How ConnectWise Helps Aurora IT

The Challenges That Come with Growth

After more than a decade of growth in the cybersecurity industry, Aurora IT was facing a crossroads. The company was being recognized both for its consistent client growth and commitment to the surrounding community. Internally, though, Aurora struggled with organizing its operations into one centralized location. “We were using a multitude of different tools at the time, and it was hard to maintain tracking of hours, tracking of products, and maintaining a history that was easily accessible and reportable,” said Ron Swain, Controller at the Torrance, CA-based company.

Aurora’s IT department was actively hunting for a tool that would meet their needs, but their first tries were unsuccessful. “There was a lot of pain trying to get that done,” Swain said of one attempted solution. “It didn’t require the level of customization that was going to be necessary to make another tool work.”

On a recommendation, Aurora IT reached out to ConnectWise. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Getting Involved in the ConnectWise Community

After several rounds of trial and error, Aurora chose and implemented ConnectWise Manage. Almost 10 years later, it’s still their tool of choice. Swain said the decision to partner had more benefits than just the software. The ConnectWise partner community has also played a huge role in their success.

Swain said he chats with fellow ConnectWise partners often to learn about their experiences, see how they’re using the tools, and learn best practices. “The ConnectWise partners are a very friendly bunch and give you information on everything,” Swain said. “That’s something you don’t necessarily get with every tool that you have.”

Swain has found the same level of camaraderie in the IT Nation, a place he frequently turns for answers. Access to like-minded peers has allowed him to keep from reinventing the wheel or missing out on a quick fix. Swain knows that if it’s a challenge Aurora IT is facing, it’s likely that someone else has faced (and solved) it first. “There’s always some nugget that I’ve been able to either take back and implement immediately or just save in the back of my head for when a situation pops up.”

The Future: Easy Integration

For now, Manage is the only ConnectWise tool in the Aurora IT arsenal. One of the advantages of the partnership, though, is the understanding that ConnectWise’s other tools will integrate seamlessly when the time comes. “Even if we’re not using it, knowing there’s something we can add on that’s not necessarily going to break everything else is a positive,” Swain said.

Swain’s advice for other businesses in search of the right tools? Do your homework, create a plan, and follow it. Don’t turn on a tool without a total understanding of how you’re going to implement it. “That’s the way it’s going to give you the most value.”

The Success Is in the Numbers

More than a decade after the partnership began, ConnectWise is still able to meet Aurora’s ever-evolving needs, and it’s not just talk — Swain said the business’ revenue has grown threefold.

“It’s so integrated into the business that I couldn’t imagine what it would be like without ConnectWise,” said Swain. Without it, “I think we would probably still be puttering around as the small break-fix company that we were before.”