Bit by Bit Computer Consultants

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there?

I’m the CCO and management lead for the orthology Minnesota market. We deliver physical therapy, chiropractic, and sport medicine services for muscular-skeletal conditions with ten clinics between Minnesota and New York.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

We were looking for someone to manage our software and provide IT services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bit by Bit Computer Consultants manage our software and oversee the stability of our internet connectivity because our electronic medical system, which we use for billing, patient care, and scheduling, depends on the internet, an online-based system. If any of our devices have an issue, they access them remotely to fix the problem.

What is the team composition?

There are 6-7 people we interact with, including salespeople, technical experts, and staff focused on our future needs.

How did you come to work with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

Our former CTO found them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $144,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in June 2019, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They immediately respond to submitted tickets — there is a local feel, not outsourced, so we’re delighted with their services.

How did Bit by Bit Computer Consultants perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re responsive, communicative, and keep us updated on the progress of the tickets they’re addressing in the various clinics. We submit tickets via email to their platform and also communicate biweekly via phone calls. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re extremely friendly and knowledgeable about all of our needs. If we need a laptop, monitor, or equipment, they quickly source it for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take time to explain what you do, who you are, why you work the way you do, etc. It's helpful for them to understand how to create the best working relationship entirely.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a partner and CEO for an executive recruiting firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

They’re our IT service provider; they support our entire IT infrastructure.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were looking for an IT service provider that could support our firm and update our infrastructure.

Since working with them, they’ve moved us from Windows 7 to Windows 10, and most recently, to a Microsoft Azure environment. They’ve helped us move away from hardware and have helped us become entirely cloud-based.  

They’ve even upgraded some of our firewall protection. We’ve also outsourced our server management to them. They support our thin clients, which are basically dummy terminals to the internet.

What is the team composition?

We originally worked with the head of client solutions. After that, we began working with key technical team members, Bruce (President), and Melanie (IT Help Desk Manager).

How did you come to work with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

I was referred to them through a friend. Ultimately, it came down to cost. We also felt like they would provide the best service. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2013 and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They provide a very nice service. They monitor our infrastructure well and update our system as needed. They often make suggestions to improve what we’re doing and suggest how we can leverage new technology to meet our goals.

How did Bit by Bit Computer Consultants perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very responsive and flexible. They listen to our needs and work closely with us to find solutions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve been most impressed by their responsiveness and knowledge.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They wish they could implement a chat system for instantaneous communication when we’re trying to solve a problem.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s always beneficial if you’re familiar with the technology as well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re architectural and engineering consultants. We work on curtain walls and facades. I’m the finance director, and I also work with the IT team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

We weren’t satisfied with the previous managed IT services we were using, so we left them and hired Bit by Bit. We were just hoping to update our IT and bring us up to current standards, from the servers to how our whole network was working. We needed to be able to count on our system on a day-to-day basis.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bit by Bit provides managed IT services, so they pretty much do all of our IT. One area they’ve done well in is updating our servers. They were able to analyze the system and see what was working for us, what wasn’t working for us, and what would work better.

They’ve also helped us update to a more current IT environment. In doing so, they’ve updated firewalls and servers. They’ve also streamlined our setup and the way our whole IT network is organized. They have made good recommendations about equipment and software that we could use to help with the process.

They provide daily support, which we were previously lacking.

What is the team composition?

They’re big enough that they have different people who handle different things. For instance, they have someone who handles security issues and multiple people work on the help desk.

On a daily basis, we work with 4–5 people, such as the person who handles our account, a help desk person, and the person who does some of the purchasing.

How did you come to work with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

I’m not sure how I found them initially; I might have even found them through Clutch. We interviewed 3–4 different managed IT providers, and we liked the way Bit by Bit provided all of the services and a full team of experts for different aspects of the business.

What is the status of this engagement?

I believe we began working together in February 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure their success by how IT is performing for our office. Right now, it’s performing better than it had been. We’ve seen improvements in their setup, speed, and issue handling. It’s been positive.

How did Bit by Bit Computer Consultants perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re prompt and put resources toward meeting deadlines, especially when it comes to prioritized items. They’re good at getting things done.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re super knowledgeable, especially our account manager and security person. They’re definitely experts in their fields.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there hasn’t been anything worth mentioning.

Any advice for potential customers?

Just like with any other business, you have to stay on top of what’s going on and follow up.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My current organization supports hotel union members with healthcare and pension services. I’m the director of information security.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

Bit by Bit is on our reseller shortlist.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bit by Bit serves as a trusted advisor who interfaces with other partners. They advise on particular products that we should consider. Most of their work is on the resell side; when we are interested in particular products, we go to Bit by Bit, and they vet the product for us and touch base with those vendors. If there is an information security product that I need, I reach out to Bit by Bit and ask what they think of the particular market and who they know.

