Case Study

Architecture Firm Managed IT

Overcoming Barriers to Success

The Challenge

An architectural firm with a small hybrid team needed reliable technology support for remote staff and collaborative work. Their current setup allowed access through a VPN, but it didn’t lock files when multiple people were editing, causing inefficiencies and duplicate work.

The firm’s technical support was outsourced to consultants located out of state and overseas. This led to poor visibility into ticketing systems, antivirus logs, access, and admin consoles. Staff also experienced disruptions due to a lack of communication about changes made by the technical team.

Some proposed solutions, like building AWS server instances for collaboration, were overly complex and didn’t add security or efficiency. The firm needed a solution that was both effective and simple, tailored to their needs for remote work and collaboration.

Action Plan for Success

Goals

  • Allow remote staff to work from anywhere and collaborate on projects effectively.
  • Improve communication with technical support about changes and maintenance that could affect staff.

Identifying Key Dependencies

Needs

  • Visibility into technology tools and support.
  • Secure systems, networks, and client data.

The Solution

The client needed a clear strategy to improve remote collaboration while ensuring that systems and data were secure.

We worked closely with the client’s leadership to understand their existing tools and the specific needs of their remote team. Based on this, we recommended a unified cloud collaboration suite that integrated their architectural design software with internal email, file sharing, and chat tools.

To improve security and provide better visibility, we implemented a suite of security tools and assigned a dedicated account manager to oversee communication and ensure consistent support.

Step-by-Step Execution

Actions We Took

  1. Requirements Gathering:
    • Compiled a list of requirements to ensure our recommendations matched the client’s workflows.
    • Ensured seamless integration with their architectural design and collaboration software.
  2. Implementation and Migration:
    • Transitioned their locally shared software and files to a collaborative cloud environment.
    • Streamlined workflows while minimizing disruptions to ongoing projects.
  3. Ongoing Support:
    • Provided continuous visibility, training, and technical support through our locally based technicians.
    • Ensured the client had the assistance they needed to maintain smooth operations.

The Results

The firm can now support its remote staff seamlessly, without relying on local servers. They have a clear understanding of their security and technology infrastructure, thanks to transparent communication with their dedicated account manager.