It’s tough to manage IT, cybersecurity, and cloud systems—not to mention educating your team. That’s why Powell Tool Supply chose Corsica Technologies.
Client
Distributor and service provider for industrial tools
Challenge
Failing IT support and lack of employee cybersecurity awareness
Solution
Comprehensive services for managed IT, cybersecurity, and ongoing training
Results
Full technology support + team confidence about phishing emails
Powell Tool Supply is a family-owned distributor and service provider for precision cutting tools, industrial supplies, and MRO/safety equipment that’s been in business since 1948. The company’s skilled team takes pride in servicing customers to meet their needs, helping them achieve their goals through quality products and process improvements. Powell Tool Supply also supports its customers with VMI (vendor managed inventory), improving MRR (metal removal rate), and by equipping customers with the proper PPE (personal protective equipment) to keep employees safe.
From its origins in the region of “Michiana” and Fort Wayne, IN, Powell Tool Supply continues to expand its product and service offerings to customers around the globe. As a member of Affiliated Distributors, the company gets competitive pricing on additional product lines as well as new avenues to serve customers around the US. All in all, Powell Tool is doing great things in the world of industrial products and services.
The Challenge
Legacy Systems, Modern Risks: The IT Gaps Holding Powell Tool Back
Powell Tool has always taken a cutting-edge approach to technology. The company first computerized its systems and operations in the late 1950s, filling an entire room with state-of-the-art mainframe equipment.
In recent years, Powell Tool has made a gradual transition from on-premises systems to the cloud. The company recognized the challenge that outside sales reps faced in accessing critical data, and Microsoft 365 was the clear answer—first for the sales team, then for the whole organization.
Today, Powell Tool does everything in the cloud:
- Microsoft 365 for email, file sharing, and collaboration
- Oracle NetSuite ERP
- Phocas BI for business intelligence (also an AD member)
- Cloud-basd CRM system
But Powell Tool faced several challenges before partnering with Corsica Technologies.
- Difficulty in finding new IT staff after existing staff left the company
- Inadequate, reactive support from their MSP (managed IT service provider)
- Fear and uncertainty about phishing emails
Rick Melvin, President, had an IT background, so he understood the challenges especially well. “Our leadership team sat down together,” Rick explained. “We said, what do we want to do? Do we want to hire IT staff?”
“If we hired someone, they would have to know cybersecurity; they would need database expertise; they would have to understand what’s going on in the cloud. I didn’t think one person could do it all.”
—Rick Melvin, President
Cybersecurity was a significant concern for Rick. “We were getting so many phishing emails,” he said. “Everyone was afraid to click on things. We had to educate our team.”
Cybersecurity, bandwidth, and expertise weren’t the only problems with staff hiring. Rick questioned whether some hires were the right fit over the long term. “Why hire a system engineer?” Rick said. “Why hire a security engineer? They want to engineer things. After they’ve engineered something, what are they going to do all day? We still need these services, but also day to day maintenance and troubleshooting.”
This is a great point. How can a company maximize the value of different types of IT specialists without overspending? Among Corsica clients, this challenge is a significant driver behind companies choosing an outsourced IT partner.
The Hunt for a Solution
Seeking a True Partner, Not Just a Provider
Rick and the leadership team knew they weren’t going to hire IT staff. They were going to contract with an outsourced IT provider—but they needed a highly proactive partner, not just another MSP who only reacted to problems.
As a member of Affiliated Distributors, Powell Tool gets access to AD-recommended vendors and service providers in addition to ongoing professional development opportunities. Corsica Technologies has partnered with Affiliated Distributors to provide robust cybersecurity solutions to member organizations, and Rick met the Corsica team at an Affiliated Distributors event.
Rick evaluated other options, but ultimately, he found a like-minded team at Corsica Technologies. “A true partner cares about my business as much as their business,” he said. “We both want to succeed.” This made the decision easy.
The Solution
A Fully Managed Technology Partnership
Rick chose Corsica Secure, our comprehensive service bundle that covers:
- Strategic consulting
- Managed IT services
- Managed cybersecurity services
- Cybersecurity awareness training
Due to our 100% predictable monthly pricing, Rick got it all for one flat fee—and that price doesn’t change if Powell Tool’s service consumption goes up or down in any given month.
Rick got everything his team needed, including comprehensive IT coverage, 24/7/365 cybersecurity monitoring and remediation, and cybersecurity awareness training for his employees.
Results
Confidence in the Cloud, Awareness on the Ground
Rick and the team at Powell Tool are seeing great results with Corsica Secure. Powell Tool now has the robust support they need, any time of the day or night. The company has already collaborated with Corsica to improve their cybersecurity standing through implementation and refinement of critical cybersecurity controls.
But all that would be for nothing if Rick’s team wasn’t equipped to fight phishing attacks. After all, 96% of breaches happen through end users clicking on something.
Rick spoke about the impact of Corsica’s cybersecurity training.
“You guys have done a great job educating my people. We went from being afraid to being aware.”
—Rick Melvin, President
Rick explained further. “I’ve seen a reduction in anxiety among my employees. We have a primary vendor that got hacked badly. It made everyone afraid. You get emails that look like real vendors or customers. You have to be diligent to ferret them out and determine, is it real or not real?”
As Powell Tool’s resident technology expert, Rick had been the bulwark of his team’s daily decisions on phishing emails. “A lot of times, they would funnel all that through me,” he said. “Now, with the training they’ve received, they can make the same decision I would make. They’re confident in what they should do.”
This new cybersecurity awareness was a game-changer for the Powell Tool Supply team. “After our cybersecurity training, we had an all-company meeting,” Rick said. “People didn’t realize what a problem phishing is out in the world. We only saw our narrow viewpoint. Now we were all back on the same track, on the same team.”
“Our people are equipped. They’re confident without being cocky—and they’re aware without being afraid.”
—Rick Melvin, President
Better cybersecurity awareness isn’t the only result that Powell Tool is seeing. The company experienced a few cybersecurity incidents after signing with Corsica. “You guys brought it to my attention and shut it down immediately,” Rick said. “This was before the security training. You stopped the incident, and there was no fallout.”
Doing this requires technical proficiency, of which the Corsica team has plenty. But there’s a soft side of managed services, and it matters just as much.
Rick explained: “You guys have done what you said you would do from Day 1. That means a lot to me. A true partner cares about my business as much as their business.”
That’s a powerful testament to the consultative nature of the relationship between Powell Tool and Corsica Technologies. Rick touched on that. “You guys bring things to me and say, hey, this is what you have. We suggest you switch to this, and here’s why. It’s not just, ‘You need a new switch.’ It’s, ‘Here’s why, and here’s what it’s going to give you.’”
The Future
Becoming Easier to Do Business With
“Our biggest goal is to make Powell Tool easy for customers and vendors to do business with,” Rick said. “That’s the key. Our outside salespeople are highly trained and skilled. They can walk into a machine shop and hear that a CNC machine isn’t running right. We want to make that expertise more available than ever to customers.”
Powell Tool isn’t alone. Customer experience is a huge driver of technology decisions. Here at Corsica, we see organizations working hard to make life easier for customers through self-service options, real-time data, and AI-powered solutions. As Powell Tool evaluates the future, they have many great opportunities to provide even more value to customers through technology. The Corsica team is honored to guide, support, and watch out for them every step of the way.
Ready to solve your IT challenges?
Fill out the form, and a specialist will contact you within 1 business day to discuss your needs.
We look forward to connecting!
- 30+ years in business
- 300+ certifications
- 1,000+ clients
Cybersecurity | Managed IT | AI | Digital Transformation
