Managed IT Archives - The Logic Group

Why You Need To Perform Regular IT Assessments

wpengine — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Why You Need To Perform Regular IT Assessments

Think about all the technology you use during your average workday. From laptops and tablets to email and Microsoft 365, you rely on your IT to carry out most of your daily activities. Essentially, your IT is the backbone of your business. If you’re not careful, however, your infrastructure can become less efficient and lead to disruptions as time goes on.

The Importance of Performing Regular IT Assessments

The reason why your infrastructure gets worse over time is simply because technology isn’t perfect. As your hardware and software become outdated, conflicts with other programs, failures, and so on, inefficiencies are introduced that cause your IT environment to degrade. As a result, your IT becomes more of a hindrance than an asset. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to preserve the performance of your IT environment—through an information technology assessment.

Also known as a network assessment, this procedure is a thorough analysis of your entire IT environment. It reviews everything in your infrastructure from your equipment and software to processes and overall performance. With network assessment services, you can gain valuable insight into your IT and identify areas for improvement so you can develop strategies for optimization.

To better understand the importance of performing an IT infrastructure assessment, think about your car. If you want to keep your car in good condition, what do you do? You take it to an auto shop and have it checked out. Doing so gives experts a chance to look at your car, perform maintenance, and find issues before they can balloon into bigger problems. The purpose of an IT evaluation is very similar.

What Can an Assessment Do for Your Business?

There are plenty of reasons why you should want to schedule regular IT assessments. Conducting an analysis can be one of the best ways to improve the overall performance of your business. By revealing troublesome bottlenecks, you can implement fixes that boost productivity and efficiency.

On top of improving operational performance, a thorough IT assessment is a sure-fire way to ensure your cybersecurity processes are keeping you protected. As technology continues to evolve, unfortunately, so does cybercrime. It’s never been more important to have reliable cybersecurity.

The Steps Involved in a Technology Assessment Process

IT assessments can differ depending on the managed services provider you use. However, there are a few common processes every evaluation should have. These steps include:

Identify and inventory resources: As companies grow or go remote, it gets harder to keep track of who has access to what, how old a certain device or system is, and just general performance. An assessment usually takes inventory of all of your resources to provide clarity on what needs updating.
Process and policy review: This is where your policies are examined to make sure they are accomplishing the intended goal. Rules like the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), for example, are vital to keeping your network running as it should. If there are policies that aren’t contributing to your success, your MSP may suggest removing them to streamline your organization.
Cybersecurity review: Cybersecurity is a must for every business, and it’s arguably the most important service your business can have. It’s so important in fact, there are entire IT assessments solely dedicated to security and risk.
Data storage audit: An assessment also often evaluates the data you possess, how you’re storing it, and who has access to it.
Report and strategize: Once an IT assessment is finished, your MSP creates a report on the information they’ve gathered. They may also provide recommendations for you to use to create a strategy to enhance your IT performance across the board.

Keep Your IT Running Smoothly

The Logic Group is an industry-leading IT provider that has been delivering the IT services businesses need for over 25 years. If you want to maintain the health of your infrastructure, we can help. Our team can perform an evaluation of your IT environment and inform you of its status. We also work with you to implement solutions that further enhance the capabilities of your infrastructure.

If you’d like to learn more about our network assessment services, contact us today.

The post Why You Need To Perform Regular IT Assessments appeared first on The Logic Group.

The Difference Between Break/Fix and Managed IT Support

wpengine — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0000

The Difference Between Break/Fix and Managed IT Support

The great thing about technology is it can be used in a variety of ways to improve your business. However, no matter how good your IT is, you’re going to need help with it at some point. For businesses without an internal IT department, outsourcing is an excellent solution for maintaining and troubleshooting IT. But if you choose to outsource, should you use break/fix or managed IT support?

Managed IT Support vs Break/Fix

When it comes to outsourcing your IT needs, you have two options: break/fix and managed IT support. While the end goal of these two services are similar, there’s an important difference you should know about. Understanding the difference between managed IT services vs break/fix can help you pick the best solution for your business.

What Is Managed IT Support?

