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How to Choose a Managed IT Services Provider
April 14, 2022 11:07 pm Leave a Comment
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to managed IT services, but perhaps the most important decision you’ll make is which provider to go with. That choice isn’t always easy–so here are a few tips to help you end up with a partner you can trust!

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to managed IT services, but perhaps the most important decision you’ll make is which provider to go with. That choice isn’t always easy–so here are a few tips to help you end up with a partner you can trust!

Understanding Managed IT Services Providers

What is a managed IT services provider, anyway?

A provider is a company that acts as your partner in tech. When you outsource your IT support, they’re the ones who take responsibility for issues big and small–which is why it’s so important to find a provider you trust.

Ideally, a provider should begin your relationship by performing an audit or analysis of your tech environment. That way, they have all the information they need to make recommendations, choose solutions, and help you overcome any specific pain points. This doesn’t mean they should “take over,” though. Remember, this is a partnership–so you should be able to make requests or changes whenever you want.

The Right Managed IT Services Provider

So, now you know what a managed IT services provider should look like–how do you find one that fits the bill? Here are a few things to look for:

#1: Reliability

Most managed IT providers say they’re reliable, but only some of them can back up this claim with facts. Look for providers with long histories and glowing testimonials to prove how reliable they are.

#2: Expertise

IT is complicated and fast-moving. The right provider will have expertise in a variety of tech fields, which means you’ll never get stuck with unanswered questions or problems no one can solve.

#3: A connection

Naturally, a managed IT services provider should be good at IT–but they also need to have a good connection with you. If they don’t communicate clearly or don’t seem friendly, they’re probably not the right partner for your company.

In conclusion, a managed IT services provider should be your partner in tech. To choose that partner, look for qualities like reliability and expertise–and don’t forget how important it is to have a real connection.

Want to learn more about managed IT services? Looking for the right provider? Contact us today!
Managed IT Services: How to Think Like a Cybercriminal
March 10, 2022 1:19 am Leave a Comment
As a business professional, you may not spend a lot of time thinking about how to hack into others’ devices, invite yourself into secured networks, or take data that doesn’t belong to you. However, that’s exactly how cybercriminals spend their time–which is why they’re so good at causing trouble. Today, with a little help from managed IT services, we’ll take a walk in a cybercriminal’s shoes to find out how you can outsmart them.

As a business professional, you may not spend a lot of time thinking about how to hack into others’ devices, invite yourself into secured networks, or take data that doesn’t belong to you. However, that’s exactly how cybercriminals spend their time–which is why they’re so good at causing trouble. Today, with a little help from managed IT services, we’ll take a walk in a cybercriminal’s shoes to find out how you can outsmart them.

A Word From Managed IT Services

Before we get into the “criminal mindset,” let’s take a step back and understand why this approach works in the first place.

Think of managed IT services as an ex-detective. This detective had to go undercover plenty of times, learning all about cybercriminals, their strategies, and how they approach companies like yours. After stepping back from detective work, managed IT services switched to the security game, and now managed IT providers help you protect your data and devices from the very criminals they used to track.

Okay–maybe that’s not how managed IT services actually works. Still, this is a good way to understand why it’s helpful to look at things from a cyber criminal’s perspective–and how an IT support provider can help.

Protecting Your Company with Managed IT

Now that you know why you should take a walk in a cybercriminal’s shoes, let’s find out how to make it happen:

#1: Understand why you’re a target.

Small businesses are a target for the same reasons predators go after the smaller prey: They figure you’re an easy target because you don’t have as much experience or as many defenses as your bigger neighbors. Luckily, with managed IT, you can give those cybercriminals a nasty surprise by meeting their attacks with solid security.

#2: Look for weak points.

Digital bad guys hide in the shadows, looking for weak points in your defenses. Think from their perspective: If you were trying to gain access to your own company, where would you start? Would you target new employees who may not be up to speed on systems? Would you use the company name or address to start guessing passwords because you figure no one would think to use complex phrases instead? (Hint: Managed IT services can help you create good password habits!)

#3: Stay up-to-date.

Cybercriminals can’t afford to get behind on the latest tools of the trade. To think like one, you’ll need to pay attention to which “trends” are popular among these troublemakers (and try to anticipate which approaches they might try next).

In conclusion, it’s often best to approach your own security solutions from the perspective of a cybercriminal. Managed IT services can help you do just that, providing the insight, tools, and experience necessary to help you dodge danger in all its forms.

Looking for a little security help? Contact us today to get started with managed IT services!
Managed IT Services: 3 Critical Elements for Law Firms
February 11, 2022 2:04 am Leave a Comment
Every company has its unique challenges, but law firms face especially large hurdles–especially when it comes to their tech. That’s why managed IT services offers three critical elements to help law firms get the job done. Let’s take a closer look!

