IT Support

A recent stream of Reddit comments emerged detailing a series of poor customer service experiences with tech support. While I typically try to stay clear of Reddit and its gang of chronic whiny-pants commenters, I scrolled through a few, you know, for research purposes since I’m in the industry. A few of the complaints sounded so outlandish – like the lady who claimed the technician took a bathroom break in her attic – that it almost seemed impossible they could be true. However, other more common issues on the thread I’ve experienced myself, and to be candid with you, they sucked! When you are experiencing a tech emergency – be it a broken printer, hardware malfunctions, Internet connectivity issues, login troubles or something similar – poor tech support only worsens the irritation. It leaves you with frustrated employees who can’t efficiently get their jobs done because they’re troubleshooting their tech and on hold with an IT company that is “looking into it” and irritated customers who just want a smooth process when dealing with your organization. This can result in losing customers and A-player employees to your competitors that don’t have these same daily issues. At first, it might seem dramatic that a few unresolved “tech issues” could cause such a stir, but as these problems continue to repeat themselves, with no solution in sight, resentment grows and will eventually result in these people seeking organizations that don’t have to deal with such headaches. What can you do to get ahead of the problem? Start by polling your employees. Ask them questions that will help you “grade” your current IT company to see if they’re dealing with your team as fast and efficiently as they should. Here are a few questions to ask: These questions take only a few minutes to answer and can help you gain valuable insight into whether or not your current IT team is properly handling issues or if there is trouble brewing within your organization that you weren’t aware of. If you would like to see what good IT support actually looks like, we’ll do TWO FREE hours of support for your organization. Here are SOME of the ways you could use your time with us: To get started, give our team a call at 774-241-7600 or click here to book your call now.

If you’re serious about growing a successful, profitable business in 2024 and beyond, there’s no room for pass-the-buck tactics – especially when it comes to IT support. The efficiency of your IT team isn’t just a convenience – it’s a cornerstone of your operational capability. Yet many companies find themselves held back by subpar tech support, with unresolved IT issues lingering, impeding productivity and frustrating employees and customers alike. These recurring issues can significantly slow down your business growth and quickly cut into your profitability. The reality is that reliable IT support is the backbone of modern business. It ensures operations run smoothly, data remains secure and communication channels remain open. Without it, even the simplest tasks can become complicated, leaving employees to deal with the fallout of unresolved technical problems instead of focusing on their core responsibilities. This can lead to missed opportunities, strained customer relationships and, ultimately, stifling your business’s potential to expand and thrive. In this article, we will share the common tech issues that are likely happening in your business right under your nose, how they are impacting your business’s growth and what actions you need to take to eliminate them once and for all. Whether you’re dealing with frequent downtime, delayed issue resolution or lackluster service, recognizing and addressing these IT shortcomings is essential for enabling your business to flourish. Top Signs You Are Settling For Subpar IT Service Recognizing the signs of inadequate tech support is the first step to getting back on track. These symptoms often manifest slowly and subtly but can have profound implications for your operations and growth over time. Here are the most common indicators that your IT support may not be up to par: Frequent, Frustrating Downtime Downtime is not just an inconvenience; it costs your business money. If your systems are frequently offline or your network experiences regular interruptions, it’s a clear sign that your IT support is failing to maintain a stable infrastructure. This not only affects your team’s immediate productivity but also impacts your ability to generate revenue and your reputation with clients, who expect reliability and professionalism. Slow Response Times When tech issues arise, response time can be just as critical as the solution itself. Prolonged response times can lead to extended disruptions in your workflow. Effective tech support should offer timely responses and quick resolutions to minimize downtime and keep your business moving forward. Recurring Problems Are the same issues cropping up repeatedly? This is a telltale sign of tech support that treats symptoms rather than underlying causes. Quality IT support digs deeper to find permanent solutions, ensuring that once a problem is resolved, it doesn’t return to haunt your business operations. Lack Of Proactive Measures Preventive measures are the hallmark of excellent tech support. If your IT service is only reactive – responding to problems after they occur rather than anticipating and mitigating risks beforehand – your business is always operating a step behind. Proactive IT support includes regular updates, backups and security protocols that help prevent issues before they impact your business. Poor Or Nonexistent Communication Effective communication is vital in any relationship, including with your IT support provider. If explanations are unclear, tech jargon is used without clear explanations or calls and e-mails go unanswered, it indicates a lack of commitment to client service and can leave you feeling out of the loop and frustrated. How Bad IT Support Is Affecting Your Business Right Now Inadequate tech support does more than just create temporary disruptions; it can have lasting effects on your business’s growth trajectory. Here are a few ways poor IT support directly impacts key areas of your business: Downtime Leads To Lost Revenue Every minute your systems are down, you’re losing money. For small businesses especially, this can be devastating. Unplanned downtime not only results in lost sales but can also incur additional costs as you