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Be Proactive

Be Proactive so Your Business Technology Doesn’t Fall Behind

Remember the days before smartphones — it wasn’t that long ago, yet we are at a point where we can hardly live without them. Our business technology has seen several changes and developments in recent years. It is bound to keep changing way into the future.

Because of these advancements, most businesses are heavily dependent on office technology, even for basic operations. Business owners understand that to stay on top of the competition, they need up-to-date systems for functionality, versatility, and overall productivity.

Keeping Up with the Technology

Even today’s most advanced systems could become obsolete in just a few years. That’s how fast technology changes. After upgrading to newer and better technology, that will be replaced in due time by another, and so on as the cycle continues.

Proactive Versus Reactive

Because technology is changing so quickly, most businesses are unable to take a proactive approach, which is the best solution. Ideally, these businesses should predict when new technologies will be released and make plans for these changes in advance. This way, they can stay ahead of the pack. By the time the rest of the industry becomes aware of the new developments, you will already have them up and running and several steps ahead of the competition.

But what usually happens is that most businesses use the reactive strategy. Many companies address issues only when they become problematic and not sooner. They might be quick to produce a solution, but it is still not the same as being proactive. Due to constraints in time, budget or logistics, technology updates usually happen only when they are needed.

Challenges of Keeping Up with Technology

This constant catching up with technology is necessary if you don’t want your business to fall behind the competition. But it can also be very taxing, time-consuming, and expensive. Just imagine the thousands of dollars you would have to shell out for new hardware and other equipment every two or three years. Consider all the valuable time your staff would lose updating the company’s software and then learning how to use them.

And what about the companies that do not have the funds to support the constant upgrades and updates? There must be a way to keep up with technology and continue working towards business growth and success without all these hindrances.

Stay Updated with a Reliable MSP

Is there a way to be proactive so that your business technology doesn’t drag behind? Luckily, there is! Simply enlist the services of a reliable MSP.

A managed services provider, or MSP, can do much to ease the burden when it comes to IT services. Among the many things they can do for your business is to take a proactive approach when it comes to maintaining your technology. You don’t have to worry about watching out for new updates or monitoring your system for signs of problems because they will do all that for you. MSPs are constantly looking for new technology to help you run more efficiently, grow, and increase your profits.

Let’s look at some of the more notable benefits that an MSP can give you by using a proactive approach with your IT.

Technology = Better Security

As business technology keeps advancing, so do the tools used by hackers and cybercriminals. By being proactive, an MSP can provide state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions that will protect your data and your business from online attacks. They will detect weak areas in your system that need reinforcing and fixing, keeping your business safe and facilitating quick recovery of your data if a breach does happen.

Minimal Downtime

As your company’s IT staff attempts to restore the system after an unexpected outage, the entire office is likely to experience significant downtime. During this time, business operations will stop, and you will likely lose a considerable amount of revenue. With the services of an MSP, downtime can be minimized or eliminated. Preventive maintenance checks and system updates are scheduled around work hours to ensure minimal disruption of the business workflow.

More Efficient Performance

Being proactive is not just about circumventing problems. It is also about improving performance and making business processes more efficient. Through the seamless integration of applications used by different divisions of the company and the automation of several business processes. A proactive MSP strategy can significantly boost the overall performance of your business.

Final Thoughts

It takes a lot of time, effort, and money to stay updated with technology that is relevant to your business. Fortunately, it is so much easier and more cost-effective for as long as you have a reliable MSP that you can count on. If you have any questions about the state of your current technology, let us know. We’ll show you the kind of technology that can keep your business ahead of the competition.

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Is it Time to Update Your Old Technology? 

Change is the only thing that allows a firm to grow and prosper. There will be no growth if things stay the same. A business must be dynamic to evolve and maintain a long-term competitive advantage.

During growth, emotions can change from joy, optimism, and expectation to fear and dread. In any event a company move presents a variety of obstacles. Particularly now that we are still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caught the world off guard.

Let’s look at some of the most difficult challenges that businesses are experiencing two years after the pandemic began.

