IT Managed Services

In the past, it was fairly easy to provide managed IT services, because it involved day-to-day support and sometimes assisting the client with the adoption of new IT tools and techniques. However, today the services offered by an IT service provider have expanded dramatically to include such things as evolving technologies, IT competition, dynamic business environments, cyber security, and minimizing operational costs.

With this rapid expansion of desired services, a great many customers have become unhappy with their current IT providers. The vast majority of businesses and organizations have made at least one switch to a different managed service provider because they were unhappy with services they were originally provided with. If you’re wondering what kinds of services you can realistically expect from an IT provider nowadays, continue reading below to find out seven of the most useful services a provider could and should be delivering to you.

What you should be getting from your IT service provider

Here are seven of the most important services that your Managed Service Provider (MSP) should be able to deliver:

Updating network performance – since your network is the framework for your entire infrastructure, good performance will dictate data availability all through your organization. One aspect of your MSP’s job is to guarantee optimal network performance by constantly optimizing and upgrading specific components.

Adopting new technologies – when you can stay abreast of the latest digital business solutions, it will provide you with streamlined business processes as well as a competitive edge. Since the technology landscape is constantly changing, it’ll be to your advantage to have someone help you choose and implement those innovations which might be most advantageous to your business.

Data backups and recovery – since data is one of your most valuable business assets, it should be a top priority for protecting your data. Your MSP can contribute to this effort by establishing and managing a good system of backup and recovery, so that you’ll have constant access to business-critical data, which can continually be safeguarded.

Cyber threats – there’s no question that cybercrime is constantly on the increase, and that criminals are constantly developing new approaches and techniques for compromising your data. Any good IT provider should help protect all your business-critical data from existing cyber threats as well as emerging ones.

Documentation and housekeeping – a good IT provider has to be responsible for system services, assets, and for performing necessary upgrades. They should also be documenting all the important information about your infrastructure, patching and updates, and optimizations.

Maintaining certifications and compliance – almost all countries around the globe have data protection and privacy legislation in place that will safeguard your data. Your company may be subject to a number of data safety laws on various governmental levels. Any good IT provider should be able to assist you in maintaining compliance under all these regulations, and to avoid any potential penalties.

Business continuity plan – this is a plan that defines how a business will operate following any kind of significant disruption. Your MSP should have a solid continuity plan in place to help you recover from potential disasters such as systems failures, data loss, or significant cyber-attacks.

Schedule a consultation today

If you’re unhappy for any reason with your current provider, contact us at Terminal B and let us show you how we can provide all the important services your business needs. If your MSP can’t deliver the kinds of services, you need and you should seek a provider who can deliver the essential services you need to stay competitive in today’s volatile business environment.

These days, business owners have to be keenly aware of cyber threats and attacks, because not taking the right kind of precautions can literally cause you to lose a fortune, or to go out of business entirely. The headlines these days are full of news items about businesses which have been attacked, with data being compromised and possibly held for ransom by enterprising hackers. If you want to avoid the possibility of having to be bilked out of thousands of dollars of ransom money, or having some kind of malicious virus literally take control of your entire system, your best bet would be to seek out the cybersecurity services of knowledgeable and competent IT consultants.

How an IT Consultant can save your sanity

Here are some of the ways that working with a great IT security consultant can save you headaches, and possibly a ton of money besides:

Economic benefits – if you have a really small business, you might think hard about collaborating with an IT security consultant, but it will probably save you a ton of money in the long run. Your security measures will be emplaced more quickly, and will probably be done right the first time, and you can be confident that you have the best possible security solutions in place. Another benefit of working with an IT security consultant is that they can train your staff, so the element of human error can be reduced.

Saving time – there’s literally no time to waste when you’re trying to improve your cyber defenses. If you have this done by your own in-house staff, they’ll be subject to all kinds of distractions and you can expect the job to take considerably longer. Working with an IT consultant will get the job done much more quickly, because they will be focused on working with your business and nothing else.

Greater experience – you may have some in-house experience and knowledge from your existing personnel, but there is no question that an IT security consultant will have a greater level of knowledge and experience, and will be more focused on the task at hand. A consultant will be in possession of all current knowledge about emerging threats, which means they’ll be able to react better to protect your business-critical data from all known cyber threats.

Productivity – working with IT consultants will help to develop your own internal staff with regard to security procedures and in-house threats before they even occur. This will help to improve performance for your in-house personnel and upgrade their level of knowledge.

