Category Archives: Cybersecurity

Maximize Business Efficiency with Managed IT Services

business efficiency

The success of any business relies heavily on efficiency. Early on, it’s easy to keep operations efficient, especially when the organization is small. However, as your business expands, there will be more IT infrastructure and processes to handle, and it will simply be impossible to take care of it all on your own. It will also not be cost-efficient to hire an in-house IT team to do the job. So how do you maximize efficiency in a continuously growing business? Simple—you partner with a reliable managed network services provider.

What Are Managed Network Services?

Managed network services are technology services that a third party offers to businesses. These include a wide range of services that fall under network management, monitoring, and maintenance. Technically, companies can take care of all these procedures themselves, using an in-house IT guy or hiring outside services as needed. However, many business owners hire managed network service providers because of the business cost savings and efficiency.

Benefits of Managed Network Services for Businesses

Business Efficiency Cost Savings

The average salary of an IT professional in the US today is almost $100,000 annually. If you want to build a competent in-house tech team, you will need to have more than one of these experts in your payroll to cover the different fields of expertise. Just imagine the impact that would have on your company’s expenses. With managed network services, you pay less and improve business efficiency.

Improved Security

Cybersecurity threats that target businesses are becoming more aggressive over the years. Thus, it is more crucial than ever to have a robust security system in place. Managed network services employ the best security experts, so you will never have to worry about data breaches, system failures, or other online threats.

Enhanced Performance

Partnering with a reliable provider means you will have access to all the latest tools and features that will ensure the optimum performance of your network. Vigilant monitoring and regular maintenance will make downtime a thing of the past. Highly trained experts will identify network issues and address them with proactive solutions. All of this contributes to the overall performance of your business.

Streamlined Operations

Resolving IT issues can take up a lot of time, money, and other resources. By delegating your company’s technology matters to a managed network services provider, your staff can focus on doing the jobs that you hired them to do.

Scalability for Business Efficiency

Network requirements change frequently as a business evolves. Opening a new branch, for instance, would require massive network expansion and greater bandwidth. Handling these requirements can be demanding on your own but very easy with the help of a service provider.

Excessive Spending Calculator for Business Efficiency

The first benefit of managed network services is business cost savings. If you want a concrete idea of how much you can save with a good IT provider, our Excessive Spending Calculator can help. You can download this helpful application for free by clicking right here.

It’s so easy to use and can reveal plenty of valuable information regarding your company’s spending. This handy app can point out areas of inefficiency, uncover hidden costs, and help you identify potential business cost savings. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to optimize your network infrastructure and stay ahead of the competition.

If you want to learn more about managed network services and how they can help maximize your company’s efficiency, call us. We’ll be happy to answer your questions in a free consultation!

Maximize Growth with Managed IT Services

Maximize managed services

Technology changes rapidly, and IT hardware solutions are a perfect example. You don’t necessarily need to purchase every upgrade released into the market. Some have nothing to do with your IT system, while others are optional, and you can make do without. However, as a business owner, you should know when to adopt fresh IT hardware solutions and leave behind outdated systems.  Maximize your business’s hardware with managed IT services.

When is it Time for a Business to Maximize Managed Services? 

Many businesses put off hardware upgrades for many reasons, the most common being the reluctance to spend. Yes, hardware can be expensive. But then, some expenses are necessary to propel your business forward. They are smart investments that you must make. Here are some signs that it’s time to let go of the old stuff and maximize your business hardware with managed IT services.

Performance

Hardware past its prime can result in sluggish performance, which leads to a drop in productivity and user experience. Your employees will be frustrated, and your clients will begin to look elsewhere for better service. Maximizing your hardware growth with managed IT services is the only way to circumvent this.

Security Issues

Obsolete hardware is the perfect target for cyberattacks because of its weak defenses, which are easily penetrable by modern hacking tools. On the other hand, new hardware is equipped with strong security features that can better protect your business from online threats.

