Rapid-Span is a leading manufacturer of steel and concrete infrastructure products based in western Canada. The company faced IT challenges in managing its complex systems internally. By outsourcing IT services to F12.net, Rapid-Span successfully transformed its IT infrastructure to save money and improve productivity.
The Challenge:
Rapid-Span‘s in-house IT team struggled to keep pace with the demands of its intricate systems. Due to the limitations of a small-scale in-house IT team, on-site assistance and timely fixes were difficult to achieve and made it challenging to schedule projects and developments, especially when staff members are consistently addressing unforeseen break-fix issues. “With an in-house team, you’re limited to their specific skill set and capacity,” says Steve Buburuz, production manager at Rapid-Span, who now manages the IT relationship with F12.net. The company needed a solution that could provide a diverse set of skills to maximize support for its intricate IT needs for staff spread between multiple offices and remote locations.
The Solution:
In 2019, F12 acquired Rapid-Span’s previous IT provider and continued its partnership with Rapid-Span to optimize operations and maintain and improve current systems. Together, F12 and Rapid-Span decided to eliminate in-house IT systems and outsource IT services to F12. This move leveraged F12’s expertise, providing a more flexible and skilled approach to IT support. “The right partner makes all the difference,” says Sandy Lamb, an account executive working closely with Rapid-Span to find a solution to any problem. “F12.net is an IT company that offers rock-solid business technology services backed by award-winning IT support. It’s a winning combination.”
Implementation:
The transition involved moving all technical aspects of IT out of Rapid-Span, entirely removing the need for internal IT staff. F12’s specialization in outsourced IT services allowed them to offer streamlined support remotely, optimizing processes and ensuring a smooth integration of IT services across all locations.
Outsourced IT Services Provided by F12:
As an outsourced IT service provider, F12 has brought several key improvements to complement the previous IT company’s foundation. “The main thing F12 gave us over our previous provider was following best practices, communicating with us, and helping us develop our staff skills and procedures,” says Buburuz. By filling the gaps between each provider, F12 continued to deliver high-quality, reliable, and evolving IT services. They also offered extensive assistance, with an emphasis on network infrastructure and delivering exceptional customer support for 50% of staff who relied on computer systems. The MSP also introduced a “Device as a Service” (DaaS) program, minimizing the need for hardware purchases and reducing downtime when technology wasn’t functioning. “When a computer isn’t functioning, there’s a direct loss of productivity, but there’s also an opportunity cost,” says Buburuz. “So every hour lost is really two.”
Benefits Realized Through Outsourced IT Services:
- 25% reduction in IT budget costs.
- Enhanced communication and collaboration between Rapid-Span and F12.net.
- Streamlined support and reduced downtime, resulting in increased productivity.
- Improved efficiency through the introduction of DaaS, minimizing hardware-related issues.
Challenges and Solutions:
While facing challenges in system configurations and documentation, Rapid-Span and F12 worked collaboratively to improve communication and resolve existing and ongoing issues. Continuous improvement to better support Rapid-Span’s technical needs is an asset. “With our previous IT partnership, there was a lack of communication,” says Buburuz. You have to work at that, because the MSP is not actually in your physical office. But by outsourcing IT services to F12, communication is open and successful. That’s huge for us.”
Return on Investment (ROI):
Rapid-Span experienced tangible ROI by outsourcing IT services: cost reduction of in-house IT and improved efficiency, amounting to about 25% of the IT budget or 5% of the overall budget. The DaaS program further contributed to long-term financial benefits by minimizing hardware-related costs, reducing downtime and improving productivity.
Future Plans:
Rapid-Span plans to continue its partnership with F12 Networks, exploring further opportunities for efficiency gains and proactive IT solutions. “A lot of times people think about IT as this reactive relationship. Something’s broken, fix it,” says Buburuz. “And that can make you feel like you’re on two sides—your company vs your IT provider. That shouldn’t be the case. You should be on the same team, supporting each other. That’s where IT becomes a proactive venture.” The focus remains on building a strong community between the two companies to support ongoing growth.
The collaboration between Rapid-Span and F12 showcases the positive impact of outsourcing IT services to a reliable MSP. By leveraging F12’s expertise, Rapid-Span achieved cost savings, improved efficiency, and a more proactive IT support system, setting the foundation for future growth.
Are you happy with your current MSP? Find out if you qualify for a free IT Security Assessment.
