Find answers to common questions about our technology support for financial services professionals.
TECHNOLOGY & SUPPORT
We've been on the other side. Our team includes former broker/dealer tech support agents who spent years helping advisors troubleshoot their workstations, portfolio systems, and planning tools.
We saw the gap firsthand: advisors stuck between their broker/dealer's help desk and generic local techs who don't understand financial services. You'd call your broker/dealer and they'd say "contact your local tech." You'd call your local tech and they'd say "we don't support that platform." Nobody took ownership.
We built Pickle Works to fix that. We understand both sides - the systems you use daily (Albridge, Wealthbox, WealthVision, Redtail) AND the technology infrastructure behind them. If we need to coordinate with your broker/dealer's tech team, we do that directly while you stay focused on clients.
Business hours support with clear response times. You get updates as we work, not radio silence until it's fixed.
At Pickle Works, we understand that every minute counts when it comes to your business and your clients. That's why our response process is designed for both speed and transparency, ensuring you always know what's happening and what to expect next.
Both Pickle Pro and Pickle Elite plans include support handled during business hours (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET), with 24/7 automated monitoring running in the background. If an issue is detected outside of business hours, our monitoring system immediately alerts our team and notifies you with the next steps for prompt action.
For Pickle Pro members, most requests are addressed within 2–4 hours during business hours.
Pickle Elite members receive priority handling, with most issues reviewed and responded to within 1-2 hours.
If an emergency or business-critical issue arises — such as a system outage, security breach, or event preventing client access — both plans receive immediate attention regardless of tier.
While many issues are resolved quickly, problems that involve third-party systems (such as broker/dealer platforms, Microsoft, or other vendors) may take additional time depending on their response and service-level agreements. In those cases, we manage all coordination and communication to ensure the issue progresses efficiently.
Throughout the process, you'll always have clear communication, regular updates, and full visibility through your client portal. You'll never be left waiting or wondering where things stand.
We handle the technical infrastructure and integration for the systems financial advisors use:
Portfolio management tools (Albridge, WealthVision), CRM systems (Redtail, Wealthbox), financial planning software, document management platforms, broker/dealer platoform tools, and more!
We make sure these systems connect properly, sync correctly, and work reliably with your network and devices. When there's a technical issue preventing access or causing errors, we troubleshoot and fix it.
What we don't do: We don't do software training or walk throughs of the software - we ensure the technology works so you can actually use it. That includes your workstations, network, VPN access, email, Office 365, backup systems, and security.
If it's a technical issue with a platform you use to serve clients, we support it. And when we need to escalate to your broker/dealer's tech team or a vendor, we handle that coordination.
When you have an issue with a platform or software, we coordinate with the vendor's technical support to resolve it - you don't have to be the middleman between your broker/dealer's help desk and your local tech.
What we handle (vendor coordination scope):
Technical access issues: Can't log in, VPN not connecting, workstation access problems
Integration and connectivity: Platform won't sync, data not loading, connection errors
System configuration: Platform won't launch, crashes, performance issues, technical errors
Software installation: Installation failures, compatibility issues, technical setup problems
These are technical infrastructure issues where we work with the vendor's support team to get you back up and running.
What vendor coordination doesn't include:
Platform training: How to use features, workflow questions, "how do I..." tutorials
Business operations: Processing trades, client onboarding procedures, firm-specific workflows
Account/licensing issues: Adding users, purchasing licenses, billing questions with the vendor
Feature requests: Asking the vendor to add new functionality or change how the platform works
Example scenarios:
Call Pickle Works: "Albridge won't connect to my workstation" - Technical connectivity issue, we'll coordinate with Albridge support
Call your broker/dealer: "How do I process a specific type of trade in the platform?" - Business/training question
Call Pickle Works: "The planning software crashes when I open it" - Technical software issue, we'll work with the vendor
Call the vendor directly: "I need to add another user license" - Account management, vendor handles directly
Bottom line: If it's preventing the technology from working correctly (access, connectivity, crashes, errors), we coordinate with the vendor. If it's about how to use the platform or business processes, that's handled through your broker/dealer's training resources or the vendor's customer success team.
