Computerware Blog

How does your business manage its technology solutions? If you’re like most small businesses, you likely have limited technology maintenance, and not necessarily due to any fault on your part. Small businesses have limited budgets and resources available to them, making technology maintenance less accessible. Thankfully, managed services are here to make sure that you never settle for less than what your organization needs.

With productivity being so important in the modern business, it only makes sense that so much of the technology we have now--and will likely have in the future--is devoted to maximizing the amount of work that can be accomplished by one person in a given time. While not everything we will discuss is always relevant for the typical SMB, if your business continues to grow, more technologies will only become accessible over time. Here are a few technology tips to increase your organization’s productivity.

When you experience troubles with your technology, you don’t have time to just sit around and wait for the problem to resolve itself. You need someone by your side to assist with the problem. Yet, many small businesses don’t have the luxury of an in-house IT department that can help its employees resolve problems quickly and efficiently. How can you avoid this common issue and keep downtime to a minimum in the process?

When it comes to maintaining and managing technology properly, larger businesses traditionally have the advantage over small-and-medium-sized ones, as they have greater financial resources. In fact, many small businesses will postpone these activities to help preserve the flexibility in their budget. What these businesses need is a way to leverage the benefits of proactive IT maintenance without breaking the bank.

Workstations that don’t work properly can get in the way of even the most diligent of workers. If the IT department is too busy to give them immediate assistance, where can your employees turn to? If your organization has a help desk solution, workers have a great way to get the assistance they need without having to wait.

It’s important that issues are resolved as quickly as possible, so they don’t negatively affect operations. A help desk is the best way to eliminate time and productivity lost to technology troubles, and it gives employees the freedom to request assistance as it is needed.

A help desk works by giving an employee who is experiencing a problem, the ability to quickly contact an IT technician that can, and will, resolve the issue. This is all done without disrupting anyone that doesn’t need to be involved because it is a direct line to assistance. A help desk solution serves as a great way to contain an IT issue from taking up more time and resources than it should.

With a help desk, your staff won’t be distracted by a member of IT arriving on the scene to resolve the problem. This also allows your IT department to keep all hands-on deck and allow your technicians to focus on doing what technicians do best; innovating and creating new ways to optimize technology for your organization’s benefit. Plus, it is likely that your IT staff has more pressing obligations and responsibilities than setting up someone’s email.

As a bonus, one major benefit of a help desk comes after an employee takes full advantage of it. Since the employee gets immediate assistance and isn’t being burdened by faulty technology, they’ll be able to get right back to work with minimal downtime. This means that you aren’t spending money to pay an employee for time that’s unproductive. Eliminating downtime is one of the key ways that businesses can save in operating costs, and a help desk helps you achieve this goal.

In the long run, implementing a help desk solution for you and your staff will pay for itself. Less downtime equates to more productivity and more money. To learn more about how a help desk can help your business save money, reach out to Computerware at (703) 821-8200.

It’s not unheard of for organizations to experience immense technological trouble that brings future potential problems into question. Surprises like these can spell trouble for businesses that are unprepared, especially considering the major damage it could cause to your budget. This forces you to ask yourself if you know what your current plan for IT covers, and what you want your provider to do to eliminate unexpected billing surprises.

With computing and networking hardware shown to be unreliable over time, businesses need to have a strategy in place to fix or replace their hardware. This is especially the case when it comes to servers. Replacing a server is expensive, but when it fails, you aren’t left with a lot of choices. What’s your plan for dealing with hardware failure? Here are three options.

The first option is to replace your malfunctioning hardware. This may seem like the most efficient approach, until you realize how much information your organization has. When replacing a server, you have to sort through all of your files to find out which ones are mission-critical and which ones aren’t, and you need to have a data recovery option in place that will migrate the information onto your new device. Not thinking this process through can cost your company a massive amount in new hardware costs, third-party migration and setup costs, and downtime.

The second option is to lease new hardware. If your organization can’t sustain the large capital outlays of purchasing new hardware, many vendors offer a hardware leasing program that allows you to get the technology you need at a price you can afford. Some technology companies offer Hardware as a Service (HaaS), which provides businesses with new hardware and frequent refreshes for a monthly fee. This strategy reduces support costs and often comes with proactive managed services.

