Protek-IT

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the executive director of Bright Promises Foundation, a nonprofit organization. We invest in programs and partnerships that address the underrecognized needs of children and youth in Chicago. Our aim is to advance equity and help young people reach their full potential.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Protek-IT?

Our team transitioned to fully remote operations. Some team members used their own devices, while others used company devices. We needed Protek-IT's assistance to ensure security, efficiency, and optimization of tools and technology to support our remote team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Protek-IT has been responsible for setting up our Azure virtual environment, managing employee onboarding and offboarding, purchasing and setting up new devices, and providing monthly managed IT services.

What is the team composition?

We have worked with about 10 team members from Protek-IT over time.

How did you come to work with Protek-IT?

We found Protek-IT through an online search. We chose them over other options because of their level of personalized service, especially for the value. We are a growing organization with a limited operating budget, and Protek-IT offered outsized value for the fee. From the knowledge base they had built out to the hands-on support that they offered, Protek-IT was by far the most impressive firm we evaluated.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged them in May 2023, and our contract is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Protek-IT has provided very personal support. They have taken the time to answer our questions and suggest additional articles in their knowledge base. We have seen enhanced security, increased employee efficiency, and increased staff knowledge. Employees have saved hundreds of hours of work thanks to the tools and processes that Protek-IT has helped us develop and implement, optimizing our use of the Microsoft suite of tools.

How did Protek-IT perform from a project management standpoint?

Protek-IT has provided timely and thoughtful responses, interacting with kindness and empathy. We primarily communicate through email and video conferences.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Protek-IT is approachable, understanding, and easy to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Protek-IT is a growing firm, so there have been some growing pains, such as staff turnover and new staff not being familiar with our needs. However, this has been quickly addressed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Partner of Telesto Strategy

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Strategy and management consulting on sustainability/ESG topics

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Protek-IT to accomplish?

• Buildout of new office space

SOLUTION

How did you find Protek-IT?

Referral

Why did you select Protek-IT over others?

• High ratings
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Protek-IT were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Protek-IT supported us in the IT buildout of our new office. Their scope covered both hardware and software including our wifi/network, videoconferencing systems, workstations, room booking systeem, and more. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Protek-IT was professional and efficient throughout the process. Our IT systems were online within just a few days of opening the office and far outpaced other vendors (e.g., office plants, internet service provider). We've had zero issues with any of the systems thus far and are very pleased with the work. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They shared regular updates, had calls when necessary, and delivered the work on schedule. They were flexible with the logistics to fit our needs. 

What was your primary form of communication with Protek-IT?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We found them to be very reliable, and they clearly cared about our business. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something Protek-IT could have done differently?

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Kriha Boucek is a law firm handling cases for School Districts, Universities and Municipal clients. I am the Director of Operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Protek-IT?

We hired ProTek to migrate us from a server to the cloud environment. This included upgrading all devices, software and Prolaw billing software which was complicated and needed to be coordinated with the Prolaw tech team.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I contacted 6 local providers and based on research of the company's websites, reviews from multiple internet sites, and in person interviews we selected ProTek. The deciding factors were a combination of their sound understanding of what the project would take, the exceptional customer service we received before even being hired, the responsiveness of their group to all questions.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We had many meetings from discovery of the project to actual detailed implementation of the structure. We worked closely with the Owner, Florian, the Account Manager Nick to a plan in place. We would migrate from a server to an Azure cloud, using a remote desktop environment for our 2 locations. This would allow us to access everything on all devices at any time. We also rolled in a tech upgrade on laptops and ipads. Their team comes onsite to finalize all stages and ensure that all employees are up and running.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

• Owner, Florian
• Account Manager, Nick
• Adin
• Casey
• Andrew
• Andrew

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The cloud migration was a great success. Moving to the cloud or upgrading tech always comes with little issues in logging, settings, software upgrade issues but ProTek has handled everything that has come up smoothly and with little difficulty. We actual have so many less problems and issues with ProTek as our tech team.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We have a really great Account Manager in Nick. He is great to work with, clear on what needs to be done to accomplish the task and has a very calm demeanor. He always pulls together whatever it takes to make sure we are running smoothly.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The Teams quick responses to any and all questions or requests. No waiting days on end only to be scheduled further out. This group is always at the ready.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I would say that there are no areas for improvement per say but as a future looking idea I would recommend they provide an option for after hours help.