There was once a time when businesses would only seek out technological expertise when it was necessary. This would be when a major component was on its last leg, or if they required new technology following a major hardware failure. Today, a better type of IT service model allows businesses to avoid the downtime and unexpected support costs associated with broken technology, by practicing proactive maintenance.
The break-fix IT model can be exhausting and unpredictable. When your technology unexpectedly breaks down, you shouldn’t have to grasp at straws just to keep operations running. Thanks to the proactive approach of managed IT services, the break-fix model is on borrowed time. Will your business move on from this antiquated method of managing technology, or will it remain stuck in the past, unable to move forward?
Running a business isn’t easy, and it’s only made more difficult by the incredible amount of responsibility thrown at you on a daily basis. One of the most difficult parts of running a business is managing the technology, as well as all of its bells and whistles. Here are five of the most difficult challenges that a business faces when trying to optimize their IT infrastructure.
We all know the pain of contriving a brand new business solution. It takes time to implement and it can be an unnecessary hurdle to greater operational efficiency. Therefore, the best way to make the most out of a brand new solution is to use one that requires minimal setup, and can be implemented immediately into your business strategy.
It’s well known in the business world that outsourcing your IT will yield significant savings for your IT budget. However, did you know that the benefits of outsourcing IT go beyond monetary savings? For example, gaining access to a new skillset is just one valuable benefit to outsourced IT that doesn’t have a column in your budget.
We often discuss why it’s important that a business takes proactive measures to resolve IT issues before they become problems, but these definitions might be lost on some of our followers. In order to understand the true value of our IT services, it’s imperative that you’re able to distinguish the difference between these two disruptive sources to your technology.
Modern businesses are built upon their data. Therefore, you need someone you trust to oversee it. Having the wrong person handle your IT systems could turn into a number of time-consuming, costly, and irritating problems for you. Here’s a list of the six most common IT problems that can be prevented by going with a trusted IT service provider.
IT support is heavily reliant upon communication between both parties involved. Without both sides being on the same page, IT support miscommunications are far more likely to happen. Sometimes you just can’t help but laugh at poor communication skills, as seen in the 2001 movie Zoolander. But thankfully, these situations don’t arise too often in the non-fictional universe… right?
Are you confident that your company's network is 100 percent secure? The best way to answer "yes" to this question is with a network audit. This is a technical procedure where IT professionals analyze every nook and cranny of your system, looking for every possible vulnerability. No matter what the situation is with your company's IT management, a network audit is worth doing.
A change is happening in the White House. Mikey Dickerson, a Google site reliability engineer, has just been appointed by the United States government as the deputy federal CIO, proving that even the big wigs need consulting from time-to-time.
When your business is in need of IT assistance, you want to make sure that you are getting the best of the best. However, the best course of action isn't to just look at someone's qualifications. You also want to look at their personality and other characteristics which can tell you a lot about who you are hiring.
It's no secret that the Internet is full of dangerous activity. Too many people think their networks are safe without any kind of protection. We don't mean to say that the Internet isn't safe, but that it's only as safe as you make it for yourself. In order to keep your small business safe, you should implement protective software, like a firewall. A firewall can help keep your company safe from online threats, and believe us when we say that a little bit of protection goes a long way.
On May 4th you may see more Star Wars T-shirts than normal. This is because May 4th is recognized around the galaxy as Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you). Thanks to the abundant use of technology throughout this science fiction franchise, you can bet your podracer that we can find an IT lesson from Star Wars that can help your business!
When your business runs efficiently, you will see the positive side effects start relatively quickly. While this seems pretty reasonable to most everyone, there are many business owners that don't know how to best produce the kind of efficiency that will take their business to the next level.
As your company expands, you’re beginning to realize that one IT person isn’t enough to handle all of your technical needs. You feel like you need more hands on deck, but your budget won’t allow for it. You decide that your best option is to hire slowly and steadily, interviewing externally for the most qualified individuals. But, how can you be sure that they meet the needs of your company?
Sometimes you just don’t know what to do, and you don’t know where to turn for help. You don’t want to ask your competitors for anything, because they don’t need to know your weak points, and you feel crushed under the pressure of day-to-day operation. Maybe a hand once in a while isn’t such a bad thing.
How involved in your operations is your IT department? Does your SMB even have an IT department? Many organizations tend to consider IT an afterthought because they don’t believe themselves to be targets for hackers, or don’t anticipate costly technology issues. However, these business owners underestimate the power of complete transparency between an organization and IT.
Are you experiencing performance issues with your computer network? Does it seem like it’s not running as effectively as it used to? Given the nature of technology, eventually, you’ll have to replace all of your computer hardware. But before you do, give your network a boost by trying these four IT maintenance best practices.
It’s already a couple of months into 2016, are you still relying on a break-fix company to fix your technology problems? Using technology comes with its own set of problems. For example, dealing with an influx of new devices in your office, determining whether or not your technology can take another year of use, and budgeting around new technology expenses, can be suffocating. If you haven’t done so yet, now is a great time to cast aside the break-fix IT policy and take your technology maintenance and management seriously.
