How To Solve The Biggest Problems With IT Managed Services For Small Businesses

how to solve the biggest problems with it managed services for small businesses 2
IT support for small businesses

Sometimes it feels really good to complain, and there is just a bit to complain about when it comes to IT services for small businesses. But all the complaining in the world won’t fix things; that’s why we’ve identified the most frustrating parts of this aspect of business and have some ideas on how you can deal with IT Managed Services for small businesses.

Know Your Consultant’s Communication Method

If tempers flare over small issues or if your IT person is using complicated rhetoric, you need new IT support. Look for computer support consultants that easily, clearly and patiently communicate with your employees.

Make sure your tech support requests are being handled efficiently. It’s best to know the specific process your IT support uses regarding help requests. Ask how your managed services log and respond to such situations and the best way to reach them.

Ask if evaluations are offered by your managed services. It’s good to know this up front. Ideally, they would assess the situation, recommend new products, and install them.

Know What Sort of Network Security is Provided

Don’t wait until you get hacked to ask about firewalls, spam filters, anti-virus and anti-spyware solutions. In the event something awful does happen, have a reliable back-up and data disaster recovery plan.

Note your network support’s hours of operation. Of course, it’s better to have IT support available 24/7 with emergency rescue services. Really, is there such a thing? Yes, there is hope!

Know What Your IT Consultant Specializes In

Some IT professionals are more general practitioners, while others are specialists. It’s similar to the medical field.

Ask about any deals that are offered. You don’t want any surprise fees or limited support. An established monthly rate for all IT services is quintessential.

These points to consider are to ensure you hire (or have hired) the right managed services for your small business. If you have concerns about what was discussed or questions about other IT related matters, contact us.

How Outsourced Computer Support Will Aid Your Small Business

how outsourced computer support will aid your small business

The situation: You have developed a concept for a business product or service that you feel is certain to sell. You have done your homework and created a business plan that rocked your banker’s world. Your financing is in place, your production is in good shape, and you are ready for prime time. You realize that your business will benefit from a strong presence on the internet and on social media, and you have worked hard to figure your way around a mouse and keyboard.

But as you really consider your technology needs for a successful small-sized business, you realize that you are ill-prepared to meet that need. Panic sets in. Now what?

The solution is simpler than you might think. Consider the option of outsourced computer support for your business. What is involved? Simply put, outsourcing your computer support allows you to focus on what you do best while letting IT experts handle all the technology stuff you have never even heard of.

With this solution, as your business takes off and profits come in, systems roll efficiently along. Your email accounts stay safe, your firewalls remain intact, your data is uncorrupted, and your hardware is running smoothly.

And all of this can be accomplished without having to spend valuable time researching the difference between malware, adware, phishing, and botnets. What could be better than such an easy, economical solution to a thorny problem? Contact us, and we will concentrate on supplying your business technology needs while you concentrate on making your business a success.

4 Tips for Choosing Outsourced Computer Support for Your Business

why security is at the heart of managed it services on long island

Though it’s clear that security breaches are an issue for large corporations and organizations, they are also a major issue for small businesses as well. If you’re like most business owners and managers, you want to choose the right IT solution for your business model. However, not being an IT expert yourself, you’re likely unsure how to go about it.

What to Look For

Professionalism

The on-boarding process will show you whether an IT company is professional. They should provide you with a designated team member that you can always use as your first point of contact in every situation. In some situations, however, you or your staff might just want to speak with the help desk. It’s important to note that good IT teams clearly define their help desk policies in writing.

Your potential team should also offer a seamless service transition, with a clear outline of the information they need from you or from your previous IT services provider.

Coverage

Many issues that arise between IT providers and the companies they serve occur because managers and business owners don’t understand exactly what their service contract covers. The best way to avoid these issues is to understand exactly what your potential IT team covers up front. Ask for a Service Line Up and a Device Inventory. These documents will outline exactly how your potential IT team will handle service delivery in the different technology areas of your company.