No oversell on unnecessary solutions – IT consultants are always focused on providing the best solution for your company. Knowing that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions, you can count on your solution being customized to your specific business needs. This can all be done at a very affordable cost, since there have been a number of recent advances in providing comprehensive IT security solutions.

Availability and convenience – one of the best things about working with IT consultants is that you have access to them literally around the clock. Any issues you might have during off hours can be quickly relayed to your consultant, and that person, or an alternative, will quickly address the issue so that it doesn’t get out of control. You’ll probably discover that working with an IT consultant gives you greater access and support than you would get from even your own in-house personnel.

Terminal B can save your sanity

If you think your business might benefit by working with an experienced IT consultant, please contact us at your earliest convenience. We have a team of well-trained, knowledgeable specialists who stand ready to help you navigate the rough waters of a fast-changing business environment, and to avoid the disaster associated with being victimized by cyber crime.

Most businesses and their owners would like to become more productive, because increased productivity means generating more product within the same amount of time, and that leads to greater profitability. Some owners have spent considerable effort thinking of ways that could make their business more productive, without really making any substantial gains. That’s why there can be a great deal of value in hiring an outside consultant to come into your company and make recommendations after assessing your processes and work strategies. In this article, we’ll discuss what the best IT consulting companies know about productivity that perhaps a business owner might not be aware of, or simply cannot see.

Different perspectives

There can be tremendous value in having someone from the outside evaluate your business processes with a view toward increasing productivity. It’s similar to the situation we’ve all been in where we talked over a problem with a friend or relative, and they immediately had a clear idea about how to solve the problem. Sometimes what’s really necessary is simply to bring in a different perspective and a new set of eyes, to see and comprehend the issues. In some cases, a business owner is just too close to the situation to see the obvious, and it takes someone who has no involvement to see past the obstacles and find a solution.

Accountability

Another reason why a business owner might fail to install measures that lead to increased productivity is because he/she is too close to employees to hold them accountable for their actions. Whenever someone you trust holds you accountable for your actions, it greatly increases the likelihood that the appropriate measures will be adopted and success will be achieved.

When a consultant comes into your company and makes recommendations for improvement, they will generally hold you accountable for implementing those measures – otherwise, what’s the point of seeking outside help? It’s like when you’re trying to lose weight on your own, versus having a friend accompany you on that same journey. By yourself, you might well be tempted to slip off the bandwagon and start cheating, but your friend being right there with you will discourage that kind of behavior and help keep you on track for accomplishing your weight loss goals.

Technology

IT consultants are very aware of the fact that using the most advanced and modern technology can instantly boost productivity for any kind of business enterprise. Whereas a single business owner might only be aware of what’s happening with their own discreet enterprise, a consultant will have had the chance to work with many different companies, and will have observed the many positive benefits technology can bring. Individual workers will be more efficient when they have the latest technology available to them, because work can be done faster and more efficiently.

When a consultant recognizes a situation that could be improved by making use of better technology, they will point that out and possibly recommend that a business adopt this newer technology. It won’t be a case of just installing advanced hardware or software everywhere because it might bring about good results – it’s much more a case where technology would be recommended when there is clear indication that it will provide a substantial boost to productivity.

The best IT consulting companies can bring it all together

These are three very important aspects that might heavily contribute toward increasing productivity at any company. The best IT consulting companies will be aware of these valuable tools, and will recommend them in the appropriate situation to bring about positive change. Even if you knew about these things already, they might not lead to a more productive work environment at your business, because you might need a fresh perspective, greater accountability, or some solid advice about new technology.

For more information about what Terminal B can do for you, click here.

More companies than ever are outsourcing at least part of their I.T. function to a third-party, preferring to focus on their company strengths and core skills. However, the process of choosing the right managed IT provider can be very difficult, partly because there are so many of them, and partly because it’s absolutely critical that you make the right choice. Here are some of the questions you should be asking candidate companies, to determine if they’re the right fit for your enterprise.

1. Q: What kinds of services does your company provide?

A: You may need to know whether a candidate company can handle the entire I.T. function, or whether you’re only looking for a partial outsourcing, and they can specialize in those areas.

2. Q: Is your Helpdesk available 24/7?

A: If your business operates on a 24/7 basis, or if you have outlets in other time zones, you’ll need to know what kind of support can be delivered by a candidate provider. If there’s a gap in coverage, you may need a different provider or some other supplemental coverage.

