Your Managed Service Provider Wants You To Know These 3 Things

your managed service provider wants you to know these 3 things
What To Know About Managed Services

Do you need an MSP? Or maybe you already have one. Regardless, to truly benefit from your relationship with an MSP, you need to work as a team to achieve the business goals you have in mind.   

Listen

IT providers, good ones, take their work seriously. When you hire a managed service provider they should treat your business as if it were their own. That is why it is key to listening to them, as well as trusting them when they discuss suggestions or changes. Also, an advantage of having an MSP is that they are there to help with third party vendor partnerships. Let them take the lead when dealing with technology providers in VoIP, cable, or internet. This will allow you to concentrate on other things and not have added stress.  

Be Available 

While it’s great that you may outsource your IT completely to your managed service provider, they still need to get together and talk. From changing business needs to updates and safety checks, your MSP doesn’t need to be caught off-guard. Being available to discuss your challenges and needs is important and requires communication every month or at least every quarter. 

Communicate

A managed service provider needs to know everything about your business so as to properly handle the technology side of it. Just as you would share everything with your doctor regarding your health, you need to do the same with your MSP. Below is an overview of topics that need to be discussed in order to help with your businesses IT needs. 

  • What does your business so?
  • Who are key clients to your business?
  • Which industry verticals does your business serve?
  • Does your business experience busy seasons?
  • Any core regulatory codes applying to your business based on industries you work for?
  • Will your business expand, and if so what are those plans?
  • What are your future goals for your business?

Most often clients do not want to delve into discussing all these things. This is generally because there is a lack of trust between the MSP and the business owner. From fear of sharing business plans to passing along confidential information to competitors, most do not have a solid relationship with their MSP. It is imperative the managed service provider you choose is not only knowledgeable but trustworthy.

For 17 years 4 Corner IT has been Long Island and NYC’s premier IT services company. With over 60 employees, let us help you with your technology needs. Contact us today or fill out a contact form to speak to a technical adviser.

What’s New for Microsoft Teams in 2019

what new for microsoft teams in 2019

As part of their efforts to empower staff members across a broad spectrum of industries, as well as a wide variety of functions and roles, Microsoft has recently added increased capabilities to their Microsoft Teams application. By increasing the features and capabilities within the app, Microsoft hopes to create a seamless, easy to use environment where team members can communicate and interact with other project members. By increasing communication between staff members, companies can expect higher levels of productivity and efficiency within their group projects. 

Organizing Staff

Of course, in order to ensure projects are managed as efficiently as possible, it’s important to keep track of the individuals participating in the project itself. With Microsoft Teams, team member schedules are easily created, monitored and adjusted as the need arises, so everyone involved stays informed of the status of their team co-members, as well as keeping track of their own schedule. 

In addition, the Microsoft Teams software also provides a mechanism in which administrators can oversee and monitor the projects to ensure both the team members and the tools within the projects are operating as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Staying in Touch

Microsoft Teams offers several mechanisms which project members can use to communicate with each other including: text, image capturing and uploading, video conferencing, file sharing, and voice interaction. Project members can decide which communication mechanism best suits their needs at the time. For example — enjoying the flexibility of having a private chat about an Excel spreadsheet with one team member, followed later by uploading a photo of a warehouse issue and sending it to a supervisor for review. Whether team members are down the hall or across the city in a different building, Microsoft’s Teams application allows staff to immediately address issues rather than waiting until they get back to their desk or their employer’s physical location.

Organizing Meetings 

Microsoft also decided to rebrand their Skype room systems into Microsoft Team Rooms. With Team Rooms, project coordinators can create, schedule and invite team members for group meetings, no matter where they are throughout the globe. Regardless of physical location, individual staff members can all meet together in a Team Room, and collaborate and share with each other through both video and voice.

If you would like to know more about additional communication and collaboration features offered through Microsoft Teams, please contact us!

Managed IT Support Can Reduce the Risk of Cyber Theft from Miami Businesses

reduce the risk of cybertheft

Network security breaches have been in the news lately. Hackers have targeted such large organizations as the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management and the Bank of Bangladesh. While security breaches at large institutions make the news, cyber theft from small businesses quietly takes place in the background.

Many of Miami’s small businesses handle more money through their computers and networks than through their cash registers. Credit card credentials, ACH transactions and emailed wire transfer instructions can all be targets for thieves. Over the past two years, cyber thieves have stolen nearly $800 million dollars from over 8000 small businesses. Regulation E, the federal rule that requires banks to reimburse consumers for unauthorized transactions, does not apply to small business accounts; individual businesses have lost over a million dollars to cyber theft and not been reimbursed.