Mobile Security

If mobile security isn’t something you’ve been thinking about, you should make it a priority. Yes, network security is typically the primary issue for most companies. However, more and more, employees are using mobile devices for both personal and business use. Even simple tasks like:

Accessing the company network, Emailing clients, Texting clients, or Transporting files can put company data at risk. Your potential outsourced computer support team should help you design a mobile security plan that includes:

  • Provision of or help with planning compliance training
  • Help with choosing a BYOD or COPE device policy
  • Device security, backup and recovery protocol implementation

Disaster Recovery

There is no question that every company needs a good backup and recovery plan. Here’s 4 reasons you need a disaster recovery plan. Make sure that your potential IT company provides you with a backup and recovery plan in writing, and that it covers your office’s hardware, peripherals and mobile devices.

We believe that it’s important that you and your staff understand everything we have to offer, before you sign on the dotted line. Having it in writing gives you proof, but clarity and understanding give you the peace of mind you need to focus on your business.

Contact us today!

How and Why You Should Defrag Your Company’s Computers

how and why you should defrag your company computers

how to defrag computerThere are a few things you can do to keep your business computers fast and responsive. In this blog we’ll go over how to defrag your computer.

First, you need to understand why defragmentation is necessary. It’s different from clearing up your hard drive to prevent lagging.

A recent Lifehacker article goes over fragmentation and defragmentation and puts them in simple terms:

“When your computer writes data to your drive, it does so in “blocks” … Fragmentation happens when those files get split between blocks that are far away from each other. The hard drive then takes longer to read that file because the read head has to “visit” multiple spots on the platter. Defragmentation puts those blocks back in sequential order, so your drive head doesn’t have to run around the entire platter to read a single file.”

It’s important that you defrag your computer every so often. The good news is that defragging is so easy that any novice user can do it.

Here are the steps of defragging, outlined by Microsoft:

Open Disk Defragmenter by clicking the Start button .
Under Current status, select the disk you want to defragment.
To determine if the disk needs to be defragmented or not, click Analyze disk.
Click Defragment disk.
If your employees know how to open and run basic programs, then they’ll be able to defrag their computers. You also don’t have to worry about them messing with any settings.

TIP: While it’s useful to show employees how to defrag their computers, it’s even better to just set up a defragmentation schedule. This way, employees don’t have to go through the process once every week. It’ll get done on a weekly or monthly basis at a time they choose. We recommend setting up schedules with the other maintenance programs Microsoft offers.

To talk more about defragging your computer, or anything else, please contact us. Thanks.

Managed Services for a Better Business

managed services for a better business

If the ever-changing world of IT has your head in a tailspin, you’re not alone. If the thought of running an IT department within your own business gives you nightmares, it may be time to consider an MSP.

An MSP, or managed service provider, is perfect for small, or medium-sized businesses that don’t have the capital to invest, or simply don’t want to spend the amount of money it would take to buy all of the equipment, and pay the necessary staff to run an effective IT department in-house. Managed service providers offer small businesses the opportunity to save time, money, and space by outsourcing their IT needs.

As more entrepreneurs open start-ups, innovators break ground, operations down-size, and many businesses shift away from the corporate structure, MSPs are becoming increasingly preferred. Having on-demand experienced IT support was once an expensive luxury exclusive to big businesses. Fortunately, with an MSP, this personalized on-demand support is now totally affordable for any size company. MSPs are flexible and allow companies to access to the amount of data storage they actually need, and can afford, and to adjust as their business grows, or downsizes. Utilize the experience and knowledge of information technology professionals, protect your data, and avoid any dreaded down-time with an MSP.

Forbes reported that, “The growing interest in management service providers comes as small businesses look for relief for their overburdened information technology workers who are often asked to perform around-the-clock maintenance. Such businesses are turning to management service providers to get a better bang for their buck…and to remotely monitor corporate networks to guard against hacker intrusion or to ease bandwidth bottlenecks.”

You don’t need to own an in-house IT department for your business to benefit from cutting-edge technology, customized support, and preventative maintenance. MSPs are the economical solution for any company that wants a slice of the IT department pie. Let the pros deal with your hardware, software, and network issues, and please contact us for any additional information to see how an MSP is perfect for your business.