NSI

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief of staff at an organization that works with public high schools to recruit, train, and mentor students to go to college and become certified teachers so that they can go back to their communities as teachers,

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NSI?

We were upscaling from a part-time, one-person IT department as we were upgrading our equipment and services. Given that we were a growing organization, our plans called for greater support ane greater expectations for that support. We had great ideas about the future regarding all the advantages that working with a larger organization for our IT needs would give us, so we were looking for a true partner who could do more than just be on the call to provide services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

NSI provides us with managed IT services. Initially, the part-time IT person we worked with initially spent time integrating NSI into our organization and assisting with the transition. Since then, their work has included purchasing and installing software and hardware equipment. With their help, we've expanded the number of computers we have, and we're continuously adding purchases to supply all of our employees with laptops.

NSI primarily offers remote services. However, they come in to perform their services on-site if needed. They have some representatives nearby who come in to deliver equipment and perform services required on-site. Whenever we need support, we call NSI and get it.

In addition to that, some of our key equipment is monitored remotely 24 hours a day. Whenever a lapse or problem is detected, we get troubleshooting assistance and alerts. Some of this alerts are for small things, such as ensuring that the system is on so that they can continue with troubleshooting. When software problems are diagnosed, they work to resolve them.

A few years ago, we developed a strategic plan with NSI, which we've been following. Now, we're moving our servers to the cloud, which is part of this strategic development.

What is the team composition?

I don't know the exact size of NSI's team, but we've worked with quite a few of their members, including Tom (President).

How did you come to work with NSI?

We were referred to NSI. In fact, someone from our organization also recommended NSI because he had done some research on service providers that could serve us based on the size of our organization.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $200,000–$300,000

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together for around two decades now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

What we have with NSI is a real partnership. From a qualitative perspective, their team is accessible, so we always have representatives working with us who are skilled in their position and profession. They always follow through, so we've established a great relationship.

How did NSI perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a ticketing system that we can access via phone or email, and someone from NSI always responds to the tickets.

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

One time, we had a particular incident in which one of NSI's teammates with whom we've been working for years stood out. I gave them high accolades for this teammate's performance during that crisis.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The fact that there's more to our partnership than responding to hardware or software failures is outstanding. We've embarked with NSI on short-term and long-term plans, such as the strategic plan that we've created, which will take us into the cloud. Initially, this kind of partnership was what we were looking for, and it is what we've gotten.

Another thing that we wanted was accessibility to technicians with the expertise and knowledge to respond to and resolve situations immediately, and that's the case with NSI. During the vetting process, we also looked at other companies that could not promise the kind of service and deliveries we would receive from NSI. The best they could promise was that someone would contact us within 24 hours in case we required assistance.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There's always room for improvement for any organization, but nothing specific comes to mind when thinking about NSI. They've been a good partner with knowledgeable and experienced employees, so we've established a great working relationship.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

If you're a growing organization, I recommend NSI to help you with your growth and expansion. They have skilled professionals dedicated to their services, and they provide the level of support that you would expect to assist your growth.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of Sterifab, a disinfectant and lubricant manufacturer. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NSI?

We decided we needed someone to ensure our server didn’t go down. Then, we got more involved with NSI when we realized we couldn’t continue hiring an IT teammate occasionally.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

NSI provides managed IT services for us. Typically, they offer off-site services. When we have an issue with our computers, we contact NSI via email, and they fix it. The team has provided on-site services at various times, including when we’ve purchased new computers and servers through them.

What is the team composition?

We deal with a few teammates regularly, including Sufiyan (Help Desk), Bob (Director of Purchasing), and Tom (President). However, we’re unsure how many team members have worked on our project. 

How did you come to work with NSI?

We hired them because a friend was using them. A very close friend of mine had a company in Connecticut and was friendly with Tom’s father. That’s how I found out about NSI. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around January 2023, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

NSI is terrific at their job — they’ve always been able to resolve our problems. Overall, we couldn’t ask more of them. I wish our other suppliers were as good as NSI. 