Considering a Move to a New Location

The establishment of a new branch of your company in a new location is unquestionably a sign of development. It has the potential to significantly increase your consumer base, enhance inventory turnover, and generate more income. However, the procedure is not always straightforward. Finding local sources for the materials you’ll need is one of the first jobs to complete. This search includes everything from new building materials to all the merchandise and raw supplies you’ll need to run your firm.

You are probably unfamiliar with the local businesses because you are in a new location. Searching your new neighborhood for the best materials could take a long time and effort. Furthermore, the epidemic has made procurement considerably difficult, with stricter regulations along the way. However, if you engage with a reputable MSP, they can assist you with these responsibilities, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business expansion.

Recruitment of New Employees

The early stages of the pandemic led to several companies downsizing or reorganizing their workforces. Many businesses are hiring again now that the economy is finally returning to normal and technology is aiding in that.

You have a decent chance of finding the right person for all your available roles if you work with a skilled IT provider. On the other hand, if your IT provider isn’t up to par when it comes to hiring, you can end up with unsuitable staff, which will harm workplace productivity and overall business success.

Removing and Replacing Outdated Technology

All organizations should upgrade their hardware to stay competitive. However, business equipment can be costly. Therefore, many business owners prefer to utilize their old equipment rather than invest in newer models. But what most people don’t realize is that this attempt to save money will result in decreased business efficiency and earnings, making it more expensive in the long run.

You can engage an MSP if you want to save money while working with new and sophisticated hardware at the same time. When you sign a service agreement with an MSP, they will almost always include the latest hardware as part of the package. In other words, when a new machine is released, the MSP will seamlessly transition your business to the new system without you having to do anything. So, in addition to receiving effective IT services, you will have the benefit of always having access to cutting-edge technology.

Last Thoughts on Technology

For any expanding company, change is unavoidable. Having a reliable IT provider that can make the process easier, more efficient, and less disruptive to the general flow of your organization is essential during these ongoing shifts. To verify if your present provider is up to the task, ask yourself these questions. Why not give us a shot if you have any doubts about their abilities? It’s a new year, so out with the old and in with the new! We could be the new partner you’ve been looking for to help your company develop and flourish!

Technology's Impact on Business Growth

Technology’s Impact on Business Growth

Information technology has grown during the past decades, resulting in numerous advances in many fields, particularly in the corporate world. Modern equipment will undoubtedly promote business growth by making daily operations faster and more efficient.

But how does technology help your business expand? To help answer that question, here are some of the most useful and adaptable tools available to today’s business owners.

Management of Resources

Managing corporate resources efficiently becomes more difficult as your company grows. Whether it’s funds, equipment, office space, or other resources, they all need to be well-managed to ensure your company’s long-term success. Fortunately, technology provides several options for managing these types of organizational assets. An IT management provider can readily assist you in automating many of the procedures through integrated programs that run on their own, allowing your personnel to focus on other critical business activities.

Automation in the Workplace

There are numerous daily duties in running a business that is too time-consuming to complete manually. Examples include obtaining client data, billing, monitoring processes, and tracking sales. Most of these jobs can now be automated thanks to technological advancements, saving a significant amount of time while lowering overall corporate costs.

Cloud Storage and Computing Technology

Although some businesses are still hesitant to move to the cloud, cloud computing has undoubtedly become the preferred option for most business owners due to its numerous advantages. Cloud services have become more popular than on-site server storage for several reasons. These reasons include better resource management, increased efficiency, business mobility, and cost-effectiveness. You won’t have to invest money in physical hardware because most of the software and technology you need to run your business are available on the cloud platform.

Information Protection

The possibility of internet attacks is one of the dangers in the digital era. There are always hackers lurking in the shadows, looking for opportunities to steal your data or cause havoc on your network. Secure storage solutions and the highest level of network protection are only two examples of modern cybersecurity protection you may employ to safeguard your company from these attacks.

Technology for Mobile Devices

The usage of mobile technologies in the workplace has significantly enhanced business operations. One of the advantages is faster and more efficient employee communication. More interactive touchpoints are also possible with mobile technology, resulting in a better consumer experience. It streamlines vendor administration, improves network security, and makes it easier to reach out to specialists for advice.

