and an engineer. Additionally, I communicate with an account manager, the help desk director, and a team lead for the on-site technicians.

How did you come to work with Applied Tech?

I joined the project when we were working with another managed services provider (MSP) that then merged with Applied Tech, so I wasn’t in charge of finding them. Still, I know that we had an in-house IT team 10 years ago, and we decided to look for an MSP because an external company would provide more options for us. One of our teammates was a friend of one of their owners, so they started working together.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent less than $100,000 since our MSP changed their name to Applied Tech. However, our investment before that was significantly higher.

What is the status of this engagement?

We technically started working with Applied Tech in January 2023, when they officially changed their name. Previously, they were called Platte River Networks. We’ve been working with them for nine years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since working with Applied Tech, our uptime, communication, ticket resolution, and contact with users have been much better. Additionally, our systems seem much more stable than they were five years ago.

How did Applied Tech perform from a project management standpoint?

When our MSP was still called Platte River Networks, they used to go a little bit over budget on every project. Currently, we have one project with Applied Tech ongoing, and everything is on time and on budget thus far.

We mostly communicate via email, and I also meet in person with the two on-site technicians every week, with whom I also talk almost daily. Additionally, I have weekly meetings via Microsoft (MS) Teams with the account manager, the help desk director, and the team lead. Internally, we track all of our projects through Smartsheet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The biggest advantage of working with Applied Tech is having two technicians on-site working for us for extended hours.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be great if Applied Tech communicated better internally and standardized their processes to make things run more efficiently. Sometimes, we’ve talked about something with one of their teammates; we’ve then talked with a different teammate about the same thing, and they don’t know anything about it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communication is key. Communicate constantly with your account manager and monitor the project to ensure tickets are resolved and timelines and goals are met.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the COO of estound, a Denver front range marketing agency for businesses between $4M and $60M.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Platte River Networks?

We needed to unify our remote team's workflows, and really didn't know what the best path forward was for getting everyone on the same platform, regardless of where they were working. We also needed an ongoing IT partner to manage our cloud infrastructure, desktop support, and cybersecurity due to how many client's private information we handle.

SOLUTION

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

We have an existing business relationship, we saw how well they managed the shared customers, so we trusted that they'd have our best interests in mind. Having worked in parallel on national marketing projects, we knew it was a good fit.

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

From the beginning, getting us setup in a cloud platform was a huge improvement compared to what we'd piecemealed on our own previously. Getting setup was quicker and easier than we anticipated, but the service really shined as we experienced ongoing support. Anytime something happened, like a connectivity issue or notification that was new, it didn't matter whether it was Platte related or not. They'd answer the phone immediately and help us themselves, or let us know the best way to get the help we needed. Having a number to call with an IT team ready for all of our IT related concerns has fulfilled a role within our business that we didn't realize we'd needed before. Now, they're indispensable.

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

Platte provided us with a full IT team, including helpdesk, projects, procurement, infrastructure and security. At this point, that's probably been at least a dozen experts within their specific roles.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The biggest advantage that's come from our service has been the reliability that's propelled more productivity. We aren't dealing with the issues that we'd had before, and as the COO, I rest easier knowing that our client's data is secure.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Anytime we need anything, one call is all it takes to get it. They answer quickly, the people who answer are easy to talk to, and they are able to address our needs themselves or connect us to the right expert right away.

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

Given our needs, we expect quick response times, but the experience has just been really easy. Everyone we talk to is personable and capable.

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

Prior to Platte, I didn't have much experience with Managed IT Services, so I probably don't know what I don't know, but my employees are happy, so I'm happy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief information security officer at a credit card processing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Applied Tech?

We were looking for a new managed IT service provider.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Applied Tech provides us with managed IT services, and they also help us manage our cybersecurity. They initially used a formal implementation and discovery process, effectively identifying our needs. After the discovery process, they made some recommendations and changed certain pieces of our architecture.

