Category Archives: Manage Service

Business Success: Embracing Managed Service Providers

Manage Service, Security, Technology, , , ,

business success

Cutting-edge IT solutions are a top priority among businesses in today’s digital world, and it’s no big surprise. Technology continuously evolves, sometimes at a frighteningly rapid pace. You must be equipped with the latest software and hardware to achieve that business success.

Business Success: Impact of Technology Changes

There used to be a time when it was the norm for businesses to take a reactive approach to changes in technology. Businesses created and implemented IT solutions as a response to problems after these problems had already caused damage.

In recent years, the trend has shifted toward proactive solutions. Experts anticipate potential problems and implement solutions that will keep them from escalating. The more technology advances, the more potential problems might come up. Hence, to maintain high business success, it is more important than ever to engage in proactive tech solutions for businesses.

Benefits of Proactive Business Tech Solutions

Implementing proactive business tech solutions can do a lot of good for business success. Here are just some of the top benefits:

Improves Efficiency for Business Success

Business operations can run a lot more smoothly with a proactive IT solution. Business can go on as usual if downtimes decrease. These will not only improve efficiency but can also ultimately increase revenue and boost your reputation among your clients.

Reduces Costs

There will be some initial spending involved, but in the long run, the cost savings will be immeasurable. You can use our Business Excessive Spending Calculator to compare how much you would be spending before and after. With a dependable solution in place, you can avoid many expensive IT issues in the future, like system failures, extensive downtimes, or data breaches.

Boosts Work Performance

Part of proactive IT is the integration of all IT processes in your business, creating a seamless operation that will ultimately boost performance. This will speed up your systems and minimize delays, allowing your employees to maximize their productivity.

Mitigates Risks for Business Success

Proactive solutions play a role in mitigating risks and improving the overall security of your business. With non-stop monitoring, breaches or system errors will be detected and addressed quickly without disrupting operations. The system will also afford greater protection over your database and networks, keeping them safe during a cyberattack.

Allows for Scalability

Traditional business solutions can be limiting in terms of business growth. With a proactive solution, you can adapt to changing market demands. Even if you don’t have a concrete plan where you want your business to be a few years down the line, the scalability and versatility of a proactive system can easily allow growth and expansion to happen.

Business Success: Top Ways to Implement Proactive Tech Solutions

Predictive Analytics

One of the most popular proactive solutions used by businesses today is predictive analytics. In this process, experts locate patterns to predict future business trends through machine learning, AI, data analysis, and statistical models. This practice is useful in several business applications, like forecasting cash flow, sales trends, even product malfunctions, and so on.

AI-Driven Automation

Using large databases, AI-driven automation can make highly informed business decisions to address problems long before they even become an actual issue. The applications of these AI-powered solutions are endless—from identifying when a piece of hardware needs to be replaced to executing algorithms that can nullify potential cyber threats.

Cloud Computing for Business Success

Taking your business to the cloud is a proactive decision, as it eliminates multiple problems in terms of accessibility, storage, scalability, security, and even cost. Cloud computing can also be tailored to meet the specific needs of your business, which is why it is important to work closely with your IT provider, who can provide the most suitable solutions for you.

Find the Right Proactive Solutions with the Help of a Managed Service Provider

Navigating the world of IT business solutions on your own can be intimidating, which is why it is highly advisable to partner with a managed services provider that can help you. They can help achieve your goal of business success in this market.

Did you know that by keeping on using your old equipment, you might be spending more than you should? Try using our Business Excessive Spending Calculator and you’ll 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, and find out the answer to this question: “Are you aware of what you’re paying for your IT Services?” Watch the Webinar HERE!

If you need help or have questions about managed services, call us anytime!

5 Reasons Why Businesses Do IT Staff Termination

IT staff termination
Cybersecurity, Manage Service, Security, Technology, , , ,

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!

IT Support Decision: In-House IT vs MSP

In-House IT
Cybersecurity, Manage Service, Security, , , , , ,

In the digital era that we are in now, there is no question why reliable IT support is a must for all businesses. Recently, if you want to stay productive, competitive, secure, or relevant in your industry, you need to have the proper technology in place. Ultimately, you also need capable In-House IT professionals to handle all these tech needs.

The big question for many business owners is whether to hire an in-house team or to partner with a managed services provider. Both options have pros and cons. To make the right choice, you need to analyze the many differences carefully. To make a thorough In-House IT Guy vs Managed Service Provider comparison, let’s answer some of the most crucial questions.

What Can They Do?

Your In-House IT Guy

An in-house employee tasked with handling the company’s IT concerns is capable of regular IT infrastructure maintenance, general software, and hardware troubleshooting, and dealing with regular technology concerns.

Managed Services Provider

A managed services provider can do everything that the IT guy can do, plus a much wider scope of services and solutions. An MSP employs several highly trained experts in various IT fields, so no matter what the issue, there’s bound to be at least one individual specially trained to address your problems.

How Much Do They Cost?

