Empowering National Expansion: How a Leading Engineering Firm Scaled Seamlessly with Proper Sky’s Strategic IT Solutions

Empowering National Expansion: How a Leading Engineering Firm Scaled Seamlessly with Proper Sky’s Strategic IT Solutions

 

“Partnering with Proper Sky has been a game changer for O&N. Their strategic IT support has allowed us to continually meet our expansion and growth goals without missing a beat.”

 – Scott Bauer, Vice President, O’Donnell & Naccarato

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Consolidation and Modernization of IT Infrastructure: O&N successfully transitioned from a fragmented IT approach to a streamlined, modernized infrastructure by consolidating IT services under Proper Sky. This shift included re-optimizing the cloud-based Azure environment, upgrading outdated systems, and implementing a Zero Trust cybersecurity framework, which significantly improved operational efficiency, availability and security.

• Enhanced Productivity and Reduced Downtime: The implementation of a modern VPN solution and the rapid laptop deployment project drastically improved O&N’s productivity and minimized IT-related disruptions. Proper Sky’s support reduced downtime, 40% of all service ticket time, saving O&N substantial costs, and enabled employees to work more effectively, particularly with critical software like Autodesk and Bentley.

• Strategic IT Partnership and Ongoing Support: Proper Sky’s role as a strategic partner provided O&N with ongoing IT support, freeing up their internal IT Manager to focus on higher-level initiatives, while also providing boots on the ground at their remote locations as needed. The partnership also delivered measurable business benefits, such as cost savings, better resource management, and the ability to scale efficiently, helping O&N advance their goals for continued growth and success.

Services Delivered:	Co-Managed IT Support	Strategy & Alignment	Cloud Migration Services

BACKGROUND

O’Donnell & Naccarato (O&N) is a leading and employee-owned structural engineering firm headquartered in Philadelphia. With more than 125 employees and growing, O&N operates nationally with offices across 7 major cities. O&N has strong experience in every major vertical construction sector and supports the entire lifecycle of a building, starting with the initial structural design to renovations and ultimately to restoration.

CHALLENGES

Prior to working with Proper Sky, O&N relied on an internal IT Manager to handle day-to-day IT issues. As the organization expanded nationally, its IT needs grew significantly. The workload became unmanageable for a single person and the lack of onsite support in those remote offices was an area they knew they needed to address.

Recognizing the need to modernize their IT infrastructure, O&N aimed to transition to a Modern IT cloud environment. However, they lacked the internal expertise, particularly in Microsoft Azure, to make this move effectively. To address this and lighten the load for their IT Manager, they sought external help by outsourcing various IT functions to multiple vendors. One vendor was tasked with migrating from an on-premises server to the cloud, another managed networking devices, and Proper Sky was brought in to provide help desk support and expedite a large-scale laptop deployment for all  users.

When Proper Sky began their engagement, they quickly realized that O&N lacked historical IT data and had limited visibility into past IT issues. They did not have a ticketing system in place and maintained minimal documentation. At the time, most problems were resolved on an ad-hoc basis, without a structured approach.

The numerous ongoing IT projects were dealt with on a reactionary basis which contributed to a never-ending stream of tasks. With resources spread across three vendors and some responsibilities handled internally, O&N struggled to establish a cohesive IT strategy, making it difficult to align IT initiatives with core business values or to focus on strategic goals.

Several other challenges compounded the situation. O&N’s equipment was outdated, and a particularly problematic VPN solution that hindered employees’ ability to collaborate with external vendors or to work effectively in the field with clients and partners.

Finally, upon further evaluation, Proper Sky identified significant security gaps that required immediate attention, adding a layer of urgency to Proper Sky’s response.

SOLUTION

Strategy and Alignment

Proper Sky implemented a comprehensive IT solution to address O&N’s IT challenges. By consolidating cloud consulting, networking, and helpdesk support under one roof, Proper Sky was able to streamline several processes, simplify management of their existing IT systems and enhance overall operational efficiency.

The first step was to create an IT roadmap tailored to O&N’s needs. This helped to prioritize their IT investments, tackling the most critical issues first while aligning with O&N’s budget and business goals. By laying out a clear timeline and focusing on the most impactful projects first, Proper Sky ensured that each initiative provided maximum value.

