Adam Lloyd, President & CEO of Pioneer Technology
Back in 2015, I was managing the IT department of a long-term care provider. We decided early on to adopt the latest technology trends to stay ahead of the curve, which was not always the norm in the long-term post-acute care industry. We looked to IT as a value-added part of the business rather than simply as a budgeted cost center. The goals we had for the business were clear: to keep our costs low, to create stable and secure infrastructure and networks at all locations, to ensure hold times were averaging between 1-5 minutes or less for most Service Desk issues, and to ensure patient care was not negatively impacted, and in fact, made better through our services.
Our IT model was based on a few things:
(1) Use of the cloud and other SaaS solutions and applications where practical
(2) Optimized security for HIPAA compliance and patient/resident data protection
(3) User experience from desktops to networks was a major focus: reliable connectivity, security, and redundancy
This, combined with our innate knowledge of LTPAC, ensured the model was repeatable and effective in addressing the needs of long-term care IT.
Once we established this model, it became apparent there would be a market for this with other long-term care organizations (and even other industries). I created a business plan and performed the due diligence necessary to identify the costs, operational considerations, SWOT analyses, and more. Eventually, I pitched to ownership that a new, separate entity would better serve and better scale as a spin-off or sister company versus a budget-driven IT department. Thankfully they agreed and in late 2015, Pioneer Technology, an end-to-end MSP for long-term care, was born.
One of the biggest strengths we have maintained since inception is we try to operate as much like an internal IT department as we can for our customers, relating to cost considerations, efficiencies, scalability, and more. Also, we do not make recommendations for services or solutions that we would not implement were we in the CIO/IT Director hot-seat. In other words, we do not simply choose higher margins over the right fitting solution, even if it means we make less money. The flip-side is we have a lot more flexibility to introduce new methodologies and technologies so that our repetitive and scalable model is always getting better. We focus on building core business partnerships with high-end vendors and service providers for consistency, but we will not hesitate to branch out with new ones if our current providers do not offer the perfect solution for our clients.
As a former CIO, I learned the importance of a strong team, the pitfalls of choosing solutions purely based on price, and other important management lessons along the way. As I lead an MSP today, I realize that the two models are not all that far from one another in that both aim to solve IT issues and improve the quality of “X” for our customers’ customer. The difference is we rely on the success we have with our customers to help raise the tide for all ships. We are a lot more flexible and scalable, with the added benefit of the experiences we had as a former IT department – which means we understand what our clients go through, how they think, and how to navigate these issues. We strive hard to remember we would be nowhere without our clients and their dedicated IT employees who know their limitations and allow us the opportunity to add value and make the biggest impact. We are incredibly thankful for these opportunities, and they keep us hungry to continue our mission of delivering best-in-class customer service paired with innovative, professional, and quality IT managed services while focusing on integrity, earning client trust, doing the right thing, and going the extra mile for our client’s success.
If you are looking for a true business partner to assist you on your information technology journey, we would be humbled by the opportunity to discuss your specific needs. Contact our team today!
-Adam Lloyd, CEO & President