Collaborative Customer Implementation with Solutions360

May 11

Who is Solutions360?

Solutions360 is the company behind Q360, a complete business management platform built specifically for system integrators in AV, security, fire, and life safety. The platform brings accounting, projects, job costing, field service and dispatch, inventory, sales, and operational visibility into one connected operating system for integration businesses.

Working with Solutions360 was a true partnership. Their leaders were willing to be candid about what was working, what was not working, and what needed to change. That level of transparency matters, because implementation success is rarely only about software. It is about trust, accountability, readiness, and leadership.

Solutions360 is the company behind Q360, a complete business management platform built specifically for system integrators in AV, security, fire, and life safety.

Project Introduction: When the Real Risk Was Trust

Solutions360 was facing a critical customer relationship risk. A strategic, PE-backed customer had lost confidence after a prior self-led implementation went poorly. The customer was actively acquiring businesses and needed to know whether Solutions360 could support future integrations with confidence.

The technical implementation ahead was not the hardest part. In fact, the acquired business being implemented had a relatively simple operating model. The hard part was the human system around it: the customer was skeptical, the leadership layers were complex, and Solutions360 needed to prove that the platform and implementation approach could work.with AJC."

Solutions leadership shared that "Our customer had lost faith in our ability to implement a project,” adding "We needed to have somebody do [this] who could have the credibility to show up and hold both sides accountable."

Enter AJC Company: A Trusted Guide

Solutions360 brought in AJC Company to provide third-party project management, implementation oversight, and executive-level relationship support. The customer wanted an outside PM presence because they did not yet trust the existing implementation structure to hold the right people accountable.

AJC stepped into the space between the software provider, the customer leadership team, and the acquired business team. The role required neutrality, credibility, and the ability to navigate issues without turning every concern into executive noise.

In Joel Harris's words, the need was clear: "relationship management" across multiple levels of the customer environment, while keeping both Solutions360 and the customer focused on a successful outcome.

The Plan: Rebuild Trust, Execute Well, and Learn

The highest-level goal was simple and high-stakes: prove to the customer that they had chosen the right platform and that Solutions360 could execute a successful implementation.

Underneath that goal, the engagement focused on five practical outcomes:

Rebuild customer confidence in the platform, the implementation approach, and the Solutions360 team.
Guide the acquired-business implementation through go-live and post-go-live stabilization.
Provide executive-level relationship management without losing sight of day-to-day execution.
Create balanced accountability so both Solutions360 and the customer addressed the right issues.
Capture lessons learned that could strengthen Solutions360's internal implementation methodology for future customer rollouts.

Joel also saw value in the outside perspective. AJC gave Solutions360 a way to see its own implementation process through the eyes of a neutral, experienced operator - what was working, what needed to improve, and where the methodology could become more repeatable.

"Seeing ourselves through the eyes of an outsider ... was really beneficial for us."

Joel Harris, President, Solutions360

The Work: What Changed Along the Way

An aggressive deadline became a readiness conversation

The project began with an aggressive go-live target. That deadline created urgency, but as the work progressed it became clear that the customer needed more time to be truly ready. Rather than treating the shift as a failure, AJC helped the team use the additional time to get the implementation right.

That mattered. A delayed go-live can be frustrating. A rushed go-live can become a crater. AJC's role was to keep momentum without confusing activity for readiness.

New leadership entered the engagement

Brian Anderson joined Solutions360 during the project. At first, he assumed the third-party PM role might eventually be brought in-house. Working with Lori Strom changed that assumption quickly.

"It was very quick to feel confident working with Lori and the level of professionalism that she brought to this implementation."

Brian Anderson, Solutions360

Brian saw the difference between task management and executive-useful escalation. Lori did not bring every small issue upward. She solved what could be solved at the working level and escalated the issues that truly required leadership action.

"I knew that when (the AJC Project Manager) said something, there was action that needed to be done. She did not bring all the little problems."

Brian Anderson, Solutions360

Post-go-live issues were handled with disciplined escalation

As with most implementations, issues surfaced after go-live. The difference was how quickly the team responded. Lori brought the right people together, clarified the decision points, and kept the team focused on resolution rather than blame.

"When things did come up post go-live, we got them resolved very, very quickly. (The AJC Project Manager) rallied the troops."

Brian Anderson, Solutions360

Results: From At-Risk Customer to Renewed Partnership

By the end of the engagement, the customer relationship had shifted dramatically. The customer moved from questioning the platform and implementation capability to discussing future implementations. That is not a small change; that is a relationship rescue.

"It did turn around the [customer] relationship. They are actively looking at their next implementation ... and they even mentioned maybe doing two at the same time."

Brian Anderson, Solutions360

Joel Harris described the broader result this way:

"We rescued [the customer] as a client. We have turned the executive leadership into a thought partner with us."

Joel Harris, Solutions360

For Solutions360, the value extended beyond one implementation. Lori's closeout recap gathered feedback from both Solutions360 team members and customer stakeholders, identifying what went well and where process improvements were needed. That gave Solutions360 a practical learning loop for future implementations.