Arium

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director at Jon Michael Design.

What challenge were you trying to address with Arium?

We needed a company that could handle our IT needs.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Arium provides us with full-service IT support. They installed and set up our WiFi system and remote server system. They’re also responsible for purchasing and updating software and setting up all of our hardware. We’ve moved office spaces twice, and they’ve helped us with reinstalling and updating our systems both times.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with three people from Arium.

How did you come to work with Arium?

We got connected with Arium through an old employee that used to work here.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

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

We don’t have any specific metrics, but I’d say that we’re really happy with the services that Arium has provided, which have been helpful for file storage and overall productivity.

How did Arium perform from a project management standpoint?

Arium has performed well in terms of project management. They respond quickly to emails and are always quick to try to resolve any issues and find answers to our questions. 

We typically communicate through email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Because they are a smaller company, they are more responsive than bigger companies, and their infrastructure seems a little bit more manageable for us. Arium being an internal referral has also helped us feel more comfortable with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don't think so.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to be very vocal about what your needs are. This was a little bit tricky for us in the beginning because we weren't sure what we needed yet. There are a lot of different things out there that Arium can offer that you wouldn't necessarily know of if you didn't ask. That's definitely something we learned through the process.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the accountant of Andre Kikoksi Architect, an architectural and interior design firm.

What challenge were you trying to address with Arium?

We needed someone to provide us with managed IT services.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Arium is our primary IT development consultant that we’ve contracted on a monthly basis. They ensure that our IT infrastructure is fully functional, including our network and hardware.

Moreover, they manage our purchasing efforts, cloud backup, and internet-related services.

What is the team composition?

We mainly interface with the owner, but we’ve also worked with several technicians from their team.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $50,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in February 2020.

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

We go through a lot to keep our clients happy but since partnering with Arium, our clients personally reached out to us to say that we should give the team glowing reviews — that kind of positive comment speaks volumes about how happy they are with Arium’s work.

How did Arium perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform well from a project management perspective, as they’re able to meet our deadlines and adhere to our budget consistently.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with their ability to take our needs and come up with great solutions quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could always slash their prices but outside of that, there’s nothing they need to improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would advise you t be upfront with your needs and expectations, and the project will go smoothly and transparently.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My organization is Yousician, a music education tech company that makes apps to teach people how to play instruments. I’m the office manager for our New York City office.

What challenge were you trying to address with Arium?

We needed managed IT services.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Arium provides us with managed IT services and support on- and offsite. Our main office is located in Helsinki, Finland, and there isn’t a lot of overlap between our office hours, so if there’s a question I can’t ask the IT team in Helsinki, I reach out to Arium. They also advise us on which equipment to purchase. 

The team has installed our Internet connection and infrastructure and is helping us set up our new office. They’ve helped set up our video chat links through Zoom because we’d had issues connecting our screen to our main monitor in our conference room. Arium has also wiped the old work computers and configured them for new use. Currently, we have a printer in transfer, and they’ll help us set it up remotely. 

What is the team composition?

I work with two teammates from Arium. 

How did you come to work with Arium?

They were already our partner when I joined the company. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

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

Arium is really helpful. They're great at being available when I have questions and always let me know when they won't be. For example, there was one time when I  had to set up something after hours, and the team made themselves available — I appreciated their help. With the Zoom screens issue, they suggested coming to the office once we realized we couldn't solve the issue over the phone. I'm confident they'll be able to help me with the printer very well. 

They've also been patient in answering my questions. When I asked for advice about which printer to buy, I gave them the specs, and they came back with great recommendations. They also advised on a piece of equipment with many cables and recommended getting an adapter and cable cover. As a result, we spent $50 instead of the hundreds of dollars an electrician would have cost, so they've saved us money on that end. 