Yes. When an issue requires your broker/dealer's involvement - like workstation access problems, platform connectivity issues, or vendor-specific bugs - we coordinate with them directly.
You won't be stuck playing middleman between us and your broker/dealer's help desk. We open the tickets, follow up on progress, and translate between their support team and your actual business needs.
We've been on the broker/dealer side of those calls. We know what information they need, how their systems work, and how to get issues escalated when necessary. You stay focused on clients while we handle the back-and-forth.
Submit tickets through our client portal or email. You'll get an automatic confirmation when we receive it, and updates as we work through the issue.
Our ticket system shows you:
Current status of all your open tickets
When we started working on it
What we've done so far
When it was resolved
No calling to ask "what's the status?" - just check the portal. You'll also get email notifications at key milestones (we're on it, we need info from you, it's fixed, etc.).
We provide full support during market hours (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET) with continuous monitoring of your systems. Automated alerts catch issues before they impact you, and problems during trading hours get immediate priority. You'll get updates throughout so you're not wondering what's happening while clients are waiting.
Monitoring catches problems early. Our systems alert us when something's degrading - low disk space, failing hardware, security threats - before it becomes a crisis on a Tuesday morning.
When issues do happen, we fix the root cause, not just the symptom. If your VPN keeps disconnecting, we don't just reset it every time - we figure out why it's happening and fix it properly.
Pickle Elite clients get quarterly reviews where we look at patterns, address recurring pain points, and plan upgrades or changes proactively. For Pickle Pro clients, we document everything and make recommendations as we spot issues.
The goal is fewer "oh crap" moments and more "we saw this coming and already handled it."
SECURITY & COMPLIANCE
We implement security tools specifically designed for financial services requirements:
Endpoint protection on all devices to catch malware and threats
Encrypted backups so your client data is protected even if something's stolen
Multi-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access
Network monitoring to catch suspicious activity before it becomes a breach
Regular security assessments to identify vulnerabilities
We use enterprise-grade security platforms that actively monitor for threats, not just "install antivirus and hope for the best." You'll get alerts if something suspicious happens, and we handle the response.
Your broker/dealer has security requirements you need to meet for compliance. We make sure the technical side of those requirements is covered - encryption, access controls, audit trails, backup retention, etc.
Our services are designed to support your compliance obligations - we're not compliance consultants, but we understand the technical requirements.
We handle the technology side: encrypted backups for record retention, secure access controls, audit trails for system access, business continuity planning from a technology perspective, and documentation for audits.
We've worked in broker/dealer environments and know what examiners look for from a technology standpoint. We can't tell you what your compliance obligations are, but we can make sure your technology infrastructure supports those requirements once you know what they are.
If you need compliance consulting or regulatory guidance, we'll point you to the right resources. We handle making sure your systems are secure, backed up, and documented properly.
Yes. We monitor for threats continuously through automated security platforms - malware, ransomware, unauthorized access attempts, suspicious network activity, and other security events.
During business hours (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET), you'll get immediate response if something critical triggers. Our automated monitoring systems continuously catch threats and alert us to security events.
Most alerts get handled without bothering you - we investigate, remediate if needed, and document what happened. You'll only hear from us if it's something you need to know about or if we need your input to resolve it.
You'll get regular reports on security events and what we've done about them, so you're not in the dark about what's happening with your systems.
Automated daily backups to encrypted cloud storage. Your business data, files, emails, and system configurations get backed up automatically - you don't have to remember to do it.
We back up what matters: client files, documents, email, financial planning data, and system settings. If your hard drive fails or you get hit with ransomware, we can restore your data without losing weeks of work.
Recovery time depends on what failed and how much data needs to be restored - could be a few hours for a single machine, longer for a complete disaster recovery. We'll give you realistic timelines, not "we'll have you back up instantly."
We test backups regularly to make sure they actually work when you need them. And we keep backup history that meets financial services record retention requirements.
