TechPeer

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the clinic manager at Palermo Physiotherapy & Wellness Centre, a paramedical clinic in Oakville, Ontario. We provide physiotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, chiropody, and yoga therapy. We’re a small business of 18–19 employees in total.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechPeer?

We were shut down during the first round of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was definitely challenging for us because we’re a small business. Thus, we needed IT support tailored to our needs without having to get a very expensive contract for services that we didn’t require. We’re not IT experts, so we just needed help with small things, such as setting up a new email address or fixing the printer when it didn’t work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechPeer helped us install an adequate antivirus system that also protects us against ransomware attacks, which is very common in healthcare. Then, they got a couple of new computers and helped us decide which devices were the most beneficial for us without breaking the bank. They also set us up with a new server. At the end of each month, they monitor everything to make sure it’s functioning properly.

If there are any issues with the electronic medical processing software that we use, TechPeer communicates directly with the software creators, and we don't have to do anything on our end. They’re really behind the scenes, which gives us peace of mind. They do a great job at keeping us running.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Ryan (President) and Ian (Technomage). I believe they’re the only ones at TechPeer — they’re a small business as well.

How did you come to work with TechPeer?

My brother is a professional nurse, but he couldn’t help us because his company doesn’t deal with small businesses like us. However, he put us in touch with Ryan. I believe they had a business relationship in the past. We talked to Ryan, and he understood us and helped us tailor a plan that had all the coverage that we needed at an affordable price.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $224.87 a month for the first year, which made a total of $2,698.44. Then, they reduced the price of our contract because there were things that we were paying for that we didn’t use. Since then, we have paid $167.50 a month, which makes it $4,017 until now. Therefore, we’ve spent $6,715.44 on the whole project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed a contract with TechPeer in August 2019, and it’s ongoing. We’ve stayed with them because they’re phenomenal.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

TechPeer has given us a lot of peace of mind because they’ve been able to fix any issue before we even knew there were issues. Their work brings us happiness and stress relief. We haven’t had to waste many on one-off calls to the previous people we dealt with.

How did TechPeer perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through email. TechPeer uses a software tool that creates a job ticket when we raise any issues. Then, they send us an email explaining the details of the issue. Once it’s been resolved, they explain to us what they did, and then they close the ticket. Their approach is very clear and offers defined problem solutions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

TechPeer understands that we’re a small business, and therefore, they don’t try to sell us unnecessary services as other companies do. They really understand our needs and take the time to talk and listen to any issues we might have. That’s definitely what makes them stand out. They also take into consideration our needs and tailor a plan specifically for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was one, but they already resolved it. We found out that we were paying for things that we weren’t using, and they were really great at rectifying that and dropping the monthly price for us.

Any advice for potential customers?

As much as sit-down meetings can feel like a sales pitch and be annoying at times, I’d recommend that future clients take these meetings. TechPeer will discuss your needs and help you come up with a plan to meet them without selling useless things that you don’t need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of an emergency plumbing and drain service. We do residential emergency plumbing and drains.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechPeer?

My business invested in technology early, so our service software and everything is cloud-based. We do everything on the field on iPads, so we don’t give paper invoices. At first, it was manageable when it was just me and a couple of people, but as the company started to grow, I needed somebody to support my lack of technical knowledge.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechPeer takes care of all of our technical needs. They provide technical support for all of our devices — computers, iPads, phones, and do small projects such as setting up and fixing iPads, software, and phones. They got us a VoIP phone system, which works really well when the office is closed and we’re at home. They help us with our email accounts, software system, and anything related to technology, depending on what the issue is.

If one of my employees is out in the field and their iPad freezes, TechPeer can access it remotely and fix it. We had a phone issue, and they came on site to try to figure out what was wrong. It ended up being an issue with our service provider, but they still put in a lot of effort and found the problem.

What is the team composition?

I’ve only worked with Ryan (President) and one of their tech support agents, who is in charge of our account.

How did you come to work with TechPeer?

I lucked out and just Googled somebody close by so that if I needed them to come to my office, it wouldn’t take long. TechPeer had good Google reviews and a nice website. Out of all the people I found, they seemed to be the most professional. When I brought Ryan in to pitch to me, his presentation was exceptional; it came from the heart. I liked Ryan, what he delivered, and that he was passionate about his business, so I decided to go with him.

