Dodgy internet, the server running out of space, and slow computers. My first steps into operations started with tackling the IT problems everyone else avoided.
From there, it grew into improving the onboarding experience for new starters by setting up their Macs prior to their first day. Eventually rolling out an intricate new professional services automation (PSA) platform for the agency. That was all prior to becoming Operations Director.
I love tech, so I was happy to take a more hands-on role over the years. But there are a lot of lessons learned along the way, and quite an intricate set of solutions to get in place.
That’s why I’ve been keen to discuss agency IT on the podcast, so we can share insights on what you should have in place as you scale.
Things like:
- Ensuring you have single sign-on (SSO) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) enabled across all platforms that support.
- Why you might choose to complement your cloud storage solutions with on-premise servers if you’re dealing with heavy media files.
- Using mobile device management solutions like Jamf which give you access to ‘zero touch deployment’ to onboard new starters onto their machines, as well as manage and offboard those machines when required.
- Seeking accreditations like Cyber Essentials Plus, CIS Benchmarks or ISO 27001 proactively can help you secure contracts with global clients when they come knocking.
- Why it’s so important that your team is educated against ‘social engineering’ scams that can cause serious financial and reputational damage.
For this chat, we had Dan Timmiss, Technical Director from managed services provider, Kaizen IT Solutions join us. Kaizen specializes in supporting the agency market with their unique requirements.
Any lessons learned or must-have IT requirements from your experience? Share your tips with the community in this post on Linkedin.
Agency Hackers Webinar Thursday 19th September! I’ll be presenting about increasing productivity in the workplace at an Agency Hackers webinar tomorrow. Please RSVP – I’d love to see you there.ere.ear what’s worked well for you. Reply to this email and let me know, I’d love to hear from you.
Until next time,
Harv Nagra
Ops consultant & former agency ops director
🎧 The Handbook: The Agency Operations Podcast:
Dan Timmiss is the Technical Director at Kaizen IT Solutions. With over two decades of experience, Dan has helped hundreds of creative agencies optimize and manage their IT setups, from audits to complete IT overhauls and supporting scaling teams.
In this episode, Dan shares IT best practices to ensure every agency is set up to scale.
Read the key takeaways below or listen to the full episode.
Key Takeaways:
ISO27001 shows clients that you have strong security measures in place. This is useful when working with corporate clients that require high levels of security. (31:42)
SSO (Single Sign-On) simplifies login by allowing users to access everything with a single password. It streamlines onboarding and offboarding and lets you quickly enable or disable user access with just one click. (10:40)
MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) or 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) adds an extra layer of security to protect your team during sign-in. (12:27)
You have the option to use both cloud-based services and on-premise servers. Active projects can be stored in the cloud, giving everyone access from anywhere. While archived data can be kept on-premise in a NAS box or server. Multiple backup options are available for added security. (12:45)
An MDM (Mobile Device Management) lets you manage devices remotely by controlling settings, applying restrictions, and deploying apps. This helps ensure everything stays secure, well-managed, and up to date. (15:21)
Phishing is the most common security issue Dan sees. Google has a phishing training course which is great for new starters. (24:48)
MDR (Managed Detection and Response) and XDR (Extended Detection and Response) solutions monitor for unusual behavior and can automatically shut down a machine when a threat is detected. (27:07)
Learn more:
📕 Case Study
Learn how Scoro helped this agency meet their ambitious growth plans with improved data transparency and reporting.
💡 Scoro Integrations
Scoro integrates with your tech stack – plug in your accounting software, HR platform, CRM and more.
🔎 Help Center
Ensure your Scoro site is secure – learn how to set up MFA, SSO, and manage your team’s access rights.