Every company has its unique challenges, but law firms face especially large hurdles–especially when it comes to their tech. That’s why managed IT services offers three critical elements to help law firms get the job done. Let’s take a closer look!

Why Managed IT Services?

There’s a long list of business solutions available to law firms–so why choose managed IT services?

The simple answer is that, while every company wants its networks and devices to work properly, law firms have unique needs that can only be addressed with an efficient tech solution. That’s because so much modern legal communication happens in the digital world; law firms need tools to enable, protect, and share that communication without violating any of the regulations inherent to their industry.

That’s where managed IT services come in.

Managed IT Services for Law Firms

Managed IT services offer three elements that are absolutely critical to a law firm’s success. Those elements are:
- Simple yet powerful tech: The legal industry demands a high level of technological advancement. However, that advancement can come with even more hurdles–which is why managed IT services help law firms choose and implement tech that is impressive, powerful, efficient, yet simple and user-friendly.
- 24/7 IT support: When a client needs questions answered, or a case is down to the wire, law firms can’t afford to waste time on troubleshooting. Managed IT services offers 24/7 IT support to help keep networks, devices, and other tech running smoothly.
- Proactive solutions: Lawyers and other legal experts should be focused on their work, not their IT troubles. With managed IT services, they can rest easy knowing their provider has implemented proactive solutions that eliminate time- and money-wasting issues before they ever arise.
In conclusion, managed IT services can bring three important things to any law firm. These elements are critical because they work together to create a smooth, efficient tech environment–one that enables good work, high levels of security, and regulatory compliance.

Want to learn more about managed IT services and other solutions for law firms? Contact us today!
What Challenges Come with Managed IT Services?
November 9, 2021 1:59 am Leave a Comment
Nothing is perfect–not even managed IT services. So what challenges come with this tech solution, and how can you overcome them? Let’s find out!

Nothing is perfect–not even managed IT services. So what challenges come with this tech solution, and how can you overcome them? Let’s find out!

What to Expect From Managed IT Services

By now, you probably know all the great things managed IT services can do for you. But challenges and benefits aren’t mutually exclusive–so what hurdles should you expect from managed IT services, and what can you do to make it to the other side?

Here’s a closer look:

Challenge 1: Adapting to remote and hybrid environments

Managed IT services made more sense when everyone was in the same place, right?

Not necessarily.

Although adapting to remote and hybrid environments must be acknowledged as a challenge, even for your IT support provider, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to handle. In fact, remote and hybrid work gives you a chance to look at your tech in fresh ways, learn a few new tricks, and take your security to the next level. Look at this as an opportunity instead of a challenge.

Challenge 2: Keeping up with customers

Customer expectations are always growing and changing. That keeps you on your toes–but it also demands that you undermine one of the main tenets of managed IT services, which is consistency.

In this case, you’ll need to embrace an interesting paradox: consistent flexibility. If you build flexibility into your tech workflows and give yourself room to adapt to client expectations, you won’t stress out every time your IT game needs to pivot.

Challenge 3: Managing costs

The truth about technology is that it’s just plain expensive. Although managed IT services is all about helping you save money; you often need to spend money, too. So how do you balance that?

The key is visibility. When you know where your money is going and why it’s easier to make sure your spending is reasonable and efficient. That way, you don’t have to panic when you buy upgraded machines or fancy new software; you’ll know the cost is justified and efficient.

Conclusion

Although managed IT services, like everything, comes with its challenges, the solution is self-aware–meaning it has built-in tools and approaches to help counteract these challenges. Once you know what you’re up against, you’ll be able to use stress-free managed IT tactics to overcome problems big and small.

Ready to see what managed IT services can do for you? Contact us today!
The 4 Biggest Benefits of Managed IT Services
October 14, 2021 12:11 am Leave a Comment
Although managed IT services come with a long list of benefits, you probably don’t have time to brush up on every single one. Instead, here are the four biggest benefits of managed IT–and why they alone are enough to make this solution worthwhile.

Although managed IT services comes with a long list of benefits, you probably don’t have time to brush up on every single one. Instead, here are the four biggest benefits of managed IT–and why they alone are enough to make this solution worthwhile.

Managed IT Services, Simplified

The truth about managed IT services is that, like the devices and software it manages, it can get a little complicated.

Luckily, managed IT is all about simplifying things–even itself. In the spirit of stress-free solutions, here’s a look at managed IT services that breaks the solution down to its four biggest and most important benefits.