How did NSI perform from a project management standpoint?

Every time we’ve ordered equipment directly through them, they spell things out clearly, and we’ve had no issues with project management. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

NSI is aware of new technologies, on top of industry specifics, and clear about costs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they need to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’ve always been enthusiastic about telling people I know that NSI is the provider to hire if they need IT services. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director at a counseling and referrals company. We provide access to mental healthcare to people who live or work in our county.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NSI?

We didn’t have IT expertise in-house. We work in behavioral health, so most of our employees are therapists or administrative support.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

NSI provides ongoing IT support. They help us with everything from onboarding new devices to setting them up correctly and ensuring all the software we need is downloaded. Our team can use them daily, and NSI provides support as needed. If an employee is having trouble with their laptop or printer, they can send a ticket to NSI’s help desk, and someone gets back to us.

They can remotely log in to our devices to solve any issues and go to our office if needed. For example, we transitioned to a new phone system last month. It was easier to have someone on-site to explain the new system and help troubleshoot any issues while employees got up and running the software on their devices.

What is the team composition?

We don’t know how many techs they have on their team; I’ve worked with two teammates in the past six months. NSI usually tries to assign the same tech to work with us so the person is familiar with our organization and the devices we use. However, they assign someone else if that person is busy.

How did you come to work with NSI?

When I arrived at the company, NSI was already part of our process. Our director had a mutual connection with NSI; they found them through a referral.

What is the status of this engagement?

I’ve worked with them since March 2022; the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re always able to complete the tasks we ask. We’ve never had a situation where NSI couldn’t help us. In my mind, that’s excellent quality work.

How did NSI perform from a project management standpoint?

We do monthly calls with our account representative to review network security and other things. They give us a report on the number of employees who click on phishing emails or who have done their cybersecurity training.

Moreover, communication is always efficient. We send everything into a ticket system or specific email address, and someone assigns that request to one of NSI’s support specialists. NSI gets back to us within the same day we reach out. If we set a deadline for a project, they always meet it.

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

Dean (Support Specialist) has been very helpful during this period of growth. He’s been patient with us and our lack of knowledge about IT. Moreover, he’s been responsive to our needs and able to explain things in a way we can understand.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve been impressed by their customer service and the way they approach their work. Moreover, they’re patient with people who don’t understand what they’re doing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have anything to critique.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I suggest meeting with your account representative early and often to make your expectations clear.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Operations and Fund Development Director of Naugatuck YMCA

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are the leading nonprofit in the community, providing services to all.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire NSI to accomplish?

• IT support
• Minimize the time of our team troubleshooting.
• Staying up todate with technology and all it has to offer.

SOLUTION

How did you find NSI?

Community

Why did you select NSI over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from NSI were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

NSI has been our support for all IT work that needs to be completed. They have supported us through many IT transitions. Some examples are transitioning to a new phone system, transitioning from a physical survey to a cloud based system, assisting with cyber security and staff training on cyber security.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The YMCA has become more efficient and safer in the area of cyber security.

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

The team at NSI responds quickly to concerns and IT issues. The main projects have been done promptly. There are many that are just ongoing.

What was your primary form of communication with NSI?

Virtual Meeting

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

The culture is important to us. The employees love what they do and it is visible in the quality of work they provide.

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

This is not an improvement, rather a reminder to continue. Continue to do the quality work you do. Continue to speak in layman's terms for those of us that are not IT experts. I have always appreciated the way everything is described to the team here at the YMCA.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of IT for a nonprofit behavioral youth facility in Connecticut.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NSI?

NSI was hired as our main service provider.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The NSI team worked on all of our projects over seven years. We had a managed service contract with them. It was an all-encompassing contract, and they delegated things to specific teams. 

We had a discovery phase before the work scoping and then agreed on the cost. Following that, implementation began. Things were simple.

