OSIbeyond

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief information security officer at Avon Protection, a product manufacturer for the military and first responders. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OSIbeyond?

I needed to find a registered cybersecurity practitioner. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OSIbeyond conducted a cybersecurity risk assessment of our company. Their efforts showed us the required actions needed to mitigate to achieve satisfactory security. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked directly with their chief information security officer. 

How did you come to work with OSIbeyond?

They went through a selection process with six other companies I found on a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) database, and I chose OSIbeyond. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $40,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership began in December 2021, although they’re not actively working on a project for us. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

OSIbeyond’s assessment directly aligned with CMMC’s — our KPIs were measured by comparing our current scoring against CMMC. The results were subjective because I had to agree with their assessment to be a success, but on the whole, I agreed with OSIbeyond’s findings. 

How did OSIbeyond perform from a project management standpoint?

We put together a full project schedule on a Gantt chart, which we’d agreed to before starting the project. OSIbeyond’s team met those deadlines. We had weekly meetings but also had ad hoc meetings when necessary. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

OSIbeyond’s knowledge and pragmatic approach set them apart. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing springs to mind. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If customers don’t have their own, I suggest having a project manager from OSIbeyond assigned to the project. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the administrative director at Consumer Federation America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OSIbeyond?

We weren’t happy with our previous IT service provider, so we wanted to hire a new one.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OSIbeyond has helped us install a new server that enables our workers to work from home or wherever they prefer. They’ve also supported us in transitioning all our data to Office 365, migrating to the cloud, and providing cybersecurity services. Currently, their team continues to help us with any IT-related issues that we have or may arise in the future.

What is the team composition?

We work with various people from their company, including Kevin (Technical Lead).

How did you come to work with OSIbeyond?

For some reason, they happened to be in the building when we were looking for a new IT service provider. We interviewed them and got along pretty well, so we hired their team.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $90,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February 2013, and it’s an ongoing engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With their help, we no longer have to worry about any issues with the server, and all our workers can easily work from home and access any data or resources they need through the cloud.

How did OSIbeyond perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done a great job in this regard, especially in keeping us updated at every step of the engagement. For communication, we interact through email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with the support they’ve provided and their communication skills.

Are there any areas they could improve on?

No, I’m pretty satisfied with their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be patient and have them go over the project with you step by step.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Chief of Staff at Electra.aero and project manage all internal operations on behalf of the VP & General Manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire OSIbeyond?

We hired OSIBeyond to completely outsource our managed IT and cyber security needs. Additionally, they will help us become CMMC 2.0 compliant.

SOLUTION

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

We interviewed several Managed IT and cyber security firms. This included conducting a brief audit of our current state, a proposal and several Q&A meetings with our leadership team. OSI, hands down, was the most enthusiastic, well prepared, and knowledgeable. Choosing them was easy.

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

OSI set-up and maintains our IT infrastructure, supports our company with all technical needs/assets/issues on an on going basis, and completely overhauled our cyber security practices. We pay a monthly fee per user for their services and feel very comfortable outsourcing 100% to them.

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

We have the pleasure of working with most of the employees at OSI - it ranges from their desktop support team, their cyber security team, accounting, projects managers, and senior leadership team. Everyone is an absolute delight to work with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

During implementation, OSI conducted a complete audit of our onsite and offsite infrastructure, made several recommendations and executed them in record time. Our cyber security hygiene has improved ten fold, we were able to completely offload our administrative assistant of IT support, and we are confident we can be compliant with all government IT requirements moving forward.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The OSI team offers incredible customer service. My team is particular difficult to please, and I have received nothing but positive feedback.

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

The level of enthusiasm and eagerness to please their customers is what impresses me most. I genuinely feel like I am their most important customer - even though I know I am only one of many! I feel lucky to have found an IT partner in OSI.

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

There are genuinely no areas of improvement. OSI has mastered managed IT services and customer satisfaction.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of information and technology for AdvaMed, a trade association. We represent companies around the world that make medical devices. I’m responsible for internal IT, our association management database, the network, antivirus, and cybersecurity.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OSIbeyond?