scramble to get systems back online. Over time, these losses can accumulate, significantly impacting the financial health of your organization. Inefficiency Reduces Productivity When employees are consistently facing IT issues, their ability to perform efficiently is compromised. Simple tasks become time-consuming, reducing overall productivity. This inefficiency not only slows down operations but also affects employee morale and job satisfaction, which are crucial for long-term business success. Customer Experiences Suffer Your technology directly impacts your customers, from how they interact with your services online to how you manage their data. Frequent tech issues can lead to poor customer experiences, such as slow service, transaction problems or security concerns. In today’s market, customers are quick to switch to competitors if they feel their needs aren’t being met effectively. Hindered Scalability As your business grows, your IT infrastructure needs to evolve to support increased demands. Poor tech support can hinder this scalability, making it difficult to expand operations or integrate new technologies. Without the ability to scale efficiently, your business could miss out on potential growth opportunities. Compromised Data Security One of the most severe impacts of inadequate tech support is compromised security. Small businesses are frequent targets for cyber-attacks, and without robust IT support to implement and maintain strong security measures, your business is at a higher risk of data breaches. These breaches can have catastrophic consequences, including loss of customer trust, legal repercussions and substantial financial losses. How To Choose The Right IT Support For Your Small Business Selecting the right IT provider is pivotal for ensuring your business’s long-term success. Here are key attributes to look for in a reliable IT support provider: ●       Responsiveness Choose a provider known for quick response times. Efficient problem-solving can drastically reduce downtime, helping maintain continuous business operations. ●       Expertise Ensure the IT support team has the necessary technical expertise to manage your infrastructure. Look for certifications and experience in the specific technologies your business uses. ●       Proactiveness Select a provider that offers proactive support, such as regular system audits, continuous monitoring and preventive maintenance, to avoid issues before they arise. ●       Communication Effective communication is

Technology can provide a strategic advantage for companies in every industry when properly utilized. However, one of the biggest issues small business owners face is overcoming some of the common tech obstacles that hinder productivity. These issues can range from minor inconveniences to serious threats that can permanently shut down a business. In today’s blog, we’ve outlined 6 of the most common technology problems small business owners deal with on a regular basis and how you can either avoid or resolve them. 1. Failing To Meet Industry-Specific Compliance Requirements Many industries have specific regulatory compliance requirements that define how companies must organize and protect data. Common examples you might be familiar with include HIPAA, which regulates electronic medical data in the health care industry; FFIEC, GLB and SEC in the financial services industry; and CMMC for companies that work directly or indirectly with the Department of Defense. For a small business owner wearing many hats, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest compliance requirements, especially if you don’t have an IT or cyber security employee on staff. Missing a requirement cannot only lead to hefty fines and legal issues but it can also incidentally leave you vulnerable to a cyber-attack. The best thing you can do is work with a managed services provider (MSP) that has experience in compliance for your specific industry. While compliance is not exactly the same as cyber security, the two overlap, and an experienced provider will be able to help you bridge the gap so you’re protected and meeting any mandatory requirements. Click here to get a FREE Network Assessment so you’ll know if you’re currently missing any mandatory compliance requirements for your organization. 2. Lack Of Strategic IT Planning One of the biggest issues we see is a disjointed relationship between the business leaders in the organization and the IT team. In this digital age, technology is an integral part of how a business operates. When business leaders, who tend to see the larger picture, loop in IT professionals, they can make informed decisions about what technology to deploy to make long-term growth and scalability easier and more efficient. Several areas in which your IT team should act as a strategic advisor are: 3. Inadequate Cyber Security Protection Cyber security risks become more advanced every year. Decisions about cyber security should not be solely left to the IT department. These are business decisions that need to be made with the buy-in of the leadership team because failing to have a robust cyber security system and becoming the victim of a cyber-attack can be detrimental to a business. There are trade secrets, confidential communications, customer data and employee records that are stored on your company’s devices that you can’t afford to have fall into the wrong hands. Work with your IT team to deploy a three-pronged approach that includes: Prevention Strategies: Do you have the right software and solutions in place, such as antivirus, firewalls, MFA, etc., to protect your organization from an attack? Are you regularly training employees on the latest threats and how to identify them? Detection Mechanisms: This is a key piece that most small businesses neglect, which leaves them vulnerable. Do you have a process in place for detecting a breach, or would it go unnoticed until it’s a bigger problem? You should be conducting regular scans and monitoring, as well as employing endpoint detection and response tools. Response And Recovery Action Steps: Do you have a plan in place if something goes wrong? Would your employees know what to do? You need to have an IT team supporting you that can identify and mitigate any issues quickly, before the damage can’t be undone. Leaders in the organization should take this seriously. 