The Challenge
E.A. Buck in Honolulu, Hawaii, faced major security hurdles in scaling their operations. As a large-scale financial planning firm, strict compliance guidelines are an integral part of conducting business. However, auditing client accounts while navigating a maze of multi-layered financial security protocols hampered productivity.
The firm hired a consultant to address these issues, but with little experience in IT security or compliance (the primary concerns), these challenges remained. E.A. needed a partner who truly understood how to protect sensitive information while providing secure database access to both in-house and remote-based employees.
Why Servpac
Because of a strong existing relationship with Servpac, migrating additional IT needs and services was easy. Starting in 2011, E.A. Buck moved phone and internet service for their downtown Honolulu office to Servpac. In 2018, the firm added cloud and VDI services to its list of outsourced functions as well.
The collaboration continued to evolve, and in 2020, Servpac’s role expanded into a full IT service provider – managing everything from E.A. Buck’s servers and infrastructure down to desktop support. Around this same time, Servpac helped the financial services firm expand to six additional satellite offices (Kapolei, Kahului, Wailuku, Kona, and Denver), adding secure remote access to each facility.
To address financial compliance and sensitive data concerns, Servpac also enabled a robust, two-factor user authentication platform for accessing the E.A. Buck database.
Solutions Approach
Outsourcing the firm’s IT needs to Servpac proved invaluable on several levels. E.A. Buck eliminated the hassle of dealing with multiple vendors by partnering with a single solution provider to handle all their technology needs. Creating a holistic approach for end-to-end connectivity allowed Servpac to troubleshoot problems more efficiently and take full ownership of the firm’s IT needs.
Customer Service improved as well. Servpac assigned a dedicated Customer Success Manager (CSM) to the E.A. Buck account, thus providing a central point of contact for all inquiries or concerns. The Servpac CSM took the time to understand the firm’s specific business needs (i.e., applications, remote access, security requirements, etc.) and designed a comprehensive solution to address each one.
The Servpac approach allowed E.A. Buck to meet their financial and data security compliance requirements with ease. The firm’s CSM works directly with E.A. Buck employees to complete their annual audits and assists with architecting user roles and active directory permissions in the cloud.
These improvements (combined with reliable, two-factor authentication) provide E.A. Buck employees secure database access for both in-house and remote associates.
Results
Beyond essential improvements in security and compliance, the Servpac/E.A. Buck partnership offers a better user experience and streamlined operational efficiency.
- Office managers avoid the stress of dealing with multiple IT/Telecom vendors.
- Mainland locations seamlessly connect to the Hawaii-hosted central server.
- Remote network management of all devices including infrastructure, PCs, phones, and WiFi.
- Servpac acts as an extension of the E.A. Buck team – offering a true partnership rather than merely a transactional relationship.
- Native scalability options are available as the firm continues to grow.
“For the last several years, we have been able to rely on Servpac expertise rather than hiring six-figure technology leaders and support staff. This has not only enabled us to save on cost, but has also allowed us to be more scalable in other areas of our business,” says Nicole Madosik, Director of Firm Development.
By offloading IT support to Servpac, E.A. Buck is now able to focus on growing their business and expanding their solutions portfolio. They plan to open 50 more offices across the U.S. within the next 10 years.
About E.A. Buck
Founded in 1980, E.A. Buck Co has served as Hawaii’s renowned tax planners and wealth managers for over 40 years. The Honolulu-based financial planner has provided tax planning, social security planning, 401K management, and financial planning services for over 5,000 families. Their mission is to make comprehensive financial planning accessible to people, regardless of their income or backgrounds. They believe everyone should be able to learn the financial strategies of the wealthy.