Astec IT Support – Replacing Chaos with Structure for a Mid-Sized Manufacturer
Background & Challenge
A mid-sized manufacturer came to Astec with no internal IT team, no support structure, and no ticketing system in place. IT issues were being handled reactively, often by non-technical staff, and there was no clear escalation route or visibility over what was (or wasn’t) being done. The result was constant disruption, rising costs, and no room to plan for the future.
Initial Assessment
Astec’s first step was to understand the client’s current environment, identify key issues, and define a support structure that would work for their business.
- NDA & Access: We signed a non-disclosure agreement and were granted temporary access to the environment in order to carry out a comprehensive audit.
- Infrastructure Review: Our team assessed the entire environment, including existing hardware, user permissions, network infrastructure, cloud infrastructure, security posture, and support processes.
- Pain Point Identification: During early conversations with key stakeholders, a recurring issue affecting most devices was highlighted. Our engineers then carried out a quick sampling of endpoints and identified the root cause—confirming this was a critical item to address early on. In addition, it was noted that their current file sharing system was slow, unreliable and disorganised.
- Expectation Setting: We held structured discovery sessions with business leaders to understand their support expectations and operational requirements. This ensured we could tailor the service to reflect what mattered most to them, including setting clear response priorities based on the nature of their work.
Proposal Stage
Using the audit findings, we created a tailored proposal to address both immediate needs and longer-term goals:
- Standard Helpdesk + Named Engineers: As part of our core service, the client received access to our expert helpdesk team, available during business hours. In addition, we assigned two named engineers who would work closely with the business—delivering a consistent experience and building strong relationships with users.
- Proactive Monitoring & Automation: We proposed full device monitoring, alerting, patch automation and health checks—allowing us to identify and resolve issues before they became disruptive.
- Routine Maintenance Schedule: A weekly plan for updates, reboots and system housekeeping to keep the infrastructure in a healthy, secure state.
- Identified Device Issue – Day One Fix Plan: We included a detailed plan to resolve the major recurring issue identified during the audit. This fix would be actioned from day one of the service.
- Strategic Project Recommendations: We proposed additional services to improve cyber security, efficiency, and flexibility across the business:
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (EDR)
- SOC (Security Operations Centre) rollout
- Defender Anti-Spam configuration
- SaaS cloud backup deployment
- Migration from on-prem file shares to SharePoint
Service Launch & Onboarding
- Internal Communication: We helped the business prepare an announcement to staff, explaining the new support process and what to expect.
- Welcome Emails: Astec then sent personalised welcome emails to all staff, introducing who we are, how we can help, and the different ways users can get in touch for support.
- Issue Logging: We created tickets for all known issues inside our PSA (ticketing system) to prioritise and track resolution.
- Device Management: Our RMM (Remote Monitoring & Management) tool was deployed to all company devices, enabling monitoring, control, and secure remote support.
- Contact Setup: All user contact details were gathered, VIPs identified, and recorded for prioritised handling.
- Password Management: Key credentials were securely captured and stored in our password vault.
- Alert Routing: All systems capable of generating alerts were configured to notify Astec directly.
Service Go-Live
- Issue Resolution Begins: Our team began working through the open tickets gathered during onboarding.
- Support Goes Live: The helpdesk became fully operational, and users began receiving responsive, expert support.
- Projects Kick Off: All agreed strategic projects from the proposal were initiated in a staged, managed rollout.
Post-Onboarding & Ongoing Service
- The service remains collaborative and flexible—focused on providing real-time support while helping the business plan ahead with confidence.
- Dedicated Account Manager: The client has direct access to a named account manager for any escalations, commercial queries, or strategic discussions that fall outside of day-to-day support—ensuring they always have someone to speak to.
- Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs): Regular reviews were established to ensure the service stays aligned with the business’s evolving needs. Each session covers roadmap and budget planning, future project recommendations, and provides a platform for continuous feedback—allowing Astec to adapt, refine, and improve the service as the business grows.
- During the first QBR, we highlighted additional gaps and made tailored recommendations to further strengthen their infrastructure and resilience against cyber attacks.
Outcome
- Empowered Business: With a personal, responsive IT service in place, the client is free to focus on growing the business.
- Operational Efficiency: IT no longer slows the business down. Staff are supported, systems are stable, and issues are resolved quickly.
- Realistic Roadmap Planning: IT improvements are now planned in a structured way, aligned to business priorities and budget.
- Tailored & Flexible: The service is built around how the business works—not a one-size-fits-all approach.
- Cost Savings: By replacing informal, reactive IT handling with structured support, the business gained financial control and reduced emergency fixes.
“Since partnering with Astec, IT is no longer a daily distraction — we feel in control, supported, and confident that issues are being handled properly.”