Working from Home

Working from home provides advantages that many individuals have only realized in the last few years. Many people can do their tasks from any location because of technological advancements. This arrangement saves both time and money while also increasing production. It also allows you to improve your business by collaborating with specialists from all over the world via digital connections.

Open-source Software

Open-source software is perhaps one of the best choices available today for assisting a growing organization. Many open-source software solutions are well suited to help your business expand, no matter what size or what industry you are in. Open-source software performs well in many fields, such as e-commerce, multimedia, workflow management, server software, and security.

Last Thoughts on Technology

As you can see, there are numerous types of technology to expand your business. With the correct tools and proper implementation, you may get several benefits and stay ahead of your competitors in many ways. As a result, you must ensure that you are working with a reputable MSP who can assist you in gaining access to these benefits.

If you need help automation your office technology, just let us know and we’ll come to your aid. We can help you choose the technology you need now and in the future.

How To Improve Your HR Process with Technology

Businessman,Working,On,Virtual,Touchscreen,Pressing,Onboarding,Word,And,Calling

Automation is critical to the seamless operation of your organization, regardless of your industry. To remain competitive and provide the highest quality service possible to their customers, we are going to look at how to improve your onboarding and offboarding with the aid of technology. Even the most traditional business owners have come to realize that they must embrace technological advancements to do so.

Indeed, computers contribute to almost all aspects of operating a business. However, to this day, many companies are still not maximizing the benefits that automation can give, particularly in the onboarding and offboarding process.

How Technology Helps with Onboarding and Offboarding

Every job has its share of movers and shakers. It is feasible to part ways peacefully if the offboarding process is straightforward. In addition, you must have a quick onboarding process for new hires. Using this procedure helps to keep productivity high while causing the least disruption in the entire workflow as possible.

Use of digital procedures may greatly accelerate the hiring process.

The Onboarding Process

Before they can begin working in their new position, new hires typically spend a significant amount of time completing HR paperwork, getting to know their co-workers, and preparing for upcoming job duties. An employee’s onboarding process would be incomplete without these components. When an employee leaves their position due to death, resignation, or other cause.

HR Paperless Forms

There are many businesses today that still ask new hires to come in before their first day of work to fill out loads of HR papers, many of which are quite tedious and repetitive. When you consider how simple it is to put these forms online and have new hires fill them out at their convenience, this outmoded process is very startling. With the auto-fill option, they can complete it much more quickly on their PCs or mobile devices.

Digital Introductions

When a new employee is transitioning to a new workplace, they already have a lot on their plate on their first day. You can’t expect a new hire to recall all the names and faces of their co-workers in a single go, but introductions are part of the process. Nowadays, a majority of businesses prefer digital introductions.

Everyone can make an introduction video instead of greeting each other and introducing themselves to a new employee in person. Before their first day on the job, new hires can view these videos to get a feel for the people they’ll be working with.

Online Technology Training

For both new hires and employers, online training has a number of advantages over traditional classroom instruction. Each trainee has a unique learning curve, so putting them all together in one group won’t give them the most out of the training. Even if some people might prefer to go quickly, others could choose to go over the previous material first.

Everyone may learn at their own pace and in their own way with online training. Because of this, it is suggested that businesses use digital onboarding to their advantage with new employees.

The Offboarding Process

Employees who are leaving, resigning, or getting fired must follow the company’s rules to keep things running smoothly. And in light of one’s departure, the easier it is for everyone to get back to work, the smoother the transition goes.

Manual Offboarding

The only way to circumvent all these problems is by being extremely thorough in your procedure. However, this might be problematic if the business does not enforce policies with a high degree of rigor. Even after leaving a corporation, a departing employee may retain access to company accounts or secret documents. It’s especially significant if they believe they were fired unfairly, with the proper technology it can alleviate such headaches

Offboarding Checklist

The only way to circumvent all these problems is by being extremely thorough in your procedure. There is a long list of things to take care of when an employee leaves, and you must check your list carefully. All of the company’s property, such as laptops and cell phones must be returned. The former employee should no longer receive wages after their last day at work!