The third option is to virtualize your IT infrastructure. In this way you can leverage the cloud to your business’ advantage. You won’t be able to escape the migration costs, but the large upfront costs of replacing your hardware would be eliminated. There are a few different types of cloud computing models that give your organization choices on how your data is monitored and protected. A cloud platform is typically monitored and managed by the hosting provider, eliminating management costs and minimizing support costs.

Whichever option you choose, having IT support is important to keep your organization’s hardware in good working order. Your staff may not be savvy enough with technology to fix issues, and they likely don’t have the time for it. Therefore, having around-the-clock IT support is important for the efficiency of your staff, as well as their own peace of mind if they encounter issues.

At Computerware, we provide 24/7 support via our help desk, and we go above and beyond to help organizations mitigate their hardware costs through our proactive monitoring and management service. By leaning on our RMM service, your business will have less network maintenance to deal with, and you will get more out of your hardware investments. By keeping your network running smoothly through our proactive monitoring, we can tell if your hardware is on its way out and we can advise you if it is time for a refresh. We also keep your network free of malware, resulting in less downtime and higher degrees of efficiency.

If your company is continually running into hardware problems, consider contacting one of our certified IT technicians to schedule a network and infrastructure assessment. Call us at (703) 821-8200 to learn more.

Does your organization have trouble managing and maintaining its technology? Usually, this responsibility falls to an IT department, but this assumes that you actually have one. Furthermore, it’s easy for an IT department to be so busy with maintaining the state of things that they don’t have time to innovate and improve operations. What’s a business owner to do?

When You’re Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Technology isn’t something that lasts forever. It either has to be replaced periodically, or repaired and upgraded to ensure functionality in the long run. Of course, this becomes borderline impossible if the people in charge of IT maintenance must continuously accept phone calls and support requests and constantly put out fires. Eventually, you’ll start to suffer from systems that are inadequate, which creates even more problems.

In the end, you’ll just wind up working around issues until they become too severe to avoid. You’ll be forced into two possible situations: 1) Upgrade regardless of what situation your IT budget is in, or 2) Limit your organization’s potential by using inefficient equipment. At this point, you can’t ignore it any longer and you’ll be forced to either upgrade your equipment, or sacrifice functionality.

Managed IT to the Rescue!
Thankfully, you can keep your technology from even getting to this point by implementing managed IT services. With a managed service provider (MSP), you can make sure that your IT budget never gets busted again by premature hardware failure or unexpected maintenance. MSPs are capable of either supplementing or acting as a fully functional IT department for your organization.

If you need IT support, look no further. MSPs can act as a help desk solution. Do you need to implement new hardware? MSPs cover that, too. Whether you want to create a roadmap to implement new solutions, or you want to make incremental monthly investments for preventative maintenance, MSPs can help you improve the way your organization handles IT-related troubles.

Furthermore, if you have an IT department that’s overburdened, Computerware can assist them with the needful. If it’s handling support requests or implementing new and innovative solutions, we can help. All you have to do is give us a call. We can work out a service level agreement that details exactly what your business needs, and the rest will be history--just like your IT troubles!

To learn more about managed IT services, reach out to us at (703) 821-8200.

Business owners have a lot to worry about. However, keeping workstations, server units, mobile devices, and various software solutions in good working order doesn’t have to be a concern--that is, if you outsource these responsibilities to the right IT professionals.

Your organization needs its technology solutions in order to keep up with day-to-day operations, but at the same time, you’ll need to maintain them. Organizations that don’t have an IT department will sometimes turn to their employees to do the required maintenance, but this can put your infrastructure at risk.

To keep your IT out of danger due to inexperience or negligence, we want to share with you a way that you can keep your technology up-to-date and functional, without putting it at risk. It’s called managed IT services, and you’d be surprised what they can do for you. We’ll discuss some of the many benefits that your business can stand to take advantage of by forsaking break-fix IT in favor of managed IT.

Cost Savings
You’ll notice an immediate cost savings when using managed services as your core method of IT maintenance. Right off the bat, you’re saving money. Since you only pay a monthly service fee rather than large up-front costs, you’ll benefit immediately. You receive any sort of maintenance as per your service level agreement from your managed service provider, which is more effective than paying for unexpected maintenance from break-fix IT.

