SWICKtech

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CFO of a tool and die cast manufacturing company located in Hartland, Wisconsin.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SWICKtech?

Because we’re a small organization, it’s difficult to have a full-time IT professional who is as knowledgeable as you need them to be, particularly in these challenging times. We decided to outsource those services as a result, first to supplement our in-house team and eventually to take it over completely.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Since they took over after our in-house IT manager left, they have handled all of our IT needs as a company. Those services range from managing our ERP to improving our cloud and physical backup servers and risk management and security for all of our information from cyber threats.

What is the team composition?

We have had one primary contact at their team, and have interacted with server experts, help desk people, and more strategic planners as well over the course of the engagement.

How did you come to work with SWICKtech?

They initially came to our attention in our search for a backup solution. Since we didn’t need them immediately, we were able to interview a few companies and decide which one was the right fit for us. SWICKtech came out on top, so we moved forward with them, and when we needed them to step up and take on all of our IT needs, they completely rose to the challenge.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we’ve spent roughly $400,000 with them over the years, averaging around $60,000 a year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first brought them on around February 2014 and have continued working with them ever since.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s hard to measure risk tolerance and abatement in specific terms, but what we know is that we haven’t been hacked. We haven’t had any sort of cyber disaster, despite having several instances where malware reached our computers and they were able to clear it off the workstation before it penetrated the network in any way.

They’ve also positively influenced the culture around web safety here, so that our employees are all aware of the importance of reporting any issues that they run into or mistakes that they’ve made.

On top of that, all of our infrastructure works incredibly smoothly and has kept our business up and running without any problems. Because of them, we are able to focus on what we do best and not worry about any IT issues in the process, which is an incredible feeling.

How did SWICKtech perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve been really pleased with their communication and documentation throughout the process, which have been key to our success with them. Because they have a large enough group to provide 24/7 service, their documentation is key to making sure whoever answers when something comes up has all of the information that they need to provide effective support.

Even when we request special projects from them, such as a total server replacement that we conducted back in 2015, they have gone above and beyond to make sure we don’t experience interruptions as a result. They were willing to conduct all of the work after hours so that the business continued operating, and met all of our deadlines nonetheless.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The one thing that really set them apart early on is that they took the time to understand our business and how it works. That commitment gave them the foundation they needed to provide a service that not only have us functioning IT infrastructure but did it in a way that was tailored to our specific needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re a little bit on the pricier side, which makes sense because of the expertise they have, but that means having them conduct smaller tasks is a little bit inefficient. Their team understands that and is working with us currently to help reach a balance we’re more comfortable with.

We’re trying to pare down the amount of email account setup for new employees they do and other tasks that we could handle in-house with a little explanation so that we can utilize their skills most efficiently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be completely transparent in terms of what you need. The better SWICK understands your business, the better they can suit a solution for you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CFO of a small to mid sized retail jeweler. I have responsibility for the Finance, HR and Technology functions for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SWICKtech?

We have outsourced all of our technology needs to Swick. They manage all aspects of our client environment and network infrastructure. They also consult and support third-party software. We rely on Swick for cybersecurity and control structure. They also provide strategic guidance on any technology selection and investment decisions.

What were your goals for this project?

As a small company, we do not have the scale to support staff with the diversity of technology skills to support the business needs that Swick can provide us. By moving the management of our technology to Swick, we gained a higher level of expertise for a commensurate level of investment.

We also gained a partner who engaged with us to understand our business to help us to progress our use of technology to be more productive and advance our focus on creating the best experience for our customers in-store. They take care of the backroom so we can focus on our core business.

SOLUTION

How did you select SWICKtech?

Our company has a long-standing relationship with Swick. When we decided to move to a full outsourced technology model, their knowledge of our business along with their service and expertise made the decision easy.

Describe the project in detail.

The project is an ongoing support relationship. Swick manages the day to day technology needs of the business. Our users interact with them daily as our help desk. They are our first stop for any tech issue. Swick manages all integrations we have with third-party software. They detect and troubleshoot issues directly with the software vendors when issues arise. Swick manages the lifecycle of all client and network equipment.

They have helped us improve our recordkeeping and develop a capital investment plan that allows us to maintain the health of our technology environment and avoid emergency investment needs. Swick has become a trusted partner in our strategic planning process for our technology spending.

We engage them at the onset of any project to add or upgrade technology for a part of our business. Their knowledge of our business has made them a valuable resource for these decisions. Swick has been very valuable to use in the area of cybersecurity. We rely on them to secure our environments and monitor for malicious activity. They invest heavily in this area and protect us at a level we could not provide on our own.

What was the team composition?

Swick has a diverse team. We work with a number of resources based on the existing need at the time. We have a dedicated account manager and a member of their help desk who is deeply ingrained in our company and culture. Other specialists engage with us as projects require it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When I joined the company at the beginning of 2018, we had a material amount of technical debt because equipment and systems had not been managed well before we outsourced to Swick.

Swick worked with me to prioritize our needs and develop a plan that we could manage within our budgets to get us caught back up. We are now manage our lifecycle process in an organized and pragmatic manner with their guidance.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The existence of a dedicated account rep and a member of their help desk team who is deeply engaged with our company makes the relationship very smooth. They seem like an extension of our company.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Knowledge and continuous investment in emerging trends in technology and security. Combine that with the excellent service they provide, and we have a very strong partner.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Swick is a Microsoft partner, so they have a bias toward a Microsoft solution. However, they will support other solutions.