Automated Offboarding

To-dos can be overlooked if they are completed one-by-one. A fully automated offboarding method, on the other hand, eliminates this concern. Accuracy and uniformity are ensured through automation. It will also assist you in meeting all of your legal obligations and ensuring compliance.

Technology helps allow both the onboarding and offboarding to be completely automated by working with the right Managed Service Provider.

It’s up to your Managed Service Provider to take care of your automated onboarding and offboarding procedure. We’re here to assist you in completing this tedious task.

Find out once and for all if you are getting what you are paying for or if you are getting nickel and dimed. If you need to change your IT Provider, let us know! We will efficiently handle your onboarding and offboarding, as well as any other business process you need!

How To Interview An IT Provider

How To Interview An IT Provider

Companies rely on technology for different aspects of their business. From sales and marketing to purchasing and payroll, just about everything is done with online systems. If any of these systems fails, the business flow is disrupted, leading to a loss of customers and profits. This issue is why you must have a reliable IT service provider to fix and prevent such mishaps. Interview and hire the right team.

 

Awareness of the Red Flags in the IT Industry

 

Before you start looking for an IT managed service provider, you must learn about the red flags in the IT industry so that you will know which IT companies to avoid. For instance, some companies will nickel and dime you for every little thing or charge you unnecessarily for services you don’t need. Look out for those who communicate poorly or can’t assist you with cybersecurity insurance. You can read more about all these red flags in our Top 5 Red Flags in the IT Industry blog.

 

Employing an Internal IT Guy vs. using the Break-Fix Method vs. Hiring an MSP

 

These are the three common ways a business might hire tech support. Each method has its pros and cons, as we’ve discussed in our Your IT Guy vs Managed Provider blog, and you should weigh these pros and cons carefully to figure out the best approach for your business. However, in most cases, hiring an MSP proves to be the most cost-effective and practical way to get high-quality IT support.

 

Possible Reasons for Firing Your IT Guy

 

There is a noticeably high rate of premature termination of tech support specialists these days. It’s not necessarily because of lack of skill or competence, but mostly an attitude or lack of professionalism that leaves companies with no choice but to fire their IT guys.

 

Some are not transparent with their fees, and the client will be surprised to see unexpected charges come due at billing time. Some will communicate with a condescending tone when discussing technical matters, and some will give you poor customer service. In our 5 Reasons Why Companies Fire IT Guys, we talk about these possible reasons and how they can affect your business in a very negative way.

 

Important Questions to Ask During the Interview

 

Now that you know the potential problems that can arise with hiring the wrong IT specialist, it is even more important that you find the most suitable person for the job. A lot of it depends on the interview and the questions you ask. Depending on the answers, you should gauge whether the person is worthy of being hired or not.

 

Customer Service

 

It is important to know the quality of customer service they can provide if you hire them for your company. Are they easy to contact, and will they get back to you immediately if they are unavailable when you call? Do they offer guarantees of completing tasks on time and budget? Can they explain technical matters in simple language and enable the client to understand what is going on?

 

Network Upkeep

 

Find out what kind of service they will provide when it comes to the upkeep of your network. Will they do continuous monitoring of your system and provide regular status reports? Will they have exclusive access to your system, or can they provide your in-house staff access as well? Is their network support plan all-inclusive, or do certain services come with additional fees?

 

Disaster Recovery

 

In the event of a data disaster, will they be able to restore the system with minimal downtime? Do they perform regular tests on backup data to ensure that everything has been saved correctly? Do they offer a contingency plan that will allow your business to continue operating even while they restore your system following a disaster?

 

Providing Support

 

Do they have the expertise that matches your business needs? Do they provide 24/7 support, or do you need to wait for office hours before getting assistance? Is their support team based in the US, or do they use remote tech specialists in other countries?

 

Cybersecurity Insurance

 

Many tech companies do not offer adequate assistance with cybersecurity insurance applications. Ask right away what kind of help they can provide when you apply for cybersecurity insurance. Will they help you get approved, and will they help when you file claims?