PLANS & FEATURES
Pickle Pro is $219/person/month (annual) or $249/person/month (monthly). Each person gets support for 2 devices (additional devices $37/month).
Designed for advisors affiliated with a broker/dealer who use their broker/dealer's technology platforms but need reliable local tech support for:
Security: Continuous endpoint protection (EDR), DNS filtering and threat protection
Backups: Automated daily backups to encrypted cloud storage for endpoints and M365
Support: Unlimited ticket-based support during business hours (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET)
Critical issues: 4 hour response
Routine issues: Same business day response
Management: Network monitoring, automated security updates, monthly backup testing
Compliance: Email archiving
Good fit for practices that leverage their broker/dealer's infrastructure but need professional local tech to handle office systems, security, and backups.
Pickle Elite is $259/person/month (annual) or $289/person/month (monthly). Each person gets support for 4 devices (additional devices $37/month).
Designed for independent RIAs who are fully responsible for their own technology and compliance. Includes everything in Pickle Pro, plus:
Advanced security: Email security and filtering, dark web monitoring, security awareness training
Quarterly security assessments: Detailed reports on vulnerabilities and recommendations
Quarterly strategic sessions: Review systems, plan improvements, address issues proactively
Faster response: 4 hours on routine issues, 2 hours on critical issues
Good fit for independent RIAs managing their own compliance or firms that need more comprehensive security monitoring and strategic technology planning.
It depends on your contract type:
12-Month Contract: No onboarding fee — we waive the onboarding cost when you commit to a 12-month term.
Month-to-Month: One-time onboarding fee equal $200 per user.
Example for a 3-person Pro practice:
• 12-month contract: $0 onboarding fee, standard $687/month billing
• Month-to-month: $600 onboarding fee ($200 × 3 people), then $687/month
When you start mid-month, your first invoice includes any applicable onboarding fee plus prorated service from your start date through the end of that month. Standard monthly billing begins on the first of the following month.
Your onboarding includes assessment of your current systems, deployment and configuration of security tools and monitoring, initial testing and verification, and complete documentation of your technology environment.
Onboarding typically takes 2-4 weeks, and monitoring and support begin as soon as systems go live during the process.
Who they're for:
Pro ($219/person/month annual, $249 monthly): Advisors affiliated with a broker/dealer who leverage their broker/dealer's tech infrastructure
Elite ($259/person/month annual, $289 monthly): Independent RIAs fully responsible for their own technology and compliance
Key differences:
Security: Pro has strong endpoint protection, DNS filtering, and monitoring. Elite adds email security, dark web monitoring, security awareness training, and quarterly security assessments
Response time: Pro gets same business day on routine issues, 4 hours on critical. Elite gets 4 hours on routine, 2 hours on critical
Strategic planning: Elite includes quarterly sessions to review systems and plan improvements proactively
Devices per person: Pro includes 2 devices. Elite includes 4 devices
Both plans include unlimited tickets and comprehensive security/backup. Elite is for firms with higher compliance requirements, more complex setups, or those who need advanced monitoring and strategic technology planning.
Yes. Many advisors start with Pro and upgrade when their situation changes:
Going fully independent (leaving broker/dealer affiliation)
Taking on more compliance responsibility
Needing advanced threat monitoring (SIEM, dark web monitoring) for cyber insurance or client requirements
Growing to a point where strategic technology planning makes sense
Needing support for more devices per person
The transition is seamless - we just adjust billing and add the Elite features. No penalty, no disruption to your systems. We'll help you determine if and when upgrading makes sense based on your business changes.
Most advisors know when they need Elite - it's usually when their technology becomes more complex or their compliance requirements increase significantly.
Yes. Pickle Pro includes 2 devices per person, and Pickle Elite includes 4 devices per person. If you need more devices, just add them at $37/month per additional device - no plan change required.
Unlimited means unlimited. Submit as many support requests as you need - one ticket or fifty in a month, same price.
No per-incident charges, no "you've hit your limit" messages, no surprise bills because you had a rough week with technology issues.