To increase transparency and accountability, Proper Sky implemented a robust ticketing system. This allowed O&N’s leadership to track IT activities in real-time, providing visibility into task completion, resource allocation, and real-time progress being made. This system empowered O&N’s leadership to see tangible results and understand the steps being taken to resolve their IT issues.

The presence of a Virtual CIO and dedicated account manager helped bridge the gap between technical jargon and business. By explaining complex technical issues in a way that made sense to O&N’s business leaders, Proper Sky ensured that all stakeholders were aligned and that decisions were made with full understanding.

Upgrade & Optimize IT Environment

Proper Sky assumed full management and support of O&N’s Azure cloud infrastructure—and was able to cost-optimize the cloud environment while improving operations and security.

The outdated VPN solution was replaced with a more reliable and secure option, greatly improving remote access and collaboration capabilities. Proper Sky automated software updates, making the work experience hassle free for O&N’s staff.

Additionally, the printing process was streamlined with centralized servers and Proper Sky migrated O&N’s legacy PBX system to Microsoft Teams Phone. These upgrades not only resolved ongoing issues but also positioned O&N for greater efficiency and scalability in the future.

Finally, O&N implemented a robust Zero Trust cybersecurity framework. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) was introduced across all networking equipment and applications, and Microsoft 365 was set up with centralized management. By adopting a least privilege access model and removing overly permissive access controls, Proper Sky significantly hardened O&N’s defenses against potential threats.

Co-Managed IT Support

Proper Sky continues to provide ongoing co-managed IT support, which has proven to be a game-changer for O&N. This partnership not only provided an escalation point for the IT Manager, but also a dedicated project team, ensuring that O&N had the expertise needed to tackle any future challenges. By taking over the helpdesk responsibilities, the IT Manager now has more time to focus on more strategic initiatives.

RETURN

The partnership with Proper Sky has proven to be a significant business driver for O&N, turning their IT infrastructure from a point of strain to a drive of business growth. While the initial investment in modernizing their IT systems required upfront costs, the long-term benefits have been substantial, better positioning O&N for scalable growth and improved operational efficiency.

One of the most immediate returns was seen in time and productivity. The laptop deployment project, which would have taken six months to complete internally, was finished in just six weeks with Proper Sky’s assistance. This drastic reduction in time not only saved O&N considerable resources but also allowed them to reinvest those savings into other strategic initiatives, accelerating their overall business growth.

Solving the VPN issue had a profound impact on day-to-day operations. With a modern, reliable VPN solution in place, employees can now work in their Autodesk software without the constant disruptions and frustrations they previously faced. This improvement has led to higher productivity, reduced stress, and greater ability to complete projects on time and within budget.

O&N employees are particularly pleased with the rapid response and resolution, and having a dedicated team of technicians ready to assist in real-time has made a noticeable difference in their work experience.

O&N retains the benefits of an onsite IT resource while leveraging Proper Sky’s team to handle any issues that require escalation or onsite national presence. O&N no longer has to worry about flying out to Miami or Indiana; the Proper Sky team handles that.

Eliminating downtime has been another critical achievement. With the shift to the modern cloud infrastructure and support, O&N has minimized IT-related disruptions, saving the company significant costs, and the near elimination of downtime has directly contributed to the bottom line.

Additionally, Proper Sky’s consolidation of O&N’s Microsoft 365 licensing has brought both clarity and cost savings. By centralizing billing, O&N gained better insight into their software usage, allowing them to optimize their plan and eliminate wasted, unused licenses. This not only streamlined their billing processes but also resulted in substantial savings on annual subscriptions.

With the help from Proper Sky’s ongoing IT Support, O&N’s IT environment is secure, up-to-date, and aligned with their evolving business needs, enabling the organization to stay focused on its core objectives while leaving the technical complexities in capable hands.

Consolidating outsourced IT services under one umbrella has delivered measurable returns for O&N, enhancing their IT capabilities and enabling the company to scale efficiently, improve employee satisfaction, and achieve greater business success.

“Partnering with Proper Sky has been a game changer for O&N. Their strategic IT support has allowed us to achieve our growth goals without missing a beat,” says Scott Bauer, Vice President at O’Donnell & Naccarato. “Particularly their ability to be the boots on the ground across our national locations as we continue to expand has been extremely helpful. Armed with a responsive and dedicated IT support team we’ve now increased company-wide productivity, and operations are running seamlessly,” Bauer added.