Prevail Business Services Holdings, LLC is an accounting company with offices in five states. They specialize in proactive fixed-fee accounting for small and midsized businesses. Their services include bookkeeping, financial reporting, tax preparation, payroll services, and more. Prevail's strategy focuses on growth through the acquisition of accounting businesses, integrating their clients and workforce into Prevail's operational model.
As a result of Prevail’s acquisition strategy, they saw a need for a skilled and reliable IT partner in order to address the many challenges involved in integrating different parts of the company together. These challenges included:
Multiple IT vendors supporting each location with different ticketing systems and processes.
Separate email servers and Microsoft 365 tenants, leading to license management issues.
Fragmented file systems
Users across multiple Active Directories
A mix of separate application servers and cloud services
Distinct office networks with varying equipment and configurations.
These disparate IT systems and vendors resulted in issues with inter-office communication and collaboration, and a lack of centralized management for core IT processes.
The first major hurdle Snyder addressed was consolidating disparate email and communication systems. The goal was to establish a new Microsoft tenant to bring together all licensing, emails, and Teams communication into one platform. The process involved a complete review of users, aliases, licenses, and shared mailboxes for each location. Then, site-by-site, the email migrations were completed off-hours to minimize staff interruption.
Prevail had a mix of on-premise and cloud infrastructure, with each location having its own unique configuration established before they were acquired. Prevail’s goal was to decommission all on-premise infrastructure and institute a cloud-first approach.
The on-premise servers included differing versions of Windows Server from 2008-2016, largely running various QuickBooks and Thomson Reuters applications. Microsoft Azure was chosen as the cloud platform for consolidation. a comprehensive migration strategy that involved assessing the existing infrastructure, determining the best approach for each application, and executing a phased migration to Azure. Critical applications were carefully transitioned to virtual machines in Azure, ensuring minimal downtime and maintaining data integrity throughout the process.
Each location also had its own legacy Active Directory, creating challenges in user management, security, and operational efficiency. Our team undertook a comprehensive project to consolidate all users and PCs into a single Microsoft Entra/Active Directory environment. This consolidation involved migrating user accounts, establishing consistent group policies, and standardizing security protocols across the board. The result was a streamlined IT environment that enhanced collaboration, simplified management, and fortified security, ensuring that all 75+ employees could operate seamlessly within the unified system.
Apart from applications, the on-premise servers were also being used as file servers, making intra-company file sharing difficult. Part of the company was already on SharePoint, and the rest of the locations needed to be assimilated into a global structure.
The Snyder team worked with Prevail leadership to design a system of multiple SharePoint sites, folder structures and security groups. Each file server was carefully backed up and migrated into SharePoint before training staff on new processes. Apart from finding their files, Snyder helped staff take advantage of Microsoft 365’s modern features for file sharing, collaboration, version history, etc.
By the end of the migration, over 4TB of files were successfully migrated into a central SharePoint for all staff to access.
By partnering with Snyder, Prevail greatly simplified their ongoing IT management. Initially, there were 5 different managed services vendors, each operating in a different manner. This consolidation to a single vendor meant reaping the benefits of reducing points of contact, helpdesks and billing complexities.
Using Snyder’s suite of ITMSP tools and processes, Prevail’s entire IT landscape benefited from standardization in multiple areas:
Device Management and Patching: By standardizing device management and automating patching across all locations, Snyder ensured that all systems were consistently up-to-date and secure, reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing overall performance.
Centralized IT Documentation: Snyder introduced a centralized repository for all IT documentation, making it easier to access critical information, track changes, and maintain compliance across the board.
Enhanced Security Tools and Policies: Prevail benefited from a uniform deployment of anti-virus software, security tools, and comprehensive policies, providing robust protection against cyber threats and ensuring compliance with industry standards.
Streamlined Remote Access Control: Snyder implemented secure and efficient remote access controls, enabling employees to work flexibly while maintaining the integrity and security of Prevail’s IT systems.
Optimized Onboarding/Offboarding Procedures: The onboarding and offboarding of employees were standardized, ensuring a seamless process that protected company data and minimized disruptions during transitions.
Licensing Management for M365 & Adobe: Snyder took over the management of licenses for Microsoft 365 and Adobe products, optimizing costs and ensuring that all users had the tools they needed without the hassle of manual tracking.
Beyond day-to-day IT management, Snyder’s partnership with Prevail extended into strategic consulting and project execution, ensuring that technology decisions aligned with business goals while optimizing costs. From the outset, Snyder provided expert guidance on a range of critical initiatives, helping Prevail navigate complex decisions with confidence.
One notable project was the overhaul of Prevail’s phone systems. Snyder consulted closely with Prevail’s leadership to evaluate their existing telephony infrastructure, identifying inefficiencies and proposing a shift to a more cost-effective, cloud-based solution. This transition not only reduced operational costs but also enhanced communication capabilities across all locations.
In addition to telephony, Snyder played a key role in consulting on various system integrations, ensuring that newly acquired entities were seamlessly integrated into Prevail’s IT ecosystem. This included advising on the integration of CRM systems, financial software, and other key applications, allowing for a unified and efficient workflow across the entire organization.
Snyder’s consultative approach extended to cost control measures as well. By conducting regular audits and assessments, Snyder identified opportunities for cost savings in licensing, infrastructure, and cloud services. Recommendations were made to optimize existing resources, renegotiate vendor contracts, and eliminate redundancies, resulting in substantial cost reductions without compromising service quality.
Through ongoing strategic guidance and a focus on cost efficiency, Snyder has empowered Prevail to make informed technology decisions that support long-term growth, ensure operational resilience, and maximize return on investment.
Partnering with Snyder enabled Prevail to streamline their IT operations, consolidating multiple systems and vendors into a unified, efficient infrastructure. The successful migration to a singular Microsoft Entra/Active Directory and the integration of cloud services provided Prevail with a scalable, secure foundation to support their growth.
Snyder's strategic guidance also resulted in significant cost savings, from optimizing licensing and consolidating phone systems to standardizing device and security management. This partnership has not only addressed Prevail's immediate IT challenges but also positioned them for sustainable success, allowing them to focus on delivering exceptional accounting services while confidently managing future growth.