We'd rather fix your problems than count tickets. Some months you'll submit two tickets, other months you'll submit ten. That's how technology works - unpredictable. The pricing shouldn't punish you for having issues.
Quarterly strategic sessions are included with Pickle Elite only. These are scheduled virtual meetingswhere we:
Review security reports and address any vulnerabilities
Discuss recurring issues and fix root causes
Plan for upcoming changes (new hires, office moves, software changes)
Optimize your setup based on how you actually use your systems
Ensure you're meeting compliance requirements from a technology standpoint
Think of it as proactive technology planning instead of reactive firefighting. Most Elite clients find these sessions identify issues before they become problems - like catching a failing backup before you actually need it, or planning a hardware refresh before something dies during market hours.
These aren't sales pitches for more services. They're working sessions focused on keeping your technology reliable and aligned with how your practice operates.
Pickle Pro ($219/user/month annual) provides essential endpoint security, email archiving, backup, and unlimited IT support—everything you need to protect your practice day-to-day.
Pickle Elite ($259/user/month annual) adds compliance-focused services: quarterly security assessments, technology strategy calls, full compliance documentation packages, and faster response times. Elite is designed for advisors who want to be audit-ready and have a strategic technology partner, not just IT support.
Yes, SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) is available as an add-on for $8/month per data source. This is recommended for firms with specific auditor requirements for log aggregation, multiple office locations, or complex compliance environments. Most independent advisors find our standard EDR and monitoring sufficient, but we can assess your specific needs during onboarding.
Pickle Pro includes 2 endpoints (devices) per user—typically your primary workstation and a secondary device like a laptop or tablet. Pickle Elite includes 4 endpoints per user, covering more complex setups with home offices, multiple workstations, or additional devices. Additional endpoints beyond your plan's allocation are $37/month each.
Pickle Elite includes a comprehensive compliance documentation package: technology policies, business continuity plans, disaster recovery documentation, and quarterly compliance reports. These documents are designed to satisfy FINRA examination requirements and demonstrate your firm's technology governance. Pickle Pro includes email archiving for SEC 17a-4 compliance but does not include the full documentation suite.
CLIENT EXPERIENCE
You work with our dedicated support team for all issues - no bouncing between different technicians who don't know your setup.
Pickle Pro clients interact through our ticket system. Submit requests, track progress, get updates. Your tickets and history are documented so anyone on the team who works on your issue knows your environment.
Pickle Elite clients get ticket support plus quarterly strategic sessions. These sessions provide regular touchpoints to review systems, plan improvements, and address issues proactively beyond day-to-day tickets.
Both plans deliver consistent, professional service. Elite adds the strategic planning layer on top of excellent technical support.
All communication happens through:
Client portal for real-time status and 2-way communication on all your open and closed tickets
Email for critical issues that need immediate attention
You won't get spammed with updates on every minor step. You'll hear from us when:
We've started working on your issue
We need information from you to proceed
The issue is resolved
Something critical requires your immediate attention
For Pickle Elite clients, quarterly sessions provide regular check-ins on overall system health, upcoming changes, and strategic recommendations.
No phone tag, no "let me call you back," no being put on hold. Everything is documented in the ticket system so you can see exactly what's happening and when.
Complete visibility through the client portal. You can see:
All your tickets with current status and updates
Assets and devices we're managing for you
Documentation we've shared (guides, procedures, network info)
When we update a ticket, you'll see the notes and progress. For technical details about what was changed or configured, we document that in the ticket notes visible to you.
For Pickle Elite clients, quarterly sessions include detailed reports on security events, system health, resolved issues, and improvement recommendations - a strategic overview beyond individual ticket updates.
You can log into the portal anytime to check status, review past tickets, or submit new requests. Everything is tracked and documented.
Our monitoring systems watch for problems before they impact you:
Security threats: Automated detection catches malware, ransomware, and suspicious activity before damage occurs
System health: Alerts for failing hard drives, low disk space, performance issues
Backup failures: Daily verification that your backups are actually working
Software updates: Security patches and critical updates applied automatically
Network issues: Monitoring catches connectivity problems and unusual activity
When something triggers an alert, we investigate and fix it - often before you even notice there was a problem.