We were with another managed service provider, and I wasn’t happy with their service.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OSIbeyond provides us with managed IT services. First, they did a basic network assessment and got us set up. They helped us wrap up a project that had been stalled due to issues with our former vendor, which involved moving our local Active Directory to the cloud on Azure Active Directory. We were also in the process of moving buildings, and they helped with the set up of the new office. 

The team has helped purchase and install hardware and software for us. They helped us change all our networking equipment during our move, including firewalls and switches. They worked with me to set up the proper networking configuration for the new office and properly set up our WiFi devices. 

Currently, we use them as an escalation point. For example, if one of our staff members has a problem, they call internal IT first, and if there’s anything unusual or that we haven’t seen before, we escalate the issue to OSIbeyond. They’ve helped us with Active Directory, backups, printing, and Adobe Acrobat issues. They’ve provided a tool where they can go into a user’s computer and take it over. With this tool, if a user can’t describe the issue, the team can see what’s happening. The software package that they’ve installed also runs antivirus and anti-phishing tools. 

What is the team composition?

Different teammates jump in for different issues. I’ve worked with many people from OSIbeyond, including senior engineers, desktop help desk teammates, a cybersecurity expert, and an Active Directory expert. For our ad hoc projects, we’ve had a dedicated point of contact who acts as a project manager, and the CTO has been involved as well. 

How did you come to work with OSIbeyond?

We looked around and asked colleagues for recommendations. I interviewed 3–4 providers and really liked OSIbeyond, and since they came highly recommended, we hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $120,000 a year, including all managed services and Microsoft 365 licenses. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around June 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Moving to OSIbeyond was a great decision; they've been much more helpful than our former provider, and we're spending less money now. Since we switched to them, we've had very positive feedback from the staff, which makes it worthwhile. Thanks to their help, the move was successful, and everything worked well from day one, which was a huge help. Moreover, they had the network ready two weeks in advance, so I wasn't sweating on opening day. 

The team has great IT skills and is very good at getting back to us when we need things. We only have two people on our internal help desk support team, so having their breadth of expertise has been nice; we can go to them if there's something we can't figure out. Overall, I'm really happy with their service.

How did OSIbeyond perform from a project management standpoint?

We usually communicate via email. If we can't wrap things up via email, we have Microsoft Teams meetings, and occasionally they've come to the office. With the move, they delivered two weeks ahead of schedule, which was fantastic. We also had supply chain issues, and the team followed up with vendors and got some of the equipment sooner than expected, which was great. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Compared with our previous provider, we're spending less on a better service with OSIbeyond. Their breadth of knowledge is impressive; if something has us stumped, we go to them, and they figure it out. We've never had an issue open for more than 1–2 days without an answer from them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

With the current labor market, they're backlogged with projects, which is probably a product of their success. Although it hasn't affected us too badly, we had to wait a couple of weeks to start a project. This isn't a huge deal; they're already ramping up their hiring. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I've recommended them to others, so my advice is to check them out. OSIbeyond is a technology partner, not just a vendor.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there?

I’m an administrator at KSJ & Associates, a government contractor. We work with the DHA (Defense Health Agency), and we’ve just started working with the DOD (Department of Defense).

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OSIbeyond?

We needed gap analysis done to help us align with the CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) requirements that were to be implemented.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OSIbeyond did a gap analysis of our environment. We had weekly calls in which they requested documentation and information about our processes, and they asked us how the environment was set up, who had control of its different aspects, and much more.

Once they finished their analysis, they informed us which aspects met the requirements and which ones needed to be put in place. They also explained how to implement the necessary changes, and they helped us create the plan, giving us a blueprint on how to prepare the documents.

They currently handle some managed IT services, such as email filtering, domain name system (DNS) filtering, and more.

What is the team composition?

Mike (Office Administrator) is my main point of contact, and I occasionally interact with Payam (President & CEO).

How did you come to work with OSIbeyond?

