TL; DR: NetSource, now part of ConvergeOne, is a Chicago-based hosting and managed services provider that offers enterprise-grade IT solutions at SMB-friendly price points. The company’s offerings range from web hosting and managed services to dedicated servers and colocation solutions. NetSource is positioning SMBs for digital success by offering fully tailored IT solutions and a single point of contact throughout the customer journey.
We’ve known for some time that the ongoing pandemic has and will continue to play a significant role in accelerating digital transformation. Many businesses that were hesitant to invest in cloud infrastructure services prior to 2020 found themselves faced with an ultimatum: take a technical leap in the name of business continuity or perish.
Now, a study from Synergy Research Group is providing data on the extent of COVID-19’s impact on digital transformation — and the findings back up everything the industry has witnessed firsthand.
The research shows that, as of 2019, businesses were spending close to the same amount on cloud infrastructure services as they were on hardware and software for on-premises setups. But by 2020, cloud spending grew a whopping 35% — reaching almost $130 billion. At the same time, purchases of on-premises infrastructure dropped 6% to just under $90 billion.
The data makes it clear that the hosting industry has taken a sharp turn toward cloud and hybrid cloud infrastructure. For some folks in the space, the change has been a long time coming.
“In my early career, everything was on-premises,” John McGovern, Senior Account Executive at NetSource, said. “Then cloud technology began to take off — that’s probably the biggest change I’ve seen. People don’t want to worry about whether their systems are up and running all the time. They want someone else to do that for them.”
NetSource is a fitting hosting provider for current times, offering all-in-one solutions for SMBs in need of affordable enterprise-grade hosting services. The company’s services are run out of two datacenters in Chicago and a specialized disaster recovery facility in Mississippi. With everything from web hosting and managed services to dedicated servers and colocation solutions, NetSource delivers a range of solutions for SMBs of all shapes and sizes.
Hybrid Hosting Solutions Backed by Dedicated Support Agents
NetSource knows that the cloud isn’t for everyone. The company’s affordable hybrid hosting solutions offer the best of both on-prem and cloud infrastructure for SMBs and startups. Best yet, NetSource takes the time to build out the specific plan to make sure its customers succeed.
In the last year, NetSource merged with ConvergeOne, a global IT service provider of collaboration and technology solutions that has partnered with Cisco for more than a decade. By building relationships in the Cisco market through ConvergeOne, the NetSource team is poised to reach an even broader customer base.
One factor that sets NetSource apart from many of its competitors is its support ticket process. Instead of reaching a different support agent every time they contact the company, customers work closely with a dedicated support agent throughout their entire user journey.
This service model can make all the difference when a customer needs help because it eliminates the need to explain and re-explain obstacles. By staying with a customer from start to finish, dedicated agents can quickly cut through the noise and resolve problems fast. And speedy service can be the difference between getting a server up in minutes versus hours.
“The biggest difference in our product is that you get the same person on the phone every time,” John said. “You don’t have to explain the problem or your environment over and over with support — because it’s the same person from onboarding to rollout.”
John’s history with NetSource started when he was a customer himself. NetSource was so impressed by the company’s products and services that he soon joined the team. It’s hard to imagine a better story to communicate the value of the product.
With an approach that includes dedicated, long-term support, NetSource has carved out a unique name for itself in the hosting industry, growing steadily over the last 20 years.
Offering Managed Services and Quick Disaster Recovery
In the two decades since its inception, NetSource has continually worked to ensure its hosting solutions are accessible to customers. The company’s goal is to simplify hosting by offering managed services for companies that don’t want to worry about IT.
Part of that mission involves creating software solutions that make disaster recovery easy.
John said that throwing together a backup and disaster recovery plan at the last minute is no longer a luxury businesses can afford — especially in a pandemic-affected cybersecurity landscape. According to Security Magazine, online breaches in the healthcare sector alone increased by 8% in 2020 compared with the previous year.
“We’ve seen a lot of disaster recovery initiatives and projects over the last six months,” John said. “We’ve made these systems much easier to manage so that it’s as simple as flipping a switch and the system is back up and running. We always listen to our customers to see how we can help them.”
Of course, NetSource is happy to take over every piece of the IT puzzle for companies that don’t have the budget or time to build out internal teams. The company’s goal is not to churn out the easiest product to produce, but rather to use years of expertise to build out bespoke managed solutions. Depending on the customer, that could mean offering everything from hosting tailored to the financial services industry to finely tuned compliance solutions.
Ultimately, NetSource is meeting clients where they are. Demand for managed services is quickly expanding, with Business Wire predicting that the sector will grow by 6.3 percent annually between 2020 and 2025.
It makes sense — companies are saving time and money in the long run by cutting out internal teams and shifting focus to their central value proposition. But not all managed services are created equally. NetSource stands apart for the 20 years of experience under its belt and for offering consistent service at an accessible price.
Next Up: Partnering With ConvergeOne to Extend Services
After merging with ConvergeOne last year, the team at NetSource is excited to expand its customer base while further building out its product line. The merger provides an opportunity for NetSource to strategically leverage the experience and insights of its equally well-established parent company.
“The entire team is excited to leverage the strengths that the ConvergeOne property has, specifically in the Cisco arena,” John said. “We’re planning on leveraging our partnership with ConvergeOne to produce a better product and reach a larger audience.”
Instead of each company dividing its portion of the market, NetSource and ConvergeOne are combining the intelligence of the two teams to build a more holistic solution for customers.
Referring to ConvergeOne, John said, “They’re a big player in the market; it’s nice to have that in your back pocket.”
By partnering with such a prominent industry force, NetSource will continue to offer a unique and valuable service to businesses looking for nuanced solutions to their IT problems.
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