Managed IT support is a service offered by a managed services provider (MSP). This is a proactive IT support approach that comes in the form of a managed services plan. It’s considered proactive because it’s an ongoing solution that is designed to get ahead of issues before they can affect the end user. This is done through constant monitoring of your IT infrastructure.

With a managed services model, your MSP handles all of your current and future IT needs. If you still run into trouble, this solution includes 24/7 helpdesk support to resolve problems quickly. Managed services also offers a variety of other services ranging from cybersecurity to cloud migration and everything in between.

What Is Break/Fix Computer Services?

Break-fix refers to the practice of calling an IT company only after an issue occurs or when an upgrade is needed. Simply put, when something breaks, you call to have it fixed. Initially, this was the leading solution for solving IT problems.

To give you an idea of how this service model works, imagine you’re working on a project and suddenly your computer flashes a blue screen. With a break/fix provider, you would call on them to resolve the issue. If they’re available, they would try to help you troubleshoot the problem. This approach often takes more time before a resolution can be reached.

On the surface, the break-fix model sounds like a reasonable approach, but it’s far from ideal because you’re reactively responding to issues. Not only does this create additional downtime, but it also makes it harder to plan IT expenses. By being proactive, you can prevent IT problems before they happen.

Why You Need Managed IT Services

Although there are two options, there’s really only one choice businesses should consider—managed IT support. At the end of the day, the break-fix model is an outdated form of IT service. As a result, managed services have essentially replaced break/fix as the standard for IT support. Not only does managed IT provide the same repair services, but it also covers every aspect of your IT environment.

The Benefits of Managed IT Support

Your IT infrastructure is a complex network that requires a lot of work and attention to keep everything running smoothly. Managed services take the burden of overseeing your IT environment off of your shoulders.

Here are a few other ways managed IT support can benefit you:

Lower Costs: An outsourced IT staff can do everything an internal department does. From troubleshooting to cybersecurity, you get the support you need without having to hire employees or pay for each individual service when you use it.
Business Continuity: Natural disasters, hardware failure, human error, and other incidents are inevitable. However, an MSP can help you be prepared and keep your business operational. With managed IT services like disaster recovery, you can get your business back up and running like nothing happened.
Increased Productivity: An MSP can take your business goals to apply them to your IT environment, shaping it into something even more beneficial to the organization. As a result, your employees can be more productive than ever before.

Get the Best in Managed IT

Want to experience the benefits of managed IT support for yourself? The Logic Group is a leader in the field of IT. For over 25 years, we have been helping companies enhance their workplace with cutting edge IT solutions. We always make sure your organization gets the support it deserves.

The post The Difference Between Break/Fix and Managed IT Support appeared first on The Logic Group.

The Dangers of Not Having Backup and Disaster Recovery

wpengine — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0000

The Dangers of Not Having Backup and Disaster Recovery

Data is one of the most valuable assets a company can have. But what would happen if your business suddenly lost access to its information? From cyberattacks to natural disasters, there are a variety of ways data loss can occur. Regardless of how it happens, no company can afford this kind of emergency. Backup and disaster recovery procedures are the solution.

The Importance of Backup and Disaster Recovery

When it comes to technology, something is bound to go wrong at some point. No matter if it’s hardware failure, a natural disaster, a cyberattack, or human error, the potential of losing your information is ever-present. That’s why you need to do whatever it takes to protect your data.

One of the best ways to ensure you always have access to your files is to backup your data regularly and invest in disaster recovery. Commonly offered by a managed services provider (MSP) like The Logic Group, backup and disaster recovery can get your company back up and running after a catastrophe with minimal interruption. But what are the consequences of not backing up your information?

What Are Backup and Disaster Recovery Services?

Backup and disaster recovery services are preventive measures that act as insurance in the case of a data emergency. The backup half of the strategy involves continually making redundant copies of all your data and backing it up to a server. The disaster recovery half focuses on the process of restoring any data that was damaged or lost after the disaster. Your MSP works with you to make this undertaking as quick and seamless as possible.