How did Arium perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been really good at project management. We have a couple of Slack channels with them, and the team is responsive. Once or twice, we've had Zoom calls where we can show them an issue we have, and we've used email a bit. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

What I like most about Arium is that they're almost always available and responsive when I have a question. They're also really patient; some of the issues we've had they've also been confused about, and they've worked through them while being communicative. Moreover, they're nice people. I can joke with them back and forth, which builds our relationship and helps us understand each other more. Overall, the team has been extremely helpful — working with them has been great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes, I'm not sure if I need to talk to Arium or our IT team in Helsinki. This is partially due to our team being in and out of vacation. I'd like clearer communication about Arium's jurisdiction and what isn't. However, this issue is mostly on our side. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you communicate with Arium, I recommend being very clear about the issues and what you've tried to fix them. Be willing to send screenshots and pictures if they're doing something remotely. It also helps to understand that the issues you're encountering aren't their fault, and they're doing their best to help you. Therefore, be humble, patient, and understand that we don't know everything. You should accept their help – that's why you hire them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the superintendent for Aurum Condominium, a large condominium in Manhattan.

What challenge were you trying to address with JS Technology Group?

Our building is relatively new, and the original developers didn’t do a great job with the telecom room or the camera system. We also didn’t have any phone lines to the elevator and we had WiFi issues throughout the building.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team cleaned up the entire telecom room — the rewiring took about a week. They also replaced the camera system with a more sophisticated one and added several cameras to enhance our security. JS Technology also installed new WiFi in the basement, where we previously didn’t have coverage.

Currently, they’re our tech support provider. If we have any issues, like with our fob system, they’re available to help us within the same day.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three to four people. 

How did you come to work with JS Technology Group?

One of our board members selected JS Technology, along with three other companies. We voted and ended up choosing JS Technology. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve probably spent less than $50,000 with them in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in April 2020, and we’re still working with them for any tech issues that come up.

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

We’re very happy with our choice to partner with JS Technology. Their work has been incredible.

How did JS Technology Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. We keep in touch over the phone – most of the time, they pick up right away, and if I have to leave a message, they’ll call me back within a couple of minutes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team is very easygoing, and they’re good problem solvers. When JS Technology came on board, the telecom system was a disaster, but they were able to figure it out. If we give them a problem, they get right on it and solve it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing whatsoever.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

JS Technology is an excellent company to work with. They’re a great team, and I have nothing but good things to say about them.

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a creative agency with expertise in experiential marketing. One of our main services is to create and produce an in-person event for our clients. We encourage their brands to engage with their customers in direct personalized and interactive events. I am responsible for the Finance and Administration of the company.

For what projects/services did your company hire JS Technology Group?

We started our relationship with JS Technology when we realized the need to update our office phones from traditional office landline to VOIP, and we were also looking for the right technology for our meeting rooms. A friend of the owner initially introduced JS Technology. Hearing good reviews about them, we trust JS Technology to help us with the transition of our office phone and also with 4 of our meeting rooms.

What were your goals for this project?

Goals were to have effective technology without too many complications during the transition.

How did you select this vendor?

Good review. We compared with 2 other providers in terms of the process, price and customer services.

Describe the project in detail.

Initially, we started with the office phones and meeting rooms. However, we noticed that we need to upgrade our internet system since we expanded our office, the existed internet was not fast enough to support our staff in the new area. At that time, our office was also under renovation. However, JS technology was very accommodating and flexible with our schedule. Very minimal disruption and practical solutions can always be expected from them. Along the way, JS Technology also helped us with our cloud backup.

What was the team composition?

Joe and Del. They would have their workers, depending on how big the work will be.

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

With the VOIP system, we're able to see who's calling, direct the call, send voicemail easier and faster compared to the traditional landline. Definitely, with this, it has helped our answer time to be quicker and more efficient. Each of the extensions can also access, listen, and customize their voicemail in no time. Game changer! Since we upgraded the internet, the connection throughout the office has been very consistent and seamless. When there's a problem, we can always ask Joe and Del over the phone, and if it's something that we could not fix, they will come to take a look/fix it right away.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Super effective! If the problem can wait, we would email them, and their response time is like a blink of an eye. That being said, super rare that we would have to call them directly on their cell as they are super responsive with their email.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have good customer service, they always give the best solution that works with our schedule.

