How Sagiss Helped Saylite Build a Better IT Strategy

Acquisitions can be a turning point for small and mid-sized businesses, often bringing new growth opportunities but also exposing critical IT weaknesses. As businesses scale and integrate with new ownership structures, existing IT systems are frequently pushed to their limits, revealing inefficiencies and gaps. That’s exactly what happened when Saylite, a Carrollton, Texas-based lighting manufacturer, was acquired by a private equity firm in 2019. Faced with growing complexity and IT infrastructure that needed significant improvements, Saylite turned to Sagiss, a managed service provider (MSP), to address the challenges and help chart a smarter path forward.

Initially, Sagiss tackled fundamental IT issues, stabilizing Saylite’s network and cleaning up systems. But as the team worked, it became clear that the company’s IT budget wasn’t being used as efficiently as it could be. Sagiss realized that Saylite had grown too large to rely on an MSP for routine IT support. Instead, the company needed an in-house IT professional.

A Transparent Recommendation

Saylite’s Chief Financial Officer, Justin Tucker, recalls being surprised by Sagiss’ recommendation. “Sagiss came to us and said, ‘Hey, we handle a lot of stuff that is really IT help desk support, and you’d actually be better served if you have somebody on hand.’”

Instead of continuing to charge Saylite for every task at an hourly rate, Sagiss suggested hiring an internal IT employee—a move that would ultimately save Saylite money and provide better day-to-day service.

What made the recommendation even more impactful was Sagiss’ active involvement in the hiring process. Saylite’s leadership didn’t have the technical expertise to properly evaluate candidates for the IT role, so Sagiss stepped in, conducting interviews and offering guidance. Tucker said the hands-on help was unexpected but invaluable.

“At my former stops, I’d seen MSPs want to keep as much of the business as possible and continue to bill,” Tucker said. “So, I was surprised they were willing to admit that it’d be better for us. But having them involved made sense since this person would work hand in hand with them.”

The Sagiss Way

For Sagiss, this approach is all part of what they call “The Sagiss Way.” Transparency and long-term client relationships are at the heart of their business philosophy.

“One of our core values is to be ‘Transparent, not Sticky,’” explained Sagiss President Travis Springer. “Our business is based on long term relationships, so we always act in our client’s best interest. Helping them hire someone internally has allowed our team to take a step back from some of the day-to-day issues and look at things more strategically. This allows us to help Saylite better plan and make decisions for the future.”

The Results

The results speak for themselves. Saylite’s in-house IT employee now handles 90% of the tasks that Sagiss used to manage, saving the company money while ensuring their IT needs are met more efficiently. Sagiss continues to provide value by focusing on high-level strategic support, meeting with Saylite regularly to tackle larger IT challenges.

“Sagiss is still hands-on,” Tucker said. “They still have one of their folks who cover our account come out I think once every other week for a few hours just to work through anything. … We have biweekly meetings where we go over the higher level stuff that we're asking Sagiss to help us with. So it's been really good. It's made me feel like we have a little bit more control over things and we're better organized and know what's going on.”

For Saylite, partnering with Sagiss didn’t just solve an immediate problem—it created a smarter, more sustainable IT strategy for the future.