Tag: technology for business

  • 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/.

  • Technology Planning for 2025: Five Items to Focus on to Grow Your Business in the New Year

    Technology Planning for 2025: Five Items to Focus on to Grow Your Business in the New Year

    It’s November and 2025 is just two short months away, we don’t know about you but for us it felt like 2024 flew by and in that time technology planning for our clients has already changed.

    For example, 2025 will bring the end-of-life date for Windows 10 which is still dominating the market share of Windows devices at 65%. We have also more clients in introducing AI into their business next year, including taking advantage of Microsoft’s Co-Pilot which works in tandem with their existing Microsoft subscriptions (you can see our latest blog on AI here).

    Beyond AI or replacing hardware, what are five ways you can grow your business with technology in 2025? Here’s our suggestions:

    1. Implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System
      A CRM platform (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot or Keap) helps centralize customer interactions, sales data, and service requests, providing valuable insights into customer preferences and buying behavior. By integrating CRM across your sales, marketing, and service teams, you can improve customer retention, streamline communication, and create targeted marketing campaigns that drive growth.
    2. Leverage Automation to Streamline Operations
      Automating routine tasks such as invoicing, customer service, and lead generation can free up your team to focus on strategic work. Automation tools like RPA (Robotic Process Automation) and workflow automation software can improve efficiency, reduce human error, and cut costs.
    3. Adopt Cloud Solutions for Greater Flexibility and Collaboration
      Cloud-based tools (like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace) enable teams to collaborate in real-time, regardless of location. They offer flexible storage, data security, and remote access to essential resources, which can increase productivity and support a hybrid workforce.
    4. Boost Marketing Reach with Advanced Analytics
      Using data analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics 4, Tableau) lets you gain deeper insights into customer behavior, optimize campaigns, and track ROI. Predictive analytics can also help anticipate customer needs, allowing for proactive engagement and more efficient targeting.
    5. Invest in Cybersecurity to Build Trust and Prevent Losses
      Protecting sensitive customer and business data is vital. Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA), endpoint security, and regular audits can reduce the risk of data breaches. Prioritizing cybersecurity can build customer trust, prevent financial losses, and safeguard your company’s reputation.

    If you’re looking to increase your technology prowess in 2025, Valley Techlogic is the partner you’re looking for. We stay ahead of advancements in IT to give our customers the best strategic advantage over their competitors. We also have an offer for new customers that you won’t want to miss, see the 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/.