Since then, Applied Tech has been providing us with great IT services, including purchasing and installing software as needed. Most of their work is remote, but if some tasks need them to be physically present, they come to our site. As for cybersecurity, they offer three different levels of security programs, and we’ve acquired their highest one.

What is the team composition?

We work with an account manager, who is our main point of contact and processes our service tickets. We also work with network engineers and technicians as needed. In total, we usually interact with six different people from Applied Tech.

How did you come to work with Applied Tech?

We did some local research, found Applied Tech, and liked their background. Then, we met them in their offices and decided to start working with them — we’ve been very happy with them ever since.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $100,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around July 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The initial migration and implementation process went as smoothly as it could have, and Applied Tech has been an excellent provider ever since. We’ve seen a significant decrease in our downtime from our previous provider, and we now have practically zero downtime.

How did Applied Tech perform from a project management standpoint?

Applied Tech is highly effective in project management; all of our projects have gone as well as possible. Additionally, our account manager is very effective at managing our IT needs overall. Of course, some IT projects tend to go off the rails, but they’re very effective at completing them and closing the tickets.

Applied Tech uses a ticketing system where we can rate their service after they close each ticket, which is how they track their own performance. Additionally, we communicate via Microsoft Teams.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Applied Tech’s organization is impressive. They’re more organized than other IT providers I’ve worked with in the past.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They’ve been perfect overall.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

During the implementation phase, take the time to work with them and help them understand your needs. They’ll do their best to fulfill those needs, which will help the relationship overall.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the chief operating officer of The Alliance. The Alliance is a business coaltion that helps its member companies with their health insurance offering.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Applied Tech?

Our small company (about 40 employees) was struggling to meet the diverse needs of a technology driven business. As with any smaller inhouse staff at that time, we were having difficulty staying on top of all of the changes in technology and with our business. We hired them initially in a managed services capacity to help us plan and execute an IT strategy that aligned with our goals.

SOLUTION

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

We shopped only a little bit. It was through word of mouth that we became aware of Applied Tech. We seemed to be the target market for them, we heard good things, they were local, and I had access to the highest levels of the organization. Also, when we netted out the cost of doing everything ourselves versus going with a managed services provider, it made sense.

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

We began with them "taking over" our help desk and helping address immediate concerns. Then they laid out a roadmap to get our infrastructure updated and budgeted. We then begain executing on the plan. They provide the gamutof services from CIO-level planning to front-line help desk and implementation. They work with our data anaysts and other developers to ensure that the tools they need are available. This has progressed to include higher-level cybersecurity services.

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

We worked with several of their staff at the beginning. An experienced IT consultant who was like a network administrator, an account exec who provides the planning piece, and several of their engineers who executed some of the changes and upgrades.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Results were almost immediate in terms of employee satisfaction with IT. We also had/have a plan that aligns with our business strategies. They know our business now and can serve as a real partner to ensure technology is meeting our current and future needs.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was highly effective and they were always responsive when we had questions.

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

We told them that we wanted IT planning and execution to be a "team sport", meaning that our more highly technical staff would have a say in how things went. They helped us to create such a team and it has been invaluable for aligning interests, communication, education, and overall buy-in.

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

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of a full-service law firm in Denver, Colorado. We have attorneys that practice in litigation, real estate, corporate, and trust estates, which breaks down into a lot of other niches.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Platte River Networks?

We had an internal IT team composed of two people, and at that time, we were undergoing more cybersecurity assessments from clients, business partners, and other people that dealt with us. It got to a point where our internal team no longer had the resources necessary to continue doing their job and keeping the standards at a desirable level. There was also too much work. As a result, we decided to let go of that team. Then, we hired Platte River. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Platte River provides IT services for us. A full-time Platte River resource works with us every day in the office. Sometimes, they work at home because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. We’re currently doing an overhaul of our IT systems because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has changed the way we work so much. 