They have also done low-level auditing work. For example, we requested an audit of our firewalls and their configuration, and they provided that service to us. We also needed a HIPAA risk assessment.

What is the team composition?

We work with 5–6 people from Bit by Bit.

How did you come to work with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

I have a longstanding relationship with them. I’ve worked with them for more than 20 years. This is the third organization that I’ve been with that I’ve introduced Bit by Bit as a value-add reseller.

How much have you invested with them?

At my current company, the total package is around $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working at my current company in May 2019, and we brought Bit by Bit on shortly after that.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Bit by Bit has really assisted with the negotiation process at my current and past organizations.

How did Bit by Bit Computer Consultants perform from a project management standpoint?

I haven’t used Bit by Bit in that capacity, as I generally manage my own projects. On a scale of 1–10, I’d give them a 7 or 8 for communication and following schedules.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their honesty distinguishes them from other providers. I feel that they have my best interests at heart. When dealing with some larger vendors, it’s good to know that we’re getting the best bang for our buck.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In my opinion, they’re on the cusp of dealing with medium–enterprise business. I think they probably need to mature a little bit faster in getting to that next level.

Any advice for potential customers?

This applies to all vendors. You should always be prepared and bring everything that you have to the table. Leave very little open to interpretation.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are are a law firm specializing in insurance defense. I am the IT director for the firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

The previous IT provider was not meeting our IT needs. Communication needed improvement and projects always seemed to run over budget.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to move our servers and desktops to the cloud and to find an IT company that understood our needs as a law firm.

SOLUTION

How did you select Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

We felt Bit by Bit was a perfect fit for the firm. They understood our vision and listened. They were also very flexible with the solution.

Their pricing was very reasonable for the services that they were providing.

Describe the project in detail.

Bit by Bit began by migrating all servers and desktops to the cloud, in addition, they migrated our email to O365.

They also provide monthly support for our network and as well as monitoring of all critical systems.

What was the team composition?

We were assigned an Account Manager as well as a Technical Account Manager. There was also a tech team that worked behind the scenes with the Technical Account Manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Bit by Bit executed what was promised. The weight of managing the servers was taken off our shoulders and Bit by Bit has been doing a wonderful job with managing our network.

This was all completed on time and on budget.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was very good throughout the project and continues to be good with the ongoing managed services that Bit by Bit provides.

When an issue arises, Bit by Bit is very responsive and someone from the team is always available to assist.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We have been very impressed with the expertise of the techs. They really know what they are doing and they think outside of the box to develop a solution that best meets our needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Overall we are very happy. We would like to have a better understanding of our server updates and when they should be applied.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Law firm in North Jersey with 70 employees, I am the Network Administrator.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

Managed Backups and Disaster Recovery

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to implement an updated and efficient solution to ensure our data is replicated and safe.

SOLUTION

How did you select Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

We were looking for a company that was easy to work with and possessed the technical knowledge to design and implement a solution for our firm.

Describe the project in detail.

A backup server was installed to provide local replication of the production servers as well as full replication (disaster recovery) to the cloud. Monitoring and alerts were set up for any failures.

What was the team composition?

We were assigned a Client Solutions Executive as well as a Technical Account Manager and his team of technicians.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was completed on time and on budget.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was excellent throughout the progress of the project and all of our questions were answered. The transfer of knowledge once the solution was completed was extremely helpful.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The Bit by Bit team listened to our needs and concerns, and developed and deployed a solution tailored to our requirements. Not only were they available during the project, but are always available after for an additional questions or assistance.

The project was completed on time and on budget. No surprises.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we have already contracted them for another project and continue to use their services.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of IT and knowledge management for the Drug Policy Alliance.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit By Bit?

At the time, we had seven distributed offices throughout the country, all utilizing a variety of servers and firewalls. We needed professional assistance managing the servers, moving the server environment to a virtual one, and all other high-level assistance tasks.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their primary role is managing the Windows servers for our active domain and handling the movement and evolution of the technologies we use as a company. We’ve migrated our email twice, and they have helped to provide high-level technical assistance in that.

They’ve also provided some more hands-on firewall and server upgrades to allow people to share data while still authenticating their logins locally. When any of our critical staff go on vacation or anything, they are able to make sure that everything stays running smoothly and that we don’t have any issues as a result.

What is the team composition?

Over the years, the exact number has varied, but we work with around five people consistently and maybe up to 20 in total. Tom (Senior Account Executive) is our main point of contact, along with Jim (CIO) who is a huge asset to the partnership.

How did you come to work with Bit By Bit?