They handled various tasks, including project work, cyber security, managed services, security awareness training, helpdesk support, and other IT requirements. NSI provided server and end-user equipment replacements, network infrastructure setup, and switches installation. Furthermore, they also purchased and installed software for us when required.

We had a full-time technician on location for onsite services. He was highly knowledgeable and interacted well with our staff.

What is the team composition?

Throughout our relationship, we collaborated with almost every member of the NSI team on various projects. We worked directly with their senior support engineers, Tom (President), and the virtual CIO.

How did you come to work with NSI?

The engagement with NSI was already in place when I joined the team.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent $240,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

NSI was our leading service provider from October 2015–January 2023.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In the result surveys, we had very high levels of user satisfaction. Over time, the number of tickets per user decreased.

In terms of technical support, they provided complete assistance and resolved any issues. We only ended our relationship because we moved our managed IT services in-house.

How did NSI perform from a project management standpoint?

NSI was relatively good about finding a solution within the budget. The team pulled out all the stops to ensure that projects were completed on time as needed. Their helpdesk was exceptional and always responded promptly.

Throughout each project, we had clear and concise communication via their portals. Everything was smooth, and generally, they would escalate quickly to the appropriate people if needed. We used phone, email, and Teams. For project management, updates were all done through their ConnectWise.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They made us feel like part of the NSI family. They exceeded our expectations by going beyond what was required. NSI's goal was to keep their client happy.

Tom’s attention to detail, knowledge, and the feedback he provided was always beneficial. The NSI team was generally great about giving their client alternate solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any improvements for NSI at this time. Their services improved every time we worked with them. Their continuous improvement was a great reflection on them and the long-standing company that has been around for many years.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The managed IT services offered by NSI are ideal for small to medium businesses with limited in-house IT support.

To successfully complete a project, the client needs to have a clear understanding of their desired outcome. I recommend taking NSI's advice and thoroughly understanding their proposed solutions to improve your solution. Although NSI's solutions are excellent, it is beneficial for the client to be aware of the solutions offered.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a department VP at an agricultural technology (AgTech) company. We provide insights for food companies regarding microbial security.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NSI?

We’re a small company, and a lot of our resources contribute to our product development. However, we were getting behind in many of the IT services for ourselves, but it was difficult for us to hire an internal IT person because there wasn’t much to do.

Therefore, hiring a managed IT services company made a lot of sense for us because those companies have expertise in providing managed services for many companies. They’re also able to hire and keep good talent because they do multiple interesting things, whereas it would be difficult for us to retain talent because what they would have to do is not that interesting.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

NSI provides us with comprehensive managed IT services. They do several things for us, including the onboarding and offboarding of employees and contractors. They also provide endpoint detection and response (EDT) for all of our employees, keep track of assets that we currently have in-house, purchase software licenses, and manage our firewall and VPN setups.

One of the main projects NSI has helped us with has been separating our IT network from our operational technology (OT) network. Our OT network is involved in the operational side of our business, including production laboratories and other things critical for our operations, whereas our IT network is more involved in our staff laptops and other non-critical things like that.

We needed to separate those networks but weren’t able to do it with the old firewall we had in place. Therefore, NSI replaced our old firewall with a new one that is in high-availability mode. Now, we have redundant ISPs, power, switches, and VPNs, allowing us to have two different highly-available networks.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with several people from NSI, depending on the level of expertise we need. Typically, we work with 4–5 people from their team, and our main point of contact is a technical services manager.

How did you come to work with NSI?

We met them through a referral.

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed our contract with NSI in November 2021 and started the transition in December 2021. By January 2022, they were providing full-time support. Our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have service level agreements (SLAs) in place regarding ticket turnaround times, and NSI has met all those SLAs thus far. Their response time depends on the severity of the issue. For example, we’ve had a couple of production down situations, and they’ve responded and solved them within an hour.

How did NSI perform from a project management standpoint?

NSI is timely, and they’ve stayed within budget. We use Slack to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The tools that NSI has brought into our environment have been very good. In the past, we created our own phishing scenarios, but we lacked the ability to provide cybersecurity training for new users. However, NSI has implemented KnowBe4®, which allows us to provide and track cybersecurity training.

