The risks & issues

More and more, when referring to their information systems, we hear business owners tell us ‘we can’t be down’. From the trucking company with their fleet management software and satellite tracking to the accounting firm processing Year End tax returns. Technology has become so critical that downtime can be crippling for any organization. A recent Dell EMC study shows that the average Canadian firm experienced 25 hours of downtime in the previous 12 months. 25 hours! The cost of downtime is felt in lost revenues, lost employee productivity, and in client goodwill when service delivery is impacted.

How we help

Some of the largest cloud providers (Microsoft, Twitter, Google, and others) experienced downtime in the last 12 months.  While it’s unlikely that downtime can be eliminated completely, it can be minimized. Our Proactive Technology Management component of our 365Care+ service offering includes some key items to keep our clients’ networks up and running:

• 24/7/365 Monitoring & Alerting for Server Availability and Performance
• Server Preventative Maintenance
• Deployment of Security Updates and Patches
• Hourly, image-based backups on-site and replicated to a secure data centre
• Disaster Recovery planning

The risks & issues

The Internet is becoming a scary place for small business owners.  While companies are increasingly connected, cyber threats are becoming more targeted, efficient, and costly. The emergence of ‘ransomware’ (malware that encrypts a victim’s data and demands a ransom for the decryption key) is a real and growing concern. In a recent survey by Osterman Research, nearly 50% of respondent companies had suffered a ransomware attack in the last 12 months. SMBs are specifically being targeted due to weak security practices, inadequate backups, and their likelihood to pay (the same Osterman survey indicates dozens of Canadian firms were forced to pay ransoms last year).

How we help

Protecting your company’s data requires a coordinated, multi-layer approach – something that we call Unified Threat Management (UTM). For our 365Care+ clients, this includes:

• Enterprise-class firewalls, with regular configuration review and testing
• Malware and Breach protection, leveraging real-time, predictive intelligence from Cisco
• Best in Class Anti-Virus protection – deployed, monitored, and managed by 365
• 365MailSafe Anti-Spam protection

The risks & issues

While server crashes and network downtime are hugely disruptive and costly, the average Canadian company is losing more money each year to a subtle culprit – slow system performance. A recent study by Robert Half found that the average Canadian professional loses 19 minutes per day dealing with IT-related issues. That’s almost 80 hours over a 50 Week work year! Ensuring those systems are well-maintained and performing at an optimal level can save your business thousands of dollars in lost productivity every year.

How we help

Under a Managed IT Services model, we have a built-in incentive to ensure that our clients’ networks are performing at the highest level. Under our Dedicated Network Administration area of 365Care+, we take proactive steps to ensure this, including:

• Automated preventative maintenance on all workstations
• Scheduled deployment of security updates and patches
• Monthly ‘365 Best Practice’ reviews – auditing systems and making recommendations for improved performance.
• Managed workstation replacement cycle
• 24/7/365 to our ‘live answer’ help desk

The risks & issues

Between hardware and software purchases, security, tech support services and training, technology costs can add up quickly.  Gartner Research Group indicates that companies spend somewhere around 2% of revenues annually on IT. For the small business owner, controlling these costs and maximizing ROI in this area is essential. Without a clear plan, and budget, this can be difficult to accomplish.  For many owners, IT spending is handled reactively – equipment is replaced when it breaks, and upgrades are delayed as long as possible.  With technology changing rapidly, businesses can be left behind, not capitalizing on cost-savings and efficiencies from new solutions.

How we help

With Professional Technology Consulting, our 365Care+ clients benefit from strategic, senior-level advice to ensure they optimize their technology spending and stay current with the latest technology solutions to enable their business growth:

• Semi-Annual Technology Business Review Meetings
• 4 Year Capital & Operating Expense Budgets for IT
• Asset Lifecycle planning
• Vendor management & contract review

The risks & issues

While technology issues can be minimized, they cannot be eliminated.  Software updates, user issues, and changes in the organization will continue to create a need for Tech Support services. As a result, we’ve included slow IT support as one of our ‘Big 5 IT Worries’.  Minimizing the disruption of these technology issues relies on having fast, responsive, professional tech support services – readily available to every user in the organization. The cost of a support incident can grow quickly the longer an employee is waiting for a resolution.

How we help

At 365, we only offer Unlimited Support Services for a fixed monthly rate.  That means that your employees can access the 365 Help Desk immediately, without having to triage their request internally. 365Care+ clients benefit from:

• Unlimited, 24/7/365 Tech Support Services
• A ‘live answer’ Help Desk (No voicemail, ever.)
• Simple, One-Click feedback survey on every closed service ticket
• A full team of certified technicians and network administrators