They were referred to us when we realized that our previous outsourced arrangement wasn’t working for the company.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we’ve spent around $150,000 on their services in the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started partnering with them in January 2012 and have had an ongoing relationship ever since.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have any specific metrics that are helpful to us to track, but on the whole,  we have been extremely satisfied with their service. I have referred them to tons of other organizations and nonprofits because I’m confident in the level of services that they provide and the consistency with which they are able to do it.

No one is perfect, but they are about as close as you could expect from a provider in this kind of situation. They have the system set up so that if something important comes up they take care of it right away, and if they ever can’t they let us know immediately, which to us is just as important. And not only have they demonstrated that level of integrity throughout each task we give them, but they’ve maintained it across all of the years we’ve worked with their team as well.

How did Bit By Bit perform from a project management standpoint?

To be totally blunt, project management isn’t their strongest suit, but they still do a very good job with it. It’s just not their best area. It’s hard to manage long-term projects like this one with lots of requirements, so it’s understandable that there would be occasional things that they miss.

That said, I have another vendor who is excellent on project management, but then the deliverables are only mediocre, so I would take great results over perfect project management any day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a personal touch that really makes it enjoyable to work with them. Any provider can be polite and friendly, but they are authentic and make you really feel like human beings engaged in a partnership rather than impersonal ends of a business deal. It’s clear that they believe in our mission, and they go out of their way to make sure their services are consistently worthwhile for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If I had to make one complaint, it would be that they could do a little bit better job just staying on top of meeting times and deadlines for the work, but we’ve never had anything become such an issue that it caused us serious problems.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They try extremely hard to deliver the most bang for your buck on everything they do for you, so as long as you can establish a consistent timescale for deliverables and stick to it, you’re going to have an extremely productive and enjoyable relationship.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m president and CEO of Ventura Associates International LLC. We work primarily to create and administer promotional programs for our clients, including games, contests, and sweepstakes. We’re frequently referred to as the independent judging organization for consumers and trade-facing organizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

Years ago, we had standalone computers in our office, and in an effort to streamline our operations and make them more efficient, we wanted to return to more of a network situation. Bit by Bit Computer Consultants was engaged to help us get that set up and they’ve been running our IT operation ever since.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I handle most of the day-to-day responsibilities myself, but they handle specific issues. They come up with firewall rules, special permissions, or set up our exchange server. We have a virtual server that handles multiple functions for us and we decided to keep things inhouse, so they’ve been the ones who have helped engineer that. Since COVID-19, the entire collaboration has been remote.

What is the team composition?

I work with 3–4 different people including Rob (VP of Sales), Davin (Technology Manager), and several people who help with remote desk capabilities.

How did you come to work with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

I believe we got a call from them at one point discussing their services. As I had been doing most of the work myself prior to the network group, I had a really good understanding of how much time was going to be able to sustain that time commitment with other responsibilities. I called them in and I had spoken with one other company, but they sat down with us, listened, and got a really good handle on what it was that we needed and how they could bring that to fruition.

How much have you invested with them?

We invest about $24,000 per year with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in January 1997 and the collaboration is currently ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The few complaints I get, the better and that is really what I’m searching for. They’ve got all our people set up and running smoothly without issues, which I’m very happy about. I really look to them to help resolve issues, especially when I’m out of the office.

How did Bit by Bit Computer Consultants perform from a project management standpoint?

Most of the time they’ve been able to stay in touch and get things up and running on time. Every now and then there have been a few hiccups and I have to reach out and remind them of a deadline, but they’re responsive. Overall, I think things have worked out really well. Since COVID-19 we’ve communicated over email and have meetings. Typically, when we don’t have a lot of major projects, most of the meetings are going to be of a lesser nature.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness has been most impressive. Typically when I have an issue and ask for help, they jump right on it. They have been critical in helping some of my users get reestablished with remote connections because we’re not in the office. That, to me, goes a long way because it gives me peace of mind that even if I can’t be there to help someone, I know these guys can do it well and quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There are always times when they can be more responsive. I’ve had a couple of tickets that have been out there for awhile that are a lower priority, but at the same time, they should still be addressed.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communication is critical and laying out who’s going to be responsible for what and by when. It’s standard project management, but have everyone on the same page before you execute the plan.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re one of the largest health care organizations in the country. My specific area provides health care to pilots. I’m a program manager in preventative occupational and aerospace medicine.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

There’s a need for pilots to have access to health care information, and they don’t always have the opportunity to reach out to experts in aviation health. By creating a digital platform, pilots can reach out to our organization in order to ask medical questions about medical conditions or pilot medical certification issues, and we can get information to them quickly in order to make informed decisions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a website. We had done some market research and created a test platform that we brought to market for individuals to try and provide us with feedback. With that feedback, we brought a project to Bit by Bit Computer Consultants.