Maximize with Managed IT services If There is an End of Support

Hardware manufacturers offer support, but only for a limited period. Once the support tenure is over, you will no longer receive official updates, which leaves your system vulnerable to all kinds of problems. If you upgrade your hardware, support will continue to be available.

Benefits if You Maximize Growth with Managed IT Services

If you have been experiencing any of the signs listed above, then it’s time for a business IT hardware upgrade. The expenses might sting a bit, especially if you have been holding on for a while and require a total overhaul. However, in the long run, abundant benefits are waiting for you once you maximize growth with managed IT services.

Improved Performance

With the new hardware, your IT systems can operate with more speed and efficiency. Employees and clients would be pleased, and your business would regain its competitive edge.

Enhanced Security Features

Fresh IT hardware solutions come with the most advanced security features, protecting you from continuously evolving threats.

Increased Productivity

Work productivity will shoot up now that sluggish apps and long response times are a thing of the past. You can now benefit from modern applications for your business without worrying that your hardware cannot handle them.

Better Scalability

New hardware solutions are widely scalable. If you need more memory or processing capacity, or if you need to accommodate a greater user load, it won’t be a problem with modern hardware solutions.

Cost-Effective Solutions for Upgrading Business Hardware

As mentioned earlier, cost is the biggest reason that business owners cite for not upgrading the hardware more often. But did you know that by keeping on using your old equipment, you might be spending more? Try using our Business Excessive Spending Calculator and you might be surprised at how much money is unnecessarily going out of your business. You can download the calculator right here.

To learn the benefits of the Spending Calculator, be sure to watch our Webinar on demand to find out the answer to this question: “Are you truly aware of what you’re paying for your IT Services?” Watch the webinar HERE!

Besides, a business IT hardware upgrade need not cost you an arm and a leg. There are many viable options if you have a limited budget. You can investigate leasing or availing of refurbished equipment. IT providers also offer a range of customizable solutions that would be just right for your organization.

If you’re ready to let go of your old equipment and maximize your business growth with managed IT services, we are here to help. Contact us and we can start discussing the best hardware solutions for your business!

Top IT Strategies to Drive Business Growth in 2024

IT Strategies

Technology evolves at a rapid pace. There is no stopping the onset of new infrastructure, IT strategies, tools, or concepts that would surely be integral to business growth. It can be a struggle to try to catch up with these new advances. So instead, why not take measures to keep you a couple of steps ahead? By anticipating the changes and having the necessary solutions in place to address them, your business can maintain its forward thrust and not get caught unprepared.

Staying ahead of the curve seems ideal and is possible, although there are some challenges that you are likely to encounter along the way. To minimize possible hiccups, create and implement your business growth strategies with the utmost care.

Key Elements of Business Growth IT Strategies for Staying Ahead

To ensure your business keeps up with technology, you need to be on the lookout for new opportunities to learn and grow. This includes attending webinars, following IT blogs, interacting with tech experts, and so on. Not only that, but also consider some important aspects when building your business growth strategies, especially the ones we have listed below.

Scalability IT Strategies

It makes perfect sense for small businesses to make do with only the most fundamental IT solutions while starting. However, many basic IT infrastructures are severely lacking in scalability. When the time comes for your venture to expand, there will be a marked increase in data volume, user load, and business transactions. Is your system capable of all this extra load while maintaining the same optimal performance?

Security IT Strategies

The more your business grows, the more it will be exposed to security risks. Many small business owners don’t even have a robust cybersecurity solution in place, relying only on ordinary antivirus software or similar measures. This flaw makes your company vulnerable to data breaches and other kinds of cyberattacks. Basic security tools will no longer suffice as your business grows, and you will have to shift to more comprehensive security strategies to stay protected.

Integration

Another common challenge for growing businesses has to do with integration. Most businesses apply several tech solutions as needed over time. Now, these systems might be effective individually, but they might not be in sync with each other. This can lead to a myriad of problems in business operations. A seamlessly integrated IT business system can lead to better productivity, better communication, better access to data, and a more streamlined growth process.