One of my colleagues found them. We chose them because they were knowledgeable, and we immediately liked their personalities. They also had very competitive pricing.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $5,000 on the gap analysis, and we pay them $200 per month for the IT managed services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in March 2021, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Mike made the process simple and smooth; he asked specific questions and was very patient. Additionally, we’re satisfied with the services that OSIbeyond provides. I've noticed a decrease in spam emails since they implemented the spam filter solution.

How did OSIbeyond perform from a project management standpoint?

OSIbeyond’s project management is on point. They stick to the estimated timelines, and they’re extremely available and responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

OSIbeyond delivers what they promise, and their solutions perform exactly as described. Everything has been amazing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re easy to work with, so be sure that your entire process will be smooth.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the IT manager at a business consulting company. We provide due diligence, pre-transaction investigations, and litigation support, and strategic advisory for clients who are looking to expand into new markets. This entails providing highly detailed descriptions and background on their prospective partners.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OSIbeyond?

We hired OSIbeyond to support, house, and manage our IT infrastructure as we expand it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OSIbeyond provides ongoing hosting, maintenance, and support services for our domain controller server and email server. They use a help desk ticketing system to provide day-to-day tech support. The team has also been looking after our additional servers, like the accounting software and database, as we've expanded over the years. In total, they are hosting three of our virtual servers in their data center. 

OSIbeyond would usually send out reminders prior to conducting scheduled maintenance. This helps us discern whether any downtime we experience is caused by their activities or an underlying issue. They also help me save on costs and additional infrastructure by steering me away from certain undertakings. 

When we moved offices a few years ago, one of their engineers came in to assist me and another contractor in the configuration of all the wireless access points and in-office networks. Once everything was set up, they reconnected all our systems back to the servers that they were hosting, ensuring that we could maintain the same level of infrastructure as in our previous office.

We’ve changed a little bit in the last year and a half. OSIbeyond still oversees the management of our servers, but we’ve moved our email operations to Microsoft Office. The team still assists us in that regard. We've also begun to look into using their managed security services, but I’ve yet to pitch this to our executives.

What is the team composition?

There are a handful of engineers who respond to our tickets. On most of the scoping calls, there are 1–2 people who discuss the project with us on a regular basis. I believe they're the ones who relay everything to the rest of the team. One of the members has also come in to help us with the office setup.

How did you come to work with OSIbeyond?

OSIbeyond was already with my company before I came in. I don't know the specifics of how they were selected, but it was my boss who reached out to them after they were recommended by an acquaintance of his. My boss likes to partner with other small companies, so I believe they were hired on the basis of their size.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the course of six years, we've probably paid them around $250,000–$300,000. Though the cost fluctuates depending on the project, we pay them $50,000–$55,000 a year.

What is the status of this engagement?

The initial contract was signed in June 2015, and we’re still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Working with OSIbeyond has helped us reduce yearly hosting costs by about $10,000. We’ve consolidated our machines and gotten rid of duplicate or redundant services in certain areas. We always touch on budgetary aspects to make sure that we’re keeping costs as low as possible, so that we can continue to operate at the level that we are at now.

How did OSIbeyond perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is great. They are very responsive to initial outreach, setting up calls to scope out projects and, when necessary, promptly provide quotes and estimates. Compared to other companies that we've looked at, they’re very competitive in terms of pricing.

Whenever we have new projects come up, I would seek OSIbeyond’s advice to determine whether they could provide that service for us. Otherwise, I would just ask them to recommend agencies who can help us in their stead. 

Most of our communication is done over email. When we encounter issues that need solving, we send emails in conjunction with their ticketing system. We would also typically set up a video call on Microsoft Teams.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness has been critical for us. They are prompt to help us with issues, usually taking an hour to resolve tickets. We're also able to schedule an initial discussion within 48 hours of me reaching out to their higher-ups. It's huge for us that they don't make us wait up to a week to begin discussing a new project. They always immediately take action. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It's always a good thing if we can reduce the cost a little bit, but I'm aware that they are already very competitive compared to similar agencies. I also advised them a few months ago to broaden their scope of services and they've started to do that. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Reach out and be open to OSIbeyond. They're very accommodating and willing to guide you on what is best for your business.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CSO for a small nonprofit organization located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OSIbeyond?

