Founded in 2008 by CEO & Founder John Fakhoury, Chicago, IL-based Framework IT is an ace provider of comprehensive technology solutions. Known for offering a wide range of solutions that include, Cloud services, Managing IT services, Cybersecurity, and Phone systems, Framework IT has been helping technology make life easier for more than a decade. At Framework IT, their key focus is on providing the right strategy, right design, management, and support so that their clients focus on business development rather than getting worried about technology. Framework IT team with its laser focus and well-defined operational process offers innovative solutions that perfectly align clients with their data-oriented best practices. This streamlined technology model has been the basis of its successful and healthy technology environment that has amassed a whopping 97% customer satisfaction rate among its current clients. “Our IT Strategy will help you build familiarity with your organization’s technology and to identify how well your IT is aligned with your future needs, goals, vision, and best practices. Our approach to IT security protects sensitive information and reputation so you can have the peace of mind to focus on your core business,” says John.
“The biggest risks we see every day can almost always be mitigated by 5 key strategies and/or solutions: End-User Security Awareness Training, E-mail Security Platforms, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Advanced Threat Detection and Disaster Recovery Plans.”
Low costs. High value
Every technology is introduced to make business easy, efficient, and convenient. However, if not upgraded regularly, the same technology can make things difficult and monotonous. Usually, it has been a trend that when technology advances, the cost of acquiring it and maintenance increases too. Though this practice is considered obvious, it is not necessary. The success of any technology depends on its long-term usefulness and its efficiency with minimal cost. Keeping this in mind, Framework IT has developed its strategic process that offers the latest technology while keeping prices low. “As your technology gets better, we get less expensive,” highlights John. “We have developed these best practices over ten years using a data-driven analysis gathered to discover issues and key performance indicators for successful IT management.”
Leader for a reason
As the Founder and CEO of Framework IT, John is known for his exemplary leadership and speaking skills. Working with a vision of offering quality technology to small and mid-sized businesses at minimal cost, John uses technology to create a positive change in the mainstream business world. John considers it a matter of pride to be able to serve business and also contribute to society through technology. Having joined hands with a non-profit organization like BLUE1647, Framework IT is trying to bridge the gap by offering equal educational opportunities. A strong supporter of taking risks in life, John believes that getting comfortable with failures is a necessary step towards success. Under his dynamic and fearless leadership, Framework IT has won the City of.Com Excellence in Managed Service Providers Award, has been recognized for excellent service via the Channel Partners 360 Award in both 2013 and 2014 and has been named one of the Top 101 Companies to Work For in Chicago.
“We are a supremely data-driven operation with high approval rates that I think is greatly encouraged by management’s humble, transparent, servant leadership approach,” says John. “We have a large talent for a firm our size, and I am the least talented (by a longshot) of the bunch. Our team does a great job of focusing more on “Making right and doing right,” versus “Being right.” We empower our people to fail and learn with a relentless focus on our clients, and a passion for what we do and who we do it for.”
With a Midas touch and a huge collective work experience, the Framework IT team is always prepared to take up any challenge and convert it into success. One such challenge presented itself when one of its clients hesitated in taking their recommendations for security solutions and, unfortunately, endured a large-scale ransomware infection spanning over multiple servers and client workstations. Framework IT team sprang into action and begin consulting with the client. Since every instance which includes security involves loss of revenue and reputation, Framework IT promptly got the client’s insurance provider involved to have some form of coverage. At this critical point, Framework IT got 20 people involved in a conference call twice a day to discuss the further action plan. With other vendors were having their own agendas, the Framework IT team was the only one who was genuinely interested in getting the issue sorted out at its earliest. On one end where the insurance company was looking for ways to keep costs down or potentially not payout on the event, the Legal Counsel was looking for answers on who was responsible. Every second counted and millions of dollars were at stake. Being the only one who was genuinely interested, Framework IT made the necessary modifications in their own data center, provided licensing, recovered data from backups, and in less than two days got the customer up and running.
“A solid advanced threat detection tool will be able to spot these threats as by using a form of AI to see if anything is going on that shouldn’t be.”
John agrees that the cyber threat landscape of tomorrow will intensify and introduce many new attack vectors. “The biggest risks we see every day can almost always be mitigated by 5 key strategies and/or solutions: End-User Security Awareness Training, E-mail Security Platforms, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Advanced Threat Detection and Disaster Recovery Plans,” shares John. Framework IT, therefore, recommends all their clients to enter their employees in ongoing end-user security awareness training. “We recommend email security, training, and mock phishing to all clients because together they provide the most effective risk mitigation relative to cost,” says John. While the company’s approach in confronting emerging threats (e.g., such as zero-day) is to provide an advanced anti-malware system monitored 24×7 by a true security operations center. “A solid advanced threat detection tool will be able to spot these threats as by using a form of AI to see if anything is going on that shouldn’t be,” says John. As for the future of cybersecurity, John expects to see government guidance and requirements on how data is to be stored, and ultimately what businesses MUST do in order to keep all of their protected data safe. “Furthermore, users will have stricter access to various internal data systems and be required to be continually trained about threats that exist. Lastly, with the massive shift to “the cloud” over the last few years, we will likely see much larger attacks on cloud-based providers,” says John.
Next Steps
As a high performing organization, Framework IT places prime importance on its employees and the work culture. Believing in being the best version of themselves, every employee is willing to go another mile for the success of the organization. “We see the best versions of our team and enjoy watching those versions grow into even greater ones,” says John.
With a team that is dedicated to its success and ready to convert any adversity into an opportunity, Framework IT is no doubt the industry leader of the future. “Our visions and goals and plans to achieve those are clear and shared throughout the organization to reach our 10 years $100M target,” says John. “Everyone that comes here, leaves here better.”
