IT management

IT Consulting for Challenges Outside IT Services: From Compliance to Refreshed Infrastructure

April 23, 2016

If you’ve already realized the value behind IT consulting, you’ve perhaps limited yourself to thinking only general IT services are possible. Because IT consultants have a huge breadth of knowledge working with companies around the world, they don’t limit themselves to just IT issues. They know IT frequently means connecting to many related problems that need guidance or fixing.

Some of these things still fall within technical lines, though not always. To show how far IT reaches, software migrations, network architecture, and government compliance connect to IT management.

Here at GeekTek IT Solutions, we look at IT consulting at a comprehensive level to cover many bases. Our IT consultants work with many companies throughout the Los Angeles area and understand the unique problems businesses have.

Let’s look at what an IT consultant can do for you beyond just the usual subjects like security and monitoring.

Keeping Yourself Compliant

No matter what industry you’re in, staying on top of government regulations is always necessary. Especially when you’re in the financial industry, staying compliant is overwhelming, and missing just one item could end up costing you in expensive fines.

With good IT consultation, you’ll have a dedicated team making sure you get the proper audit responses on a technical level. This means making sure private data has proper security in place so it doesn’t become compromised.

You’ll also have ways to access documents through the cloud so you can check for errors and do file-sharing while on the go.

Virtual Servers

Rather than playing risk with the server you already use, why not do virtualization? This helps you divide your server into multiple and isolated virtual environments. As a result, you can move to new hardware without having to change your software. This helps you have a backup if a server goes down during a disaster.

At the same time, your ROI is more significant when you don’t have to deal with new hardware setups. Without a consultant, you may not understand this and end up investing in technologies you may not even need.

Refreshing Your Aging Network

Network architecture is important, and so is keeping it refreshed so you continue being competitive. However, your IT infrastructure can start aging quickly if you haven’t done any updating for a while. Through a consultant team, you’ll get reviews of your network to see what needs upgrading with new tools.

When you need a complete network replacement, your consultant team guides you to the right technology that isn’t extraneous. Your technicians aren’t there to just sell you what’s popular. They’re available to give you what you really need based on an accurate audit.

Moving Your Server to the Cloud

While virtualization can help your servers, consolidation and moving to the cloud gives you more efficiency and an upgrade. Moving your server to the cloud is a smart decision to eliminate more risk while giving you more universal accessibility if you travel often.

Costs reduce as well since maintaining your on-site server can bring financial burdens when something inevitably goes wrong.

Migration of Software

If you’ve considered using Office 365 or Google Apps to enhance your business operations, migrating to these can become confusing without expert technical help. Quality IT consultants help you migrate to both without having to endure downtime.

Office 365 lets you move Office into the cloud to expand your horizons and enjoy more features. Google Apps gives you a complete suite of Google’s best tools like Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Drive. While the comparisons between Office 365 and Google are apples and oranges, we’ll help you make a good decision based on your business structure.

Contact us here at GeekTek IT Services to find out more about how comprehensive an IT consultant is.

Using a Managed Service Provider When You Need to Scale Your Business

March 29, 2016

A managed service provider can work at levels that go beyond just giving you a dedicated crew to help with technical problems in your business. In today’s digital world, IT management can work in providing scalability as well, which is vital as business competition becomes more intense. This ability to scale is all thanks to the cloud and providing virtually any type of business service from a secure server.

Through a managed service provider, you can use your existing Internet line to get this solution. No matter what stage your business is in, managed services can help you grow by adding or taking away any service you need or don’t need.

At the same time, it helps avert many problems that can prevent business growth. This includes averting disasters and downtime that only eats into profits.

Take a look at what managed services can do to help you scale this year so you reach new growth plateaus.

Upgrading Your IT Support

As you grow, you may open new business locations or start using more mobile devices out in the field. Expanding like this requires more IT support staff to help with technical problems.

The problem is that hiring new IT crew can become expensive if they work in-house. Going through the recruitment process, interviews, and placing them on a monthly payroll can cost more than you want to pay. Having them take care of issues in a timely way can also become problematic if they’re overwhelmed with other projects.

Managed services work online so support can occur remotely. Anywhere your employees have an Internet connection, they can get technical support when they need it. It includes while working in the field and needing help when their mobile devices need troubleshooting.

In-person visits are also possible when it’s necessary to do physical repairs.

Expanding on Software and Other Assets

Many “as a service” solutions are available through IT management that include software and even your entire operating system. You can basically run your entire business through the cloud, which is a major asset if you ever experience a disaster.

Business growth, though, means you may need software upgrades or other assets to help you get ahead. Your dedicated managed services provider is there to provide these immediately when they’re needed. In most cases, you can get them up and running the same day, saving you the prospect of downtime.

Getting the Right Equipment for Growth

Your managed service provider isn’t just limited to monitoring your network and giving you upgrades. You can also get in-person services, including consultancy on the right technology for your company.

Investing in new tech is never easy with so many varied choices. Good IT management has consultants who’ve worked in the field and understand what companies like yours truly need to stay competitive.

Servers, routers, and even the right brand of computers matter in how effectively you can expand. IT management doesn’t just provide equipment for you because it’s popular. They audit your business and only provide what’s necessary.

Prevention to Prevent Financial Disasters

From the remote management perspective, preventative measures are always put in place to eliminate the worst cyber threats out there today. One of the biggest inhibitors to business growth is having a disaster that siphons any financial gains.

You may take that chance, especially if running your own server on-site. Managed services use a cloud server to store your data so you can restore everything the same day if a disaster strikes.

Let us be the quality managed service provider you need here at GeekTek IT Services.

