IT Operations Assessments for Financial Institutions

Optimize your IT operations 

Why should you settle for an assessment that only focuses on the basics? Our advanced operations review digs deeper— removing the barriers to your success and aligning your infrastructure against your institution’s growth goals. 

In a process that takes approximately four to six weeks, our engineers comb through all aspects of your IT operations, interviewing end users, speaking with clients, assessing your current hardware/software lifecycle, reviewing your capacity levels, testing backup strategies, and so much more. We look at where you are, and where you need to go. And we compare those goals and processes against best practices for other high-performing community banks and credit unions. 

When we’re done, we’ll provide you with a detailed breakdown of your immediate, intermediate, and long-term action areas. We look at everything, from staffing to best practices to compliance and more. We create an implementation plan and estimates for everything we suggest. We do all the heavy lifting of estimating and planning, so you’ll have your yearly IT plan, right in hand.  

You’ll have the detailed data you need to present to your board, and all the ammunition you’ll need to get quick approval for your budget and schedule for the year. Work with our Financial Institution Division, and we’ll make sure the path ahead is clear—and you’ve got the right partners to take you there. 

We ask the tough questions—and get the solutions you need

As an MSP that’s worked with hundreds of community banks and credit unions, we’re well versed in the common IT operational gaps many financial institutions experience. Simply put, we know where to look for compliance, security, and efficiency problems that could be holding your institution back. 

We ask tough questions, and dig deep into your entire IT operation, from management, to tools, to performance. We’ll help you address long-standing issues and build new operational objectives, such as: 

• Your IT Succession Plan, to mitigate potential staff changes or support needs 
• Identifying operations Gaps in IT support 
• Improving Your Disaster Recovery response 
• Anticipating regulatory asks, and preparing your institution for the future 
• Leveling up compliance in anticipation of exceeding new asset thresholds 
• Improving user experience and data safety on your systems 

We handle this, and so much more. Put our experience to work for you! 

Answers You Can Rely On  

Our comprehensive system assessment covers all areas of your IT operations. But before we dig into the details, we get to know your business needs first. Then, we craft an assessment that answers the hard questions, in each of these key performance areas: 

Regulatory Compliance 

Do you have the proper cybersecurity tools, procedures, and reporting in place for your FFIEC review? Are you meeting the cybersecurity requirements for your cyber risk insurance?  How far ahead are you, when it comes to regulatory asks coming down the line?  

Network Capacity and Architecture 

Does your system have the speed and storage capacity to run all your platforms and functions? Do you have the right server infrastructure/virtualization configuration, and the redundancy to back it up? Is it scalable for the future? 

Cybersecurity and Cybersecurity Culture 

How well do your current cybersecurity tools measure up against cybersecurity best practice standards for financial institutions? Do you have the proper web/email filters, antivirus systems, intrusion detection, SIEM systems, access management, firewalls, and permissions-based systems?  Does your organization regularly invest in and report on your cybersecurity performance? Do you have the proper patching, testing, and written cybersecurity policies in place? 

User Experience 

How well can your employees and clients navigate your systems? Is it fast enough? Are your users able to accomplish all they need to on your systems, quickly and conveniently? Is your service level optimal?  

Lifecycle Management 

How current is your software and hardware, and do you have compatibility issues looming in your future? Is your schedule and budget optimized for the replacements that are necessary?  

Risk Management 

What are your internal and external risks? What vulnerabilities are inherent in the software and platforms you are using? Have you made the upgrades you need to mitigate these risks, and earmarked enough budget to handle emerging risks? 

Business Continuity 

Are you backing up all your data, quickly and safely? How long would it take to get your systems up and running in the event of a disaster, and is that recovery level fast enough to keep you from losing service or data? Are there written emergency procedures in place, so everyone knows their tasks and roles? Is the current system you’re using for backup robust enough to meet your traffic needs as you grow?  

Staffing 

Is staff augmentation needed to achieve your internal IT service goals? Is your issue resolution timeline in line with industry best practices? What changes or investments need to be made to preserve or improve your internal IT structures? 

Staff Training 

Does your staff complete regular cybersecurity training, and if so, how well do they score? Are they well prepared to work safely on your systems, and avoid common phishing and social engineering threats? 

Third Party Vendor Reviews 

How well do your current vendors merge with your existing systems?  Are your vendors compatible with the planned upgrades in your systems?