It's Only A Small Leak...

Diana Johnson, Wood Networks

Technology is advancing. It is no longer a matter of “I am not sure if we need technology in our business.” but rather, “How much technology do we need?” IT is happening all around you and as the manufacturers make software, products, and applications easier for your employees to use, it is getting more complex for you to manage. So maybe you have come to the place where you know that to be effective you need to have a certified professional involved in the process. It’s like the old story of dad trying to fix the leaking water pipe, only to find himself soaked with a torrent of water pouring out. Mom knows he might be able to fix it- eventually, but she picks up the phone and calls the plumber. Even though the plumber might cost more than doing it themselves, it will be far cheaper in the long run!

Don't let this video happen to you:

The kitchen sink is leaking and many companies are trying to fix it themselves. The only problem is it isn’t water leaking out (or pouring as the case may be) it is your hard earned dollars. Successful companies know that allocating and then managing an IT budget is a normal part of doing business.

Employee downtime due to system failures, slow networks, virus and malware downloads, or information lost due to a lack of data security are all very real problems businesses face every day. Partnering with a knowledgeable, certified, experienced Technology Management Firm is a smart way to straighten out those lingering problems, stabilize your IT environment and proactively manage your network. A good IT partner will actually save you money in the long run. Monitoring your systems and fixing problems before you know they are a problem. Securing your data and your network; protecting you from viruses, malware, and spyware. Consulting with you to determine your needs and working within your budget. These are a few of the things a good IT partner should be able to bring to the table.

Now if you could only get the plumber to show up at your door, before the leak even starts!

At TeamLogic IT we can prevent costly downtime before it happens.  Our SystemWatch managed service practice is designed to keep your computers and networks running at the highest levels of performance and availability every day.  With 24 x 7 monitoring and daily maintenance procedures, your business will be running more efficiently.  So if you are tired of being your own IT plumber and want to focus more time on growing your business, call us at 650-204-3150.

A Message From The President....

The IT industry is shockingly young compared to oil, transportation and some other industries, yet it may have gone through more variations than all the others combined. In the early 80s personal computers were stand-alone devices that through software and an operating system took over tasks previously done on pad and paper. Technicians were called on to repair defective units and keep them tuned up in much the same way the typewriter repairman had done in the past.

Enter rudimentary network operating systems and devices began to be connected to each other and to locally stored resources and data stores. In the mid-1990s the Internet exploded on the scene and made it possible for information to be shared across discrete disconnected local area networks.

The Internet is the most powerful communication tool of all time. We’ve recently seen its power in bringing down the regimes in the Middle East. Without Twitter and Facebook, the recent revolutions may not have been possible; revolutions that were a direct result of oppressive governments restricting their people’s access to information.

On the other hand, the Internet is a wild frontier filled with excesses that can pose a material threat to the ability of schools, libraries and businesses to provide safe, comfortable environments for the people they serve. These organizations are responsible for regulatory compliance as well as ensuring productivity.
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According to a recent computer industry trade association survey, nearly 7 in 10 respondents indicated that the severity of security threats their organization faces is on the rise. 34% of survey respondents believe the internal security threat at their organization has increased and businesses stated that their greatest concern comes from departing employees having knowledge of logins, access points and other vulnerabilities.

Security is a continuous process for your business. It is not something you implement today and forget about tomorrow. At TeamLogic IT, our customers are asking us to help them understand their risk and build a security program that makes sense. This means we have to first understand their business and we do.

Call us today to learn how we can help your business.

Jon Simms

President, TeamLogic IT

650-2040-3150

Ten Tips For Making Your Business More Efficient

To keep pace in an increasingly competitive world, your business needs to run as efficiently as possible. "Sooner or later, any company not operating efficiently will be out of business," says Laurie McCabe, vice president of small and medium business insights and solutions for research firm AMI-Partners. Efficiency is even more important for small and medium-sized businesses, McCabe adds, because their resources are limited compared to large global companies.

Here are 10 tips for using network technology to help your business work more efficiently, cut costs, improve customer satisfaction, and stay ahead of the competition.

1. Give employees secure, consistent access to information. You have an advantage over larger competitors because you can react quickly to business changes. But you can quickly lose this edge if your company network is frequently down, sluggish, or unsecured. A secure, reliable network based on intelligent routers and switches lets your employees access the information and tools they need to keep ahead of competitors.

2. Deliver anytime, anywhere access to employees on the go. To stay productive on the move, your employees need to be able to reach the people and information they need—anywhere, anytime. With tools like virtual private networks (VPNs), your employees can work outside the office and still enjoy safe access to the business network.

3. Create effective business processes with partners. Some large companies make efficient, secure business processes a prerequisite for doing business with them. To meet the business needs of your partners, you need a secure, reliable network.

4. Make it easy to work together. Smooth collaboration between employees, partners, suppliers, and customers is a sure-fire way to boost efficiency while also reducing costs. An intelligent network lets your business take advantage of interactive calendaring, videoconferencing, unified communications, and other technologies for easy collaboration.

5. Enable employees to take their phone systems wherever they go. Missed calls create project delays, wasted opportunities, and lost revenues. With a networked voice and data solution, your employees can have one phone number that rings simultaneously on multiple devices, so customers reach the right person the first time. Your staff can access all their communications from anywhere, checking for e-mail, voicemail, and faxes from just one inbox.

6. Streamline customer communications. Delivering fast, knowledgeable service is the best way to keep customers satisfied. Linking your network phone system to a customer relationship management (CRM) solution is a great way to enhance customer communications. When a customer calls, a pop-up window with their records appears on an employee's IP phone screen, computer screen, or both.

7. Reduce unproductive travel time. All too often, time spent on the road is time lost. A networked phone solution that offers video calls and Web conferencing can help reduce the time and expense of traveling to offsite meetings and training sessions. Instead of spending time traveling, you can use the time to get work done with technology.

8. Employ a managed service provider. Is managing a network the best use of your employees' time? In some situations, it is advantageous to hire a managed service provider for network administration. Working with a managed service provider can free your IT staff to focus on other IT tasks and use their time more effectively.

9. Improve employee satisfaction. Aging phone systems and slow networks can frustrate your employees and annoy your customers. In some cases, an employee might become burned out and decide to move on. To help ensure that employees are productive and satisfied, your business needs a secure, reliable, and fast network.

10. Develop a long-term technology plan. The process of replacing obsolete hardware can interrupt your employees and bring the office to a standstill. You can minimize such disruptions by carefully determining short- and long-term business objectives and working with your network vendor to deploy technology that matches them.

At TeamLogic IT, we understand how technology can imporve the efficiency of your business. We've been helping other business owners and CEOs with their technology planning for years. Whether it is installing a phone system that is configured for your companies needs or providing anytime, anywhere access to critical information, TeamLogic IT can help your business move fast and spend less. For a free 1 hour consultation, plaese contact us at 650-204-3150.

Technology Solutions from professionals you can trust...