Red River

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CFO and the VP of administration at American Farmland Trust. In my role, I oversee finance, administration, IT, and HR.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CWPS?

We were looking for someone to come on as our new IT partner. Most importantly, we wanted a team that could migrate all of our operations to the cloud.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, they conducted a discovery phase. They used the information they collected to help us construct a plan that would meet our business objectives. We didn’t need a system overhaul, but we really wanted to migrate our system to the cloud.

Then, CWPS took over and made us a fully cloud-based company. Our files are now searchable and usable by staff across our eight offices. Next, we plan on moving our telephone line to the cloud as well to enable seamless communication and video conferencing.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with a project manager, an implementation manager, and a customer success manager. The latter chats on the phone with us weekly to make sure we are making the best possible decisions. We also have a point of contact specifically for business needs. If we have a business-related question or issue, he can provide recommendations based on his knowledge of how CWPS operates.   

How did you come to work with CWPS?

Our team underwent an extensive RFP process where we crafted a project scope for our needs. After that, I formed an IT search committee of nine staff members to find a partner based on our defined needs. The committee considered about eight IT companies throughout the process, and CWPS was the winner.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $100,000 at this point.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership started in October 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our staff is 100% satisfied with CWPS’s work. The morale around file sharing is improving. CWPS’ training sessions have been successful in both teaching our staff members new skills and enabling them to perform their jobs at a higher level of efficiency.

How did CWPS perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great. The team is very diligent and consistently holds us to our own deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very responsive. CWPS took a genuine interest in our business and satisfaction. Even so, they are knowledgeable and aren’t willing to sacrifice best practices to appease a client.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be honest and transparent about needs and project goals. Make sure to trust their advice and recommendations.