CASE STUDY

From Audit to RFP:

Helping to Prepare for Growth

[NeoLore] creates an environment that offers great service

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Incorporated in 1986, the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre

has grown to provide an extensive range of programs, offering accessible

community, health and social services. The Centre’s expansion has

occasioned an ongoing requirement for operational effi ciencies.

The Centre’s building design and construction wisely anticipated an

increasing need for services: in March 2010, a site plan that included a

new fourth fl oor was submitted to the City. The approved plan added an

additional 6,000 square feet of space.

“It became apparent to us that our I.T. systems really were a patchwork,” says

Cathy Jordan, executive director of the Centre. “The fourth fl oor expansion

was an opportunity to get it ri

ght, to make it much more effi cient. We have

satellite offi ces so it was even more critical that we updated.”

“They were a great help”

To begin, the Centre needed an end-to-end I.T audit and analysis, detailing

the installed infrastructure; it also required a viable go-forward plan — that

would evolve into a Request for Proposal (RFP) for cabling and a voice-

over IP-solution, detailing requirements and expected deliverables. After

evaluating local network management fi rms, the Centre secured the services

of NeoLore Networks Inc.

“We saw it as multiple stages of upgrades that would impact processes

and systems,” says Nancy Allen, the Centre’s

director of corporate services

and fi nance. “NeoLore was there in the beginning. It can be a frustrating

experience with a lot on the go. They were with us every step of the way,

fi nally making sure the RFP was complete and accurate. They were a great help.”

The power of plain language

Cathy suggests that a particular stre

ngth of NeoLore’s was the ability to

translate technical terms and concepts into accurate information easily

understood by non-technical participants. “Everyone at NeoLore, whenever

we contacted them, was able to discuss the development in plain language.

They were very responsive and had an excellent attitude.”

No two network management projects are the same: each organization has

particular demands. It takes experienced, attentive I.T. support to enable

seamless upgrades and maintenance. “One of our major concerns is of

course network security,” Nancy explains. “We deal with a lot of patient

health records, so it’s extremely im

portant that we’re comfortable in that area,

that we have the proper systems in place. With NeoLore, it

was all taken care of.”

In the end, successful business relationships come down to a shared sense

of trust, vision and professionalism. “It’s N

eoLore’s overall culture,” Nancy

explains. “Jim Stackhouse has managed to create an environment that offers

great service. They’re fabulous.”

NeoLore Networks Inc. 2781 Lancaster Rd Suite 302, Ottawa, Ontario K1B 1A7, Tel: (613) 594-9199 Fax: (613) 594-5525 info@neolore.com