The Challenge
Buckingham Companies is a fully integrated real estate investment firm that manages a portfolio of over $3 billion in multifamily real estate. Buckingham employs more than 400 employees across nine states and continues to expand throughout the U.S.
Technology concerns were inhibiting the potential for future growth. Buckingham’s former managed IT services provider was unable to keep pace with the company’s growth, resulting in low response times and unresolved service desk tickets. In addition, the former provider did not have an IT strategy for Buckingham’s current operations or a plan for future growth.
Buckingham sought a managed services partner that could handle its current volume of service desk needs, strengthen its cybersecurity posture, create and advise on IT strategy, and plan for future growth.
The Process
EXOS conducted a thorough IT and cybersecurity assessment with Buckingham in the Fall of 2023. The assessment analyzed Buckingham’s current network and personnel capabilities and examined its cyber posture using CIS Controls. The assessment results provided a robust situational analysis and outlined a clear roadmap for improvement within Buckingham’s IT and cyber departments.
Buckingham brought on EXOS as its managed IT and cybersecurity provider in March 2024, transitioning the assessment results into a detailed strategy. The strategy focused on two areas: focused service desk support and cybersecurity process optimization.
The Results
Due to Buckingham’s size and its identified need for focused support, EXOS IT embedded two full-time IT Service Desk Technicians at Buckingham’s headquarters. The IT Service Desk Technicians work directly with Buckingham’s IT director and employees to resolve a high volume of service tickets per month. EXOS’s on-site team members specialize in networking issues and general IT concerns and can shoulder a significant amount of the support tickets. More importantly, Buckingham employees are not left sitting behind a virtual service desk queue. They can walk up to the physical service desk in the Buckingham office, where EXOS employees are available to provide immediate support.
“This is the second time I have met and worked in person with Brendan, and I think he is absolutely remarkable! He is so polite, knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful!”
The initial assessment outlined Buckingham’s need to update its cybersecurity training and various disaster recovery and business continuity policies. EXOS IT began building and updating these processes soon after becoming Buckingham’s managed service provider. That work is ongoing, as EXOS identified in its long-term roadmap.
Similarly, EXOS reviewed Buckingham’s software licensing during the assessment. EXOS IT identified several improvements related to the licensing strategy, which resulted in the optimization of existing licenses and improved company preparedness for upcoming projects, along with cost savings.
“EXOS knows the multifamily space and understands how to support the unique technology challenges we face. The on-site support and collaboration they offer, combined with their extensive knowledge and experience, distinguishes them as an exceptional partner in our IT and cybersecurity efforts.” – Shane Wells, Director of IT at Buckingham Companies
The Value
EXOS understands the multifamily housing industry, the overall business objectives of industry leaders and the software and service needs that must be implemented to drive success. Buckingham highly values reporting and transparency, and EXOS provides frequent data-driven reports on the level of service, status of project work and strategic roadmap updates. This marriage of strategy and transparency allows for an optimal partnership between EXOS and Buckingham.
The most recent quarter of feedback from Buckingham employees to EXOS IT showed a satisfaction score of 98.3 out of 100, and 99.1% of feedback was positive. Across 235 reviews, Buckingham employees consistently praised EXOS’s speed and quality of service, efficiency and professionalism.