The Client:
Superior Systems are building services specialists located in Ballarat. They provide design, construction, and project management for critical infrastructure facilities, primarily working with major telecommunication clients and data centre companies. Their offering spans data centre installation or expansion, fire protection, HVAC systems, electrical upgrades, and energy audits.
Their Challenges:
- The business needed to alignwith the Essential Eight, a multi-level cyber security framework developed by the Australian Signals Directorate, to keep working with their client.
- Security gaps, resulting from their existing IT provider’s reactive approach.
- A lack of IT strategy and guidance to support goals.
Our Solution:
- Alignment with the Essential Eight up to Maturity Level 3, ensuring Superior Systems could meet their client’s contract requirements.
- Ongoing support to maintain compliance and manage the business’ IT and cyber security.
- A proactive approach, IT strategy, and monthly meetings to ensure projects stay on track.
The Journey to Essential EightCompliance
When Superior Systems needed to align with the Essential Eight framework to keep their multinational telco client, their cyber security journey was brought to a standstill before it even started. The problem? Their existing IT provider couldn’t support the process, implement the mitigation strategies that would safeguard the business against cyber attacks, and bring their security posture up to standard.
From here, the only solution was to search for a new Managed Services Provider (MSP). While they wanted to stick with a Ballarat MSP who understood local business context, they weren’t confident there was a company with the right capabilities close by, and shifted their focus to Melbourne. It wasn’t until they’d received a few proposals that they found Lateral Plains, who ticked all the right boxes for being Ballarat-based, credible, and able to deliver the Essential Eight implementation process.
Superior Systems had already gone through an Essential Eight audit with their telco client, which identified security gaps in their existing system. These gaps were the result of working with an IT provider that was reactive, rather than proactive, in their cyber security approach. They gave this report to Lateral Plains, who progressively worked through the requirements to align the business to Essential Eight Maturity Level 3, before providing ongoing support.
This managed support has been essential to maintain the business’ security posture and compliance – which is a process rather than a one-off achievement. Marcus Walsh, Superior Systems’ Contracts Manager reflects, “Essential Eight isn’t set and forget, you don’t build it and walk away. It’s an ongoing review and you’re always improving. Lateral Plains have the capability to help with that rather than going here’s a box of Essential Eight tools, we’ve implemented them, see you later. It’s not like that at all.”
Alongside allowing Superior Systems to keep their client, the Essential Eight journey has provided confidence their security is under control and a competitive advantage. With Lateral Plains on their side, they have another set of eyes on their systems, and the right tools (including a 24x7 Security Operations Centre) to monitor for threats, review alerts, and decide when action needs to be taken. Marcus says, “If I knew about the Essential Eight framework earlier, I’d have implemented it sooner rather than being forced to do it from a customer point of view. It makes us more secure which helps our business, and helps with potentially obtaining new customers. We also get peace of mind knowing we’ve got someone like Lateral Plains looking at our systems all the time, so if something does go wrong, they’re there to help straight away. They’d know there’s an issue before we do.”
A Proactive Approach and a True Partnership
Today, Superior Systems have been working with Lateral Plains since 2023/2024. During this time, the MSP’s commitment to building a genuine relationship and making a real difference through technology has ensured the positives keeps tacking up. Reflecting on how this experience has stood out from other IT providers, Marcus comments, “The biggest difference we’ve found is Lateral Plains gets to know your business and acts as a proactive partner, as opposed to a lot of other companies that are only directed by the customer. These companies don’t look at the big picture and say you’re doing x, y, and z, buthave you thought about doing this which will help you long term. Lateral Plains goes to that next level to assist in the operations and the security of your business. They don’t force everything onto you at once either, they do it as astaged process, so we can do it at our own speed. They’re very flexible in their approach.” The MSP has even grown their offerings based on Superior Systems’ IT requirements, ensuring they could provide a complete service.
A big part of building this trusted partnership has been monthly reviews, which keep IT initiatives on track, support transparency, and ensure the MSP can stay up to date with the business’ goals and priorities. This approach has been a major benefit for Superior Systems, and key to the great service Lateral Plains provides. Marcus says, “We have an ongoing list of goals we want to achieve, and we get together and review that monthly so we’re always moving forward and improving. I find it extremely beneficial rather than letting an ICT partner go for it and not knowing what’s happening in the background, and not having the confidence things are getting done. It’s more of a partnership than a one way business transaction, so I can suggest things, and they can set my mind at ease when things pop up. For example, they provide training to our staff on cyber security threats and phishing, so our staff know what to look out for. This means I don’t need to provide that separately in a personal development program. Things like that are really beneficial.”
A Supportive, Friendly Team
Another massive win for Superior Systems has been gaining a friendly, approachable IT partner. Marcus reflects, “If there’s any issues or I’m unsure of who to talk to, Luke (Lateral Plains’ CEO) will always pick up the phone and act as an extra layer to make sure the right person gets the message. That’s another advantage – Lateral Plains aren’t a huge business, so they’re approachable and contactable when I really need them. Luke makes himself very available, and you can have a relationship with the whole team rather than just whoever picks up the phone.”
Since working with Lateral Plains, Superior Systems has been able to count on a dependable, friendly, and capable MSP who truly cares about the business’ long-term success and cyber security posture. This includes a commitment to forward thinking with IT strategy and a proactive approach, so the team can spend more time on business direction and day-to-day operations. When asked if he’d recommend Lateral Plains, Marcus says “Withouta doubt.”