4. Poor User Support If your employees are struggling with their technology all day, productivity will decrease. Using slow, outdated devices and software can be frustrating for employees, leaving them feeling less motivated and hindering their output. It’s even worse when you have unreliable technical support following the “get to it when we get to it” approach. With the right IT team, whether that’s in-house staff, outsourced support or, more commonly, a combination of both, you can trust that an experienced technician with the tools and knowledge to quickly assist employees and solve problems will always be available to help. 5. Poor User Asset Management Managing access to various levels of data for each employee can be tedious and overwhelming in larger organizations. IT professionals can take on the role of managing and monitoring user access so that no one has access to data they don’t need, security policies are enforced and accounts are constantly monitored for anomalies. They can also assign new users, make changes to existing accounts, delete accounts, add remote users, set permissions on how employees can access the network and more. This is particularly important when it comes to offboarding employees. Whether the employee is leaving on good terms or not, removing data access from someone who has access to sensitive information can be risky and needs to be handled with care. 6. Lack Of Training As mentioned, making sure your employees know how to use technology efficiently is paramount to productivity, but it’s also important for security reasons. All employees should regularly go through cyber security training to ensure they understand and are following best practices. This is typically not the role of the business leaders in the company. Most often, they need refresher courses too. When you work with a reliable IT team, they’ll be able to regularly inform team members of new threats and what to look out for, run phishing simulations to test employees on whether or not they know what to do and more. One training session is NOT enough! To build a cyber security–focused culture, you need to be talking about it often. Is it time to solve your IT problems once and for all? We have your back. To get started, book a FREE,

Before you can accurately compare the fees, services and deliverables of one IT services company to that of another, you need to understand the two predominant pricing and service models most of these companies offer. Many companies offer a blend of the two, while others are strict about offering only one service plan. The two most popular are: In addition to managing your IT, a good MSP will provide you with an IT road map and budget for necessary projects to further secure your network and improve the stability and availability of critical applications, as well as ensure that your IT systems are compliant with various data protection laws (HIPAA, FTC Safeguards, PCI, etc.) and that your cyberprotections meet the standards on any cyber insurance plan that you have.      The advantage of break-fix services is that you only pay for IT support when you need it, without being locked into a monthly or multiyear contract. If you’re not happy with the service you’re getting, you can change providers easily. If you’re a microbusiness with only a few employees, very simple IT needs where you don’t experience a lot of problems and don’t host or handle sensitive data (medical records, credit cards, Social Security numbers, etc.), break-fix might be the most cost-effective option for you.      However, the downsides of break-fix services are many, particularly if you’re NOT a microbusiness and/or if you handle sensitive, “protected” data. The five big downsides are as follows:      Are you done with ongoing IT problems, downtime and ineffective systems? Then it’s time you gave us a call and let us deliver the responsive, quality IT support you want with friendly, US-based techs who are both knowledgeable and easy to work with.      Schedule your free initial consultation with one of our senior advisors by calling us at 774-241-8600 or going to www.centrend.com/call.       On this call we can discuss your unique situation and any concerns you have and, of course, answer any questions you have about our services and how we might be able to help you. We are also happy to provide you with a competitive bid.

“That won’t happen to me” is something many business owners say when discussing cyber-scams and the need for adequate protections for their business, but these days it’s getting to be a really, really stupid statement that you definitely don’t want your clients, employees and banker to hear. Generative AI (artificial intelligence) tools are allowing scammers to produce deep fakes to defraud their targets. Earlier this year, Clive Kabatznik, an investor in Florida, called his local Bank of America representative to discuss a big money transfer he was planning to make. Immediately after this legitimate call, a scammer called the bank back using an AI-generated deepfake voice of “Clive” to convince the banker to transfer the money to another account. Fortunately, the banker was suspicious enough that no money was transferred, but not everyone is as lucky. According to a report titled The Artificial Imposter by McAfee, a well-established cyber security firm, 77% of AI voice scams were successful in securing money from their target. Even scarier, AI tools can clone a voice from just three seconds of audio. A UK-based energy firm’s CEO was the victim of a voice scam when he thought he was talking to his boss, the CEO of the parent company based in Germany. The voice on the other end of the line instructed him to send the equivalent of $233,000 to a Hungarian supplier. The voice was so convincing, down to the slight German accent, that the CEO complied without hesitation. By the time they realized what had happened, the money had already been transferred to Mexico and distributed to other locations that weren’t traceable.  