They developed the interactive website with many components that all came together. They helped create the wireframing of the platform, and then worked incredibly carefully with our internal IT department to make sure the platform met our stringent security and encryption standards. Also, they implemented a way to charge individuals for the service and to time the involvement with medical professionals.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with three individuals. I know there were many more below them, but it made it very easy that I only worked with those three stakeholders.

How did you come to work with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

They previously worked on a project for us where they helped to create an application for DOT applications for truck drivers. Because of that positive experience, we went with them for this much larger project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent in excess of $100,000. It was budgeted to be in the $75,000 range, but it’s exceeded that because we brought changes in the middle of the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began work in April 2018 and we had a soft launch in September 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback that we’ve received has been very positive. They say that it’s very easy to navigate for the user. There’s no steep learning curve, it’s very intuitive.

How did Bit by Bit Computer Consultants perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent — I say that without doubt or hesitation. They’ve been extremely responsive, and they provide solutions and always provide options to move forward. They were solution-driven, which allowed them to meet every challenge. We used Blackboard or Excel for project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really learn what the product is that is trying to be developed. They understand the project as well as we do. Even though they’re not pilots, they thought like a pilot and were able to anticipate pilots’ questions and needs. Their ability to be intuitive and proactive anticipating the end-users needs impressed us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We didn’t run into any roadblocks or significant issues, so I can’t say anything I’d like them to change.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide them with background information so that they can truly understand what the need is. Having them involved from the very beginning allowed them to develop insights into our goal and our users’ needs, making the project an overwhelming success. They were able to take something extremely complex and digest that information in a very simple way to the user.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of Elite Marketing Group. We’re a marketing agency focusing on event marketing and face-to-face engagement. I oversee the technical aspects of our marketing strategies for all of our events. It includes a lot of app development, microsite development, and any other relevant software pieces.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

Bit by Bit has been helping Elite Marketing Group for many years over many projects. They support us with a range of IT needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our first big project together, about 14 years ago, was the development of a .NET backend client data management system for all of our events, a system we still use. Bit by Bit created the entire infrastructure, and since then we’ve added a lot of other mobile elements. 

As our business and scope of work has changed, they’ve been able to accommodate the backend to be flexible enough to support new strategies. There’s been at least five or six different interfaces that we’ve worked with that continue to use the same backend. Those range from mobile apps to geosystems that generate different location stamps based on where we work to monitor brand ambassadors. 

On top of development, the other aspect Bit by Bit supports is the main infrastructure of our company. We work with banks, so we’re forced to follow specific ISOs and security infrastructures. Because of that, we have to be on a different level when it comes to security infrastructure. Bit by Bit has helped us with a lot of intrusion detection software as well as other cybersecurity services. 

Also due to our work with banks, we undergo several audits a year, and the Bit by Bit team supports us with those. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with a lot of people throughout the year, but there’s a team of five who we work with most of the time. Depending on what we’re working on, though, different people and different teams will be assigned. 

How did you come to work with Bit by Bit Computer Consultants?

Bit by Bit was working with the company before I joined. I believe they came through a referral. 

When I came on board, I had to go through an introductory period with Bit by Bit to be sure they were the right fit for our organization, and I ultimately was impressed and decided to keep them on.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend an average of $75,000–$80,000 a year. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with Bit by Bit since September 2004.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m a technologist myself, so I understand the time and effort that goes into most of these projects. They’ve been extremely reasonable with their team and who they allocate to projects. Their strategy is always to find the right individuals who have the proper skill sets in those areas. I feel very comfortable with their ability to select and determine those individuals. 

I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth, because I’m not dealing with individuals going through a learning curve or who are unfamiliar with our services. Bit by Bit always brings a high level of expertise to the projects they work on. 

How did Bit by Bit Computer Consultants perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very good with project management. Bit by Bit has developed their internal system, which allocates any types of meeting and meeting notes. They’re very efficient and able to keep track of their hours and our conversations. Anytime a scope of work requires a timeline of more than two weeks, they’ll create a detailed one and share it with us, allocating the proper resources with specifics. 

Documentation is very important to me, and they maintain that aspect of project management at all times. It’s been very good.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Bit by Bit is well-rounded. They always have someone who’s an expert in an area that we may not be. It’s a good comfort level to have — there’s never been a scenario where they haven’t been able to give us the proper direction. To me, that’s very impressive, because we can work with the same team for multiple projects. It’s like they’re a general contractor building a house: they’re a one stop shop and I can go to them with anything. 

If something is ever outside of their capabilities, they’re upfront and honest, and encourage us to find another expert. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be great for the systems they develop to have the same guest services provided by other companies that create platforms specifically for sharing needs. Other than that, I don’t have anything negative to say. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be sure to be as knowledgeable as possible about your own platforms, system, and network, so you can help Bit by Bit understand exactly what you need. Also, provide information about your company and what you do, so they can understand the urgency behind each system.