Kraft Technology Group LLC
Learn more about how Kraft Technology Group is transforming how businesses see IT in our latest Member Spotlight.
What is your business and how did your business start? What need did you see in the region that brought KTG to fruition?
Kraft Technology Group LLC (KTG) is part of the KraftCPAs PLLC family of companies. KTG’s mission is to empower small & midsize businesses to efficiently & securely utilize best of breed technology so they can focus on reaching their strategic goals.
KTG was founded in 1992 when the firm identified a need in the Middle Tennessee market for strategic technology consulting services. For over 25 years we have been providing technology consulting, computer support, network management, and hardware and software sales.
Some of service categories:
- Service Desk
- Infrastructure Management
- Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery
- Cybersecurity Management
- Network Management
- Email Security
- Endpoint Security
- Cloud Application Management
- Virtual CIO
- Security Information & Event Management
- Security Awareness
- Security Operations Center
- Office 365 Adoption & Management
Tell us about the events that led up to where your company is now.
The last two years have been transformational for KTG. For the better part of our 26-year history we have operated as a project-based consulting firm. In mid 2016, the decision was made to shift our primary business model to that of a Managed Service Provider (MSP). The MSP business model gained broader momentum in the 2005 timeframe and has been growing ever since. While KTG has a full set of MSP solutions, we continue to maintain our consulting and project practices to ensure we are meeting all of our client needs.
In late 2016, our cybersecurity services took shape as we embarked on building our Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) solutions. KTG identified the lack of a true security-in-depth solution provider available to small and midmarket companies in the Middle Tennessee area and decided to take action. Since initially identifying the need, we have developed a robust solution set to help our clients identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover from modern threats facing businesses today. In 2017, we were named a Top 100 MSSP by MSSP Alert.
When working with a new client, what are some of the first questions you ask? What are you trying to learn about that business?
When we engage with a potential client, we start by asking about the core functions of the business and what their mission is. Only after we understand what is important to their business can we offer the appropriate solution stack and have confidence we are recommending the right approach. In addition to the function and mission of the organization, we dig into how technology is currently used in the day to day operation. By digging into the systems in use today, we are able to not only inform, but we may uncover ways to gain efficiencies from the onset. Since KTG serves the financial services and healthcare industries, we also ask questions to help uncover any compliance and security related concerns.
What is unique about your business – what sets you apart from the rest?
One of the unique aspects of KTG is how we layer security into all of our technology solutions. As an example, we recently on-boarded a new healthcare client into our fully managed IT solution. This client is a third-party administrator for national insurance carriers and is therefore very concerned with protecting the privacy of the information they manage. When our client approached their last provider (a well-known managed service provider in town) about strengthening their security controls, the response they received was “well, we don’t really deal with security”. That response prompted them to reach out to KTG to provide a managed IT solution with the appropriate security layers to serve the healthcare industry.
We believe this unique approach provides our clients with a competitive advantage. Our services are designed in such a way to help keep our clients operational despite the varied security risks faced by businesses today. If our clients’ technology infrastructure stays secure and online, while their competitor’s infrastructure and applications suffer from downtime or fines due to breaches or negligence, that is a very tangible benefit of investing proactively in secure technology management.
Another unique aspect of KTG is that our services are independently audited by another CPA firm through the MSP Alliance on an annual basis. 2018 marked our first year being MSP/Cloud Verify Certified and we were the first Middle Tennessee firm to complete the certification process. Our clients now have access to this annual report attesting to our operational controls. This certification is especially important to our compliance-driven clients in the financial services and healthcare industries.
Your parent company is KraftCPAs. What have been the advantages of having a parent company?
Having a parent company like KraftCPAs, provides a financial backing that allows us to make decisions in the best interest of our clients. Also, given the wide breadth of expertise in the various areas of the firm, our clients benefit from access to a wealth of information and other services designed to enhance their business. Lastly, the Kraft name is very well respected in the region and that alone opens doors that may otherwise not be accessible.
In your own words, why is it great to do business in Williamson County, TN? How has being a part of the overall business community in Williamson County helped you?
Middle Tennessee, and specifically Williamson County, continue to grow and new opportunities are always presenting themselves. In August our President, Don Baham, met with a consulting company based in downtown Franklin and we are confident by the time this spotlight goes to print, we will have secured the partnership. I bring this case up as an example of why we like doing business in Williamson County. This consulting company had outgrown their current one-man-shop IT contractor and were hungry for a true technology partner to provide strategy and execution with consistent delivery. This is not an isolated case either. Willco County based business leaders are hungry for IT leadership and we are here to supply it.
Given your business expertise and the nature of what you do, what advice (general or specific) can you offer to the readers?
Business leaders need to stay alert to cybersecurity risks facing their business today. While it may seem like IT security is something IT departments or technology partners should solely be responsible for, that is a position that puts your business at significant risk. IT security is a business risk and should be treated like any other risk, be it financial, operational, etc. It is a risk that should have the attention of board members, executive management, all layers of management, and front-line employees.
A very practical bit of advice for businesses and consumers alike is to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on digital accounts that have access to sensitive information. Typically, this is a low-cost action to take, and it is possibly even free depending on the system. As an example, Microsoft offers MFA for free on Office 365 plans. At times 2FA, also known as multifactor authentication (MFA), can be cumbersome but it provides one of the best mechanisms to protect your information. It is worth the potential extra hassle to avoid the alternative of a data breach.
How can readers take advantage of your products and services?
Williamson Inc. members can visit www.kraftgrp.com/williamson for our free Cybersecurity Awareness Month eBook and to complete our contact form for other exclusive Williamson, Inc. offers.
Business contact information (phone, address, website, email, etc.):
Don Baham’s bio: https://www.kraftgrp.com/don-baham/
Main: 615.782.4254
555 Great Circle Rd
Nashville, TN 37228
Twitter: https://twitter.com/krafttechgroup
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/krafttechgroup/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kraft.tech.group/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kraft-technology-group