Managed IT Solutions Q&A with LINC Project’s CEO – part 1

LINC Project Founder and CEO Ludovic Levivier talks all things for managed IT solutions, service and support. Learn more about how LINC Project evolved and what a typical day looks like for an IT managed services company monitoring the tech in many different companies.

How LINC Project provides Managed IT solutions to help customers grow

LINC Project Founder and CEO Ludovic Levivier

LINC PROJECT’S ORIGINS

QUESTION: How did you get into outsourced IT?

ANSWER: I have an IT engineering diploma from a French university. Back then, outsourcing was mostly reserved for large companies who already understood that IT and technology was in constant movement, and working with the best engineers to manage their systems was a no-brainer.

I was hired by prestigious IT services companies in Europe. These companies helped me to strengthen my technical knowledge, and discover the diverse IT environment, culture and people. I don’t know any other field that could have provided me all this.

QUESTION: How did you come to start LINC Project?

ANSWER: Entrepreneurship has always been a strong desire of mine. I have worked most of my career at the World Economic Forum in Geneva as the head of Outsourcing for Abissa, an IT services company in Switzerland. The client I was in charge of in Geneva decided to grow their NY office while keeping their IT strategy by involving the least amount of contractors as possible on multiple continents.

The opportunity was at my fingertips. I wrote a business plan and convinced my former employer and the client that hiring me as the subcontractor in NY would be beneficial for all of us.

QUESTION: How big is LINC Project right now?

ANSWER: LINC Project is now a team of 10 technicians and engineers speaking five different languages and coming from very different cultures. This diversity is a strength as we respect each other and understand that to listen your teammates and our client is extremely important.

QUESTION: What advantages are there to working with a firm providing managed IT solutions that is your size?

ANSWER: LINC Project is a medium-sized business. The advantage is our flexibility and the ability to pivot. We offer solutions based on the client’s desire, budget or constraints. The responsiveness and knowledge of our engineers is without comparison and that’s what drives our business and earns our clients’ trust.

QUESTION: What problems or issues do people usually have when they call you? How do you help them?

ANSWER: The biggest problem many companies suffer from is the responsiveness and efficiency of the IT support team. When you call a hotline, how painful is it to go from one service to another, from one person to another, until you finally reach the technician who may be able to assist you?

Most of our clients gave us a shot initially by contracting us for IT support for their staff and that’s where our team is so efficient because the first person you will talk to will solve your problem without having to escalate the issue.

The same efficiency and method apply to all our services and it is very common that our contracts expand to Managed IT Services and consultancy with time.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CLIENT WHEN YOU ARE PROVIDING MANAGED IT SOLUTIONS

QUESTION:  In what ways do you help clients?

ANSWER: We work with companies with no IT direction or strategy as well as with larger companies with a dysfunctional process and operations.

Once we get the contract, our goal is to not to disrupt the end-user environment. We work to improve it by updating the systems or implementing new solutions. We also define new process for ongoing operation and maintenance.

Ultimately,  the IT support where we focus on delivering a premium and responsive service.

QUESTION: What have you learned about helping customers since starting LINC Project?

ANSWER: Every single client we are working with was struggling with the quality of service, the after-the- sale service and the flexibility of their IT contractor. Even though the contractor could be a managed IT solutions leader in New York City, most of the time their size is a handicap to their flexibility and to get the right approach with clients. At LINC Project, we focus on delivering premium quality services.

QUESTION: What’s a typical day like?

ANSWER: Our daily morning task at LINC starts by checking to make sure all our clients’ systems are healthy and ready for an efficient and productive day.

Even though we implement automatic monitoring and alerting systems, it is important to keep a manual control and overview of the infrastructure to prevent upcoming failures and issues.

It is then followed by a quick internal meeting to review the ongoing tasks or current problems. During these morning activities, the team remains available by email or by phone to provide our clients’ end users assistance as questions or problems arise.

All our contracts and prices are based on the number of end-users giving us flexibility with multiple technical resources always available at the same time.

We offer premium IT services because your call will always be answered in a matter of seconds, and because your issue will be solved by the answering engineer in the most efficient way.

We work with advanced tools in order to track our efficiency and give our clients all metrics to ensure we stay ahead of the competition in terms of quality, responsiveness, and satisfaction.