I needed a better IT managed services company and a better cybersecurity response.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OSIbeyond provides IT services. They installed a VPN, and currently, they handle all of our software, laptops, and systems. Additionally, their cybersecurity division monitors our programs and systems to prevent malicious activities.

What is the team composition?

There were 10 people from OSIbeyond working for us when we first engaged with them. My main point of contact during the transition was Ryan (CTO & Partner).

How did you come to work with OSIbeyond?

OSIbeyond’s business development person cold called us and gave us a sales pitch. Ironically, we were looking for an IT company, so we interviewed them and several other companies and chose them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around the last quarter of 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The transition from our old IT services provider to OSIbeyond was very smooth, and that was attributable to Ryan. All of their Tier II and Tier III engineers are very technically proficient, and everything has gone great.

With other companies, we had problems every other day, but with OSIbeyond, we’ve had no problems at all. Their team is very good and professional.

How did OSIbeyond perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been perfect. Not only have they met the deadlines, but they’ve met them early. They use an internal project management tool, and they tied us into it, but I don’t remember the name. We have meetings twice a week, and they always go straight to the point, which is great.

What did you find most impressive about them?

OSIbeyond offers cybersecurity, while other companies don’t. Additionally, they’re a pleasure to deal with, and they’re very customer-service-oriented.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive assistant at a medical nonprofit organization. We’re a medical society that conducts various health-related studies and publishes research documents.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OSIbeyond?

We needed an IT partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OSIbeyond continues to work closely with our internal staff and CEO to work on any server issues that we encounter and offer day-to-day IT support. Their team sets up equipment for our new hires and purchases any necessary software or hardware that we need to strengthen our IT efforts.

What is the team composition?

We work with a number of IT resources from OSIbeyond. Apart from them, we’re also in contact with the agency’s executive board and their sales team.

How did you come to work with OSIbeyond?

They were already working with our company when I was onboarded.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in November 2013, and we continue to rely on OSIbeyond’s services to this day.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

OSIbeyond’s turnaround time has always been impressive. Our routine mainly involves ticket submissions by our team, which are forwarded to their team for resolution.  OSIbeyond responds quickly and resolves every issue with expertise — that’s the most important success metric to us.

How did OSIbeyond perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate and send requests to their team through our ticketing system. There’ve been some instances where the communication between their technical team and our staff hasn’t been clear, but they manage to resolve each situation, and our staff is grateful for their high level of accountability.

What did you find most impressive about them?

OSIbeyond is a genuine and flexible team — whenever one of their technicians isn’t able to resolve a tech issue on their own, they quickly rotate their resources and assign another expert to handle that ticket instead. Over the course of our engagement, I’ve seen how well they collaborate to deliver the best results possible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They can refine their team communication to ensure that all our staff’s needs are clearly relayed to their technicians. Apart from that, their technicians must make sure that they can handle the problem in an issued ticket before assigning it to themselves —  that way, they can optimize their work speed and focus on their areas of strength.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to communicate your needs or problems clearly. If it’s something that can’t be handled or explained through a ticket, go the extra mile and speak directly to their technician to get the best solutions. After all, the key ingredient in any successful partnership is clear communication.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of IT at a medical device company that manufactures continuous glucose monitoring systems for diabetes patients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OSIbeyond?

We’re a relatively small company so I was the only full-time IT employee when I started there. Prior to me joining the company, we had contracted with OSIbeyond to be our IT services provider.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Prior to the pandemic, we had a couple of dedicated on-site staff in our main building who provided IT support, but everybody ended up working remotely when COVID-19 hit. Even during this time, we had our OSIbeyond technical resource come to our office as there were certain things that had to be done physically.

The company had hit some rough waters, unfortunately, and was forced to downsize. We ended up letting go of a significant portion of our staff. Most of the company is still remote but we’re starting to ramp back up. 

OSIbeyond does all of our IT infrastructure management, incident management, and anything that we need IT services for. When I first joined the company, I relied heavily on their continuing services to get the work done.