Resource Allocation

It is very tricky to operate and grow a business with limited resources. A business owner needs to set their priorities, making sure that all IT needs are met, along with all the other crucial requirements of the business, without going over budget or overburdening the staff.

Get a Head Start by Partnering with a Reliable IT Provider

Even the most competent business manager would have a tough time handling all the above challenges. The only feasible way to conquer them and stay ahead of the technology curve is to partner with a reliable IT provider. This way, you will have access to the best IT strategies, provided by highly trained experts in their respective fields. You won’t have to micro-manage all the technology in your business. Instead, you can focus on running your business while your IT provider manages your company’s tech needs.

In choosing your tech company, make sure you are getting the services you need at a reasonable price. Our Business Excessive Spending Calculator will help reveal any hidden costs from an IT provider. You can download the calculator right here.

To learn the benefits of the Spending Calculator, be sure to watch our Webinar on demand to find out the answer to this question: “Are you truly aware of what you’re paying for your IT Services?” Watch the webinar HERE!

If you need further information, give us a call, and we can schedule you for a free consultation!

5 Reasons Why Businesses Do IT Staff Termination

IT staff termination

IT staff termination has notably increased in the last couple of years. According to Business News Daily, 37% of IT professionals were discharged, a continuing trend that began during the pandemic. This is not good for IT professionals or the companies that they work for.

For the IT staff professionals, they obviously wouldn’t want to get a termination. Besides losing money, they would also have a blemish on their professional record, which puts them back where they started when and if they were to find employment with another company. And for the employer, firing their tech guys also means back to the drawing board. They will have to look for someone new, spend money and time on training them, and possibly even experience reduced productivity from the remaining workforce.

It would be in the best interest of both parties if the IT staff termination rate went down. For this to happen, it is important to understand what causes terminations in the first place, and that will be our topic today.

5 Most Common IT Staff Termination Reasons

Performance Issues

Leading the list of IT staff termination reasons, poor performance would be a deal breaker. Incompetence in any form is a reason for getting fired. If someone gets failing marks after an IT staff performance evaluation, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if they get a notice of termination.

Breach of Company Policies

Another clear-cut reason to fire someone is if they violate company policies. The IT staff code of conduct covers a wide scope, from the proper use of company resources to following strict data security protocols. Any breach of these policies can warrant termination.

Lack of Adaptability

A competent IT professional should be able to keep up with rapidly changing technology. There must be continuous learning for IT professionals, and adapting to technological changes in IT. Their inability to do this will diminish their value to the company, and there will be no reason for them to stay on the payroll.

Communication Issues with IT Staff Leading to Termination

Many IT projects require collaboration between team members, as well as with clients or management. Because of this, many companies invest in improving communication skills for IT professionals through team-building workshops or training on IT staff communication strategies. This addition is a vital step toward minimizing potential communication issues. If, despite these efforts, the tech guys cannot step up in this area, they are likely to get fired.

Cultural Misfit

Although not as common as the other IT staff termination reasons, a cultural misfit is still a valid reason for a company to terminate their IT professional. It can be difficult for individuals to fulfill their role in the company if there is discord within the team. Here, your company would be better off finding the right IT talent for your company culture, and firing those that are not a good fit.

Choose Your IT Staff Carefully to Minimize Risk of Termination

There might be other IT staff termination reasons besides the ones above which are by far the most frequently cited. As a business owner, you must consider these reasons the next time you hire an IT professional. In addition, when hiring an IT provider, you must be sure that they pass all the criteria mentioned in the 7 Components of Auditing an IT Provider. You can download the list right here. 

Choosing the right provider will certainly reduce the need for eventual termination, and instead, it might lead to a long-lasting and fruitful professional partnership. If you need help finding the ideal IT team for your company, we can give you a hand. Call us today and we will schedule you for a free consultation!