Tag: technology advice

  • 5 Signs It’s Time to Switch Your IT Provider (And How to Choose the Right One)

    5 Signs It’s Time to Switch Your IT Provider (And How to Choose the Right One)

    Choosing the right IT managed service provider for your business is a tricky topic, your existing provider has access to sensitive systems and knows your business inside and out. If things aren’t going as well as they could (should) it can still feel overwhelming to think about switching. We know just how difficult switching IT providers can be (we even wrote a guide on it).

    Even though it’s challenging, there are some clear-cut signs it might be time to make a change. The five topics below are what we consider red flags:

    1. Constant Downtime and Slow Response
      • Frequent outages, slow systems, delayed ticket responses.
      • Impact on productivity and customer trust.
    2. Recurring Security Issues
      • Unpatched systems, repeated cyber incidents, lack of proactive security.
      • The cost of poor cybersecurity.
    3. Lack of Strategic Guidance
      • Your provider only “keeps the lights on” but doesn’t help you plan.
      • No roadmap for scaling, cloud adoption, or improving efficiency.
    4. Surprise Costs and Lack of Transparency
      • Hidden fees, unclear service levels, unpredictable billing.
      • Why predictable costs matter.
    5. Poor Communication and Customer Service
      • Hard-to-reach support, no regular updates, poor explanation of issues.
      • The value of clear and proactive communication.

    If your current IT managed service provider ticked any of these boxes, it might be time to begin the search for a new provider.  Below are four things we would recommend (as an IT managed service provider ourselves) you dive into with any potential new provider.

    1. Look for Proven Experience: Certifications, client references, industry expertise.
    2. They Prioritize Security and Compliance: Ask about their approach to cybersecurity and regulatory needs.
    3. Demand Proactive Support: Look for providers who offer monitoring, patching, and recommendations—not just break-fix.
    4. Check for Transparent Pricing: Make sure you understand their pricing models and what’s included.

    Ending services with your existing provider might seem scary, but in our experience most IT managed service providers want to do right by their clients (even if that client is on their way out). In our 20 plus years of experience, we have never had the incumbent provider block our ability to service their former client. Again, we have a guide on this very topic that goes into more detail and even provides a template ending your services with your existing provider.

    If you’re in the market for new IT services to support your business, Valley Techlogic has been supporting California businesses since 2004 and we can support you in whatever stage of your search you’re in. From procuring new services to providing an assessment on your current technical environment – our technicians are ready to support your business today.  Learn more with a consultation.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.

    This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, leading provider of trouble free IT services for businesses in California including Merced, Fresno, Stockton & More. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on X at https://x.com/valleytechlogic and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/valley-techlogic-inc/.

  • Meeting with your IT provider soon? Here are 5 questions you MUST ask

    Meeting with your IT provider soon? Here are 5 questions you MUST ask

    As a managed IT service provider ourselves, we strongly encourage every business owner to meet with the person and/or business who provides their IT support services at MINIMUM annually (and here are our five reasons why if you’re curious).

    If you already have that annual meeting on the books or are thinking about scheduling it soon to prepare your business for 2025 and beyond, it’s a good idea to go with a few questions that will help you determine if the services you’re receiving are meeting your business’s needs and goals. Lucky for you, today we have the top five questions we would ask if the shoe was on the other foot.