 

These might seem like a lot of questions to ask, but they are necessary if you want to find the best IT managed service provider for your business. In addition to answering your questions, a qualified IT provider must be able to give you a list of references when you ask for them. Once you interview and pick the right candidate, you can avoid stressful problems and focus more on the primary goals of your business when IT issues are off your plate.  Contact us to learn more about how we can help you!

 

5 Reasons Why Companies Fire IT Guys

5 Reasons Why Companies Fire IT Guys

The IT industry is brimming with so many IT guys and experts with various specialties these days. You would think it’s an easy task hiring one for your company. Finding an IT guy is not the problem. Finding a competent, reliable, and affordable IT professional can be challenging for many businesses. When you think you have found the right person, issues start to come up, and you have no choice but to fire them and start the search again. 

There are several possible reasons why companies end up firing their IT guys. Here are the Top Five issues most commonly cited by company owners and why these issues can be very detrimental to a business. 

Poor Response Time

A timely response is important in most aspects of a business. Particularly when it comes to the crucial areas where downtime can be costly or cause the operations to stop, and because of this reason, you should avoid working with IT specialists that are consistently late for scheduled tasks or who do not show up at all. 

Unexpected Charges

There are tech experts that are incredibly proficient and good at what they do. But when the bill arrives, it includes unexpected charges that were not in the initial quote. Aside from being highly unprofessional, such surprise invoices might also cause you to go over budget, which is certainly not good for your business.

Scope Creep

Sometimes also known as feature creep or requirement creep, scope creep is becoming more rampant in the IT industry. It is an extension or expansion of an IT task because the hired expert can’t resolve the issues immediately. Instead, the original problem branches out into several other issues, so the scope of the task keeps increasing. By the time everything is resolved, it will have taken up much more time and cost much more money than expected. 

Speaks in Very Technical Terms

Some IT professionals speak in very technical terms. This practice is a problem when talking to clients who are not tech-savvy. Perhaps they are so used to geek-speak that it has become part of their daily language, and they assume that everyone else understands what they are talking about, even when the client has no clue. 

Some IT guys intentionally speak in technical terms to show that they are the expert and know more than the client about technical matters. While this may be true, taking on a condescending tone will not help anyone. It is much better to hire an IT guy to educate the clients about the system instead of making them feel dumb.

Bad Customer Service

The IT industry is a service-intensive industry, so it can be perfectly natural to expect that you would get great, or at least decent, customer service from them. You are paying for the service, so you should not settle for anything less. At the first sign of bad customer service, many companies would not hesitate to fire the IT guy because so much time is wasted. 

Conclusion 

The best way to avoid hiring a bad IT guy would mean being more meticulous in your search. Don’t be afraid to be choosy when selecting from applicants. Read through their CVs very carefully and pick only those that seem reliable and professional. And always check references.

During the interviewing process, screen the applicants thoroughly by asking them the right questions. Based on their answers to these questions, you will be able to decide on whether they are the right person for the job or not. Considering hiring someone to manage your IT? Contact us today!

Cloud Network
Managed Service Provider

Your IT Guy vs. a Managed Service Provider

There is no question that reliable IT support is a necessity for all of us, including small businesses. The reason is that most transactions and business functions are completed online. Business owners need to decide on the type of IT support they need. Whether that be an internal IT department or a Managed Service Provider. Let’s take a look at some typical IT scenarios.

 

Internal IT Support

 

This protection means keeping an in-house IT person on your regular payroll. It’s straightforward, but this is a practice that is not frequently considered unless your business uses a lot of technology. For one thing, having someone on your payroll that you don’t need regularly is not the most economical approach. Also, you will be limited to the skills and expertise of the individuals in your team.

 

The Break-Fix Model

 

Small businesses favor the break-fix IT model because it is a simpler option. What this means is that you only hire an IT professional whenever your system fails or there is some tech-related problem. In other words, when something breaks, you hire someone to fix it. 

 

When working with the break-fix model, you don’t have a regular IT support team to keep things running. This setup sounds like a feasible and more economical plan if you are not expecting to encounter many system problems. But this approach is also idealistic because the truth is that things will break, and more often than you would like. That usually translates to unexpected costs and a runaway budget.

