There are a lot of reasons businesses might decide to move from one software product, suite, or package to another. In some cases the switch might have to do with pricing. In other instances the deciding factor might be a certain package of features, or even the aesthetics in terms of menus and colors. No matter what the reason, though, … Read More
12 Problems a Good IT Partner Can Help You Solve
We often use the Fantastic IT blog to explore high-level technical topics, but that doesn’t mean we can’t deal with the day-to-day issues and annoyances that might be plaguing your business. To help illustrate that, and get you thinking about some of the ways we could help your company, today we want to highlight a dozen different issues a company … Read More
3 Technologies That Are Quietly Changing the Small Business World
Everyone knows that artificial intelligence, mobile computing, and advanced robotics are poised to completely transform our world in the next few decades. What many business owners and executives don’t realize, though, is that there are some more subtle technologies that are already changing the way we live and work in significant ways. Here are three in particular that you should … Read More
Are You Following an Old Approach to Hardware Upgrades?
In a lot of small and medium-sized businesses, hardware upgrades make up a significant portion of the IT budget. However, we often come across situations where businesses are overspending. We are going to show you why in this short post. However, first we want to make clear that by “hardware” we are referring to any physical piece of technology you … Read More
Adjusting Your Tech Anxiety Level
Does the thought of dealing with new technology in 2019 fill you with excitement, or does it leave you with a sense of dread? In pop culture, it’s almost always older people who feel overwhelmed by the latest devices, apps, and gadgets. In real life, though, any business owner or executive can find themselves wondering whether they are spending too … Read More
7 Ways to Get More From Business Tech in 2019
The New Year is here, and that means business owners and executives throughout Southern California are going to be thinking about ways they can improve their businesses. In our experience, most small and medium-sized companies don’t pay enough attention to their tech when it comes to setting goals and trimming budgets. So, just in case you haven’t been finding the … Read More
Using Smart Data and Automation To Make Your Business More Efficient
We have reached a strange point in the development of business technology. On the one hand, we have new and exciting tools that are revolutionizing every aspect of entrepreneurship and management. You can do things on a smart phone today that would have been impossible with a computer just a couple of decades ago. On the other hand, there are … Read More
Why Speed Is So Underrated In Small Business IT
When it comes to working on computers, tablets, or phones, we all want our devices to work quickly. If they move slowly we might become frustrated or irate, but most business owners and executives won’t actually call anyone about it. That can be good in a philosophical sense. After all, most of us could learn to be a lot more … Read More
Are You Ignoring a Key Part of Your Tech Setup?
As we have noted in the past, the best technology care is proactive. It’s about managing conditions so that hardware lasts longer, software runs flawlessly, and everyone on your team can go about their work without dealing with crashes, error messages, or unexpected failures. One aspect of good proactive technology care, however, also tends to be something that business owners … Read More
How to Help Your IT Provider Help You
Most of the time, a good outsourced IT provider is simply going to work behind the scenes and help you keep your business running smoothly while staying out of the way. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to help make their job easier. Make no mistake: it’s in your best interests to have your technology care … Read More
Does Your Small Business Need an Advanced CRM?
In the last few years, the growth of advanced CRM solutions (cloud software packages like HubSpot and Infusionsoft) have allowed small businesses to utilize data in the way their larger Fortune 500 competitors do. With the right application you can zero in on specific buyers and influencers, tailor your marketing campaigns, and even monitor customer engagement in real-time. And, you … Read More
How to Make Small Business IT Budgeting More Predictable
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
5 Myths You Might Believe About Computer Hacking
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
The Two Speeds Of An IT Crisis
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
4 Problems That Come From Moving Your Own Business Technology
In theory, taking the technology you have from an existing office and moving it to a new setting should be simple. All you have to do is unplug everything, send it to your new location, and reconnect the cords and cables, right? Unfortunately, it’s not usually so simple. In fact, deciding to move your own technology can end up costing … Read More
Why End of Summer is the Perfect Time to Get IT Help
Have you been thinking about getting some help with your company’s IT strategy, or maybe engaging the services of a trained technology support partner? If so, this might be the perfect time to take action. Although a lot of business owners and executives don’t realize it, summer can be the ideal time to onboard an outsourced IT vendor or make … Read More
What Does Great Small Business IT Look Like?
We are always surprised to see how many small and medium-sized business owners settle for IT care that isn’t as strong as it could be. In speaking with them, however, we often discover that they didn’t really have the right expectations in the first place. That’s easy to understand, particularly when you consider that most business owners and executives aren’t … Read More
2018 Best Places to Work in Los Angeles
2018 Best Places to Work in Los Angeles Fantastic IT solutions was recently named as one of the Best Places to Work in Los Angeles. This twelfth annual program was created by the Los Angeles Business Journal and Best Companies Group. This survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best employers in Los Angeles, benefiting … Read More
4 Things to Know About Ransomware in 2018
Usually, when clients talk to us about “tech trends” they are thinking of good things – hot new apps, the popularity of digital assistants, or the newest generation of mobile devices. However, we find that more and more frequently business owners are calling us because they are concerned about ransomware. If you aren’t familiar with the term or concept, ransomware … Read More
Do You Have IT Support for All Your Business Devices?
Most business owners come to understand they are much better off when they have a competent and certified IT team looking after their computers. But what about the other devices you and your employees use to keep your company running? Whether you realize it or not, your managed services agreement should cover all your devices. That includes workstations, printers, and … Read More