Managed IT support for Miami businesses can help to reduce your risk of cyber theft. Instead of reacting to an incident after it occurs, your managed IT support vendor can examine and secure your network to reduce the risk of a breach. They can conduct a survey of your network to identify systems that need to be patched, and can look for systems with default passwords that a hacker might be able to guess. Developing a patch management plan and eliminating systems with default passwords can reduce the risk of a network breach.

Cybertheft is a serious issue for Miami businesses. Companies that import or export goods are especially vulnerable as they often send wire transfers. A fraudulent wire transfer is very difficult to cancel or recall.

For more information about computer and network security, please contact us.

A Partner is More Than Just a Product Vendor

partner is more than just a product vendor
Partner is More Than Just a Product Vendor

Your partner is more than just a product vendor. They are a business associate you can rely on to bounce ideas off of and make tough decisions. After all, two heads are better than one. Having a partner you can depend on really makes all the difference. 

A Partner is More Than Just a Product Vendor

A partner can really boost your productivity, but you have to find a partner with the right qualities first. 

Finding a Partner

  • Experience is everything. An experienced partner can bring crucial insight to the table. Their prior experience in the industry is exactly the outside perspective you need when brainstorming or fleshing out ideas. 
  • Staying goal-oriented is a must. Many businesses lack the drive to flourish. Setting clear and concise goals keeps you on track and encourages you to stay focused. Realistic business goals are also rewarding and incredibly motivating. 
  • Organization and communication are key. Organization and communication become even more vital in joint business ventures. With multiple minds working away at a project, it’s very easy to become overwhelmed by ideas. Keeping proper documentation, keeping lists, adhering to schedules, and regular communication will keep both you and your partner on target. 
  • Service with a smile. Research has proven that a positive attitude contributes to positive outcomes in the realm of business. Picking a partner who keeps their head above water, even as it’s rising, can keep you calm and centered.  
  • Pick a Proactive Partner. Time and time again, businesses find themselves victim to outdated technology. Their biggest downfall? Not being proactive enough. You and your partner should be bold, brave, and unafraid to get your hands dirty keeping up with the latest tech. However, it never hurt to exercise a little caution. Before committing to any major changes, do your research. Efficiency and effectiveness should always trump the curb appeal of new software and equipment. 

A partner you can rely on really makes a world of difference. Your partner is far more than just a product vendor, they’re another mind to bounce ideas off of and get insight from. Two heads are better than one, especially with a partner who is experienced, organized, positive, and proactive. 

For the latest IT news and trends, head on over to our blog. To learn more about 4 Corner IT and our IT support services in Florida, please contact us.

We provide onsite consultations, 90-day trials, as well as free network audits. For over 17 years, 4 Corner IT has been proud to provide top-quality IT support and services throughout South Florida.

IT Service Management: Greater ROI and Efficiency

it service management
IT Service Management

This is not fake news: IT Service Management(ITSM) can have a significant impact on your business’s return on investment(ROI) and improve your overall productivity and efficiency.

How can using IT service management in your business help you accomplish all the business goals you have set?

Return On Investment

So now that you know that your company’s ROI can be impacted by IT Service Management, you are probably also wondering how it can do this. The procedures and processes that are used by ITSM can help your company envision your daily workflow so you can eventually become more efficient and so that you can save money. Efficiency and cost savings do not just take place in your workplace’s IT department; these things will happen across every department in your workplace.

As a result of greater efficiency in all departments, the impact on your company’s bottom line will be tremendous. The data that can be recorded by IT Service Management can give your company relevant information about what type of problems you may run into, which will give your business the opportunity to take the right measures ahead of time. ITSM can help your company make tough decisions about which processes and strategies should be pursued.

Efficiency

Since IT will create multiple changes across the entire workplace, your company’s operational efficiency can be improved with greater IT service. When all of your employees are using the same resources and tools, it will make it easier to implement and integrate new procedures. When your workplace uses the right tools and the right technology, this can result in more opportunities to streamline and automate your processes.

Streamlining multiple processes can eventually result in greater productivity and higher efficiency. IT service management can be used to improve all of your departments, not just your IT department. When you can reduce human mistakes across the board, you will have the cost-saving and efficiency solution you have been searching for.

  • Are you looking to make an investment in your entire workplace?
  • Do you want to find out how ITSM can translate into greater workplace efficiency?
  • Do you want to find better ways to achieve your goals?

Contact us today for more information on IT service management.