Case Study: Empowering a Creative Agency with Managed Service & Security

Client Overview

A cutting-edge creative agency in Portland, OR, specializing in branding, digital campaigns, and multimedia production. With a fast-paced environment and high-profile clients, the agency needed IT systems as innovative and dependable as its design work.

The Challenge

As their creative talent scaled, so did their technology headaches:

• Limited Internal IT Resources: The team had one part-time tech-savvy staffer juggling help desk duties—on top of their actual job.
• Outdated Infrastructure: Legacy servers and slow machines bogged down productivity and led to frequent crashes during large file renders and video production.
• Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities: Sensitive client content and proprietary assets lived on unprotected systems with no centralized control or backup.
• Scalability Constraints: The agency needed IT that could grow with them—without a six-figure capital investment.

The Solution: Partnering
with SMB Technologies

SMB Technologies delivered a Managed Service & Security solution that balanced creativity with control. Here's how:

1. Infrastructure Modernization

• Replaced legacy systems with high-performance workstations tailored for design, video, and digital production.
• Migrated assets to secure, cloud-based collaboration platforms, optimizing remote and in-house workflows.

2. Advanced Cybersecurity Implementation

• Firewalls, MFA, encrypted backups, and endpoint protection created a secure perimeter.
• Security awareness training ensured the team didn’t fall victim to phishing (or fall asleep during it).

3. 24/7 Monitoring & Responsive Support

• SMB’s Help Desk and monitoring services kept everything running day and night—because creatives don’t exactly work 9 to 5.
• Real-time issue resolution minimized downtime during critical deadlines.

4. Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity

• A full backup and recovery plan meant no more "We lost the client’s campaign folder" nightmares.
• Secure version control allowed teams to restore previous iterations of work—saving both time and face.

5. IT Strategy & Consulting

• SMB advised on scalable, budget-friendly tech roadmaps that supported creative growth.
• Smart licensing, cost-effective hardware recommendations, and ongoing optimization kept budgets and bandwidth in check.

Results

• 35% Drop in Downtime: Faster devices and proactive support kept teams creating, not troubleshooting.
• Stronger Security Posture: Client trust increased, thanks to demonstrable compliance and secure workflows.
• Cost Savings: Outsourcing IT eliminated the need for in-house hires and infrastructure overhauls.
• Scalable Systems: As the agency grew, their tech scaled with them—zero growing pains.
• Happier Creatives: No more waiting for files to load or software to crash mid-edit.

Conclusion

"We build buildings. We don’t want to be in the IT business. SMB Technologies gave us a system that just works — in the office, in the field, on the fly. That’s made a huge difference in how fast we can turn around projects and keep clients happy."
— Tony Ramirez, Director of Operations, Anderson Westbrook Construction Group