Benefits of Outsourcing IT Support

a desk with a computer, keyboard and mouse on it

Outsourcing IT support is a step towards having a more organized business. Letting trained professionals handle your IT questions can make daily work easier and allow for more time for important projects, expansions, and other business-related tasks, as well as minimizing interruptions of daily activities. Here are 4 reasons to outsource your IT support to maximize your business’s productivity:

outsourcing IT support
  • Prevention, not intervention. In-office IT support is likely there after the problem has already occurred, restoring normal activity. Outsourcing makes it easier to spot problems before they put a halt to your productivity, and can make preventing latent problems easier.
  • Improved response times. Outsourced help centers can increase the speed of resolution. Turning a face-to-face encounter into a brief phone call for simple fixes. Instead of waiting for the IT professional to come by, employees or managers can call the support center and receive the same level of expertise in less time.
  • Saved money on staffing. Because IT support centers are most likely located out-of-state, and even out of the country, the cost of receiving help is less. Hiring full-time IT technicians with benefits and other costs can drain a business instead of aiding in its growth. The support is there when it is needed, and no more.
  • Higher levels of security. By outsourcing IT needs, security standards are greatly improved. If a team of IT professionals within a company has access to sensitive information, it may be misused. External assistance is brought in on a need-to-know basis, protecting the company from internal damage.

Contact us at Bluwater Technologies for more information.

The Best Business Laptop For You: Computer Tip of the Day

a man sitting at a table using a laptop computer

Some business owners choose a computer that’s strictly for their office, while others use a personal laptop. In plenty of ways, having your own laptop is much more beneficial than an office computer. First of all, you’re not restricted to the hours in your business, and you can also complete any unfinished work at home, right from your personal device. With that said, owning and purchasing a laptop for your business, involves making smart decisions and knowing what is the best business laptop. You can’t just waltz into the nearest Best Buy and expect any laptop to be a perfect fit for your business needs.

best business laptop

For today’s computer tip, here is how to make sure you’re purchasing the best business laptop for your needs.

First of all, you should consider the cost of what you’re purchasing. Just because a laptop is more expensive, that doesn’t always mean it’s better. On the contrary, a cheap laptop doesn’t always mean that it’s “worse”, either. Consider your budget, and weigh the pros and cons of each device. Speaking of which, consider your business needs as well. Many laptops have excellent hardware, but also come with plenty of accessories you may not even need. There’s nothing wrong with purchasing it if it’s within your budget, but always remember that there’s a huge difference between your wants and your needs. Lastly, before buying any laptop, check reviews, especially if you plan to purchase it online.

After all, cheap hardware is the last thing you want to buy. In relation to this, many developers think they’re sneaky. They cut corners and use cheaper hardware, so they can reduce the costs of building a laptop. In the long run, these laptops have a much shorter lifespan. Many consumers are unaware of this until the warranty expires, and by then, it’s too late for them. Knowing the general consensus on what you’re purchasing, can help you avoid these issues.

For more information, contact us today at Bluwater Technologies. We look forward to hearing from you.

Computer Tips: The Right Anti-Virus Software for your Business

a man is typing on his laptop computer

It’s no surprise how important it is for businesses to keep their information secure. Regardless of your business size, you need to take the proper security measures to make sure your data isn’t compromised. Some companies like to invest in more expensive software protection, while others (such as small businesses) invest in cheaper software. Keep in mind that every business is different, and the security suitable for one establishment may end up being excessive for you and your company. With that said, what are some computer tips when choosing the right anti-virus software for your business?

For today’s computer tips, here are a few things to keep in mind.

As I briefly mentioned before, cost is an important factor when choosing the right anti-virus software for your business. It’s important to want your company protected, but don’t overdo it if you’re on a budget. This is especially true for those who own a small or medium-sized business. Larger companies typically can invest in more advanced security, since they usually have more resources available.

However, also check and see how well-known the security product is. Is it frequently used among other businesses? Does the product have a lot of reviews? If so, is the feedback positive? Believe it or not, not every anti-virus program can be trusted. In fact, some may be harmful programs in disguise. Always make sure the product you’re downloading can be trusted.

For more information, feel free to contact us today at Bluwater Technologies. We look forward to hearing from you.

Computer Tip of the Day: Avoid Data Obsolescence

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Are your older files safe? We’re talking here not about viruses or disk failure, but just not having software that can read the data any more.

This can make you lose important information.

Sometimes this happens because the only application that opens the files won’t run under the latest operating system. If the company that created the application went out of business years ago or abandoned it, you could be stuck with no way to open the files.

In other cases, the latest version of an application doesn’t support old versions of the format any more. Microsoft Office is a prime example. The current release can’t open the oldest versions of the Word format. With some format versions that aren’t quite as old, its default is to refuse to open them, but you can change that setting. The reason it does this is that some old file versions have known security risks, and a spammer might trick you into downloading a file that exploits the issue.

To avoid file obsolescence, you should periodically look at files that are in old formats. If you still need them, you can open them and re-save them as the latest version.

Another safety measure is to “print” files as PDF. PDF is a well-known, stable format, and it’s not going to become obsolete for many years. Old versions are fully compatible with new ones. You can’t edit those files, but at least you’ll always be able to read them.

It’s difficult to keep track of all your files this way, but you should review files which contain critical information at least once every couple of years and check if they’re in danger of becoming unusable. If they are, you can migrate them to a newer format while it’s still possible.

Bluwater Technologies offers IT services to keep all your data under control. Please contact us for more information.

How Can IT Support for Your Small Businesses Help Improve Customer Service?

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t support small businesses

Customer service is critical for your company’s success. Recent data reported at Small Business Trends shows that some form of poor customer service is responsible for over half the negative complaints small businesses receive.

One function of strong IT support for small businesses is to enhance customer service in a number of ways, including the following:

Minimizing Downtime for the Business Website

Customers need consistent access to the site, for example to contact the business, buy products, leave comments and reviews, sign into their accounts, download forms, and look up important information.

Gathering and Analyzing Information About Customers

Businesses can better serve their customers and respond effectively to concerns and complaints by having a clearer picture of who their customers are. They need to understand the customers both as individuals and as members of a larger group. IT support professionals can help your business implement powerful solutions for managing customer relationships and gathering, organizing, and analyzing data from customers. They can help you maintain databases of critical customer information.

Establishing Reliable Ways to Deliver Customer Service

For example, IT support professionals can help you establish and maintain a reliable business email service and Voice over IP (VoIP) solutions.

When your business enjoys strong IT support, customers also benefit. Your employees are able to work more productively and efficiently. Both customer and employee data are more secure and, thanks to reliable backup and recovery measures, are less vulnerable to permanent loss.

Don’t hesitate to contact us to further discuss how we can help you improve your customer service performance, along with strengthening your business operations in many other respects.