Background
This firm is a financial planning and investment management firm based in St. Louis, MO. They focus on risk management to help their clients obtain growth-oriented financial profiles. They help clients with everything from budget management to estate planning. The firm places importance on educating current and potential clients, primarily through publishing podcasts and video content.
Challenge
The most pressing challenge faced by this organization was two-sided: their internet speed was not reliable enough to support their initiatives and their firewall was not optimized to handle increased internet speed. This resulted in increased costs for internet services but was ineffective at solving their spotty service issues.
Another restraint that they faced was a lack of a long-term vision for moving forward. Their previous technology partner, experts in print management but not in managed services, was unable to provide the insight and skills necessary to build and execute a technology road map. The firm was often frustrated and knew they needed a partner they could align with on technology goal setting.
This was especially important as they were planning an office expansion and knew they needed a technology partner who could assist them with the move while keeping their specialized needs for podcast and video recording as top priorities – their goals for this initiative focus on expanding the reach of their communication.
Solution
GadellNet partnered with this organization to provide managed services, security services, and consulting services.
The first step was thoughtful solution design and implementing a new firewall and fiber internet. This two-part solution increased efficiency in their office and transformed the day-to-day experience for their employees.
GadellNet then took on the technical aspects of the office expansion to ensure their goal of reaching an increased audience with their communication mediums could be achieved.
Next, we ensured they were up to date on maintenance items like security compliance, and Microsoft licensing, and other services provided by a full-service MSP.
And finally, this firm opted into our consulting services. At first, they were contracted for 4 consulting hours per month, but they quickly doubled that time in order to achieve their goals within their aggressive timeline. This firm has a strong and well-formed vision for their future. GadellNet’s consulting team used this to aid in the creation of a strategic roadmap with a phased approach, spanning several quarters. Now they will achieve their goals without any rework, roadblocks, or surprises.
Key Results
- Optimized internet services increased office efficiency while achieving cost savings
- Seamless and undisrupted employee experience throughout office expansion process
- 3-year technology roadmap laser-focused on company goals implemented by GadellNet’s consulting team
Voice of the Customer
“We’ve been in business for 25 years, during that time IT has been a burden rather than asset. We’ve gone through provider after provider – some better than others – but all disappointing. Now IT is an asset to our firm and GadellNet proactively advises us on cost-effective methods to streamline our business while taking care of the day to day IT hassles that used to take up so much of our time and lead to so much frustration.” Chief Operating Officer, Financial Services Firm