Client Conversation: Highmark Health

Thanks again for your time today. The purpose of this conversation is to get a more open, conversational perspective on your experience with US Cloud—something we can’t always capture through standard feedback forms. I’d love to hear how things are going for you and how our support impacts your team.

I’m the Windows Technology Lead. I work closely with our architects and manage the relationship with US Cloud. Essentially, if our team has an issue, I’m the one they come to, and I bring that to our meetings with you every other Thursday. My role is to make sure accounts are working, tickets are progressing, and that we communicate concerns. I also manage our domain administration work with you—reviewing information, documenting environments, and aligning with best practices. Since we have several domains, it’s been a long project, but valuable.

Nick summed it up well. My role originally involved working to bring US Cloud on board. Now, I lead teams across storage, virtualization, Linux, and Windows. Nick quarterbacks most of the Windows-related support with US Cloud, but I still join TAM meetings and collaborate with Tim. Highmark is a large organization with many teams—security, messaging, VDI, and more—so it’s important to have a TAM like Tim, who is responsive and proactive in engaging with our teams.

I’m glad to hear that Tim has been an excellent partner for you! Now, if you can think back, what initially led Highmark Health to choose US Cloud?

Budget was the biggest driver. Leadership wanted to save money without renewing Microsoft’s Unified Support contract, while still maintaining quality service. We evaluated a few vendors, but US Cloud was the best option.

Right—it wasn’t about frustration with Microsoft pricing as much as needing to cut costs overall.

Understood. Since then, besides significantly cutting costs, what has stood out most about your experience with US Cloud?

The first thing was response time. With Microsoft, we often had to wait for callbacks, sometimes at inconvenient times. With US Cloud, we got someone on the phone quickly, especially for lower-level tickets. Establishing a relationship with Tim has also been huge—he’s responsive, transparent, and always willing to escalate when necessary.

From my perspective, when escalations to Microsoft are necessary, the delays aren’t due to US Cloud. It’s the same delays we would face working with Microsoft directly. The difference is, now it’s US Cloud making the follow-ups with Microsoft instead of us, which saves us a lot of time. I also value the proactive hours we use with your team. Those sessions have been great for identifying issues, adjusting best practices, and getting recommendations.

Overall, I’d say the experience has been as good as—or in some areas, better than—Microsoft.

That’s great to hear that, in your team’s opinion, we’re not only keeping up with Microsoft Unified’s performance—we’re beating them. How would you compare US Cloud’s understanding of your IT environment with Microsoft’s?

Definitely better. Microsoft never really asked about our environment. With US Cloud, we’ve been working together for years now, and Tim and others on your team know our infrastructure much better.

Continuity has been important, too. With Microsoft, our TAM would change often. With US Cloud, Tim has been with us since the beginning, and that relationship is invaluable.

What would you say to another healthcare organization considering switching from Microsoft Unified Support to US Cloud?

From a budget standpoint, it’s a no-brainer. The cost savings are substantial, and the level of support is strong.

I’d agree. The transition takes some effort, but once you understand the ticketing system and processes, it’s worth it. I especially like that anyone can open a ticket with US Cloud, unlike Microsoft, where only a few designated people could do so. The dashboard is also a great tool for tracking and managing tickets.

I’d recommend US Cloud without hesitation.

Thank you both for your time and for sharing your perspective. We appreciate the feedback and look forward to continuing to support your team.