The Risks of Not Having Backup and Disaster Recovery

It can’t be overstated how bad business data loss is. That’s why it’s recommended that you do everything you can to defend your information. To make it easier to fully understand the importance of data backup and disaster recovery, let’s focus on what could happen if a data loss event were to occur:

Lost Revenue

Things like product information, research, reports, and more all take time to gather or create. It would take almost an equal amount of time to recover or replace whatever was lost. As you try to fix the situation, you lose even more valuable time that could’ve been spent maintaining your revenue stream or finding new business opportunities.

Damaged Brand Reputation

Your reputation means everything to your brand. It takes years to build customer trust and confidence in whatever products or services you offer. And the better your reputation is, the more customers you’re going to attract. If your clients discover that your business lost its data, this could irrevocably damage the trust they had in your organization. When your clients and partners don’t think they can trust you with their information, they may choose to take their business elsewhere.

Regulatory Problems

Some industries, like the healthcare sector, require businesses to meet certain standards when handling certain information. Regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are rather strict about adhering to their rules. If you lose sensitive information, it could put you in violation of these established laws. Depending on what regulations have been violated, you could be forced to pay hefty penalties that can be either disciplinary or monetary.

Direct Costs

The financial danger of losing data isn’t limited to fines and lost revenue. There’s also the cost of recovering the information in the aftermath of data loss. Even if you’re able to recover everything, you still have to pay for the reactive service to restore your files. In the end, a data loss event can be very expensive if you don’t use proactive backup and disaster recovery services.

Protect Your Data With The Logic Group

The worst way to learn about the cost of a data breach is to experience it firsthand. Let the experts at The Logic Group help you avoid the consequences with our backup and disaster recovery services.

The post The Dangers of Not Having Backup and Disaster Recovery appeared first on The Logic Group.

Modernizing Technology at Work

wpengine — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Modernizing Technology at Work

As the world changes, businesses must change along with it. A work environment that takes advantage of recent trends not only modernizes the office, but also helps you accommodate the needs of your workforce. This is especially the case when it comes to technology. Keeping the technology at work current with new innovations plays a key role in getting the most out of your employees.

Modernizing Technology at Work To Accommodate Your Remote Workforce

The technology landscape moves at an extremely fast pace. New innovations emerge on a yearly, monthly, and even weekly basis. However, the speed at which new technology appears isn’t necessarily fueled by innovation for its own sake. Rather, it’s born out of the need to solve common problems.

For example, when the pandemic hit the United States back in early 2020, most businesses were forced to switch from an in-person to a remote work model. This shift called for new work- from home technology. As a result, solutions like Asana, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace became helpful tools most people planned to only rely on until things went back to normal. Fast forward to today, and those same tools are now indispensable as a growing number of companies embrace a full remote work environment or some form of hybrid solution.

Now that we know these tools are here to stay, it’s time to start thinking about optimization. What upgrades can you make to your technology and workplace to bring out their full potential? This is important, because having modern technology and office communication tools keeps your workforce efficient and productive.

Here are a few updates you can implement:

Versatile Conference Room Equipment

A proper conference room setup with helpful technology is critical for businesses to succeed. Back in the day, a well-thought-out setup only required equipment that supported communications for the people in the room. These days, you need to consider not only those people, but also the attendees who are participating virtually.

The modern boardroom demands the ability to host both in-person meetings and video conferences. To make sure your virtual team can see and hear everything you’re saying and doing, make sure you upgrade your cameras and microphones. Changing the room itself can also make your boardroom more video conference friendly. Adjusting the placement of your microphones and getting rid of flat surfaces can help eliminate distracting reverb.

Start Using Zoom Rooms

There are many video calling solutions to choose from, and Zoom is one of the most popular. Thanks to its simplicity, it has become a favorite among casual users and professionals alike. But Zoom doesn’t just do video calls; it also handles video conferencing. With Zoom Rooms, you can host room-only meetings or allow remote attendees to join from another room.

Here’s how to set up a Zoom Room:

Set up the hardware
1. Mount the TV, camera, and PC/Mac.
2. Connect the cable TV, camera, audio components, and network.
3. Turn on the PC/Mac and controller, then connect to the network.
4. Upgrade the TV, camera, and audio component firmware (if required).
Set up your system
1. Configure your laptop for kiosk mode.
2. Configure your controller kiosk mode.
Set up the software
1. Download Zoom Rooms software and install it on your laptop.
2. Download controllers for Zoom Rooms and install on your controller.
3. For Mac, use the pairing code for easy setup and the activation code for a complete setup. For PC, you’ll need to sign in to complete the setup.
Verify and finalize
1. Test the verification checklist for any problems.
2. Set up the alerts and monitoring in your dashboard.

