PCA Technology Group

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Lakelet Capital is a Buffalo, NY based private equity group investing in companies for growth and succession. I am the Communications Coordinator for Lakelet Capital. I look for best practices for our office and I am the direct liaison for PCA.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our company was quickly growing and we needed an IT group that would be reliable, knowledgeable, easy to work with, and easily accessible.

SOLUTION

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

We researched a few local IT companies and a few of our employees at Lakelet Capital (including myself) had prior experience working with PCA and was a very positive experience. PCA was very thorough with their process, answering any of our questions in a timely manner and took the time to understand our business along with our IT challenges.

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

They first took note of all our monitors and installed a new firewall for us.

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

Our main point of contact began with the account executive, Bob, who did a great job with answering our questions and helping the transition run smoothly. We also met with Steve, President of PCA, that helped answer our questions and provided us with very helpful information. We also were introduced to Rick, our Relationship Manager, who is a joy to work with and has also made this process smooth and easy.

We now work directly and mostly with our Project & Onboarding Manager, Matt, who is always available to solve any IT challenges and is always willing to stop by our office to make sure everything is completed in a timely fashion which is very important to us and he is a huge help!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had an unfortunate situation happen where our wifi and internet were running very slow and then eventually stopped working… even though we figured out that this was not an IT issue but more of a Spectrum issue, Matt still came to our office within 30 minutes of me calling him and explaining what was going on.

This demonstrated how he (and PCA group) really cares and wants the best IT support for us. The team is always super responsive and it helps a lot when these urgent situations happen.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very easy to follow through with and as a result, we fully understood what was to be expected along with pricing packages.

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

I find that PCA is very organized and always follows through with any questions I have. They are always answering our calls and handling the issue in the same day. As a small business, we find this very important to have the constant support and are able to trust PCA.

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

As of right now, there are no areas of improvement that need to be discussed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of Reid Petroleum Corp. We have multiple facets that supply energy and convenience stores to the market that we serve.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We partnered with PCA Technology Group to have some additional resources for the IT side of our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

PCA Technology Group conducts IT consulting services to help us align our business with the methods that we need to protect our information security and IT systems. They’ve recommended and installed different pieces of hardware and software, as well as other methodologies for how we can structure our data. Moreover, they do maintenance services and monitor and provide information on renewals. For instance, if we need to change subscription packages, they guide us through that process. Their team is also helping us with the development of our internal software platform.

What is the team composition?

We work with seven people from their company.

How did you come to work with PCA Technology Group?

I don’t know because PCA Technology Group was already working with us even before I joined the company.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2016, and our engagement is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been pleased with PCA Technology Group’s services. We’re in the process of establishing metrics, such as response time, the number of days it takes them to set up things, and their speed in resolving issues.

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

They’ve done a fair job of meeting deadlines, staying within budget, and communicating consistently. For communication, we mainly interact via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We really appreciate PCA Technology Group’s honesty — they’re not afraid to give us recommendations that we need to hear to support our business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should set extremely clear expectations for disaster recovery support.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I’d recommend trying out their services — they’re a really good company to work with.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Business Manager of a human capital consulting firm. We help growth companies identify, retain, and develop their employees.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We reached out to PCA when our server crashed and we discovered that our former IT company did not have anything backed up to the cloud.

SOLUTION

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

We knew we wanted a locally owned company to service us and we just had a real connection with Steve Szubinski from our first meeting. We ruled everyone else out after meeting with him.

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

For starters, they replaced our server. We also use PCA for our managed IT services along with any special projects we may have.

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

The President has been our primary contact for communication and large projects but we also have a Network Engineer who is dedicated to our account who we go to for the day-to-day stuff.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We no longer have to worry about losing all of our data so we sleep better at night. Everything They have ever done for us has been excellent.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent, we work extremely well together and there is always great communication throughout.

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

We had a cyber attack and our files were being held for ransom. The way PCA reacted to it was exceptional. I had communication with the President at least once a day and we were in the loop throughout the entire process. That is the day I said we will never switch IT companies.

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

Absolutely not, I can't come up with one negative thing to say about PCA.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of The Prevention Council of Erie County.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had worked with an in-house IT person for many years. When that changed, we reached out to PCA to become our managed IT services provider.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

PCA provides me with comprehensive managed IT services, and they manage our entire IT system, which includes our hardware, computers, and WiFi network. Although they haven’t developed software for us, they’ve helped us manage and install programs that were specifically created for us.

PCA has provided us with both remote and on-site services. For example, when we got a new server, they came to our offices to install it. They’ve also installed our new computers when needed.