Plus, since you’re taking proactive measures to ensure that your organization’s technology is maintained, you’ll be less likely to experience crippling hardware failure. Break-fix IT providers basically depend on your technology not working properly for them to make money, so they have no real incentive to ensure that your technology is working properly in the long run. Managed IT providers, on the other hand, want to build a relationship with the client and prevent problems from happening in the first place, saving your organization money and boosting rapport in the process.

Less Wasted Time
Small businesses have a tough time acquiring an internal IT department due to budget restraints, but if you do have one, it’s probably swamped with work. This means that the work is either not getting done, or it’s being done poorly due to time constraints. You can’t cut corners in IT, as it could lead to dangerous downtime or missing important updates, putting your data at risk. In fact, one of the most important skipped maintenance procedures is the administration of patches and security updates--something that absolutely shouldn’t be missed.

Managed IT services, regardless of whether or not you have an internal IT department, can provide value in the fact that they provide your organization with more experts for more work. Whether you want to catch up on missed work, implement new solutions, or stay up to date, managed IT providers give your business the flexibility to accomplish your technology-related goals in a time-efficient manner.

Peace of Mind
Untrained employees working with complex machinery must be nerve-wracking--or, at least, it should be. User error is difficult enough to prevent, so it’s reasonable to suggest that only those trained in the proper best practices should be managing technology solutions.

This is perhaps one of the biggest benefits of managed IT services; you don’t have to have untrained users maintaining your technology solutions. You can rest easy at night knowing that your hardware and software initiatives are being helmed by Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC’s finest experts. We firmly believe that an IT project should only be done once, and that’s because it should be done right the first time.

How does your business manage its technology? We know how it should be managed--with Computerware. To get started, give us a call at (703) 821-8200.

Managing permissions for their network is something that many organizations may only consider when it’s too late to do anything about it. This can provide outsiders with access to sensitive information that shouldn’t be seen by anyone but your employees. To learn a few lessons about user permissions, let’s look at the misfortune of PA Online, a Pennsylvania-based Internet service provider.

You may need business technology to ensure that operations go off without a hitch, but at the same time, you’re reliant on it in order to function. If your technology fails, you’ll be left with a large deficit to fill. Here are three ways that you can improve PC performance with basic maintenance practices.

If you’re one of the small businesses that has the resources to devote to an internal IT department, then you know how difficult it is playing at help desk with the rest of your employees. Their role is crucial to helping those who are less tech-savvy, but there’s always the chance that even your IT department will be stumped. That’s not to mention the fact that your help desk could be filled with potentially-avoidable requests.

When you take your broken-down technology to a break-fix IT technician, they’ll usually fix the problem, but you’ll be stuck with a hefty, per-hour rate that could easily ruin your IT budget. Unfortunately, small and medium-sized businesses often have little choice in the matter, as they can’t afford in-house technicians. Thankfully, there’s a third option for your IT solutions, and it’s called managed IT services.

While traditional break-fix IT services may have seemed helpful in the past, a time has come for its replacement to offer a more viable, efficient, and flexible alternative. Here are three reasons why SMBs would want to take advantage of managed IT services.

Reduced Costs
Break-fix technology is expensive by nature, primarily because you’re purchasing convenience. Think of it in this manner; you go to a restaurant to be served by waiters and waitresses when you don’t feel like cooking your own dinner. Plus, the cooks probably won’t be willing to part with their trade secrets so that you can cook your own meals. Break-fix IT works in a similar manner. They don’t want you to take preventative measures to keep problems from happening in the future, since they profit off of your misfortune.

Managed IT uses monthly payments that are easy to budget and are designed to save your business money in the long run. Most important of all, though, is that managed IT takes a preventative stance that tries to stop issues from becoming major problems in the first place. This saves you money on hardware and software replacements, as you’re wasting fewer budget dollars on downtime.

Improved Security and Efficiency
Efficiency is one of the most important traits that anyone could want out of IT maintenance. Network monitoring and maintenance is a necessity for businesses that want to guarantee the security of their systems. Patches also need to be issued in a timely manner to prevent vulnerabilities in widely-used software solutions from buckling under pressure of hacking attacks. Of course, all of this is much easier said than done. The SMB has a limited schedule and workforce, which inevitably leads to cutting corners in order to “stay ahead.”

Managed IT services can also remedy this issue. Our technicians have the ability to remotely monitor and maintain your infrastructure so that you can resolve issues efficiently without an on-site visit. In fact, most problems with your infrastructure can be resolved remotely, so you can limit our on-site visits to only the most necessary of operations.

