In September 2020, Buckhead Christian Ministry leadership started with a general goal: “We want to take our organization remote.” In the midst of a global pandemic, flexibility in regards to system accessibility for BCM employees had become paramount to their success.

As the trusted technology partner for BCM, Sevaa Group created a phased approach for a smooth transition to a remote workflow. By implementing a dedicated private cloud, secure site-to-site connectivity, and managed perimeter security, Sevaa was able to build an effective roadmap to achieve BCM’s business goals. With a cloud-first approach, BCM was not only able to meet their immediate business needs, but also position themselves well for planned expansion in the future.

Creating an Efficient Remote Work Environment

Migrate Infrastructure

In the first phase, we began by removing the need for a physical office, and fully migrated BCM’s IT infrastructure to a dedicated private cloud. As with all of our managed service clients, this included:

• Redundant power, internet, and cooling
• Optimized network routing
• Fire suppression system
• 24x7x365 monitoring
• Physically-isolated resources
• Secure Site-to-Site connectivity between Dedicated Private Cloud, BCM Office, and Thriftique with a best-in-class perimeter firewall solution, leveraging client VPN.

Most importantly, we completed this migration over a single weekend so that BCM experienced no workflow disruptions.

Needs Assessment

Without the need for office space, BCM wanted to ensure that their staff members had everything they needed at home to still be comfortable and productive. Sevaa Group performed an Employee Needs Assessment Survey to quantify satisfaction and identify each team member’s needs as it relates to technology. In addition, we extended this approach to BCM’s Foundation 3 clients, as they routinely work with BCM case managers. We wanted to ensure that BCM’s delivery of services were also unaffected by the move.

From our surveys, we were able to determine exactly what challenges team members and clients faced when working from home. Some members needed better internet, while others needed a more comfortable work space. In order to make efficient use of all available grant funds, we separated these equipment needs into two categories: items that need to be ordered, and items that can be reallocated from the office. Team members recycled chairs, computers, and even houseplants to use at home. From there, Sevaa Group recommended and ordered the remaining items needed. Some needed an additional monitor, webcams, headphones, standing desks, etc.

What’s Next for This Remote Initiative?

As the remote initiative at BCM has matured, new employee needs have been uncovered and addressed. With an organizational strategy in place, we’re able to keep track of all new equipment that gets shipped to team mates. However, we also wanted our plan to provide BCM flexibility if they ever needed to use the office again.

In addition to regular Drupal core and security updates, BCM makes use of Sevaa Group’s Wellness Agent. As part of the Sevaa Wellness Agent program, we implement antivirus software on all servers, desktops, and laptops to ensure endpoint security. Both real-time and scheduled weekly scans provide protection and insight on security threats. Our Wellness Agent also automatically applies necessary security updates and patches in real-time.

While our operations team takes care of the technical side of things, our solution includes regular strategic touchpoint meetings with BCM to keep them in the loop. In touchpoint meetings, we discuss what we’ve been working on, and what the team members need for a productive day-to-day workflow. We cover everything including website development, Drupal database improvements, operations, and more. We also meet with BCM each quarter to discuss long-term goals, identify problem areas, and unveil business opportunities to escalate growth.

Sevaa Group has been a partner with BCM for over 10 years. What started as a need for support has grown into a partnership to assist with all areas of the organization. Sevaa Group can help you manage your business whether you need maintenance services or a full scale development. Get in touch with us today!