Your In-House IT Guy

The cost of hiring an IT guy is equivalent to having an additional employee on the company’s payroll. It appears to be the more cost-effective option until you encounter a problem that is beyond your IT guy’s expertise, and that requires you to hire a third party. Furthermore, you would also have to spend on training, benefits, and even equipment for every IT professional you have on your staff.

Managed Services Provider

MSP services usually come at a fixed monthly fee, the size of which would depend on the services that you need. It might be a higher cost than a single monthly salary, but it is inclusive of everything you would need. There will be no surprise expenses, which is much better in terms of budget management.

What Level of Expertise and Support Do They Offer?

Your In-House IT Guy

An In-House IT guy knows your systems like the back of his hand. This familiarity plus a strong understanding of your business, enables him to make sound decisions that will benefit your organization. On the other hand, their skills are limited compared to the combined skill set of an entire MSP team.

Managed Services Provider

MSPs employ many IT professionals trained in diverse fields, from network management and cybersecurity to disaster recovery and cloud services. They will deploy their appropriate specialist to your company depending on your specific needs, so you will always get the best service.

Can They Provide Scalability and Flexibility?

Your In-House IT Guy

Since they are just one individual, it would be difficult for them to adapt to sudden changes in the system, or to handle highly specialized projects. This can cause delays and a lack of efficiency in operations.

Managed Services Provider

Scalability is one of the biggest advantages of working with an MSP. The services they offer are always flexible and can be adjusted based on the changing IT needs of your business.

Final Thoughts

Based on the In-House IT Guy vs Managed Service Provider comparison above, for most businesses, working with an MSP presents significant advantages. However, keep in mind that not all MSPs are equally reliable. Before signing up with any provider, make sure they pass all the criteria listed in our 7 Components to Auditing an IT Provider. You can download the list here for your reference.

We can help you eliminate all this unnecessary spending. Call us today!

Training Employees to Spot Social Engineering

spot social engineering
Cybersecurity, How To, Security, Technology, , , ,

Social engineering is one of the newest methods hackers use to access sensitive information. Rather than attacking a system directly, this technique relies on human psychology to gain information. This method is brilliant when you think about it because it does not have to deal with going past ironclad network security. If hackers can manipulate even a single employee, they might hand over sensitive information on a silver platter, and the hackers can take control of the organization’s entire system. This is why its important for your employees to learn how to spot social engineering.

Companies must understand that if you can’t spot social engineering it can compromise business security. Reports show that over 90% of data breaches happen because of social engineering. Phishing scams account for 54% of these cases. The good news is that there is a way to prevent social engineering threats, and that is by training employees.

Popular Social Engineering Techniques

There is a lot to cover in training employees to spot social engineering. A logical start would be to discuss the most popular techniques so employees can recognize and avoid them.

Phishing is the most common method because it is easy to execute. It also yields positive results, at least for the hackers. This method entails sending emails that deceive victims into clicking a malicious link or divulging sensitive information without realizing it.

Pretexting is when a hacker gains the victim’s trust through a pretext or a created scenario, which is part of a larger, more convoluted social engineering attack plan. There is also the quid pro quo attack, where the hacker lures the victim into divulging information in exchange for something in return. Tailgating, or piggybacking, is a popular social engineering technique where the victim unknowingly gives the hacker access to a secure location.

Importance of Employee Training To Spot Social Engineering

These social engineering strategies would be much easier to execute if employees were untrained and unaware of the risks involved. The damage could be monumental, as the $100 million phishing scam on Google and Facebook illustrates. From 2013 to 2015, a team of hackers sent numerous phishing emails to specific employees of Google and Facebook, telling them to deposit money into fraudulent accounts. They could collect more than $100 million from this scheme.

Now, even if your business does not have that kind of revenue, you can still be a victim. These days, hackers are targeting small businesses on a massive scale. Every employee can also be a target, from customer service personnel to top executives, so you must conduct training across the board.

Best Ways to Train Employees to Spot Social Engineering

There are several methods of training your employees to spot social engineering. Traditional classroom workshops, either personal or online, are excellent for an in-depth training session. A one-time seminar is hardly enough, though, and that is why we also recommend regular refreshers.

Unannounced phishing simulations are effective in evaluating employees based on how much they have learned. It would surprise you how so many people do well in theory but still won’t be able to tell the real deal when it is staring at them from the inbox. Being bitten once in a simulated attack will teach your employees to be more vigilant.

Final Thoughts

Organizations can achieve a high level of protection against social engineering if everyone is sufficiently aware of the risks and knows what to do in case an attack goes through. Besides the various training methods, you will implement, we strongly advise you to download our infographic, “The Top 10 Steps to Take If You Think You Have Been Hacked.” Print it out and post it on every department’s bulletin board. Be sure all your employees also get their own copy.

For more information about social engineering and how to avoid becoming a victim, call us. We can get you up to speed on the latest preventive measures and keep your company safe from the prying eyes of cybercriminals.