Worcester Business Journal

www.wbjournal.com Book of Lists 2016 • Worcester Business Journal 7 C inch IT was started in Worcester in 2004 to fill an underserved need: customer ser- vice-based IT support. Cinch IT staff are not just tech experts, but approachable professionals who can talk to people on a basic level, with the goal of building relationships, not just fixing computers. From that seemingly simple concept, Rick Porter -- a Worcester native -- has grown the firm from one that specializes in tackling the tech needs of healthcare and finance industries to one that transcends a range of busi- nesses looking for services, such as onsite and remote support, 24/7 monitoring, advance backup and disaster recovery solutions and website design. Though Cinch IT still helps healthcare organizations wade through HIPAA privacy compliance with things like email spam protec- tion, archiving and encryption, it can also meet the unique challenges of any company in any industry. Porter's hiring philosophy puts more emphasis on potential employees' understanding of customer service and ability to relate to the client, as opposed to strictly IT experience. The company is at the next level: turning the "traditional" system of client support on its ear. And so far, results are a win-win for both Cinch IT and its clients. The "traditional" system of calling only when you have a computer problem is backwards, believes Porter and the rest of the Cinch IT employees. When clients call, they are often already angry and frustrated, and concerned about how much money the service call will cost them -- not to mention how long it will take. That starting point -- frustration, since they are only calling when things are broken -- didn't make sense to Porter. So Cinch IT ratcheted up its service and became more proactive with customers, doing what it calls, "All You Can Eat IT Support," getting clients back to work as quickly as possible with all-inclusive maintenance pro- grams. For $100 per user, businesses have unlimited onsite or remote tech support, email archiving, email encryption, spam protection, 24/7 monitoring and many other benefits. Cinch IT will even contact third-party vendors, such as the Internet provider or copier company, so you don't have to pick up the phone. Unlike competi- tors' "all-inclusive" programs, this one really is all-inclu- sive. Any problems that arise are included in the program so companies can rest easy. Porter says, "This level of support was designed to build better long term relation- ships with our clients." Porter reports that response so far has been huge. The program offers clients peace of mind to know preventative measures are happening in the background, and, when things do go wrong, Cinch IT works to get them back online as soon as possible at no additional cost. Customers like knowing the exact cost of IT support up front to make annual budgeting easier, Porter explains. And there is certainly something to be said for "nice people answering the phone," when you do call for IT help. Cinch IT has structured the entire company around building the best relationships possible with their clients. It is this level of integrity and customer service that helps Cinch IT keep its customers on top. n W O R C E S T E R Cinch IT, Inc. Address: 945 West Boylston Street, Worcester, MA 01606 Phone: 508-425-4714 Website: www.cinchIT.com Product or Service: Comprehensive IT solutions and web design for small and mid-sized businesses. No. of Employees: 16 Head of Company: Richard Porter, President Year Founded: 2004 Cinch IT Gives Traditional Customer Service a Turbo Boost A D V E R T I S E M E N T

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