#1: Flexibility

Your tech solutions should grow and change with you–and managed IT services is no exception. No matter how many (or how few) devices you have in your workforce, no matter what software solutions you employ, managed IT will always be able to scale to fit your needs.

#2: Focus

Managed IT services helps you put the focus where it matters. When you’re running around putting out tech fires–like connectivity issues or printer troubleshooting–you’re wasting valuable time. However, having the right IT support helps you focus on the big stuff–like serving customers and supporting employees–while your provider deals with those other frustrations, tasks, and responsibilities.

#3: Cost efficiency

Need to save a few bucks? Managed IT is your new best friend. By analyzing your tech habits and helping you eliminate wasteful practices, managed IT services protects your budget without impacting your productivity.

#4: Control

Perhaps the best part of managed IT services is that control remains firmly with you. Although you’re outsourcing, you get the final say on solutions, changes, and tools–so basically, you get to keep doing the fun stuff (like choosing new tech) while shrugging off the rest (like updating software or checking for security breaches).

Conclusion

Managed IT services isn’t a solution with only four benefits–but if it was, these four benefits would be enough to improve every corner of your company. You’ll see scalable solutions, increased focus, a healthier budget, and more–all while maintaining control over the things that matter most.

Want to learn more about managed IT services? Contact us today to see what this solution can do for you!
Understanding Disaster Recovery
May 16, 2019 4:02 pm Leave a Comment
One of the most frightening things to any business is a disaster happening that the company must then recover from. Unfortunately, business disasters can and do happen, so knowing how to prepare and respond is the key to riding out the storm.

Preparing for Disaster

A data breach is a disaster that more and more companies are experiencing. One of the best ways to prepare is to put numerous safeguards in place for your data. Keep your files digital and password dependent. Keep your computer network up-to-date and ready to fend off any hackers. Be sure that you are compliant with all data-safety requirements and that you have enough personnel to keep your network running safely. Discuss in advance how IT would handle a breach if it did occur. Or, use managed IT services for extra security methods.

Keep a Mirror Site

A mirror site is one that reflects your company’s main site exactly. By keeping this alternative site ready to go, including keeping it updated as needed, it can be put into place quickly if anything happens to the main site. This keeps you from being out of reach for customers and risking bad publicity. A major hack may take time to deal with, but having a mirror site ready to use means you don’t have to compound your bad luck with company downtime that can cost the business dearly.

Have Multiple Choices

If you put all of your hopes into one disaster recovery method, the business would be in serious trouble if that should fail. That’s why there should be multiple plans in place so that the company can choose a plan depending on the circumstances. Then, if that one should fail, there will be more solutions to choose from. Stay updated periodically about the various plans in place. Encourage your IT support team to keep adding to those plans if necessary as technology grows and changes.

If you want to be sure that your business is ready to enact a disaster recovery plan, contact us to get started.
Managed Print Benefits for All Businesses
March 28, 2019 7:37 pm Leave a Comment
Managed print services typically supervise all of your print provisions, including device hardware, maintenance, service, and supplies. Print management is a great way to consolidate print costs and streamline your print environment, making it easier to run and supervise. MPS is no longer expensive and unwieldy to roll out; it is an essential solution with many benefits for any business.

Sustainable Solution

By tracking your print activity, managed print lets you know how much you are printing, if there are areas of waste and highlights the potential for cutting back. This is a great way to reduce paper waste as well as conserve toner and electricity usage — saving money and reducing emissions.

Financial Benefits

When it comes to managed print, most businesses agree that the financial savings are top-notch. The all-inclusive nature of print management means that your costs are bundled, saving you on supplies, service, maintenance, and more. Plus, you reduce expenses by eliminating the need for emergency repairs and troubleshooting. Consolidating print expenses eliminates stressful cost estimating and eases budget concerns.

Oversight and Control

Beyond financial savings, MPS helps businesses eliminate time and aggravation with simple oversight, automated notifications, increased control, and more. Never worry about running out of toner or ink again — with print monitoring, we will notify it is running low and send you more before it is even an issue for your business.

IT Assistance

Even if you have a great IT support team on staff, they probably have many other issues to deal with other than overseeing the functionality of your copiers and printers. Using a managed print provider frees up your IT resources, allowing your tech experts to focus on other technology pursuits. Contact us for more information on managed services.
Top 5 Tips for Selecting a Multifunction Printer
March 22, 2019 2:14 pm Leave a Comment
By now you probably know that multifunction printers are an indispensable device for any business. Since MFPs consolidate the need for multiple devices, they are particularly critical for small-to-medium businesses with limited space and budgets.