Specifically, we’re adopting a hybrid working setup since more people are returning to our offices. Platte River is helping us come up with a strategy and roadmap to rebuild our systems to support the hybrid working environment. 

What is the team composition?

I work with a team of about four people from Platte River, including the full-time IT person. I also work with a backup member and person who handles our bills. I also often reach out to their founder and VP if I’m doing larger strategic initiatives. 

How did you come to work with Platte River Networks?

We vetted a lot of companies because we knew some high people who had bad experiences with IT service providers. The Platte River team had a good reputation, and when I met them, I liked their people a lot. I also liked their references. Ultimately, their good personalities and the way they do business were the main reasons we chose them over other providers. 

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m now more confident in our ability to answer cybersecurity-based assessments; we undergo such assessments annually. I’m also more confident that if our systems go down, our information is backed up. 

More importantly, had we not transitioned to Platte River, we wouldn’t have been ready for the COVID-19 pandemic — our people have had to switch to using laptops and consolidated servers. In other words, doing the transition with Platte River has been perfectly timed. Moreover, the team has been great about meeting our needs when we have to come up with an instant plan. 

How did Platte River Networks perform from a project management standpoint?

Platte River’s project management has been great, though there’s always room for improvement in terms of communicating timelines. To be fair, they’ve improved in this area tremendously; they’ve been open to conversations with us in terms of improving our communication and relationship. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The people have been the best part of working with Platte River. They have a good team, and I like working with Brent (CEO & Co-Founder) and Sam (VP of Operations). They’re always responsive to me. Overall, the team is great, and we’ve worked out some of the kinks in our communication over the years in terms of things should work. Simply put, they have great people in their team, which has made it truly enjoyable to work with them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should continue to work on their knowledge around the needs of law firms like us. To be fair, our industry is unique and it’s governed by a lot of rules. This isn’t a criticism for Platte River; such difficulty is true for any service provider that works with law firms. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You need someone in your organization who understands your technology and business. That person should manage your relationship with Platte River. They should know what’s happening and communicate that with you. At the end of the day, Platte River won’t make the decisions for you — you still have to take charge and manage the engagement. As a result, it’s better to have a person in your team who’s there to protect your best interests. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of administration at Wellborn Sullivan Meck & Tooley. We provide legal services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Platte River Networks?

We were with another IT company, but they weren’t giving us the service we expected.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve grown our IT services with Platte River Networks over the last 11 years. When we moved to our office space in 2011, they wired out the new area, did our server rooms, and handled everything. At that time, somebody would come and provide onsite service for 10–12 hours a week.

When we went into the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, they put us in a remote working model using a remote desktop protocol and ordered additional laptops to allow our end-users to work from home. Since we had to send everyone home, we had to give them the ability to enter our server remotely to maintain our level of client expertise. In summary, Platte River Networks kept us looking good among our clients.

In February 2021, they upgraded us to Microsoft Office 365 and the cloud.

What is the team composition?

We work with several people and can go all the way from the help desk to the president and owners of the company. No one treats us like any task is too big or too small. We have a primary contact, and we’ve interacted with David (VP of Sales & Marketing), Nick (Account Manager), and Mike (Project Manager), who has helped us with project planning.

How did you come to work with Platte River Networks?

I was catching a plane from Las Vegas to Ireland in 2010 when our servers went down. Our previous company couldn’t help us, so the managing partner called me and said we had to let them go and find someone new. We’d been shopping around to see who could take over our IT services and interviewed a couple of people, including Platte River Networks. We most likely found them through the Association of Legal Administrators, a professional organization where we’re both very active.

In the end, I told them to give Platte River Networks a call. They won our business because they were able to help us in a pinch.

How much have you invested with them?

They’re a valued partner, so we spend quite a bit of money — it's between $200,000–$1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in March 2010, and it’s ongoing. Every year we review what they offer and what’s working to grow and continue our relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We get quarterly meetings with Nick and other technicians, and they measure uptime, the number of tickets submitted and dealt with, company response time, and more metrics and provide them to us in a report. Overall, it’s nice that they give that information without us having to track it.