How much have you invested with them?

On average, we spend about $1,000–$1,500 a month. For service alone, I think it’s around $100, but we use them a lot.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in April 2018, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Every project they take on is done exceptionally well and in an extraordinarily timely manner. They explain what went wrong, why it happened, how they fixed it, and how they can handle it in the future. They do something for us on a weekly basis, and up until now, they've never disappointed us. Each time, I’m nothing less than impressed with them, and that’s why I continue to work with TechPeer.

How did TechPeer perform from a project management standpoint?

They have a phone line and email that we can reach out to. For service, we create tickets by either calling them or sending an email. They'd say that they set up a ticket, and would communicate with us through email about what's going on using that ticket.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their customer service is second to none. I feel that they drop everything to service us. Both of the people I’ve worked with are excepcional. Their price is almost too reasonable for the quality service we get. TechPeer is the best service I’ve hired, for sure.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing but good things to say. I haven’t had a negative experience in the years of service with them.

Any advice for potential customers?

You’re probably not going to get better service for your dollar. I haven’t used many tech service providers, but I’ve spoken with some in the past, and most of them are just talk.

With TechPeer, you can trust that they’ll always give you the best solution to your problems. If you ask them for something that doesn’t make sense, they’ll let you know and suggest something that’s better suited to what you want — even if that’s going to make them less money. You can always feel good about what they’re presenting to you because it’ll always be in your best interest.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m president of a commercial relocation company. We also do office furniture sales services, sales services installation, and decommissioning right from the start of the office design and planning. We work with all types of companies and are members of the commercial relocation network out of the US; we’re the Ontario partners.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechPeer?

We needed a partner to perform IT services for us and our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechPeer handles our phone systems and backups. Additionally, they provide maintenance to all of our systems and desktops for our remote staff members monthly; they’re our go-to partner for any computer-related issues we have. We also bring them in when we’re doing relocation of companies and need to relocate the IT gear; they do the backup. They disconnect everything, we relocate, and then they go back in to redeploy all the IT for us.

We recently landed an account with a large client, so they also assisted us with Wi-Fi access points in a warehouse and street surveillance cameras.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Ryan (President), but the team size depends on the project and schedule. They build a team based on the project requirements so there could be 1–2 or 5–8 people involved.

How did you come to work with TechPeer?

We met at a breakfast marketing group where I said that we needed a replacement for a stand-alone laser printer in my office. Ryan mentioned that they supplied equipment, so we gave them a shot. They came in with competitive prices and included the installation and setup of all of our internal systems on each machine. 

We had another vendor for our IT services, but whenever our staff called them, it felt like they were speaking to us in a technical language that we don’t understand. When TechPeer’s team came in, our staff loved him; they’re great at explaining in detail exactly what’s happening. We started paying them to come in regularly when something went wrong, even though we had the other provider on contract. My staff liked the team, and we brought them on full-time.

How much have you invested with them?

Between us and our clients, we’ve spent $90,000–$100,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

It started in May 2018, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t measure everything in dollars and cents; for me, it’s the comfort of my staff and clients. We have positive experiences with them and are happy with their services. There are situations where we can hire someone cheaper, but it’s not about the money, it’s about the service we get. Functionality-wise, we’re constantly up and running, thanks to their quick response times. 

How did TechPeer perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve got an automated system where our staff can send a text or email, and they’d call back two minutes later. After that, someone from TechPeers’ team logs into the computer and fixes whatever needs to be fixed right away. Also, they have a lot of diagnostics running in the background, so they’ll let us know when something’s not right and then ask us when is a good time for them to go into the computer and look at it. Everything’s done remotely, but they also have a quick in-person turnaround time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

TechPeer’s service level is impressive to me. That’s the most important thing to our business and our clients. For instance, we were doing a project for one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world right just as the COVID-19 pandemic was starting. The client called us and said that their IT team wasn’t allowed to fly. We needed a level-one team to do all the deployment in that facility, so we gave TechPeer a rush request; they took over and made us look good in front of our clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s something they can improve. I have not had a negative experience with TechPeer.

Any advice for potential customers?

If they give TechPeer a shot, they won’t be disappointed. We’re a 26-year-old business, we’ve been through several companies, and nobody comes close to the serious level that they provide.