This case study explains how our IT solutions improved network security and operations for a professional services firm. Due to the sensitive nature of some of these details, we have omitted the company’s name, but they focus on helping the earth by recycling metals, cars, paints, thinners, and other items.
Their business has seven buildings plus a recycling yard with employees that work in the office, remotely at home, and in the field. We had a lot of history with this company and had done break-fix work for them in the 1990s, and on a personal level, we’d known their founders even longer.
Like many companies, they saw IT as an expense rather than as an investment into their abilities. We were able to show them how technology could support their business’s growth, and ultimately, by improving their tech environment, we helped them improve their productivity, efficiency, and customer service.
Background Issues
When this company had to send workers home during COVID, they realized their network couldn’t support remote workers, and it was creating inefficiencies in the office as well. They had an aging network, outdated machines, and poor wireless capabilities.
An internal employee with limited IT knowledge had been handling their technology while also acting as the manager of another department, but when they became aware of the above issues, they brought on a new controller. He wanted to get the IT right, so they reached out to the PCG team.
We always start with a network assessment so we can get a sense of the client’s current IT position, their network gaps, IT needs, and security vulnerabilities. Then, we develop a managed service plan so that we can meet their everyday and long-term IT needs going forward.
Network Assessment
To help us determine where to get started, one of our network engineers did an onsite audit of this client’s network, and they looked at the wiring, switching, firewall, and PCs. The network assessment is concerned with all the elements that create the network — like how a contractor looks over the wiring, plumbing, foundation, etc. of your home before starting a big renovation project.
We also talked with the PC users. We asked them about how they use IT daily, and where they experience trouble, delays, or inefficiencies. By talking with the users directly about what’s right, wrong, missing, and confusing, we get a sense of how the system is working and what needs to be improved.
Challenges Identified by the Network Assessment
Based on the network assessment, we identified the following challenges for this client:
- An aging network including seven or eight-year-old desktop PCs running Windows 7 which is slow and highly vulnerable to attacks.
- Terrible wireless coverage that prevented employees from connecting phones and tablets.
- POP Email that wasn’t being backed up.
- Lack of collaboration tools.
- Messy wiring.
- An unreliable phone system that didn’t have a warranty and lacked features such as ring groups, direct dialing, find-me/follow-me, and auto attendant.
- Aging security camera system with no support for iPhones.
- The line-of-business application on their server was running on the free version of SQL Express and causing issues with performance.
Security Assessment
To assess the client’s cybersecurity posture, we looked at their vulnerabilities and where they stand from a compliance standpoint. Due to the nature of their business, this client is not likely to be a direct target in the way as a financial institution, a financial services company, or a company with medical records, but hackers are always looking for data, meaning that everyone needs to protect themselves.
Our goal is to protect their data and provide the appropriate amount of security protection based on their business needs. As detailed below, by updating their hardware, we were able to improve their security significantly. We also worked directly with the employees on some security training essentials.
Tactics
After completing the network and security assessments, we developed a statement of work (SOW) and a budget for seven projects, and we started creating a Managed Service Plan for this client. Here’s an overview of each of the projects.
1. Onboarding
We take the onboarding process very seriously, and because we’ve worked with so many clients, we have a process that really works. During the onboarding phase, we get to know the client better, and we get our service tools in place as we also work on updating PCs, servers, audio-visual, cybersecurity, and other essentials.
Once we’ve onboarded the client, we sit down for an IT strategy review (ITSR) or a VCIO (Virtual Cheif information Officer) meeting where we talk about current challenges and long-term needs, and we develop a plan and a budget to improve the client’s technology in a way that supports their long-term growth and success.
2. Replacing Desktops
We created a plan to replace 20 PCs that were running Windows 7 and old versions of Microsoft Office. Replacing this infrastructure set the stage so that we could update the audio-visual and security on the machines, and it also allows up to add multi-factor authentication, email encryption, backup, and arching.
3. Cleaning Up Wiring
The wiring was a tangled octopus, and it was impossible to tell where the wires went. We ran new wiring and fiber between all seven buildings. We also cleaned up, labeled, and mapped the wiring and made sure the new switching was in place.
4. Improving Wireless
We did a wireless assessment and figured out what needed to happen so that employees could easily connect to their phones and tablets in all seven buildings and the recycling yard. They wanted the ability to always check inventory on their tablets.
5. Upgrading Phone System
The client was using a 25+ -year-old private branch exchange (PBX) phone system, and its lack of modern functions was wasting time for employees. To upgrade the phone system, we added the required network infrastructure including Power over Ethernet (POE) switches to handle Voice over Internet Provider (VoIP) phones.
6. Installing New Security Cameras
The client wanted to be able to access their security cameras remotely. We planned to install new security cameras and wireless access points to make that possible. We also planned to upgrade some of their TVs and conferencing solutions.
7. Migrating to MS 365
We helped the client migrate to MS 365 which improved their email functionality and opened up opportunities for collaboration through MS Teams and OneDrive.
We completed about 80% of these projects in our first six months with the client, and they were thrilled to get so much done in such a relatively short period of time. In addition, we provided this client with a dedicated network administrator who comes to their office on a regular basis. We also hold ITSR/VCIO meetings to guide planning and budgeting.
Security Improvements
The new equipment allowed us to improve the client’s security significantly. We added endpoint detection and response (EDR) to their servers, and this looks for odd behavior such as unauthorized users, changes to the IP address, or other suspicious activities.
We also created a password policy, enabled multi-factor authentication (MFA), minimized their risk of dark web/email compromises, and updated their firewall with security services such as a center staffed by security analysts from global intelligence agencies. Then, to tie everything together, we held staff training sessions where we talked about phishing campaigns and other risks.
Outcomes of Working With PCG
By working with PCG, this company experienced multiple benefits. Now, their network, servers, and PCs are up to date, and we provide them with the ongoing IT services they need to be productive, secure, and competitive. Our services provided this client with the following benefits:
- Wireless connectivity in all buildings and the yard.
- Reliable access to real-time inventory on tablets.
- New phone system with improved functionality.
- New security system with monitoring on TVs or cell phones.
- Implementation of MS 365.
- New TV stations.
- Video and audio that moves around the conference room.
- An image-based backup system that takes snapshots and saves them to the cloud every 15 minutes.
- Known backup recovery objective.
We’ve improved their user experience, allowing their employees to be more productive and efficient. They know that if they have an issue, they can just reach out to us for help, and they avoid issues by taking a proactive approach to IT.
For the client, the most noticeable benefit was migrating to MS 365 and improving the wireless. This allowed people from multiple buildings to communicate and collaborate more easily and reliably. They benefitted from all the other projects, but for the PC users, these projects had the most significant impact on their daily work lives.
At PCG, we don’t view IT in a bubble. Instead, we see IT as a tool to support your business. We work actively with our clients to determine how the right IT can support and fuel their growth.
Is your IT meeting your needs or is it harming productivity and hurting your bottom line? To find out, contact us at PCG today. We can start with a network assessment and talk about how our services can help your business.
