COO Discovers Managed IT Services Are an Affordable Alternative to In-House IT

L&L Candle started their customer journey working with Accent Computer Solutions in 2022. They are now being supported by VC3 since the acquisition of Accent in 2022.

If you've ever seen a lifelike flameless candle, it was likely a product from L&L Candle Co.

L&L Candle Co. manufactures patented flameless candles and distributes them in many countries around the world.

Sherwood Tung is the COO and General Counsel at L&L Candle Co. In his role, he’s involved with many different aspects of business operations: HR, accounting, maintenance of intellectual property rights, and regulatory compliance. He also oversees the information technology needs of the company.

Set Out for an IT Manager

Sherwood is responsible for the Brea location, where day-to-day IT tasks had traditionally been handled by one person – who in addition to managing IT was also the office manager.

When he found out that this IT manager was moving on, Sherwood set out to find a replacement. He started his search by getting in touch with a recruiter but then his journey went in a different direction.

“I was thinking about hiring a replacement and one of the recruiters actually said, ‘I don’t want to hurt my own business, but it sounds like you don’t need IT full time. What you need is a managed service provider,’” explained Sherwood.

Managed IT Seemed Out of Reach

Sherwood was quite familiar with managed IT service providers from his previous experience. However, he never considered it as a solution for L&L Candle due to the more agile size of the organization and consideration over affordability.

The recruiter not only encouraged Sherwood to look at managed IT services as an option but he also pointed him toward VC3.

The referral was so strong, and the conversations so good with VC3, that Sherwood decided to sign on for all-inclusive managed IT services. He, of course, couldn’t move forward unless he thought the monthly fee could fit into the company’s budget. It did.

“One of the things I did not realize was that you don’t have to be a billion-dollar corporation to afford their services,” said Sherwood. “I’m definitely surprised by the affordability.”

Better Flow from Fast Support and IT Expertise

In just a few months after onboarding with VC3's managed IT, Sherwood’s decision to sign on has been validated. What first stood out to him was the fast response they get when they need support and the access that they have to IT expertise.

While the previous IT manager was very competent, he was only one person. Sherwood fully understood that one person can’t know everything there is to know about IT and will have capacity limits. “With a larger provider, I feel that problem has been completely eliminated,” said Sherwood. “The organization no longer needs to wait, and I feel like this has improved efficiency because things just flow better.”

Cybersecurity Awareness Initiative Now Possible

With the transition to managed IT services, Sherwood has not only recognized that employees can work more efficiently but he’s also been able to move forward with a cybersecurity training initiative that he’d been wanting to do for some time.

“Our organization treats cybersecurity seriously,” explained Sherwood. “With VC3, we've conducted mock exercises and training to add on the current competency of the staff, with the goal to hopefully keep ahead of the fast-changing cybersecurity landscape.”

VC3 Managed IT: A Worthy Service

Sherwood says that what VC3 provides is a worthy service. Technology has become an aid to employees instead of a hindrance. The company’s security posture is enhanced, and he has resources to call on when he wants to improve operations whether it’s to optimize remote workers or streamline new employee onboarding.

When it comes to the challenges that are on Sherwood’s plate every day, he has one less thing vying for his time and attention because VC3 has taken IT off his plate.