3. Q: How many employees are in your company?

A: This should tell you how large and how successful a particular candidate is, and whether they have the personnel to handle all your requirements. It should be an indicator of the level of success achieved by any candidate company you’re working with.

4. Q: How long has your company been in business?

A: This is another strong indication of the level of success achieved by a candidate company. Those which have been in business for a number of years must have proven their ability during that time, and must have a portfolio of satisfied customers, otherwise they wouldn’t still be in business.

5. Q: What is the typical size of your clients?

A: It’s good to know that a provider can handle a company of your size, and that they’re already doing so. If a provider would be overwhelmed by taking on a customer of your size, you should steer clear of them.

6. Q: What is involved with your onboarding process?

A: You should have some idea of the process a candidate company would use to bring you into the fold. If you have any issues with their onboarding process, it’s good to know right up front rather than being surprised about it when it actually happens.

7. Q: Do you support [X] application?

A: If there are any applications you use that are critical to your business success, you should know that a provider company can support this software if necessary.

8. Q: What makes you stand out from your rivals?

A: If any of your candidate companies have features or services that set them apart from competitors, it would be good to know what those are. It may be something your company can leverage to advantage, and it may even be a reason for choosing one particular candidate.

9. Q: What are your pricing plans?

A: You don’t want to get sticker shock when you get that first monthly bill, so make sure you know all the fees and charges associated with the outsourcing action. This will help you budget for that cost, and it will tell you whether or not a particular company is in line with your planned expenses for the coming calendar year and beyond.

Contact Terminal B to learn more about what an IT services company can offer

If you’re in the market for a managed I.T. services company that will put your company first, contact us today.

It’s probably not a surprise that the best IT consulting companies know all kinds of mistakes that computer users make. Here are 12 of the most common pitfalls in computer use and how you can avoid them.

1. Not backing up files. This is one of the most common mistakes users make. Best IT consulting companies always ensure that their clients’ data is properly backed up. Backing up files to an external drive or the cloud is important, but it’s not enough. Best IT consulting companies also recommend backing up your email and social media accounts.
2. Not using a password manager.  IT consulting companies know that using a password manager is one of the best ways to keep your accounts secure. A password manager can help you create strong passwords and store them securely. It also frees you from keeping track of an untold number or passwords — or using the same password everywhere you need to login.
3. Using the same login. Speaking of which, using the same password everywhere you need to login in is an invitation for a hacking disaster. Best IT consulting companies know that you should never use the same password at work, home and on your personal accounts.
4. Failing to update software. Software updates usually include security patches that can help protect you from hackers. 
5. Having too many windows and tabs open at once. Not only can having too many windows and tabs open can lead to a lot of unnecessary distractions and make it difficult to find the information you’re looking for, but it will also slow down your computer’s performance.
6. Trusting a phone call from Microsoft or Apple. Scammers often pose as representatives from Microsoft or Apple to gain access to your computer or steal your personal information. If you get a call from someone claiming to be from either of these companies, hang up.
7. Not being suspicious of free software.  While there are many legitimate free programs available, some free software is actually malware in disguise. Be careful when downloading any free software and only download it from trusted sources.
8. Relying on antivirus software. Antivirus software is important, but it’s not a foolproof way to protect your computer from all threats.  The best IT consulting companies know that you should also practice safe browsing habits and be careful when opening email attachments.
9. Relying on free Wi-Fi. Free Wi-Fi networks are often unsecured and can be easy for hackers to access. The best IT consulting companies know that you should never use free Wi-Fi to login to your accounts or enter sensitive information, such as credit card data.
10. Falling for phishing scams. Phishing scams are emails or messages that appear to be from a trusted source, but are actually from hackers trying to steal your information.
11. Opening an email attachment without checking the source.  The best IT consulting companies know that you should never open an email attachment without checking the source first. If you’re not expecting an attachment from the sender, it’s best to delete it.
12. Not doing the first thing IT professionals always do. An array of issues can be resolved simply by turning your computer off and on. Anytime you call tech support, the first thing you will be advised to do is shut off your computer, wait a few minutes and turn it back on.

By following the advice of the best IT consulting companies, you can avoid making common mistakes that can lead to big problems down the road. Do your research and work with a trusted IT consultant to ensure that your computer use is as safe and efficient as possible.