Questions to Ask When Outsourcing IT Support

questions to ask when outsourcing it support

it support

Just about every business needs IT support to operate smoothly and efficiently. While some businesses opt to have an entire IT department on site, many choose to outsource IT support to receive the same quality services at a lower cost.

If you’re thinking about outsourcing IT support, here are two questions you should ask service providers.

Do you have experience serving businesses in my industry?

Technology needs for businesses differ from industry to industry. For example, a business in the restaurant industry won’t have the same technology needs as a business in the finance industry.

Before you hire an IT support company, you should ask whether the IT experts have experience serving businesses in your industry. The answer to this question will help you ensure your technology needs will be met to a T.

What sort of customer service can I expect?

As you may know from experience, disasters can strike at any time. Therefore, you want to outsource IT support to a company that offers excellent customer service.

You should ask about the time frame in which you can expect technology issues to be resolved. That way, if your server crashes, you won’t be left wondering when the IT technicians will be on site to deal with the issue. Look for service providers that offer 24/7 customer service.

More and more businesses are transitioning to outsourced IT support due to the quality services and lower costs.

For more information about the questions you should ask when outsourcing IT support, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Why Small Businesses Need Network Support

why small businesses need network support

Network support

All businesses need email, phone calls, computers, and live chats to ensure operations run smoothly. While small businesses need these tools as much as large businesses, they do not always recognize the benefits of network support.

Here are some of the many reasons small businesses needs support.

Business as Usual

Technology forms the backbone of the vast majority of businesses. Accordingly, if the hardware and software fails, the business also fails.

For example, if the web server for the business’ eCommerce website crashes, the small business won’t be able to sell its products and services as it normally does. Until the website is back up and running, the business will lose many sales to its competitors. Also, the business may lose its reputability in the eyes of any consumers who visit the eCommerce website while it is down.

Therefore, small businesses need support to ensure all hardware and software runs smoothly at all times.

Excellent Customer Service

One reason small businesses need network support is to provide excellent customer service. Email, live chats, and phone calls are all excellent tools to provide help desk support to customers. If your small business relies on these tools, it is important that they remain functional and glitch-free at all times. Fortunately, it will keep these tools in good order so that you can provide quality customer service 24/7.

Network support is a must for all businesses, both big and small. For more information about the importance of network support for small businesses, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Are Your Backup and Recovery Methods Effective?

are your backup and recovery methods effective
backup and recovery

Businesses that suffer a loss of data often make use of backup and recovery measures. Unfortunately, their backup methods may fail completely or otherwise not work well for their data needs.

A survey recently reported in Business Cloud News showed that 86% of businesses that had lost important data used backup solutions, and 48% performed daily backups. However, they still couldn’t fully rely on their backup methods. Maybe they’d forgotten to back up all their devices, or their backup measures failed at critical points. Their costly losses underscore the need for reliable data backup solutions.

Do Your Data Backup Methods Work?

You need to know if the measures you’re using are effective. This involves testing them regularly to check if they would actually help you should you suffer an IT disaster.

There are several issues you should look into, including the following:

  • How frequently do you back up your data? For critical data, continuous backups are advisable.
  • How long does it take you to back up your data? If it’s a protracted process, you leave your business more vulnerable to data loss.
  • When you back up your data, are you including all of your devices?
  • Do you have high-quality backups? Check the rate of failure for your backup method. You should have ways of finding out when a backup didn’t complete successfully. You don’t want to discover during an IT emergency that a backup you were counting on doesn’t exist.
  • How easily can you perform data restoration? Even if you have the data backed up, your business may experience damaging amounts of downtime if you can’t restore the data quickly.

Please contact us to discuss the best backup and recovery measures for your company. We’ll help you choose and set up reliable backup procedures. Furthermore, we’ll assist you with running tests to check that your backups are truly effective, making you better prepared to respond successfully to IT disasters.

Five Key Tips for Network Cable Installation

five key tips for network cable installation
network installation

There’s an art to high-quality network cable installation. It requires more than just finding space for the cables and hooking them up correctly to the right equipment.

To make sure that your cable installation is optimal, consider the following five tips:

  • Label the cables: It’s easy to get confused about the function of each cable. In the future, you’ll need to change equipment or alter your cable configuration; it’s best to label everything to save yourself time.
  • Anticipate future changes: At some point, you’ll probably add more equipment, or expand or rearrange your office space. Planning for these eventualities will make your network cable installation more organized and flexible.
  • Take care with cable trays: Cable trays can help you organize and run larger numbers of cables in your office or building; they can even go under your floor or hang from the ceiling. It’s important to run your cables through them properly. Don’t overload the tray; it may break, or the cables may get crushed. You need to have enough space left in the tray to remove or replace cables as needed.
  • Keep an eye on physical conditions: The physical environment in your business may contribute to cable degradation and sub-optimal functioning. High levels of heat, moisture and dust can have a poor effect on cable integrity. You also have to minimize electrical interference from strong power sources in the vicinity.
  • Stay cautious about cheaper materials: Wanting to save money on equipment is understandable. However, you need to make sure your decisions are truly cost-effective and don’t result in a loss of money in the long-run. Shoddy cables can break more easily and transmit signals less efficiently.

Don’t hesitate to contact us for advice and assistance with network installation. Working with trustworthy professionals will help ensure that your cables’ functioning and configuration are optimal for your business.

Check out our network cabling services!

Why Network Audits Should Be a Regular Part of Your Network Support

why network audits should be a regular part of your network support

According to this recent article, network auditing is the collective measures done to analyze, study and gather data about a network with the purpose of ascertaining its health in accordance with the network/organization requirements.

In order to maintain the safety and security of your network, it is important to have regular network audits included as part of your network support plan.

What is Network Auditing?

Network auditing allows IT technicians to study and analyze all of the information on your network. They can test the effectiveness of your network and identify any potential security issues that could damage your system. Once these details are found, any necessary changes are immediately made and your network is continuously monitored.

What Does Network Auditing Involve?

The network auditing process involves a network administrator mapping all computers on the network, including all of the software on each computer. The administrator inventories the software and checks for any delays or malfunctions.

After auditing of all computers and software, the network administrator can then move on to auditing all other network devices. These devices can include items such as routers, mobile devices, fax machines, and any other devices connected to the network.

The network auditing process is usually completed after auditing the network devices. All data is then analyzed by an administrator.

How a Network Audit Keeps Your Network Safe

A network audit can alert a network administrator to any changes on the network. For example, if a staff member installs unauthorized software that could cause harm to the network, the change is immediately reported.

Network audits also help with personal devices your staff may use in the workplace. Often times, staff do not take proper security measures with their own devices. The lack of security on personal devices could negatively impact your network.

Network auditing is an important part of network support. It is natural for changes to occur as new users and devices are constantly added to the network. Regular network auditing helps to ensure any potential security threats are quickly resolved before they can escalate into major problems.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Our team of qualified computer and network engineers develop preventative, proactive, and reactive solutions for any IT environment.