If you are in the market to improve workflows, reduces expenses, and streamline print processes, here are the top 5 tips for selecting a multifunction printer.
1. Know Your Needs Assess your print requirements and pinpoint what you need your MFP to do daily, besides just print. These devices have endless capabilities, but be sure you are focusing on your primary needs and not sacrificing your budget.
2. Total Cost of Ownership When you are evaluating a potential MFP, don’t just look at the initial cost, understand the total costs of ownership (TCO) as well as the cost/value benefits of the device. TCO can vary based on supplies, maintenance, service, and functionality.
3. Network Connections Take your current network into consideration and how difficult or easy it will be to integrate your new device into that network. Also, factor in whether or not you have a managed IT service plan or managed print program to assist with that transition or if you must rely on your in-house IT support.
4. Multitasking Capabilities Don’t let the name multifunction printer mislead you. Sure, they have multiple capabilities, but make your device can multitask in the way your business requires. Be cautious of an MFP that offers numerous functions but cannot perform them simultaneously, resulting in slowdowns and bottlenecks.
5. Security Concerns Once you connect your MFP to your network, that does not mean it is secure. When it comes to business security, you must protect your network as well as your printers and copiers — if one is vulnerable, both are. Be sure to understand the security capabilities of the device you are acquiring to ensure your business data is protected.
Read more about the many benefits of a multifunction printer and how it can help your business.
Support Your Business with Managed IT Services
February 15, 2019 12:51 am Leave a Comment
More and more companies are turning to outsourcing to help support their business operations. And, one of the most popular outsourcing options is managed IT services, which can include network design and support, network monitoring, cloud services, IT support and oversight, managed print services, and more.

When it comes to keeping your business running, the last thing you want to worry about is your IT networks. Outsourcing managed IT services can reduce workplace stress and reduce expenses. Here are just some of the reasons your business should consider managed IT services

Focus on Business Growth, Not IT Troubles

Like many businesses, you may not have the time, staffing, or on-site tools to monitor and manage your IT network effectively. When you contract out your IT needs, you can focus on high-level initiatives and business growth knowing that your infrastructure is in good hands. With managed IT services, you don’t have to worry about network functionality; we take care of that for you so that you can concentrate on success.

24 Hour Protection and Access

Business is not just 9 to 5, and neither are security threats. With 24-hour access and monitoring, you are protected no matter what time of day or night it is. In addition to oversight, we provide alerts and response to keep your data safe in case of an attack. You will always be kept up-to-date on any changes or issues with your network and provided troubleshooting services as needed.

Reduce Costs and Free Up Staff

Even if you have in-house IT staff, their skills are required for a wide range of tasks, not just network monitoring and security. Plus, hiring a full roster of network professionals can be a financial drain on your bottom line. IT services can help take financial and employment burdens off our shoulders. Saving money while ensuring the security of your infrastructure an all-around win for small businesses.
How Managed IT Can Protect your Business
January 15, 2019 11:14 pm Leave a Comment
According to an oft-quoted statistic, 40 percent of businesses that experience a serious IT failure within the first year go out of business. While this might seem like a scare tactic or small businesses urban legend, IT security is essential to the success of your business, regardless of size or industry. And, the best way to safeguard your venture is through managed IT services.

Navigating Ever-Changing Technology

When it comes to technology, most business leaders have a basic understanding of things. What they don’t possess is an in-depth knowledge of all things IT related. Nor do they have the time or resources to devote to it. Tech waters run deep, and it can be challenging to keep your business secure in today’s ever-changing techno landscape.

Outsourcing with Confidence

With IT services you don’t have to worry about that. Managed IT can cover everything from network design and setup, remote monitoring, cloud-based services, print management solutions, and more. Outsourcing your IT to a managed service provider means you have a dedicated team of IT support experts designated to keeping your business secure and running efficiently. Rather than worrying about how your business can survive without a functioning network, you can focus on actually running your business while we focus on your tech systems.

Partnering with Experts

Perhaps you have an excellent in-house IT staff. Great! No need to put them out of a job. With managed IT services you can outsource some of all of your IT operations. We can partner with your in-house professionals as needed. This is an excellent option for small-to-mid-sized businesses who lack access to a full team of experts. By outsourcing some of your technology and security protocols, you get the best of both worlds — an on-site pro who can liaise with a team of high-level gurus.

Tailoring Your Solution

While managed IT services are customizable to your company, be sure to lay out your specific needs and expectations. Having open communication with your service provider is essential to ensuring that your goals are met. Whether you need the full suite of IT services or only to fill some security gaps, you can expect ongoing monitoring and problem resolution, help desk services, network management and support, and more.

Contact us for more information on how to protect your business with managed IT services.