From Anchored to Agile: eGroup Streamlines Charleston Stevedoring Co.
About This Project
Charleston Stevedoring
Client
2020
Established in
Charleston, SC
Location
Introduction
Landlubbers may not recognize the term “stevedoring,” but in coastal communities, it means serious business. Stevedoring refers to the important work of moving goods on and off ships by people who keep our supply chain moving.
Consumers rely on cargo ports managed by firms like Charleston Stevedoring Company (CSC). CSC handles every type, size, and shape of cargo in containers traveling in and out of freighters in Charleston, South Carolina. Managing the critical technology at the port is challenging, yet rewarding for CSC’s IT Manager, Kevin Haigler. “We could have up to 25 ‘gangs of labor’ working, and downtime can cost $50,000 an hour.”
Frustrated by the limitations of their previous partner, CSC turned to eGroup Enabling Technologies for their strategic IT needs. That relationship has provided Mr. Haigler and his CSC team with new freedoms, and business value.
“We could have up to 25 ‘gangs of labor’ working, and downtime can cost $50,000 an hour.”
Kevin Haigler (IT Manager, Charleston Stevedoring)
Challenge
Before partnering with eGroup Enabling Technologies, CSC realized:
- Their previous MSP controlled all IT resources.
- CSC had limited ability to manage or change, let alone innovate.
- Simple changes, such as spinning up new virtual machines, were bottlenecks.
- The absence of robust security measures left them vulnerable to cyber threats.
Solution
In less than two years, the eGroup Enabling Technologies team has guided CSC on their journey to a more nimble, secure, and operationally sound co-managed cloud environment. Here are some of the highlights of the partnership.
Migration to a New Microsoft 365 Tenant
Since CSC was unable to access the Microsoft 365 tenant managed by the former MSP, step one was for eGroup to migrate CSC’s users and data to a new Microsoft 365 tenant. This allowed CSC to regain control over their IT environment. eGroup assisted with setting up the new tenant, registering the domain, training admins and users, and ensuring a seamless transition. This migration was crucial in enabling Haigler and his team to manage their IT resources independently and efficiently.
Design and Management of a Meraki Wi-Fi Environment
As a mobile organization, reliable connectivity is critical. “We support coworkers from the office to the bottom of a crane,” highlights Haigler. eGroup played a pivotal role in designing, implementing, testing, and managing CSC’s state-of-the-art Wi-Fi environment. The project included deploying Meraki MX80 firewalls, MR46 access points, and various switches to create an extensive and scalable network infrastructure. eGroup’s engineers set up Meraki to significantly enhance the network’s reliability and performance, providing seamless connectivity and improved operational efficiency for CSC.
Migration to Azure
CSC made the strategic decision to move 100% to cloud services. As a Microsoft Cloud Solutions Provider (CSP), eGroup facilitated CSC’s acquisition, implementation, migration, and management of systems in Azure.
"eGroup moved everything to Azure, but we didn’t notice. I had heard of Azure but didn't know its full potential. It’s opened our eyes to many possibilities."
By utilizing Azure SQL, CSC has achieved enhanced data management and scalability, ensuring that their critical business data is always accessible and secure. A virtual print server has streamlined their printing processes, reducing the need for physical infrastructure and maintenance. Azure Virtual Desktop has provided CSC’s workforce with the flexibility to access their work environment from anywhere, improving productivity and security.
eGroup’s management of Azure has been much more efficient. “It used to take us a week to have our MSP spin up new virtual machines,” recalled Haigler. “With eGroup, it takes 20 minutes.” These Azure services have collectively contributed to a more efficient, secure, and agile IT environment, allowing CSC to focus on their core operations and strategic goals.
“It used to take us a week to have our MSP spin up new virtual machines. With eGroup, it takes 20 minutes.“
Kevin Haigler (IT Manager, Charleston Stevedoring)
Managed IT Services
Before eGroup, CSC’s previous MSP controlled all IT resources and limited CSC’s ability to manage and innovate. The lack of flexibility and slow response times for critical IT needs created operational bottlenecks.
CSC has experienced a new level of flexibility and service with eGroup Enabling Technologies. “We started out using eGroup as Tier 2,” Haigler recalled. “Coworkers would come to me and if I couldn’t help, then I’d go to eGroup. That wasn’t the most efficient method. We did eventually engage eGroup as Tier 1 and it’s been wonderful since then!”
This shift has allowed their team to concentrate on strategic initiatives and innovative projects that drive the company’s growth.
"eGroup allows me to focus more on the niche industry solutions because I know that I'm not going to have to take time to help a user reset their password or worry about if patching is getting done–eGroup is just handling that."
“It could have been bad.”
eGroup’s ThreatHunter service provides Charleston Stevedoring with comprehensive cybersecurity coverage. The ThreatHunters at eGroup implemented Microsoft Defender and Sentinel to monitor and manage potential threats. That investment is paying off with lower risk and fewer attacks. “In the cyber incidents we’ve had since onboarding, eGroup has been extremely responsive with detecting, isolating and quarantining,” Haigler stated.
