Challenge: They were wasting time switching between five different applications, had no insight into non-billable time and they had no way of managing their recurring contracts.

Solution: Accelo eliminates the switching between applications, facilitates time tracking with the time management and timers module and streamlines recurring contracts with the retainer’s module.

Results: Thanks to Accelo, SDTEK now has an all-in-one solution that captures all of their billable and non-billable time, gives them full visibility into their tasks and projects and allows them to continue providing the caliber of support their clients expect as they scale.

Being Able To Walk The Walk, Finally

Founded in 2007, SDTEK is a San Diego-based managed service provider whose primary focus is to show small business how they can utilize IP technology to increase productivity and streamline communications, while offering flexible, integrated solutions that reduce costs. For more than 5 years SDTEK’s founder Scott Starost worked hard to innovate with the use of modern cloud technology, but was continually frustrated by the multiple, disparate and non-integrated solutions he was using.

By 2012, the technology being used to run core operations at SDTEK had grown to more than five different applications, and besides the obvious inefficiency, frustration and duplication, management had a bigger problem: no insight into their utilization, profitability and no way to manage their critical recurring service contracts.

Early to embrace the cloud, Scott found his approach - a common one - of implementing a number of software tools to do different jobs, had in effect, created a jumbled, confusing and painful mess, which meant they had no way to track their time and keep their employees accountable. Having tried the integrated - but terribly outdated and clunky - solutions from vendors like Autotask and Connectwise, Scott longed for a truly integrated PSA that wasn't horrible to use and a decade or more out of date.

Inside The New SDTEK - A Story Of Transition

“SDTEK’s founder worked hard to innovate with the use of modern cloud technology”

Chronicles of a Dream: Integrated But Not OutdatedWhile the option for a business management software was out there, Scott didn't like the idea of rolling back the clock a couple of decades. If SDTEK was going to make a move he wanted it to be the best technology available - he wanted a Professional Service Automation (PSA) tool. The only problem with selecting a PSA was that the main players in the market had clunky, expensive products who had roots in the industry going back as much as three decades. This meant that the benefits of bringing the business together in a single key platform were outweighed by the ease of use and features of the more agile and modern cloud tools he was using.

“I just knew we needed something better to run our business and support our clients.” While Scott was actively shopping on Google Marketplace for a suitable application, he was instantly impressed with Accelo’s functionality, integrations and overall how well it tied to all areas of the business. It was at that point that he decided it was the right application for SDTEK.

Peace of Mind Comes With a Smart SolutionBy implementing Accelo, SDTEK now has a single place to manage all of their client work, which has helped them streamline their business processes. Of course, there are many things accounting, monitoring client devices and email marketing that SDTEK also needs to do, and the integra-tions between QuickBooks, MAXfocus and MailChimp have made operations seamless. “I wanted one application that could tie all of our business processes into one platform and Accelo does that for us and so much more.”

With the implementation of an all-in-one solution, Scott recognizes how effortless it is to manage and track their time and tasks. With the Accelo time tracking module and timers, Scott was able to swiftly identify where misclassifications of billable and non-billable time were occurring amongst his team. “I now have so much insight into our time management - it’s been a huge timesaver for me.” The visibility into time management that the SDTEK team gets with the dashboard and reports has also fostered a sense of accountability for them. “Accelo is always open on every-one’s computer. Everyone on the team can now see the status of all of our projects, tickets and services in real-time. Overall, this kind of visibility has kept everyone on track and has made it easier for us to achieve our goals.”

Ever since SDTEK implemented Accelo, the retainers module has yielded them significant time-saving advantages. There is no doubt that the retainers module within Accelo has enabled his team to easily manage their recurring contracts, billing and time. “I love going into our retainers dashboard and seeing all the things that have been billed against our existing contracts. We used to have to do all of this manually and there was no real system to track retainers and time. It was a lengthy process and it was a real pain.”

A Dynamic Platform for a Constantly Changing WorldBeyond providing an easy solution for their recurring contracts and company wide time tracking, Scott is also impressed with Accelo’s forum and community. This active online customer forum has made it easy for Scott to make suggestions and watch as they come to fruition.

Increase your business efficiencies, eliminate unnecessary administrative costs and maximize your cash flow by contacting us at accelo.com or call 800.425.7315

“Having the ability to create a project based on pre-existing rules and budgets and then easily bill to that project has been a complete lifechanger. The best part is that we can easily show our clients the status of the billable time through the client portal.”

Scott StarostFounder & CEO SDTEK

Scott states, “One of my favorite things about Accelo is how connected the staff is to their customer base and clients. It is so cool to see that my opinions and the opinions of other customers matter in the product planning and I love being a part of that kind of community.”

While discussing how enthralled he is about the product development and advancements, Scott mentioned, “I know that the product is a big priority for Accelo, because there are updates being made every month to enhance the features. It’s not a stale product, like so many other platforms I’ve tried,” he added. “Instead, Accelo is active and they are constantly releasing new features, which keeps me so excited about the product and the future.”

Looking Back, Moving ForwardThroughout the past three years, Scott has gained a new understanding of the impact that Accelo has had on the entire business. With Accelo, Scott reports that his company is saving time with the time tracking module, eliminating errors with the company-wide visibility, facilitating invoices with the easy integration of QuickBooks, and using the retainers module to streamline their recurring contracts. “Accelo has made a dramatic impact on our business. We are achieving our goals, and that’s a great thing to see.” Thanks to Accelo, they are able to capture all of their billable and non-billable time, have full visibility as to what everyone is working on, have the tools they need to continue providing the caliber of support their clients expect, and easily manage their recurring projects and sales.

As SDTEK continues its growth, Scott knows he can rely on Accelo to take his business to the next level and beyond.