How did Platte River Networks perform from a project management standpoint?

They have project management tools on their end, but we only deal with our go-to person, which is Mike. We recently upgraded our servers, so we had weekly project calls with him; he’s amazing.

In general, we communicate through Teams calls, but we also use text messages, emails, and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When you manage a law firm, you can plan for everything you can, but you can’t prepare for the unknown. I could’ve never predicted our servers would go down while I was out of town, so having Platte River Networks assist us when I was out of office speaks leaps and bound for us.

Also, getting us up and running remotely for the pandemic was huge because if we can’t service our client, we’re not making money. Therefore, having a great IT company behind us is a win-win for everybody.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Everybody has room for improvement, but they try to stay ahead of the game. Additionally, we have such a great working relationship that if we ever come across any issue, we can work together to overcome it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The next big spend besides personnel and rent in a law firm is IT services, so you need somebody who’s great at what they do. Vet other vendors; we usually do our due diligence on three companies when selecting a provider. It ensures us that who we’re selecting can provide us with the services we need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and owner of a catering company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Platte River Networks?

We needed their team’s IT managed services to help simplify and automate our accounting and management processes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Platte River Networks monitors our extensive IT equipment and networks to ensure smooth relationships between our staff and vendors and streamline our planning, delivery, and procurement processes. Their team also protects our system by installing software products and securing our firewalls. On top of their IT and cybersecurity services, Platte River Networks maintains and hosts our platforms.

What is the team composition?

We work with four resources from Platte River Networks.

How did you come to work with Platte River Networks?

We found Platte River Networks through a referral.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $28,000 every year.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Platte River Networks commenced in October 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have specific metrics to share, but I can confirm that we’re highly satisfied with Platte River Networks. Our continued engagement with their team is our main success indicator for their work.

How did Platte River Networks perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via email and phone calls. Platte River Networks is an efficient IT partner that’s attentive to our needs and requests.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What stands out the most about Platte River Networks is their responsiveness.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust their team to address your technical and cybersecurity needs.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Senior Vice President at Horizons North Credit Union. We serve all the financial needs of our members in the Metro North area and beyond.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Platte River Networks?

We were working with Platte River long before we utilized them as a Managed Service Provider. We were one of the first customers of Platte River upon their inception. We had a long standing relationship with the owner, Brent Allshouse. Initially they handled our basic IT service needs. We converted to a Managed Service Provider model in 2018, with an onsite technician. We knew we needed additional support as our business was growing and Platte has been integral to this success along the way. In 2020 they helped us move our business operations to our new building in Westminster, CO. Our onsite technician is just like a member of our own staff, backed by the experience of a professional IT support staff versed in all areas of IT management.

SOLUTION

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

Our relationship with Brent prior to the creation of Platte River was so positive that we knew we could trust him with all our business needs. They have grown over the years just as we have, and it has expanded our service options with them. We are very happy with the service we receive.

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

We have worked through many projects with Platte over the years. From server updates, to troubleshooting, additional security monitoring, and moves, they have been there to support us along the way.

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

We have worked with many of the individuals at Platte River through various projects. Currently our onsite technician is Jared Parks, and we also work very closely with Heath Kellerman in more of a CIO type of aspect.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With regards to our move, everything went very smoothly and we were fully functional by the time we reopened. They are excellent at managing our network and offering solutions for enhancements and security.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We currently have bi-weekly strategy calls with our service team, and the staff uses the ticketing system to submit requests which are then handled by our onsite technician.

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

The culture of this company is customer focused. I understand that if I am having issues with any aspect of our service that I can communicate those concerns and have my voice be heard in order to find ultimate resolution.

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

With the introduction of more remote work with staff members sometimes communication can lag a bit.