Sierra Experts

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the network administrator for a nonprofit agency: Heinz History Center.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sierra Experts?

Throughout the years, we’ve needed IT support.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sierra Experts has supported a variety of firewalls and network projects over the past 4–5 years. Their team has directed efforts such as implementing a corporate wireless infrastructure and Office 365 as well as upgrading our SAN services. They’ve also managed our on-site help desk to assist day-to-day operations. Most recently, the Sierra Experts team developed a new backup solution.  

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with 3–4 teammates. They’ve provided resources to support firewalls, switches, and server operations.  

How did you come to work with Sierra Experts?

My predecessor knew the founder of Sierra Experts and fostered a relationship with their team. Since taking on my new role, we’ve continued to rely on them for support on projects they’d worked on previously.

How much have you invested with them?

In our last fiscal year, we spent about $15,000 with Sierra Experts.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began collaborating with Sierra Experts in 2010, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have a set of guidelines, but one of our measures of success is not experiencing repeat issues. Our team has been happy with the work they’ve done; I’ve never felt that they’ve cut corners on projects. It’s why we keep using Sierra Experts for IT support.

How did Sierra Experts perform from a project management standpoint?

Usually, we communicate via outlook or phone conversations. They accurately plan projects and acquire new understandings for specific tasks, which have been accomplished with a goal in mind. After completing projects, their team follows-up to ensure implementation has been successful as well as to resolve any ongoing issues that haven’t been reported. They’ve always been responsive to our needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team has a wide variety of expertise from cloud to physical servers. There’s also a teammate who does a phenomenal job with firewall and networking services. They’re a top-notch team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There isn’t anything they could improve upon at this point in time. We haven’t had any issues with the service or support they’ve provided over the years.

Any advice for potential customers?

Know exactly what you want to accomplish going into the collaboration. They’re knowledgeable so be open to their ideas or recommended solutions as they may be a better fit to solve a particular challenge.