 

Managed Service Provider

 

Larger companies that have more complex online systems will hire a team of experts in the form of a Managed Service Provider, or MSP, that can offer complete and diverse IT solutions. Small businesses don’t follow this path because they focus on the monthly bill and not the benefits. The typical reasoning would go like this: What if nothing breaks this month? We would still have to pay the fee for nothing, and that would be a waste of money! 

 

But here’s the thing. When hiring an MSP, you get to choose the kind of services you pay for. It’s not a one size fits all offering. You can decide what kind of IT services or support your business needs, and the monthly flat-rate fee will be computed based on only the services you choose. 

 

And what if nothing breaks? Well, that’s the goal of a good MSP. Your Managed Service Provider will be proactive and keep your technology operating and not approach things reactively, like a break/fix service.

 

Advantages of MSPs over the Break-Fix Method and In-House Tech Support

 

If you are still on the fence about hiring an MSP for your business, take a look at some of the advantages MSPs have over other types of IT support.

 

Expertise

 

A Managed Service Provider consists of a team of highly skilled experts in practically all areas of business technology. If you hire an MSP, you will have access to this vast pool of professionals to help you with any tech issue you might encounter. This approach is in sharp contrast to having your own internal IT guy who may be very capable, but his skill set pales to a team of experts from different backgrounds. 

 

Convenience

 

With the break-fix method, you can hire top professionals for your issues, but the process of locating them and getting them on board takes time. With an MSP, all you have to do is call and tell them your problem, and they will immediately send someone over to fix whatever is wrong. 

 

Cost-Effectiveness

 

Most businesses that use the break-fix model do so with the assumption that this method will save them money, but as it happens, they usually end up spending a lot more than if they went for an MSP instead. MSPs will charge a monthly fee – that is true. But this is a flat rate. No matter how many services you ask them to perform or how arduous some of the tasks may be, you won’t have to pay a single cent more than the monthly rate. On the contrary, the break-fix model requires you to pay for each service separately, and the expenses can quickly pile up faster than you would have anticipated.

 

Many businesses perceive the monthly flat rate for IT support to be high. But when you take a close look at your total monthly expenses that go to IT-related services, you might be shocked at how much you are spending. 

 

Reduce Your Expenses by Switching to a Managed Service Provider 

 

Your flat-rate fee will vary depending on the extent of IT support you require. Contact us so we can calculate the monthly fee that fits your requirements. Chances are it’s lower than what you are spending now, which means that hiring an MSP could save you a considerable amount. Ready to find out?

Business,Concept.,Red,Flag

The Top 5 Red Flags in the IT Industry

All businesses today rely heavily on IT support. Some have their own in-house IT experts, while many others choose to hire managed service providers, or MSPs, to perform specific IT functions for their company. These services are needed to oversee the office hardware and software and stay ahead of the competition. Like all industries, the IT industry has a few red flags that need to be addressed.

With all the available services, you wouldn’t think that it would be that difficult to find reliable IT support for your business. We live in an almost entirely digital world, so tech services are available around every corner. The IT industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and so have the red flags in the industry. These issues make it harder to find reputable service providers that will give you the quality service you need.

So what are these red flags, and as a business owner, what can you do about them? Read on to find out.

Red Flag #1: Your business is getting nickel and dimed

Many business owners today do not have extensive knowledge or skills in IT. This technology gap is the primary reason they hire MSPs in the first place. Unfortunately, many providers are taking advantage of this. They will charge businesses for extra services that they do not need. In other words, they end up spending more on additional services even if they are not necessary for solving the problem at hand.

The Solution

Make sure to do your research and find out exactly what IT services you require. Search for a provider that will deliver these services without trying to hoodwink you into paying for other services you don’t need.

Red Flag #2: Lack of communication

Clear and constant communication is essential in any business relationship. But for some reason, many IT service providers are failing in this department. Many of them will take your specs and get to work right away, probably because they are confident that they know what they are doing. More than likely, they are hoping to impress you with a fast turnaround. This approach can lead to more problems, like wasted time and resources.

