Challenge
Internal IT Expertise Wasn’t Sufficient
Bookkeeping and Beyond (BKBY), an accounting and business management firm based in Houston Heights, serves companies of all sizes in the greater Houston area. Initially, as a small business, BKBY managed their own IT. BKBY wasn’t large enough to hire a dedicated IT engineer, so IT needs ended up being filled by the owner and employees with varying levels of expertise. As BKBY grew, they needed to move to a larger office, which cast a spotlight on the company’s lack of IT expertise, particularly when it came to reliability and security. Given that BKBY managed sensitive financial data for numerous clients and worked on inflexible deadlines, they knew they were particularly vulnerable.
Solution
Focus on Reliability Lotus TechPros worked hand-in-hand with BKBY’s owner, building manager, and contractor to help set up the company’s new office with a proper server and network rack with dedicated power. (Poor quality power, dust, and heat are the leading causes of failures of electronic equipment.) We also made sure an A/C vent and filter was installed to ensure sufficient cooling and coordinated the installation of network cabling for the entire office.
We helped BKBY choose a reliable Internet provider and a plan that provided sufficient bandwidth for the size and type of business they are, while keeping costs low. We also ensured that they had business-class Internet service that would get them priority response for any outages and guaranteed bandwidth so they wouldn’t be competing with Netflix watchers in the neighborhood for bandwidth. We coordinated with the Internet service provider and building manager for the installation and verified that the equipment installed was of the right type and that the Internet performance was as promised.
Having reliable Internet service was a major concern for BKBY. Being able to access their server and work remotely was a key requirement.
Before BKBY moved into their new office space, we configured and tested their new servers, computers, printers, and all other equipment at our offices. This ensured a few things:
BKBY could keep working using their existing systems up to the day of the move.
Their new systems were completely ready and running within the first hour of opening day at the new office.
BKBY experienced no downtime because we moved their data over to their new server and workstations over the same weekend that they were moving offices.
All we had to do over that weekend was plug in the hardware that we had previously configured and tested.
Since installation, Lotus TechPros has maintained BKBY’s systems, managed all updates, and provided technical support.
Results BKBY has doubled their business since they moved into their new offices 2 years ago. The owner is able to focus on her business and new customers instead of constantly being distracted by IT issues. While she was originally apprehensive about handing control of the company’s IT over to Lotus TechPros, she is now very glad she did.
Limiting their IT spending to the monthly [Complete]® fee gave BKBY the financial resources necessary to invest into business-generating activities such as marketing and sales.
All the systems have been running smoothly. The BKBY team particularly appreciates the VPN that allows them to go home to their families instead of working late hours at the office, while still finishing up work after the kids have gone to bed.
“Bringing the Lotus TechPros team on board is the best business decision I ever made!!”
— Sandra O.M., Accountant
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