End-to-End Support
While some businesses have an internal IT department, they may be too busy to implement new and innovative IT solutions. On the other hand, they may be too busy innovating to provide quality technology support to your users. Either way, your team is swamped with work, and managed IT offers an easier solution to this issue that’s a better alternative to putting too many demands on such a crucial asset (your IT department).

Managed IT wants to help your internal IT department manage and delegate tasks in an effective manner. If your internal team needs assistance, our technicians are only a phone call away. If you want us to innovate in your stead, we can do that too. Regardless of your IT needs, we can improve your business’s operations.

To learn more, reach out to us at (703) 821-8200.

Imagine, for a moment, that your team is working diligently toward a goal, and even the slightest disruption could derail productivity. What happens when your team experiences software hiccups or a hardware problem that they don’t know how to resolve? Unless you have an in-house IT department, or reliable experts available at all times, you might be out of luck.

One of the major reasons that a company forsakes implementing their own IT department is that it’s incredibly expensive to hire staff and accommodate their needs. They may feel they can save money by having employees repair their own devices, but this can be disastrous. Inexperienced employees can mishandle technology and data, which can lead to hardware failure, data loss, and so much more. The end-user’s DIY fixes may not be aligned with company policy, and when it comes to your solutions, wouldn’t it be better to just hire professional technicians who know what they’re doing?

But what if you just don’t have room in your budget to hire an in-house IT technician?

While it’s easy for SMBs to get stuck on the pain points of time and money, there is a solution for those who can’t afford, or can’t find, a proper in-house IT department. One of the best ways that you can maintain the same level of care and expertise is by implementing a help desk solution from Computerware. You can think of the help desk as a virtual environment where you can report issues, communicate with our IT staff, and get the support you need to make it through the work week. It’s a great asset that lets your business get all of the benefits of an outsourced IT department, without the hefty budgeting problems that come from hiring new and experienced technicians.

Here are just a few of the many benefits that come with Computerware’s help desk solution:

Support when you need it
A help desk solution provides you with the tools you need to reach out to technical support when it’s needed. If your employees need help with resolving a specific issue, our techs are standing by to help your team resolve the problem. Our team can also remotely access your systems, which can help you avoid the costs of an on-site visit.

Assistance from experienced techs
Arguably the greatest benefit of working with Computerware’s help desk is that you’re not working with inexperienced techs. Instead, you’re working with established professionals who want to use their skills to help you succeed. After all, when you succeed, we succeed.

Single point of contact
Dealing with vendors can be frustrating, especially when you need very specific help, and it’s unavailable for whatever reason. Instead of jumping through hoops for support from your vendor, it makes sense to reach out to a single point of contact who can help you with any problems you encounter. Computerware can help to ensure that you waste as little time as possible working with vendors.

So, what’s keeping you from achieving maximum operational efficiency? With a help desk solution from Computerware, we can guarantee that it won’t be your IT support. To learn more, reach out to us at (703) 821-8200.

Every business has crucial IT systems that are imperative to its continued functionality. Usually these systems are maintained by an internal IT department, but many small businesses don’t have this luxury. Therefore, they have traditionally relied on break-fix IT companies to handle their technology problems when they hinder operations.

When employers and employees aren’t on the same page, conflicts arise and work grinds to a halt. This bad-for-business scenario is especially true when it comes to technology. You may not have realized this, but certain IT policies may actually be driving your staff crazy! Here are three common examples of how this plays out.

Have you ever called tech support only to be answered with this generic response: “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” More often than not, a simple reboot can resolve many issues with a computer. However, you still need to be cautious of more serious issues that a reboot won't fix. Here’s how a PC reboot works, and why it’s such an effective tool for resolving PC troubles.

Your business offers a unique set of products or services for your chosen service area. You’re an expert in your field, but there are other parts of running a business that you may not excel at. Part of hiring new employees is shoring up weaknesses in your own business model, but why not achieve the same result by outsourcing these responsibilities to a third party?

Every business wants to be equipped with the latest and greatest IT equipment and software. Yet, due to realities like budget shortcomings, time constraints, and the lack of knowledge about IT trends, it can be difficult for the average SMB to attain that dream technological setup on their own. However, by being smart about how you approach IT, your company can still have a network that exceeds your expectations.