When you're responsible for $1.4 billion in assets under management, you can’t afford a single glitch. In the financial industry, it’s mission-critical to have trouble-free internet, reliable phones, and rigorous data security. Without all three, your business can't function.
“If our old system went down, communicating with our clients took longer, and we might lose hours of staff productivity,” said Lynn LeMond, Vice President of Administration at The Investment Counsel Company. ICC was founded in 1987 and is one of the first independent investment management firms in Nevada.
Originally, the Investment Counsel Company depended on an individual IT specialist to handle the technical side of the business. But LeMond mentioned his delay, often lack of response. “We had one computer technician we called when we had problems, and he wasn’t always available. It worked, but not as efficiently as our business demands,” LeMond said. “When you're dealing with people’s investment accounts, it’s critical that you are able to respond to their needs immediately.”
As the company grew and technology advanced rapidly, it sought a dependable IT company with a proven track record. “The COO looked at several companies that provide similar services and ultimately chose ITS,” LeMond said.
Why Choose ITS? Rapid Response Time
Intelligent Technical Solutions (ITS) is a Las Vegas-based IT company that provides managed IT services, fiber internet, VoIP phone systems, cloud computing, cyber security, and more.
“Their staff is competent and always responsive to your needs,” LeMond said. “They have a team assigned to us and are familiar with our systems. That's just incredibly helpful. On a day-to-day basis, they can usually fix something within 15 or 20 minutes.”
That quick response time was the number-one reason The Investment Counsel Company chose to work with ITS. “It's invaluable. Every employee in our firm knows that all they have to do is send ITS an email, describing their problem, and they will receive a prompt response,” LeMond said.
Faster Fiber Internet
Reliable high-speed internet is absolutely imperative to the operations of any business. But in an investment firm, it is essential to always have secure, dependable internet connectivity when the U.S. stock markets are open.
“In order for us to place trades, it is critical that we have not only internet access, but secure internet access,” LeMond said. “It is imperative to have the ability to trade when we are ready.”
Full-featured Reliable Phone System
Talking directly to clients over the phone is imperative because the SEC doesn't allow taking buy or sell orders via email. For that reason, keeping phone lines working properly is also crucial.
“Ten years ago, we didn't have a rollover to cell phones. Since working with ITS, if our phone lines are down when people call our main number, it rings my cell phone or one of our other employee’s cell phones,” LeMond said. “ITS keeps us up and running.”
Safe and Secure Cloud Computing
ITS also converted The Investment Counsel Company from on-site servers to the cloud. “That actually worked very well. Everything is stored in the cloud. Not only does it safeguard the information from someone breaking into the office, but it also safeguards the information if there should be some kind of catastrophe, such as the building burning down or some other disruption in business,” LeMond said. “Plus, ITS backs up our server several times a day to three different geographical sites.”
Continuous Cybersecurity
About 74% of the total respondents in a 2021 survey by Statista reported that their financial institutions had experienced one or more ransomware attacks in recent years. The constant threat of breaches makes cybersecurity a top concern for every company in the financial industry.
“When you're managing $1.4 billion in assets for clients, it is an enormous responsibility which we take very seriously,” LeMond said. “We work with ITS to ensure we are doing everything in our power to safeguard our clients’ information by installing the most up-to-date security software as it becomes available.”
ITS provides The Investment Counsel Company with constant security updates and performs regular security audits to safeguard clients’ sensitive information.
“ITS has been invaluable with their help working with our third-party cybersecurity analysts to strengthen our network defenses. This has been a huge and ongoing project and we appreciate all the cooperation, work, and expertise they have devoted to this.”
The peace of mind that it provides is tremendous.
“ITS makes sure that every single computer and laptop we have is up-to-date with antivirus, firewalls, and everything else we need to keep our system as safe as it can possibly be,” LeMond said. “I have a great level of confidence.”
Moving Forward and Advice for Future Partners of ITS
LeMond is quick to point out the reasons behind her high level of satisfaction with ITS. “The people there are extraordinary individuals. They're trained very well. They're very good at their jobs. They are experts in their field,” LeMond said. “They go the extra mile and don’t give up until an issue is resolved. Thankfully, ITS provides reliable, competent service cheerfully, no matter how frantic we are.”
Besides client satisfaction, ITS' customized approach to their needs and goals is also why ICC continues with the partnership. “ITS provides personalized, all- encompassing IT services 24/7. This is very important to us as downtime prevents our staff from providing the highest level of customer service. ITS has the same goal to deliver extraordinary customer service, and they do.” LeMond said.
ITS has exceeded ICC’s expectations innumerable times over the last ten years with its continuous support that results in “highly efficient operation with ever- evolving security measures.”
Knowing that the Investment Counsel Company can depend on ITS for around-the-clock IT support, reliable internet, failsafe phones, and solid security offers peace of mind that is priceless.
“We are raving fans. We receive great service from them,” LeMond said. “I don't know that we could find a company that gives us better service or that responds as quickly as they do. In the financial services industry, that's critical.”
Lemond also left a message for those looking for a long-lasting and reliable IT partner: “ITS is an excellent choice for companies that can benefit from round-the-clock personalized service customized for your particular business.”
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