One notable incident involved a high-level manager who was phished. Kevin sits just 30 feet away from them, but eGroup’s team alerted Kevin first. “It was an adversary in the middle attack,” Kevin recalled. “It could have been bad, but eGroup blocked their device and isolated the account before they were even able to tell me.” By acting quickly, no exfiltration nor further phishing attacks occurred.
Kevin highlighted the peace of mind this brought, and that eGroup handling cybersecurity allows him to focus on strategic initiatives.
"I feel great about eGroup helping us with cybersecurity– Before, I didn’t have any visibility. The cyber experts I've interacted with at eGroup are extremely knowledgeable and explain things in a way that I'm able to understand. They are just excellent to work with."
Microsoft Teams Phone Improves Mobility & Safety
Teams Phone improves the safety and mobility of CSC’s workforce while maximizing the ROI of their Microsoft 365 Business Premium CSP licensing. “We were on a proprietary VoIP system, which wasn’t that great,” stated Kevin. Now, CSC uses Teams Phone system for in/outbound calling and conferencing.
With a highly mobile workforce, having a dedicated office line accessible through the Teams app on personal devices was crucial. This solution protected employees’ privacy and ensured that key personnel were reachable, even outside regular working hours.
Implemented and managed by eGroup, some creative Teams programming has eased administration and improved the safety of dockside operations. eGroup developed a unique script specifically for on-call personnel. “We have safety personnel on call,” Haigler explained. “If a container has a hard landing or ruptures, our safety team needs to know that immediately.” The script looks at the on-call calendar in Outlook and automatically alters the call queue to outcall to the proper person, which changes nightly. This innovation has significantly improved the overall safety and reliability of operations, providing Kevin and his team with the confidence that their people and containers are safe around the clock. “Teams Phone has been really easy to manage.” summarized Haigler.
File Server Migration to SharePoint
Another step in CSC’s cloud journey was the transition from traditional file servers to SharePoint, facilitated by the eGroup Enabling Technologies team. This transition has enabled seamless collaboration and access to documents from anywhere and ensures critical business data is protected and compliant with industry standards.
The move to SharePoint has also reduced the need for physical infrastructure and maintenance, allowing Kevin and his team to focus on more strategic initiatives.
“From a one-man show to a panel of experts.”
The migration to eGroup’s managed services was seamless, yielding significant improvements in resource allocation and operational efficiency. Partnering with eGroup transformed Kevin’s role. “Working with the eGroup is like having a helper, a true partner.” Haigler said. “Instead of being told what we couldn’t do, we now talk about what we can do. When we ask for help or advice, we get solid recommendations, even with our unique needs.” This collaboration allowed CSC to regain control over their IT environment, enabling faster decision-making and implementation of innovative technologies. “I’ve gone from a one-man show to a panel of experts, which is a huge help in decision-making and operations,” cited Haigler.
“I’ve gone from a one-man show to a panel of experts, which is a huge help in decision-making and operations.”
Kevin Haigler (IT Manager, Charleston Stevedoring)
Results
Kevin receives immense value from the regular communications with eGroup Enabling Technologies. He has weekly conversations with his assigned Managed Services engineer, who has been a “huge help” in resolving random issues that Kevin couldn’t figure out on his own.
Additionally, Kevin appreciates the proactive approach of eGroup’s account team, who regularly check in to ensure everything is running smoothly and to discuss any potential improvements. This level of communication and support has been a significant improvement compared to CSC’s past experience.
All of this added value comes at a similar market price to their former MSP.
"Per dollar, we are much happier with our spending now,. It’s been a significant relief. We're getting actual results!"
Conclusion
The strategic partnership with eGroup has empowered Charleston Stevedoring Company to overcome their IT challenges and achieve greater operational efficiency. eGroup’s managed IT and security services have provided Kevin and his team with the freedom to focus on strategic goals, knowing that their IT infrastructure is secure and well-managed. “Having eGroup as my strategic IT partner allows me to focus more on the bigger picture and the goals of our future,” Haigler reported, “instead of the nitty gritty of what we have right now.”
The business value derived from this partnership is evident in the enhanced productivity, reduced downtime, and overall satisfaction of the Charleston Stevedoring team.
Tellingly, in this world of giant cranes, machines that learn, and the ones and zeros of IT, Kevin appreciates the human touch. “I have not met a single person from eGroup that wasn’t a pleasure to talk to. They have all been pleasant people and know what they do well. That’s hard to find in this kind of role.”
“Having eGroup as my strategic IT partner allows me to focus more on the bigger picture and the goals of our future… I have not met a single person from eGroup who wasn’t a pleasure to talk to. They have all been pleasant people and know what they do well. That’s hard to find in this kind of role.”
Kevin Haigler (IT Manager, Charleston Stevedoring)
Regained IT control and agility with a new M365 tenant and Azure migration
Strengthened cybersecurity posture with Sentinel, Defender, and ThreatHunter
Boosted mobility and safety using Teams Phone with custom on-call scripting
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