In today’s integrated technology world, synergy is king. If systems in the office — servers, computers, networks, printers — don’t work in harmony, IT efficiency is impossible, which means employee productivity takes a nosedive. Similarly, if devices outside the office — laptops, tablets, smartphones — don’t seamlessly sync with information in the office, on-the-go employees might be taking one step back for every two steps forward as they try to work remotely.
So what’s a business owner to do? Tasking an existing staff member to manage so many moving technology parts can be overwhelming. And hiring a dedicated IT employee can be expensive and inefficient, with intense training and significant investment required to cobble together cohesive existing solutions while also implementing new ones.
That’s when the benefit of a high-level approach to technology support becomes clear. With a trusted provider at your side, your business can cultivate its own ecosystem, with different fits for different situations. No matter how your company operates, though, there are five key components to IT success:
1) Proactive monitoring and comprehensive security. System maintenance should always be on. The best proactive IT service provides businesses with the kind of specialized 24/7 support that most companies can only dream of — a Mission Control for technology that automatically handles system updates and security patches, identifies and resolves problems before they occur, and prevents system downtime so that businesses can stay running.
2) Fully encrypted data. With data breaches popping up in the news nearly every day, completely protected data is a must in our current business world. That means information must be encrypted when it’s at rest and in transit, using military-grade solutions that can stand up to even the strongest of cyberattacks.
3) The umbrella approach to network security. Nothing is more important than anti-virus, anti-malware, firewalls, and other basic yet critical programs. But no matter how robust your solution is, there’s always room for another layer of security — hence the umbrella approach, which can stop malware exploits that arrive in Adobe Flash and Java in their tracks.
4) Single point of support. You know how frustrating it can be to get the run-around when you’re on the phone with customer service. Which is why, at CMIT Solutions, we offer a deep bench with an elite support staff comprised of Level One technicians and a knowledgeable, responsive help desk that understands all elements of your IT infrastructure. That kind of support provides peace of mind for you and your employees, who know exactly where to turn for help no matter what device they’re using, what system they’re logged in to, or what location they’re working from.
5) Enterprise-grade password management. First, the numbers. A 2015 Dell report found that 77% of consumers hadn’t changed their passwords in a year or more, 21% still used passwords more than 10 years old, 73% used duplicate passwords for multiple accounts, and 40% said they’d been hacked at some point. With millions of passwords breached each year, proper management is now a must. But that requires more than just creating strong, unique passwords. Two-factor authentication, a form of double-layer security that requires users to enter their normal password along with a unique code that’s sent via text or email, represents the highest layer of security when it comes to password integrity. And mobile-optimized, cloud-based password management solutions are becoming more and more common. Depending on your industry, regulatory compliance standards may even require them.
With disruptive IT forces like cloud computing, increased cybercriminal activity, a rapid move to mobility, and the influx of new devices, a comprehensive approach to IT makes more and more sense. If you’re like most businesses, you don’t have the resources to devote to managing the complexity of technology. And even if you did, accomplishing such a task is probably more difficult now than ever before.
That’s where CMIT Solutions comes in. We entered the proactive services game on the ground floor, and we’re proud of the fact that we remain on the industry’s cutting edge today. If you’re ready to move forward into the new world of managed IT service, contact us today.
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