Are there any areas for improvement?

n/a

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of content for Triptent, a creative ad agency. I oversee the company’s technical aspects as they relate to IT, postproduction, and media entertainment.

What challenge were you trying to address with JS Technology Group?

We initially hired them to provide desktop support, but then expanded the scope to scaling our storage capacity.

What was the scope of their involvement?

JS Technology Group provides day-to-day desktop support for Mac and PC. We have regular conversations with them about consulting projects, media servers, new systems, and on- and offboarding efficiencies from an IT perspective. Implementations include automation in the support space. The team also renovated our two-floor, 50-person office. That contract work included wiring and media and entertainment purchasing.

What is the team composition?

We work closely with Joseph (Principal, JS Technology Group) but also interact with everyone on the team.

How did you come to work with JS Technology Group?

One of our colleagues hired them via a trade journal for a one-off issue. The partnership evolved from that first engagement.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend between $80,000–$90,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2011 and the partnership is ongoing.

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

The partnership has increased our productivity, as we do not have in-house IT services. Moreover, the engagement is cost efficient for a smaller company like ours; we can turn services on and off as needed while still providing employees full support.

How did JS Technology Group perform from a project management standpoint?

The team performs at a high level and is very responsive. We appreciate their ability to accommodate our particular preferences for organization and documentation. I push their limits, but they’re good partners in that sense.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are attentive and hold professional conversations in informal settings.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything. They already know what we consider areas for improvements.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have an open dialogue. Don’t hesitate to be simple-minded in naming the problems because they are creative problem solvers.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the resident manager of the St. Tropez, a 300-unit condominium in New York City. I manage day-to-day operations.

What challenge were you trying to address with JS Technology Group?

We had just renovated the building’s lobby and common spaces, and we hired JS Technology Group to implement new security features, WiFi, and other technological upgrades.  

What was the scope of their involvement?

JS Technology Group oversaw a complete technology overhaul. They installed around seventy security cameras. For the doormen, they created security stations with communication equipment and access controls to different entrances. They also provided physical cabling and rack management, WiFi, and phone service. Once they finished setting everything up, the team moved into more of a support role. They provide ongoing maintenance and services.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is Joe (Principal, JS Technology Group). We have worked with other members of the team as well.

How did you come to work with JS Technology Group?

I’m not sure, because the project was already underway when I entered my current role in July 2018. However, we’ve maintained the partnership because their team is knowledgeable, professional, and responsive.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent over $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

My company began working with JS Technology Group in April 2017, and the partnership is ongoing.

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

We can view every inch of the building, from the roof to the basement. The new access controls make the building more secure. Before JS Technology Group, we had a security camera and an entry buzzer, but no verbal controls. Now, the doorman can communicate with visitors, such as delivery people, and find out who they are and where they’re going before granting them access. We have not had any security breaches.

How did JS Technology Group perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is responsive and communicates well, providing documentation when necessary. When we email or call them, they respond within minutes.

They also handle all relations with equipment vendors. For instance, when a piece of equipment doesn’t function properly, JS Technology Group works with the vendor to get it replaced. They update my team regularly so that we can expect when to have the equipment back.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Joe and his team are well-versed in the latest technologies and equipment. I am not very tech-savvy, and Joe takes the time to teach me how to use the system. The team is helpful and thorough; they’re always willing to go the extra mile. Rather than specializing in just one particular area, they’re knowledgeable about every aspect of the technologies they’re dealing with. Other service providers I’ve worked with can run a wire but do not know much beyond that; JS Technology Group knows why the wire goes where it does, what it connects, what it does, and so forth.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Maybe I could think of something if I’d been on the project from the start, but they’ve been excellent. They work quickly, and everything that they install works as expected.