The Solution

Choose a provider that communicates well. The MSP should assign someone from their team to act as a point of contact to communicate and coordinate with you at any time.

Red Flag #3: No consistent business reviews

What previous clients say about a service provider is one of the best ways for you to gauge the quality of their performance. If the reviews are inconsistent, would you still want to risk hiring them for your business? The same is true for MSPs with very few business reviews because they are new. There might be a chance that they are good, but when it comes to your business, it is better to be safe, especially when hiring service providers for the fundamental processes of your business.

The Solution

Look elsewhere. Finding a company with perfect feedback is quite impossible. The occasional irate client leaving a 1-star review is inevitable. But at least, you should search for a provider with a large number of consistently high ratings.

Red Flag #4: Response time is too slow

Time is of the essence in any business, and quick results are highly preferable. There are a lot of service providers these days that provide excellent results but have a slow response time. These delays can be costly for your company and cause you to lose clients and eventually lag behind the competition.

The Solution

Quality results are great, but not when they come too late. Choose an IT service provider that does not keep you waiting when you have concerns. And make sure they guarantee the fastest possible turnaround when you need them.

Red Flag #5: They do not know how to help you with your cybersecurity insurance approval process

Cyber attacks are getting more rampant by the day. Because of this, every business with an online presence needs to have a reliable cybersecurity insurance policy to protect against the possible damage resulting from a data breach. And who should be in a better position to help you with the approval process than your MSP?

The Solution

Right from the start, you should ask the managed service provider if they have cyber insurance and whether they can assist you in applying for your insurance policy.

Steer Clear of Red Flags and Choose Your MSP Wisely

Beware of these red flags and any possible implications for your business. If you know of anyone who has experience with an “iffy” managed service provider, have them contact us right away! We can show them the value of working with a reliable MSP.

Operating Environment
Vendor Management

Vendor Management: Do You Need Help?

Vendor management is essential for every company that works with suppliers of goods or services. This arrangement is necessary to ensure smooth business operations and a positive relationship with suppliers.

Vendor management encompasses many processes involving your company’s suppliers, beginning with vendor selection, contract negotiations, continuing through risk mitigation and service delivery.

Depending on the type of business you run, you may have to work with many vendors from various industries to get everything you need. IT consultants, security professionals, financial counselors, cleaners, and others fall into this category.

Effective Vendor Management Benefits Your Company

Vendor management is not an option but a must for almost all firms, including small and medium-sized businesses. Some may believe that it is unimportant to pay attention to, yet this is a tremendous mistake. If you want to meet your company’s goals of cutting costs, speeding up the onboarding process, and assuring timely delivery of services and commodities, prioritize vendor management.

The following are specific business advantages you’ll gain if you have a well-functioning vendor management system.

Choose the Most Reliable Vendors

There will be hundreds of providers for each product or service you require. Selecting the appropriate one can be challenging, but it will become easier and faster and provide you with additional options. It will also make quality and price comparisons easier.

Monitor your Suppliers’ Performance

It can be difficult to track the performance of each vendor as your company grows and you work with additional providers. From initial contracts to upcoming deliveries. An effective VMS will provide you with a comprehensive view of all information about each of your vendors. With this type of connectivity, you can keep a better eye on your vendors and see how much they contribute to your bottom line.

Improve your Supplier Relationships

Vendor management considers what is beneficial for everyone concerned. It’s not only about obtaining the best service at the best price. It also protects the vendor’s business by providing security. You will enjoy a long-term business relationship because you both gain so much.

Take advantage of Lower Rates

If you’re just browsing from suppliers at random, it’s difficult to locate the best pricing. However, if you use a vendor management system, you can easily compare pricing and quality, allowing you to receive the best deal.

Reduce the number of times your Supply Chain is Disrupted

When one portion of your supply chain fails, it affects the entire chain, all the way to your customers. There are a variety of reasons this could occur, some of which are unavoidable, but the dangers will be modest to nonexistent if you use a dependable VMS.