What is the team composition?

I work with their entire company, from their customer service department all the way to their developers. Stephen (Director of Sales) is our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with PCA Technology Group?

Our former executive director had done some work with them and was very impressed. Thus, I reached out to them and requested a bid. We also received bids from other companies, but we ultimately chose PCA.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since working with PCA, I haven’t received complaints from our staff about their services, which is great. Still, given that we’re working with a hybrid model, it’s difficult to pinpoint noticeable changes.

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

PCA is great at meeting deadlines and staying on budget. We communicate via email, and we can call their help desk when needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

PCA has great customer service; they’re very responsive and efficient.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there's nothing they need to improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very transparent about your needs and speak candidly with PCA.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Rand Logistics is a Great Lakes Shipping company. We deliver bulk goods such as iron ore, coal, grain, and stone to a variety of ports throughout the Great Lakes. My position is Director, IT.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PCA Technology Group, and what were your goals?

We went through a mass retirement phase. The company took the opportunity to switch to a consulting-based development plan. PCA was hired to fill the role of our exiting developers. Our goals were to replace in-house skills to reduce costs and replace lost knowledge.

SOLUTION

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

I was not involved in the selection process. I was hired at the same time we brought in PCA. My understanding was that PCA had done some one off work for the company a few years earlier and were brought in based on that.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

PCA handles all in-house development. The majority of this is developing interfaces between core systems and custom report writing, and custom system development.

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

I've worked with 5 individuals from PCA. We have a standing engagement with one developer who works in house 2 days per week. We've also used other resurces. We've worked with several other developers, as well as pulling in resources for general IT support including networking, database, and web design.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

All the work PCA has been involved in has been excellent. A recent project that involved reworking some of out Winter Work trscking tools has been well received, and will save the company many hours.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Overall, their developers follow a standard development cycle. They create tasks, perform detailed alaysis, unit test, and control releases to UAT/PROD environments. Source Code is maintained and controlled. Many of the development projects we've done use a prototyping approach, which works well in our environment.

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

Their attention to detail is outstanding. Their persistence in completing tasks is excellent as well.

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

Not really.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the IT Manager and the only full-time employee of the IT Department at Community Missions of Niagara Fontier, Inc. I oversee 9 sites.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

PCA has helped all of us at CMI from the ground up. They have placed and set up new servers, Wi-Fi access points, switches, firewalls. They have helped replace our antiquated phone systems and replaced them with VOIP systems.

SOLUTION

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

CMI got 3 proposals from IT Vendors we had heard were great to work with from other agencies we work with. PCA blew all of them away as they sat with us and explained what they could offer. Answered all of our many questions and found answers to anything they were not certain on. Their prices were more than competitive.

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

PCA has helped all of us at CMI from the ground up. They have placed and set up new servers, Wi-Fi access points, switches, firewalls. They have helped replace our antiquated phone systems and replaced them with VOIP systems.

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

Their phone vendors, their network architects, their salespeople, their cabling vendor.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I can sleep at night now, not having to worry when we have a lightning, wind, snowstorm that I will have to drive 15 miles each way because I cannot remotely remedy issues that might come up. Very rarely do issues come up after PCA has helped us.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective, we all know each other on a first name basis. We at CMI do not hesitate to call PCA for many issues that pop up. They are responsive and empathetic to the cause we serve here at Community Missions.

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

How down to earth everyone is at PCA. We at CMI never hesitate to call PCA for many issues that pop up. They are responsive and empathetic to the cause we serve here at Community Missions. They go above and beyond to get us the best service that meets our needs in a timely and cost-effective manner.

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

I am thrilled to say no!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a small consulting services company. I am responsible for the coordination of all IT related purchases and projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our organization does not have an internal IT support person on staff and has had annual support agreements with The PCA Group for over 20 years.

SOLUTION

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

We a very simple organization with basic needs. The PCA Group offered support plans that aligned with our minimal requirements. When needed for special, more technical projects, The PCA Group has brought in additional resources as needed.

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

The help desk is our primary resource for support. The PCA Group has done an incredible job of understanding and documenting our people and products enabling them to provide quick and reliable support services.

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

We have annual status meetings with the president and the primary technical support person assigned to our account. As required by the project, I have worked with software developers, security specialists, and other individual subject matter experts. I also utilize the help desk staff for break/fix issues and general questions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In certain professions, this highest form of flattery is no recognition at all; "things just work!". Problems arise and get resolved quickly. Solutions are recommended and when implemented, work as intended. In 20+ years, I feel that all of our major decisions/directions have worked out for the best.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I have been the primary point of contact for essentially every project in the last 20 years. The communication has been consistently good, and the projects are well managed.

