As local businesses expand, it becomes all the more crucial for them to find an IT company that supports their growth. It can present a challenge to find an IT company that will take the initiative to help maintain high-functioning equipment and systems in a manner that is both organized and sustainable. For Ballentine Capital, a local South Carolina Wealth Management firm, finding CMIT Solutions was the ideal fit to support the firm’s expansion.
The 25-year-old Wealth Management firm, based out of Greenville, South Carolina, specializes in assisting clients with financial planning related to retirement, retirement income, and maximizing wealth. Once the firm took off, the team carefully assessed a wide range of local IT vendors to distinguish which company would make for an ideal partner to support their path to growth.
Anthony Colancecco, the Chief Operating Officer and Wealth Advisor for Ballentine Capital, said the firm had worked with multiple IT service companies, but none were able to sufficiently assist with documentation and implementation. When CMIT Solutions stepped in, Colancecco felt assured they would be able to help the firm move from an MSP that was underserving the business and obtain a higher level of regulatory compliance. This was crucial as there was a shift in the business model that would make the firm subject to more stringent state and federal regulations.
The firm also had a number of projects that had not been addressed, including decommissioning an on-prem server, improving a hosted VoIP phone system, along with applying software patches, and upgrading hardware.
“One of our major goals last year was adding a second office and CMIT helped us get to the cloud, which allowed us to open that office,” said Colancecco. “We had a number of projects as we were growing that we needed to complete for us to really be able to expand. CMIT’s clear communication on those projects was how we were able to move forward as a business and how we continue to grow as a firm – it is from the impact they’ve made. They look at all of the systems we use, and every single one of our employees, and how everything works together. In the past, I’ve had IT companies that like to focus on one piece at a time. CMIT looks at the bigger picture and what is going to integrate with our processes and systems.”
Colancecco also noted that businesses often pick IT companies for the wrong reasons, whether that be a result of a personal connection or in an effort to cut costs — it can oftentimes lead to less effective support. When running a business, he noted, keeping the business afloat is the main priority, so selecting the right partners to help the business not only maintain operational efficiencies but also grow, is one of the most critical aspects of working alongside an IT partner.
When CMIT Solutions took action to address Ballentine Capital’s needs, they worked with the prior MSP to ensure a smooth transition and that sound backups were in place. To meet their next objective, CMIT upgraded BCA’s cybersecurity to comply with the new regulatory requirements and added tools such as MDR (EDR with SOC/SIEM) and email security with archiving and e-discovery tools.
Additionally, CMIT addressed the various projects at hand, including migrating the phone service away from an underserving VoIP provider to upgrade performance and capabilities and executing a smooth migration from an on-prem Windows Server to various hosted services. CMIT ensured that the active directory was migrated to Azure AD and their email was migrated to M365. Files were synced off-site and OneDrive was configured as their file sync and share solution. CMIT patched the software and upgraded the hardware and are currently scheduled to begin the password manager rollout within the next few months.
Susan Humes, Operations Administrator at Ballentine Capital, agreed that CMIT Solutions went above and beyond for the firm, making them feel like more than a vendor but a great partner and a part of the firm’s family.
“Whenever we have issues, they’re responsive and they care as much as we do. They jump in to develop creative solutions and take on a big-picture view of our needs by looking at all of the systems we use simultaneously. They keep a wide-angle view of our needs while still keeping the nitty gritty small details a priority – that’s been an integral part of our growth,” Humes said. “And, they’re just warm, friendly, caring people. They’re the kind of people you want to sit down and have lunch with, they’re not just rushing out the door once they’ve fixed something.”