Hiring a VMS Provider vs. Managing Vendors In-House

Now that you understand the necessity of vendor management, the only question is how to put it into practice. One alternative is to develop your own vendor management procedure, and the other is to employ a VMS provider.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Managing Your Vendors

It is workable to create and run your VMS, and a few firms specialize in helping you do this. You’d have to develop your strategy, which would include setting business goals, tracking KPIs, selecting the correct providers, and checking their performance regularly. It’s doable if it’s something you really want to do.

As you can see, it’s a time-consuming and tedious task. There are numerous VMS programs available for free download that can assist you. If you work with many vendors, setting up your VMS may prove too time-consuming in the long run, especially if you are not specifically skilled in this field.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Hiring a Professional VMS Provider

Hiring a VMS provider will provide you with advanced vendor management solutions. Allowing you to experience the most efficient vendor procedures conceivable.

You can reduce business expenses significantly, improve communication with suppliers, raise earnings, and improve customer satisfaction. Best of all, your VMS provider will handle everything for you. So most importantly you won’t have to divert your employees’ attention away from their primary duties.

The one disadvantage of using a VMS provider is that they will charge you a monthly fee for their services. The good news is you and your staff will get back the hours you were giving this task before you reached out for help. So it won’t take long to realize that the benefits far outweigh the costs, making this investment worthwhile.

Final Thoughts

Outsourcing tasks that eat up time or are easily handled by someone else is part of running a business. So is educating yourself about new technology and services. You are welcome to contact us to discuss how we can better help you. We look forward to speaking with you!

Vendor Management
Technology,In,The,Hands,Of,Businessmen

Is Your Company Using Up-to-Date Technology?

It’s all about technology these days. Your IT infrastructure and the technical hardware applications you’ve installed are limiting your business’s potential. Whatever your company’s vision is, it will be impossible to accomplish if you’re stuck with the same equipment you’ve been using for a decade.

What are the advantages of being current with technology for businesses?

To conduct their massive global operations, multinational corporations, of course, require sophisticated technology hardware programs. Small and medium-sized firms are in a similar situation. Even if you’re just starting out or running a small business in your neighborhood, you’ll benefit a lot if you use modern tools and technology to run your business.

Better results

When new hardware is available to the public, you can expect it to be faster, more powerful, and more efficient than previous models. If you stay up with the updates, your organization can maintain a high level of performance and become an industry leader.

There will be a reduction in downtime

Although the actual installation of new hardware can cause delays, everything will work as designed once they complete it. Computers will crash more frequently as they get older, but this will not be an issue if you maintain your hardware up to date.

Improved Security

As technology advances, the risk of cyber-attacks increases. Hardware and software manufacturers are working hard to stay up to date by providing much-needed security. With more features and stricter security procedures, new equipment will surely keep you safer.

Small businesses deal with a wide range of technology and hardware issues. Let’s look at a few of them.

Insufficient Knowledge

Lack of understanding is one of the most prevalent issues business owners face with technology. Not everyone is a technical person, and even if they are, most don’t have the time to learn because they are too busy running the company.

Upgrades are required regularly

The obligation to upgrade your technology every time they release a new version is costly. Many businesses feel the need to invest in new technology to stay competitive and keep their market share, even if their present computers or machines are still viable.

Equipment is costly

There is also excessive spending, besides the constant adjustments. For many small businesses, constant expenditure is not viable, so they must make concessions. This tradeoff usually includes forgoing new technology in favor of sticking with tried-and-true machines. This may have served them well for years, even if it meant falling behind the more modern competition.

An MSP can assist you with any hardware concerns you may have

A trustworthy MSP will supply you with the most up-to-date technology for your business. Your supplier will install anything you need, from computers to servers. Not only that, but they can also agree to update your equipment to new versions as they become available as part of the service.

One of the best parts is that you won’t have to pay tens of thousands of dollars to have the most up-to-date equipment. Depending on your contract, your use of the provided hardware will already be included. This benefit will save you money in the future while also ensuring that your business is always technologically ahead of the competition. An MSP will also train your employees to operate the technology.

Final Thoughts

With the help of an IT supplier, you can easily manage your business with innovative technology without breaking the bank. If you’re still undecided about whether to enroll in an MSP’s hardware programs. Contact us today to arrange a meeting!

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