They’ve also implemented SentinelOne for EDR, which is very beneficial to us, allowing us to stay SOC 2-compliant and provide updates in a timely manner. SOC 2 compliance helps us as a vendor to ensure our customers that we’re doing all the appropriate cybersecurity controls to protect their data and network.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be helpful if we had better visibility into NSI’s security operations center.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Before working with NSI, we were doing our IT support internally. Thus, the most challenging thing for us was getting people used to calling NSI instead of calling us when they needed support. Be aware of that.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Business Planning Manager. I assist in Business Development, perform internal analytics and also manage the IT function.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire NSI?

Our company has been growing and we had outgrown our previous Managed Services Provider (MSP). We were searching for a new company that would be a partner going forward.

SOLUTION

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

I had shortlisted 3 companies and brought them in for initial interviews. We judged NSI to be the best fit for us in terms of knowledge, culture and it turned out they were geographically close.

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

We have close to 200 computers in our company as well as 2 active servers. We have local and cloud backup systems and an actively used intranet. We use a cloud-based electronic medical record (EMR) system and email system.

I wanted a company that could reliably handle that volume and complexity, and one that would also assist with growth and efficiency initiated projects.

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

Overall my experience has been with about 7 members of NSI, including the owner, a consulting engineer, a purchasing manager who serves as our account manager, and 3-4 technicians.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

NSI made it a smooth transition from our previous vendor to them. Clearly they had significant experience onboarding clients coming from another MSP.

They dispatched several technicians to install their rmss software for remote monitoring and anti-malware software, and took many notes as to the customs and normal procedures of our company, which they put into their database used by their technicians.

They have extensive knowledge of technology as it applies to business, and are becoming an excellent resource for improving cybersecurity and improving our overall infrastructure. We are upgrading our firewalls as a short-term example of their consultations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I find NSI very easy to work with, which has been a great benefit. They are friendly but take their work seriously, and are quick to implement solutions to technology problems that occur.

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

I am very impressed with this company's IT knowledge, both tactical and strategic, their responsiveness, and a culture of friendliness and partnership with their clients.

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

I do not have suggestions for areas of improvement at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Controller and IT Liaison of Feroleto Steel Company, Inc.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Steel service center; oscillating, slitting and rolling mill

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire NSI to accomplish?

• Handle all facets of IT; hardware, networks, software

SOLUTION

How did you find NSI?

Personal Relationship with Executives

Why did you select NSI over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

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

NSI has performed well above their expectation.  They follow through with every task until it is completed to our/their satisfaction!  They never leave us stranded or with open items and are always willing to educate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

NSI always provides a resolution for our inquiries and we are never left unsatisfied!  

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

NSI has a flawless automated ticket system.  Their staff has always addressed our needs on the same day, and depending upon the severity of our request, within minutes.  All tickets are closed once it is deemed that the original request has been solved.

What was your primary form of communication with NSI?

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

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

They are extremely professional and their drive to succeed is apparent in their desire to execute and complete all tasks within an expediant time frame!  A+++

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

Well, we can all improve, right?  However, NSI is always striving to better their own processes and staff and we wouldn't have done anything differently with NSI.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of IT of a consumer products & services company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide heating fuels and diversified services for home and small businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire NSI to accomplish?

We are a medium/large company growing rapidly and need a managed IT service company with expertise in networking and cybersecurity. NSI has the proper resources available when you need them.

SOLUTION

How did you find NSI?

NSI is our current Managed Service provider.

Why did you select NSI over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from NSI were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Upgrade our old internet small computer system interface (iSCSI) switch and network interface card (NIC) to a newer and faster solution.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our network is more stable and faster than before.

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

Items were delivered and installed according to the specifications of the project.

What was your primary form of communication with NSI?

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

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

We were impressed by the customer service team and their knowledge.

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

I don’t have any suggestions at this time.