    1. Is our business positioned adequately to ward off cybersecurity threats?
    • Why it’s important: The threat landscape changes rapidly. Ensuring your MSP (Managed Service Provider) is up-to-date with the latest cybersecurity protocols and threat intelligence is critical for safeguarding your data and operations.
    • Follow-up considerations: Inquire about specific measures like endpoint detection, regular patching, and proactive threat monitoring.
    1. Are there new technologies or upgrades we should be considering?
    • Why it’s important: Technology evolves quickly, and new tools can improve productivity, security, and efficiency. Your MSP should keep you informed about beneficial updates or trends.
    • For Example: Ask about cloud services, automation tools, and software that could enhance your business operations.
    1. How are we meeting compliance and regulatory requirements?
    • Why it’s important: Compliance with industry regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA, CMMC, NIST) is vital to avoid fines and maintain client trust. Your MSP should ensure your systems align with these standards.
    • Follow-up considerations: Request documentation or reports that show compliance checks and updates.
    1. What was our overall system performance this past year?
    • Why it’s important: Understanding your system’s reliability helps gauge your MSP’s effectiveness and determine if changes are necessary. Consistent performance and minimal downtime are essential for business continuity.
    • Follow-up considerations: Review detailed reports on uptime statistics, issue resolution times, and incident responses. Your MSP should have data available for your review at your meeting.
    1. What is our current backup and disaster recovery (BDR) plan, and has it been tested recently?
    • Why it’s important: A reliable BDR plan is essential for business resilience. Regular testing ensures that it will work in an actual crisis.
    • Follow-up considerations: Verify the frequency of backup tests, ensure that if an outage were to occur your business could be up and running again quickly. If needed, request a simulation test to see how fast the recovery would take and make changes if needed to meet your goals.

    If your annual meeting with your current provider left a lot to be desired, or they dodged having it at all maybe it’s time to make a change. For a limited time, new customers can also take advantage of our holiday offer (see details below).

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.

    This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, leading provider of trouble free IT services for businesses in California including Merced, Fresno, Stockton & More. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/valley-techlogic-inc/.

  • Our Top 10 Technology Myths and Urban Legends, Debunked

    Our Top 10 Technology Myths and Urban Legends, Debunked

    The advent of the internet brought an influx of information right to our fingertips, and unfortunately not everything that proliferates on the internet is factual.

    With “fake news” undoubtedly being one of the official buzz word phrases of the 2020’s, how close are you reviewing these common place technology tropes? These are the top 10 technology myths and urban legends we see as a technology provider:

    1. Privacy/Incognito mode is DEFINITELY private: We’re sorry to say, if you think everything you’re doing in a private/incognito browser is hidden from view you would be incorrect. The way this mode works is it hides your browsing history from other people who may use your computer, but your ISP definitely can still see what you’re doing and depending on what’s been set up at work, possibly your IT Team/employer as well.
    2. Leaving your phone plugged in destroys your battery: Nope this one is also false, we’re not sure how the idea of “over charging” a battery came to be but there’s zero evidence that leaving your phone or laptop on a charger for an extended period of time will have a long-term effect on your device’s battery.
    3. At the same time, don’t let your device die completely before charging it: Letting a battery discharge completely before charging it again will not improve your phone’s battery life. Just charge your devices when they need a charge and let these myths about batter life go.
    4. Mac/Linux devices (basically anything not Windows) are virus proof: Nope again, the bad news is if a device has access to the internet, it’s going to be a target for hackers. If even your smart fridge Isn’t safe, what makes you think any computer or cellphone would be?
    5. Force killing apps save resources and speeds up your computer: If you have ever opened your computers task manager you’ve probably seen a lot of processes running, and you may have even force closed some of these processes to “speed” up your computer. It doesn’t really work that way unfortunately, many of the processes you see are background processes that your computer needs to run. Your computer will just open them again automatically, effectively making this activity a waste of time. You can, however, close applications you’re not using the regular way (and if you’re still having issues, it might be time to look at upgrading your device).
    6. Full bars mean the best service: We’ve heard it time and again, “I have four bars!” someone will exclaim, indicating that their cellphone service has reached its full potential. More bars just mean stronger signal strength, but unfortunately for you if you’re in a heavily populated urban area it means you’re sharing that same strong signal strength with everyone else in the area. Mobile service, just like any other internet service, is subject to bandwidth load so even with a strong signal you may still experience slow service depending on where you are and how many other people are around.
    7. You shouldn’t shut your computer down at night: This is another head scratcher for us, but we still see folks who believe they shouldn’t shut their computer down when they walk away for the evening. We’re happy to report that shutting down your computer will not harm it, in fact reducing the load on it each day by turning it off at night may even extend the life of your device.
    8. Magnets will wipe your data/destroy your device: There’s a little bit of truth to this one but it’s run amok for so long that the truth has been obfuscated for most folks – we’re happy to report your device will NOT be destroyed by a common refrigerator magnet. However, a really big industrial magnet could do some damage, so we suggest not placing your computer near one of those.
    9. Cellphones etc. can give you cancer: Nope, this one has been completely debunked. The radiofrequency that is emitted by your cellphone, tablet, laptop etc will NOT give you cancer.
    10. I’m a small business/single person, no hacker will bother with me: This is unfortunately, quite untrue. It’s estimated half a million U.S. accounts are hacked each day – many of these are just regular folks or small business owners like yourself.