For Pickle Elite clients, quarterly sessions add another prevention layer. We review patterns, identify recurring issues, and plan upgrades or changes before systems fail during critical moments.
Most "oh crap!" moments are preventable if you catch the warning signs early. That's what the monitoring is for.
We work with independent financial advisors and RIAs, primarily:
Advisors affiliated with broker/dealers who need reliable local tech to support their practice
Independent RIAs managing their own technology and compliance
Solo practitioners to small teams
Practices using professional platforms like Albridge, Wealthbox, WealthVision, Redtail, and similar systems
What our clients have in common:
Need technology that works reliably
Face compliance requirements that demand proper security and documentation
Want technology support that understands financial services, not generic help desk
Prefer spending time with clients over dealing with tech problems
Most of our clients are small to mid-size practices that need professional-grade technology support without hiring a full-time tech person.
GETTING STARTED
Contact us through the website form or email info@pickleworks.tech. We'll schedule a brief conversation to:
Understand your current setup and pain points
Determine which plan makes sense (Pro vs. Elite)
Explain the onboarding process
Answer your questions about pricing and services
The onboarding typically takes 2-4 weeks depending on your practice size and complexity.
No high-pressure sales pitch, no obligation. Just a straightforward conversation about whether we can help your practice run smoother.
Yes. Onboarding for each person includes:
Assessment: Document your current systems, network, and devices
Deployment: Install endpoint protection, backup software, and monitoring tools
Configuration: Set up security policies, backup schedules, and access controls
Testing: Verify everything is working correctly
Documentation: Create records of your systems for future reference
We handle the technical setup so you don't have to. Most clients continue working normally during onboarding - we do the heavy lifting in the background.
Timeline is typically 2-4 weeks depending on how many devices you have and system complexity. Simple setups (1-2 people) can be completed faster, larger practices take longer.
Monitoring and support begin as soon as systems are deployed, so you're covered during the onboarding process. Standard monthly billing begins on the 1st of the first full month after you start service.
Yes. We can migrate your existing backup systems and data to our platform.
The process:
Assessment: Review your current backup setup and data
Planning: Determine migration timeline to minimize disruption
Migration: Transfer data securely to new backup systems
Verification: Confirm everything transferred correctly and backups are working
Cutover: Switch from old system to new system
Most migrations happen outside business hours or during slow periods to minimize impact on your operations. Simple backup migrations can be completed in a few days, more complex setups take longer.
We'll be upfront about timeline and any potential disruption before we start. The goal is to make the transition as smooth as possible, but migrations always require some planning and coordination on your end.
Most onboarding takes 2-4 weeks from start to finish.
Simple setups (1-2 people, standard configurations): 1-2 weeks
Larger practices (4-6 people, typical systems): 2-3 weeks
Complex setups (multiple locations, specialized systems, lots of data migration): 3-4 weeks
Timeline depends on:
How many devices need setup
Whether we're migrating existing backups
Complexity of your current systems
How quickly we can schedule deployment windows
We'll give you a realistic timeline upfront based on your specific situation. If something's taking longer than expected, we'll let you know why and adjust the schedule.
Most of the work happens in the background, so you can continue working normally during onboarding.
The first month is focused on getting everything properly set up and establishing a baseline:
Week 1-2: Installing and configuring all security tools, backup systems, and monitoring. You might get alerts or notifications as systems are being set up - this is normal.
Week 3-4: Fine-tuning configurations based on how you actually work. We'll adjust backup schedules, notification settings, and policies to match your workflow.
Throughout: Monitoring begins immediately, so we'll start catching issues and security events. You'll likely see us addressing small problems you didn't even know existed.
Expect some adjustment as systems get configured properly. Most clients see fewer tech headaches within a few weeks once everything is running correctly.
If something isn't working right or needs adjustment, just submit a ticket. The first month is about getting everything dialed in for your specific setup.
Still Have Questions?
Can't find what you're looking for? Our team is here to help. Get in touch and we'll provide the answers you need.