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

I completely respect and trust the fact that they are always making recommendations and decisions that are in our best interest. They provide honest recommendations and feedback regarding their products and services, as well as others.

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

None that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Accounting Manager for a dry-bulk commodity transportation company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PCA Technology Group, and what were your goals?

When one of our developers retired, the company did not want to hire a full-time replacement, but we still had a need for some developer work. At the time we hired PCA, we needed help with generating/developing reports, developing interfaces between our financial system and external systems, and development of portals where reports could be generated along with workflows for approvals. These are just a few of the projects/services we have used PCA for over the years. The goal for each project depended on the end user and the needs of the business, but mostly came down to efficiency, reliability and accuracy.

SOLUTION

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

We used them previously for smaller projects and based on their work, decided to bring them on as a regular consultant once the need presented itself.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The scope of work and project steps varied based on the project. Most of our projects begin with a meeting with PCA to discuss the project steps, deliverables and deadlines. We then normally have touch base meetings frequently to discuss progress and any issues that are arising. PCA is great at being flexible and responsive when deliverables change throughout any project.

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

We've mainly worked with only one developer from their team, but they have been great at adding resources if needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

PCA has continually been able to produce deliverables on the many projects that we have asked them to complete. In a recent project, my company changed ERP systems from SAP to GP. PCA was asked to assist in the modification of our interface programs that bring data from our external systems to our financial system, now GP. PCA was able to make the interface changes as we requested and met our strict deadline.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Their project management style has worked well with my company. The developer is on site each week and is always available via a Teams meeting or call when needed. They are also very good at communicating if additional resources are needed. PCA has been very timely with all projects and have regularly met any deadlines we have given them.

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

Having the developer on site and access to additional resources when needed have been the most impressive. Also, consistently meeting deadlines has been important.

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

Not at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Finance & Administration at Envision Benefits Group. We provide Benefit, HR & Payroll services to employer groups in the New York region.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We have a smaller company and needed help with our IT services. We have had a couple other companies that we have used in the past but they were not meeting our needs. We found PCA and have used them not only for our outsourced IT services but they have also helped us with Cybersecurity documents and now we are moving and they have been such a great partner in helping us gather everything.

SOLUTION

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

We did a RFP for a few vendors in the area that we found by a search and also by referrals. PCA was one of those companies and after interviewing each and going through them all. PCA seemed to be the best fit for us.

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

We currently have PCA on for all of our technical needs, they help us when we have new hires and any difficulties with our network and computers. Currently we are in the process of moving offices and Todd (our rep) has been out to help look through our new space and make sure we have all the right equipment for the move. He also is ready to make sure he is there prior to move in to make sure that we are already ready to just plug in when we need to move into the new office space. We could not do this without them and we are glad to have such a great partner like PCA & Todd.

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

Todd is our main resource for larger projects (like our move), we use their service desk/team for any day to day issues we may run into. Mike also met with us to help us review our Cybersecurity policies and was gracious enough to provide us with some templates to help make sure we were up to date.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Todd met with us to go over what our move would entail and what our next steps were to make sure we were up and running. He sent us over a quote for any equipment we needed to purchase in advance (larger office space). We are on target to be moved into the new space by the end of this month.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We email with Todd and communicate that way when we have something coming up for the move. PCA Technology Group is always responsive and we feel that we are in good hands with him as the lead on this project.

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

They have been our best experience with outsourced IT services, we recommend them to any of our clients that are in a similar situation and looking for a great solution.

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

Not at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the VP of Finance for a mid sized material handling equipment dealership with 2 branches.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We have a longstanding and ongoing value-added partnership with PCA. They provide all of our IT support, and do so flawlessly. Our relationship with them is very dynamic, and I appreciate them being on our team.

SOLUTION

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

They were in place before i started 8 years ago, but I feel like we have further cemented the relationship over my tenure. Steve and Daryl as well as all of the rest of their team are first class.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Ongoing IT support, cybersecurity, hardware, and IT infrastructure.

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

All members of the help desk, Daryl is our primary contact, and Steve is our relationship contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Proactive cybersecurity training I feel has benefited our organization substantially. The added education has help us neutralize the ever rising threat and vulnerability.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow is seamless. The lines of communication are open in both directions, and needed information is presented timely.

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

The relationship we've developed is what stands out the most. Steve comes out and we review plans for the future, hardware, software, etc. We review in detail, identify needs, and they offer recommendations. We have an open discussion, and make educated decisions.

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

I don't have any areas for improvement.