    We hope this article helped in quashing some of these myths for you but if you have any other technical urban legends you’re not sure about, we’d be happy to weigh in (just jump on our live chat and ask away!).

    If the last one was a scary one for you and you’re a business owner in California, Valley Techlogic can assist. We provide cyber security services for our clients that make sure they won’t be part of that frightening statistic. Learn more through a consultation today.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.

    This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, an IT service provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

  • The 5 Biggest Mistakes Business Owners Make With Their Technology

    The 5 Biggest Mistakes Business Owners Make With Their Technology

    Running a business requires wearing a lot of hats. You must dabble in a little bit of everything – accounting, management, human resources, technical support.

    We’re all told the best leaders know how to delegate but that can be hard when you’re talking about the business you’ve painstakingly built with your time and effort. Most business owners don’t clock out when the 9-5 day is over, a Gallup poll found that 39% of business owners work more than 60 hours per week.

    Tech News #12

    It’s not just about time logged either, there’s more stress and more on the line. You can’t simply find another job if your business fails, once you’ve owned your own business it can be impossible emotionally to untick that box and work for someone else. That’s not even considering the fallout of a business failing and the mess it leaves behind.

    But enough of the doom and gloom, as a technology company we’re here to support the businesses we take on as clients and lead them down the best possible path. That includes guiding business owners to smarter decisions when it comes to their technology.

    Here are the 5 biggest mistakes we see business owners make from a technology standpoint.

    1. Not keeping your hardware up to date. Look, we get it. Hardware is expensive, especially if you’re making a larger purchase for multiple employees or investing in a new server. However, this is not something you can put off until later. Waiting until your hardware fails will leave you with both the expense of new hardware and the expense of the downtime while you’re waiting for that new hardware to be deployed. We don’t think it makes sense to wait and be double billed, do you?
    2. Not keeping your software up to date either. Updates can feel like a hassle (especially if you’re performing them yourself) but it’s not a good idea to put them off until later. There’s a cumulative effect when you wait. What was once a simple update becomes a complex package of updates that will take longer and leave you with a gap in your coverage that could leave you open to the negative effects those updates were trying to prevent.
    3. Speaking of negative effects, ignoring cyber security. We get the “it will never happen to me” line all the time, and equally as often we hear from those same people later when it The phrase “Don’t be a statistic” is used frequently in cautionary tales and this is no exception. 76% of businesses will experience a cyber-attack and we personally don’t recommend rolling the dice and hoping you’re not part of the majority.
    4. Forgoing any kind of training for employees. In the same vein as #3, some training in technology and how to use the equipment you’re providing employees is a must, and even if you operate on a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) model you’re not off the hook. Most cyber-attacks happen due to human error. By not training your employees you’re not just giving hackers the keys to your office, you’re holding the door open for them.
    5. Thinking you can do it all yourself. Like we said, the best leaders know when to delegate. If you’re not a technology expert but you’re performing most or all of your own IT services what are you doing? How often does a technology snafu turn into an all day (and night) event? Are things in your business being neglected because you’re the only one that knows how to maintain them?

    There is a better way. Outsourcing is a scary word to many business owners, but the truth is help is out there and it’s local to you. We help business owners across the Central Valley who find that once the technology headache is taken off their plate, they have more time and energy to put back into growing their business. If you would like to find out more, reach out to us for a free consultation here.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.