Contact us to learn more about our comprehensive IT solutions that serve the Los Angeles area.

5 Ways To Improve IT Support Processes in Your Los Angeles Company

March 12, 2016

IT support problems are a serious issue for many businesses within the Los Angeles area. The fact is that many companies start to grow, implement new technology in their new day-to-day processes and never seek real IT help until they have their first disaster or tech failure that has a large effect on their business. The best thing that any growing company can do to prevent this is to ensure that they have the proper processes and help in place. Whether that help comes from an internal IT team or an outsourced team matters less than the fact that you are protecting your business from potential IT disasters. Many businesses are never able to completely recover from severe data loss.

A Ticket System

The most simple and straight forward way to organize your IT support processes is with a ticket system. A ticket system is simply a way for those that require IT support to submit a request for help. This inputs the new support request into the system and places the job in the queue for your ticket system. Additionally, these systems allow you to tag each request with a priority level so you can ensure the most pressing needs are taken care of first. This helps to ensure that you have a productive office environment. Requests that are marked as “Urgent” or “High” priority can be taken care of immediately, while Sally’s problem with her email client can be taken care of in order of importance.

Ask for Feedback

One of the best ways that you can learn about where you can improve your IT processes is to actually ask your employees for feedback. This can be an insightful way for you to learn about what is working, what is not, and how your IT efforts are perceived. Accept anonymous feedback from your users so that they are comfortable sharing their true feelings.

Offer Basic Troubleshooting Training

One of the best ways to ensure that your IT department does not become bogged down with low-priority requests to offer basic training on troubleshooting basic computer problems. Simple tasks such as checking to make sure a mouse is plugged in, that the computer is connected to the Wi-Fi and other similar basic steps to troubleshoot common computer problems. By limiting the number of low-priority requests that your IT department receives, the more that they can focus on fixing high-priority issues.

Organization is Key

The best way for any company to provide excellent IT services is to have an organization system that makes managing IT issues easier for small teams. It starts with a ticket system, but it extends to all of the processes that your organization employs. For many businesses, the best solution is to work with a third-party outsourced IT support company in Los Angeles that already has a plan to put these processes in place for other business. While it might seem like you can just hire an “IT guy” and all of your problems will be solved, you need to have the proper processes in place to ensure that you are able to deal with problems and recognize which issues are of the highest importance.

If you are interested in learning more about protecting your business from IT and data loss disasters, please contact us today to schedule your initial consultation. We will get to know your business and make recommendations for improving your IT processes and helping to protect your business. We help businesses throughout the Los Angeles area to implement effective IT policies and processes that improve productivity within your business and create a seamless IT workflow.

Going Digital? Get the Best IT Support Los Angeles In The Industry

January 15, 2016

Many companies set out to position themselves as the leading providers of IT support Los Angeles, but somewhere along the way they lose sight of the meaning of excellent customer service. The larger a firm gets, the easier it is for its employees to lose touch with the initial service focus of the founders. We’re proud to say that we have experienced considerable growth in the last few years without losing touch with our commitment to our customers. We value the relationships we build with all of our clients in the LA metropolitan area.

Since the big success of newcomers like Uber, many companies are overhauling their model to reflect the trend towards customer-driven services. The name of the game is on demand. Among the many things we do, GeekTek offers two newer business models: our software-as-a-service (i.e. Google Apps for Business) and our knowledge-as-a-service (IT support). We are in a digital knowledge-based economy, and we are always improving how we deliver software and other services to meet your needs. and what it implies for our industry.

What the Research Shows

A recent post on the Harvard Business Review blog shows exactly how packaging a service is changing how everyone is doing business differently to compete in the Internet-of-Things (IOT). Writers Joe Sinfield, Ned Calder, and Ben Geheb note how corporations like John Deere have migrated to new business models, such as marketing digital subscription services to farmers and operators of their heavy equipment. These authors noted three major shifts among old-line industries now introducing smart-connected products to compete in the digital market.

1. a shift from selling equipment to selling outcomes,
2. a shift from creating solutions that transcend the notions of products and services, and
3. a shift from value chains to value networks.

Think Digital

Regardless of your industry, at some point your company must dare to think digital. This could be brainstorming ways to sell a digital subscription, adding smart-connected components to your products, or creating an app so that customers can use your service anywhere or with greater ease. Consider how you can revisit your business model and perhaps provide products or services to customers. Brainstorm the types of digital business models you might create to keep customers happy and outpace the competition.

Study the Competition

It is quite possible that a quick survey of your major competitors reveals how they are already going digital. In the age when everyone can drive for Uber and thousands of apps hit the market every day, your company cannot afford to stay stuck in the twentieth century. One of the biggest cautions that companies in your situation need is not to invest heavily in IT projects without first doing your research. For every idea you have to revolutionize how you deliver your value proposition, there could already be a competitor who has done it. Be sure what is out there and what is not. Then, decide how you can quickly shift resources or invest in new ones to go digital.

What We Can Do To Help

If you are considering moving to a digital business model and want to build the platform to deliver it or you just want increased IT support for platform-based operations, we’re here to help. We have cloud computing, managed IT services, and a team of IT consultants ready to tackle the next phase of your business growth.

Pick Our Brains

If your organization is like most in this fast-paced digital world, you don’t have enough in-house IT professionals to keep pace with the demands of customers. Typically, you must outsource some IT services and augment your IT staff throughout the year according to changing business conditions. We encourage you to find the best IT support provider in Los Angeles that gives you the highest level of service for the money. For more information, please contact us. Let’s discuss how you are going to go digital today.