Another area they help with is cybersecurity. There is no one in our company that keeps an eye on it. We’ve contracted with OSIbeyond to build a managed services package for cybersecurity, and it has been rolled out as of the beginning of this year. The system lines up very well with a number of gaps in our system that were identified a couple years ago by another third party consulting firm.

Lately, they’ve been working closely with me in implementing and migrating to the Microsoft Cloud. Their team recommended that we use the Microsoft technology stack, since a large part of our company was already operating on Microsoft tools and technologies. 

At one point, I also worked closely with OSIbeyond to set up our computer network in the new building we had expanded to. Their team gave recommendations on the type of network to be set up, the hardware that needed to be purchased in terms of brand and model number, and the implementation to ensure we had broad and reliable Wi-Fi coverage across the entire floor of that building. 

We’ve reverted back to our original building since the downsizing, but OSIbeyond helped turn the conference rooms of the secondary building into Zoom rooms with built in audio and video capabilities. One of their technical experts helped us design and install the proper equipment. Typically, we’d need to commission an AV specialist to do that work, but we were able to leverage OSIbeyond to do it all for us.

We’re making plans to get back into the office. If and when we do, we’ll certainly bring our OSIbeyond staff with us.

What is the team composition?

Currently, there’s one dedicated technical member who manages all of our IT needs onsite. I also work closely with two of the senior leaders, the CTO and the chief information security officer.

How did you come to work with OSIbeyond?

The relationship with OSIbeyond was established several years before my arrival.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2019. The project where they helped build the computer network in our extension building was done towards late 2019, going into 2020. We continue to work with OSIbeyond but in a lesser capacity than before.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, our team and staff are very pleased with the services OSIbeyond provides. When there’s an IT issue, tickets are resolved very quickly and to the satisfaction of all the customers. 

Some of the changes have been challenging and required major effort, and there were some concerns with the new technologies we were moving over to, but OSIbeyond worked with me to make it happen. They also did extremely well in upgrading the conference rooms in our extension building. It was a learning experience for myself and for them.

How did OSIbeyond perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been very proficient in managing the project, the timelines, and their tasks. I have no complaints. 

We use email and instant messaging to communicate. We would also have weekly calls on MS Teams, and occasionally over Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I consider their staff as an extension of my own IT team. The individuals from OSIbeyond are all highly competent in their respective areas of expertise. Whenever I assign a task, it’s as good as done and it’s done very well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t see them as a consulting firm since they’re not a one-stop-shop for all things IT. By design, they don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. 

As far as what they could do to improve, they could help lay out the future path of our organization with respect to a long-term IT strategy. This is something I’d have to go to a consulting firm for, but I think they have the capacity and capability to do it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set expectations upfront. Have a discussion so that it’s mutually clear what the expectations are on both sides.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Marketing at a digital marketing company, which is an SEO and Paid Media marketing agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire OSIbeyond?

We partnered with OSIbeyond to improve our IT support and cyber security services.

What were your goals for this project?

Ultimately, our goal was to provide our staff with the technology they need to do their work efficiently. We needed to have a reliable IT support firm that has the expertise in the technologies we use as well as strongly focused on cybersecurity.

SOLUTION

How did you select OSIbeyond?

We did our due diligence and talked to several firms. We chose to work with OSIbeyond because of their team, experience and technology expertise.

Describe the project in detail.

OSIbeyond manages all of our IT systems. They do everything from desktop/user support to managing our Office 365 environment. In addition, they provide managed cybersecurity services where they monitor our network 24x7 for security threats.

What was the team composition?

We work with multiple team members on their helpdesk, but we also regularly interface with their senior management including their VP of Technical Services, CTO, and CISO.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have been working with OSIbeyond for about a year now, and we are very impressed! OSIbeyond superseded our expectations and provided us with the level of services our previous provider could not deliver.

We had the utmost trust in OSIbeyond’s ability to perform and are really excited to keep the relationship going on into the future.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Rob is my point of contact who I speak to regularly. He updates me regularly on our support request status and we have scheduled calls.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

As an digital marketing agency, technology is extremely important to us. OSIbeyond has managed to exceed our goals and our expectations.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None so far!