Texaport's transformative IT solutions for Mind Tools' independent journey

IT Services

Key overview

Industry: E-Learning

Services

Microsoft 365 support

Cyber security

IT consultancy

IT procurement

Hardware deployment

Data migration

Results

Complete data migration

Hardware successfully deployed to all end users

Microsoft 365 licensing

Cyber security stature bolstered

The client

Mind Tools is a leading provider of on-demand resources to build better managers with trusted, instant support and practical, time-efficient learning experiences. They are committed to giving their users the tools they need to build their skills, enhance their professional growth and find fulfilment at work. Before we began working with them, Mind Tools had been operating as a product and service brand of a parent company.

Texaport helped Mind Tools at a critical stage in their business journey. They were separating from a parent company and needed a managed IT partner that could give them the flexibility to become independent.

man writing notes on wall

The challenge

The parent company from which Mind Tools was separating had an internal IT team that had been overseeing Mind Tools’ IT environment. In order to succeed and grow as a separate business, Mind Tools was looking to outsource its IT services, infrastructure and support to an external partner.

Their company data could only be accessed through the parent company which made collaboration challenging and added an additional layer of process when granting permissions to subcontractors.

Mind Tools work closely with an international network of contractors, and ten out of their 85 employees are based in the US. To reflect the company’s global footprint, they wanted to make the move away from hybrid towards remote working.

Additionally, Mind Tools wanted to ensure their IT environment was sufficiently secured from cyber threats, and provision new company laptops suited to the daily needs of their team members.

Mind Tools was looking for trusted IT experts to help them overcome these challenges. They were keen to partner with an MSP with outstanding customer service, that understood their requirements and challenges, and was invested in the satisfaction of every user. They found Texaport to be a perfect fit.

The solution

Enterprise data migration

From the outset of the partnership, Texaport provided holistic IT consultancy to Mind Tools to draw up a plan for the data migration. This was a collaborative process, involving regular meetings and open communication.

Our Microsoft 365 consultants helped Mind Tools choose a licence that would enable them to fulfil business functions and remain compliant. We designed a new structure for their Teams and SharePoint, built around their needs and desired outcomes.

We successfully completed this sizable, business-critical migration of enterprise data including OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams and over 150 email mailboxes. All of this to a tight deadline and with no disruption to business operations.

White glove hardware deployment

Alongside the data migration, we handled the hardware procurement for Mind Tools’ teams in the UK and US. By considering their user requirements, Texaport made recommendations of hardware.

We then planned and executed the remote deployment of over 100 cross-platform devices, directly to each member of staff. Using Windows Autopilot, we ensured that the laptop setup experience was seamless for every user, with emails, documents and shared resources immediately available upon signing in.

The new hardware was rolled out across the international workforce without any interruption to day-to-day business activities. This was a key step in Mind Tools’ transition to remote working.

Holistic Cyber security

We developed a bespoke cyber security package for Mind Tools, implementing a managed detection and response solution (MDR). An advanced threat detection system was established to proactively monitor for threats and take action against suspicious activity.

This system was deployed across Windows and Mac OS creating a cross-platform environment to protect Mind Tools’ users around the world. It is backed up by our dedicated team of cyber security specialists to provide 24/7 assurance.

“Texaport provided a superb service throughout the preparation, go live and post live activities of the project. Feedback from employees and the senior leadership team were very complimentary on how smooth and easy the transition was”

James Pritchard Programme Manager, Mind tools

The results

Texaport enabled Mind Tools to become independent from their parent company and to develop a distinct identity as a standalone brand. They have successfully transitioned to the remote work model that best suits their teams today and sets them up for future growth. Their teams can now collaborate more effectively and innovate without limitations.

Mind Tools see Texaport as an approachable IT service provider, who will go over and above to look after their staff. Texaport’s security first IT solutions also put Mind Tools in a strong position to bid for new work with confidence underpinned by a solid security posture.

The combination of an enterprise grade data migration, international deployment of hardware, and exceptional customer service, has established Texaport as Mind Tools’ long term partner.