But big businesses aren’t the only ones targeted. Jennifer DeStefano, a mother of a 15-year-old daughter, recounted during a US Senate hearing her terrifying encounter with an AI scammer who used the voice of her daughter to attempt to convince her that the girl had been kidnapped. Fortunately, her daughter was in her bed sleeping at the time, and Jennifer was able to realize it was a scam. Many others aren’t as lucky as Jennifer and are getting scammed by AI voices of grandchildren, children and other loved ones who “urgently need money.” This approach is still so new that there’s no comprehensive accounting of how often it’s happening, but the CEO of Pindrop, a security company that monitors audio traffic for many of the largest US banks, said he had seen a jump in its prevalence this year – and in the sophistication of scammers’ voice-fraud attempts. Another large voice-authentication vendor, Nuance, saw its first successful deepfake attack on a financial services client late last year. With the rapid advancement of AI technology and its wider availability as costs come down, coupled with the broad availability of recordings of people’s voices on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, the perfect conditions have been created for voice-related AI scams. What do you need to do to protect yourself? For starters, share this article to make sure your staff is aware of these types of scams. Next, instruct them to ALWAYS check with you via a text message or other means BEFORE transferring money. If you’re not a business owner, you can do the same with your family, using a code word or other means of verifying the caller’s legitimacy. Also, check the caller ID. If it’s something you don’t recognize, or it’s a blocked number, that’s a BIG red flag that it’s a scam. Even if it sounds like them on the other end of the line, hang up and call their phone direct or the place they’re supposed to be (school, office, etc.). If the person calling has on-fire urgency and wants money wire-transferred or a Bitcoin payment, that’s another huge red flag. Real emergencies don’t come with highly skeptical payment demands.   In business, you’ve clawed and climbed your way to the top, dodging all sorts of pitfalls and predators that have tried to make you their meal. Such threats are everywhere, and the higher you climb, the more you’ll find hiding behind every tree, every rock and every step. No matter how small and insignificant you might think you are, you ARE a target for someone, and being casual about cyber security and the threats they pose is an absolute surefire way to be robbed. If you don’t want this to happen to you, click here to request a free Cyber Security Risk Assessment to see just how protected your organization is against known predators. If you haven’t had an independent third party conduct this audit in the last 6 months, you’re due. It’s completely free and confidential, without obligation. Voice scams are just the latest in a tsunami of threats aimed at small business owners, with the most susceptible being the ones who never “check the locks” to ensure their current IT company is doing what they should. Claim your complimentary Risk Assessment today.

It’s a special kind of relentless attack all business owners and managers face: the persistent, crazy, chaotic assault on your time and attention. No one is immune, and every business deals with it. Some leaders handle the constant pressure on their attention brilliantly, keeping the team organized and highly productive. But most people struggle with this and feel crushed and overwhelmed by all the things they have to keep track of and do. This goes double if your business is in growth mode and not “standing still” or casually strolling through its existence.  Add to this a remote workforce, and it can be intensely difficult to wrap your head around all the projects, to-dos, deadlines and client deliverables you and your leadership team must manage. While we as an IT company cannot tell you what projects are most important, we can absolutely help you and your team stay far more organized and allow you to know if the people on your team are properly aligned, prioritizing the right work and focused on the things you want them to focus on. We can also help you organize communication to lessen the chances of a dropped ball or a communication failure, which is by far the #1 reason why problems happen in business. One of the tools we recommend to clients wanting to get more operational control and clearer communication is Microsoft Teams. There are a lot of reasons why this is a “super tool” for productivity and organizational alignment, but as a bonus, it typically ends up saving our clients quite a bit of money on technology, because it replaces other applications, like Slack, Zoom and dozens of popular project management software, putting all of it into one lower-cost, more secure and more tightly integrated system. Let me share just a few of the cool features you’ll love in Teams. Keep in mind that this list is far from complete. Microsoft Teams has over 1,900 applications you can pick from to integrate into a Teams Channel to organize information, workflow, tasks, deadlines and documents. Posts: The “post” feature works a lot like Slack in that it will allow you to post questions, reminders and status updates to everyone on that Team regarding that project. This not only keeps ALL communication for a project in one place, but it creates a history and alerts everyone on the team to what’s going on. This feature saves a lot of money for companies using Slack since it’s native and included in Microsoft Teams. Tasks By Planner And To-Do: This section of Teams is one of our favorites because it allows you to create “complex” to-do lists where you can assign each item to one or more people; have a progress status, priority and due date; add documents and files; and create a checklist of all the things that need to be done. Better yet, team members who are responsible for the project can provide status updates and check off items that are completed so you know where you are with any particular project. Video Conferencing: While Teams is not as slick as Zoom, it does have some features that make it better for team collaboration and projects. The biggest advantage over Zoom is that you can hold a video conference, and the recording of the meeting – along with all of the notes, files and links – will remain in that Team for easy reference later on. This can be extremely helpful for people who might not have been able to attend a meeting, making it easy for them to find and watch the recording, and it also retains a record of critical conversations. Plus, it eliminates expensive Zoom licenses for all employees because it’s included in Microsoft 365. If you want to see a demo of Teams or do a cost analysis to see how implementing this can save your organization money on Slack, Zoom and other project management software by combining it into one application, click here to schedule a brief call.