PCG named a Top 10 MSP for Manufacturing
NOTE: It’s our anniversary! This article was originally published by CIO Review in 2019 and PCGiT is still a top MSP in our market for the manufacturing industry. Enjoy this throwback
Manufacturing companies have gone through a complete turnaround in terms of IT. Manufacturers were not heavily invested in IT a few years back, but today IT is a vital business function in the manufacturing industry. However, IT not being their forte, there is a clear skill gap in the manufacturing industry in terms of harnessing the true potential of IT. Add to that, the industry lacks necessary funds and resources to fulfill their IT requirements in terms of security, warehouse, financial, and customer relationship management applications.
As manufacturing companies modernize their IT infrastructure to meet the market demands and reduce unforeseen costs, professional IT consultants that can guide them through the intricacies of setting up robust IT infrastructures becomes essential. Stepping up to the plate, PCG (Portsmouth Computer Group) is on a mission to make managing IT simpler by offering their proven IT processes, necessary resources and stack of integrated solutions, “at a fraction of the cost.”
“We deliver our managed IT services to manufacturing companies who are investing in IT and whose operational maturity level is growing and we ensure that our offering is a good cultural fit for both the parties,” begins Dave Hodgdon, CEO of PCG. He continues, “Our end-to-end IT managed services span the whole spectrum of businesses’ IT needs from security, recovery, business continuity, help desk, NetAdmin, wireless, cloud solutions and network monitoring to IT support and counsel.”
Cybersecurity in the cloud
In an era where the IT landscape is constantly changing with new and evolving malicious activities, PCG offers cloud-based security solutions to help clients ensure their businesses are protected against spam, viruses, ransomware and web-based threats. As part of its cybersecurity services, PCG provides risk assessments and security awareness training centered on the potential risks of malicious activities. The company also ensures that their clients have a password policy in place and educate them on the importance of multifactor authentication, phishing, and more. “Our customized business continuity plans aligned with disaster recovery help clients prevent unexpected downtimes, minimize risks, have 24/7 access to data, and build business resilience,” asserts Hodgdon.
In addition, PCG caters to their clients’ setup and support requirements with any specific ERP vendor to determine the best path for them, whether it’s on-premise or in the cloud. In order to deliver detailed insights regarding the collected data, the company offers digital display of metrics to help their employees in knowing exactly what’s going on the floor. PCG’s clients in manufacturing also rely on Virtual Chief Information Officers, who are trusted advisors that provide guidance on IT related issues.
Bottom line impact
Without doubt, PCG’s ability to understand the manufacturing landscape has been instrumental in their success with clients. Hodgdon mentions one such client success story where a NH-based firm was operating on aging equipment and struggling with cash flow. The application that the client was intending to run would have cost them $170,000 over four years to implement it in the cloud. After taking a good look at the application, PCG promptly came up with a creative way to design their equipment as a hardware-as-a-service and installed the whole solution for just $44,000 on-premise. That was four times the clients’ savings. And they have been “rocking and rolling for the last two years with the solution we provided,” says Hodgdon.
For the next few years, the foremost goal for PCG is to double their revenue and expand their geographical footprint. Having stepped up their game in the cloud with the Microsoft Azure, the company is gearing up for the next big thing in IT. PCG’s big focus however is to accommodate all clients in getting ready for the cloud and having a sophisticated wireless network infrastructure. And in this endeavor, the company has been constantly researching and testing new technology that can benefit their clients.
