As we have mentioned in the past, one of the top complaints business owners have about IT budgeting is that it can seem so unpredictable. It’s difficult to forecast future tech expenses when you don’t know what will be coming out, which of your existing devices might break or fail, and how your technology budget will be affected by future … Read More
As IT professionals, we have mixed feelings about the way Hollywood tends to portray our industry. On the one hand, it’s fun that movies portray us as young, attractive people who only fit our technical work in between international travel and kung fu lessons. On the other hand, though, a lot of the business owners we meet with hold onto … Read More
In our many years of working with small and medium-sized businesses in Southern California, we have noticed that an IT crisis typically arrives at one of two different speeds. There are the slow burning issues and the disasters that happen all at once. In today’s post, we want to look at each one, as well as what you can do … Read More
If you own or run a small business, there’s a good chance you find yourself buying things online regularly. The odds are also good that you have heard just how risky it can be to share any of your financial details over the internet if your vendor ends up being hacked later. There are some threats you can’t see and … Read More
One thing we rarely ever do is make big proclamations that apply to everyone. The world is too big, and there too many kinds of businesses, to give meaningful advice that applies to dozens of different owners and executives, much less all of them. With that being said, though, we are in something of a golden age when it comes … Read More
Technology has always been a source of both innovation and disruption. New ways of doing things necessitate shifts in our work processes and best practices. At the same time, they can generate opportunities for those who can anticipate the tide of change and stay ahead of the curve. In other words, the better you get at forecasting the flow of … Read More
If two decades of experience as a Southern California IT provider has taught us anything, it’s that most business owners and managers don’t like looking for help with technology. It isn’t that they don’t want their hardware and software running smoothly, of course, but that many aren’t sure what they’re getting for their money – or even what they should … Read More
We know from experience that a lot of business owners and executives get bored talking about cybersecurity, particularly when they don’t necessarily understand the risks or remedies involved. However, nearly all of them perk up when the conversation turns to bottom-line facts and figures. Unfortunately, the two topics are inextricably linked. IT security isn’t all about encryption and software – … Read More
Most of the California business owners we work with agree that the cloud is exciting and know that you can use it to cut technology costs while accomplishing more than ever before. What many of them aren’t quite sure about, though, is exactly how these savings and gains show up in the real world. In truth, there are dozens upon … Read More
Why is it that some companies always seem to be at the head of the pack when it comes to technology, innovating and using cost-effective systems to give their employees and customers more? And, why do some other businesses struggle to make good tech-related decisions, wasting their time and money while dealing with endless setbacks and outages? Contrary to what … Read More
If you pay any attention to business news whatsoever, you already know that some of the world’s biggest and best-known organizations are dealing with cybersecurity challenges. It seems like every week a new retailer or institution is admitting they were successfully targeted by online thieves. Knowing that, it can be easy for a small business owner or IT director to … Read More
For several years, IT providers talked about cloud computing as an emerging technology. It was constantly referred to as “the next big thing,” even as business owners found themselves using the cloud in small ways for file sharing, online banking, and real-time communications. Now, the cloud has grown up. Whether you’re aware of it or not, you probably use cloud … Read More
It’s safe to say that as we move into 2018 there is one technology topic that’s on the minds of business owners and executives everywhere: cybersecurity. You don’t have to be involved in the IT industry to know just how prevalent online attacks and computer-based theft has become. Simply check out the business news headlines in the past year and … Read More
If you’re a business owner, or the manager of a small-to-medium-sized company, you probably wondered whether there isn’t some way to cut your IT expenses without giving up the hardware, software, and devices you and your employees use every day. After all, technology is getting more efficient all the time. Why not look for ways to do more with less? … Read More
Every business owner or executive knows technology is important to an organization. It’s impossible to compete, much less thrive, in today’s digital world if your communications, marketing, or data storage isn’t working the way it’s supposed to be. However, installing and troubleshooting technology is only part of the challenge. Ask most of the decision-makers who hire us what the toughest … Read More
Buying new technology is exciting. We all know that great feeling you get when you purchase a newly-released gadget, or install a fresh home entertainment system. And, most business owners or executives will be familiar with the rush that comes with upgrading important hardware or software, and imagining the new revenue-generating or cost-saving possibilities. Unfortunately, that great feeling doesn’t always … Read More
The holidays are right around the corner, and while that might be good news for everyone who wants to enjoy some time off with family and friends, it can be lots of challenges for your IT department. That’s because your hardware and software doesn’t know you’re due for some relaxation, and it’s not uncommon for outages and other issues to … Read More
These days, it seems like everything in business is technology driven. That’s true on a large scale, where there are always new apps, CRM’s, and automated marketing platforms to try. And, it applies to each of us on the individual level, when we have to decide whether to upgrade things like phones and tablets on a regular basis. Often, figuring … Read More
In the past decade, we have seen huge transformations within the IT industry. It used to be the case that small and medium-sized businesses only called an outsourced provider when they had a technology problem they couldn’t solve; now, most are using contractors on a more proactive managed services arrangement. This has worked so well that fewer and fewer organizations … Read More
Is your business protected from IT disasters and data loss? Most companies aren’t, and there is a simple reason why. With all due respect to insurance adjusters, nobody likes to think about worst-case scenarios. It’s much easier to imagine everything will be okay and there aren’t any risks than it is to spend time (and possibly money) preparing for something … Read More
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