Provide Personal Devices for Your Remote Staff

Does your company have a bring your own device (BYOD) policy? This is a trend that many businesses have jumped on because many employees love using their personal devices for work. However, this practice can leave your company wide open to a cyberattack. If you want to maintain this level of freedom but get rid of the risk, consider providing company-issued devices.

Enhance Your Business With The Logic Group

The Logic Group is an industry-leading managed services provider that has been providing IT solutions for decades. We offer a wide range of services to meet any need. If you’re interested in improvements for technology at work, feel free to schedule an IT assessment with us.

The post Modernizing Technology at Work appeared first on The Logic Group.

MSP Experience Every Managed Service Provider Should Have

wpengine — Mon, 05 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0000

MSP Experience Every Managed Service Provider Should Have

When you need IT support, you can always turn to a managed services provider (MSP). An MSP is an outsourced IT solution that offers a selection of services, from cloud migration to network monitoring and much more. It’s their job to ensure that your infrastructure is in top condition, your issues are solved quickly, and your infrastructure is protected. However, before you choose a vendor to partner with, you need to make sure they have the right MSP experience.

Finding a Partner With the Right MSP Experience

When you’re shopping for an MSP, it’s important to keep in mind that you’re entrusting the backbone of your operations to a third party. Finding the right vendor for your business is no small decision. You need to find a provider that has advanced MSP experience and fits well with your organization. So how do you choose a managed service provider?

There are a variety of factors to consider. Most businesses tend to focus on price, but it’s easy to forget that a low price doesn’t guarantee quality. If all you care about is the cost, then you’re doing your company a disservice. To find the right fit, you need to understand the managed services that the provider offers.

Here are some questions to ask a managed service provider:

Do You Offer Managed Services or Break/Fix Solutions?

IT support comes in two flavors: break/fix and managed services. Break/fix refers to you calling an IT company to fix a problem or perform an upgrade. It’s a reactive and outdated approach to IT service that has been mostly replaced by managed services.

Like with the break/fix model, you’re still relying on an outsourced provider with managed services. However, managed services take a proactive approach to IT. This means that you’re not waiting for something to go wrong before getting help. Rather, the MSP is actively working to prevent issues before they happen, in addition to troubleshooting. They can also prepare your IT infrastructure for your current and future needs.

Although MSPs can provide break/fix services, that should not be the only experience they have. You want a well-rounded provider with MSP experience that extends past simple troubleshooting. Having proactive solutions can help your business avoid downtime.

To learn about the capabilities of the MSP you’re considering, you should ask them questions about what services they offer. You should also ask about their certifications, staff skill sets, and availability. The best MSPs can handle all of your IT needs.

Do You Offer 24/7 Monitoring?

With the proliferation of cyberthreats, cybersecurity has become a growing business concern. In fact, the average cost of a data breach is about $4.24 million according to IBM and the Ponemon Institute. The last thing anybody wants is for their network to be hacked.

Remote monitoring is one of the best ways to stop a threat before it becomes a major problem. This service involves IT specialists monitoring and managing your network remotely. Using network monitoring tools, administrators are alerted to any abnormalities in your system. If a threat is detected, the MSP steps in to solve the problem before it can impact your operations.

Cyberattacks and network failures can happen any time. That’s why it’s important to have an MSP that offers 24/7 monitoring. This service is a first line of defense if there’s a malicious attempt on your infrastructure.

How Long Do You Take To Respond to Inquiries?

Downtime means your employees can’t work, and if they can’t work, your company loses money. No organization can afford prolonged downtime that prevents their staff from doing their jobs, so getting solutions quickly is crucial to your success.

The MSP you partner with should be available to provide assistance as soon as you need it. You can always ask your MSP candidate directly about their response time. However, you may also want to look at what their reviews are saying about their service.

Can You Tell Me About Your Customer Service?

Have you ever eaten at a restaurant where the food was great, but the service was terrible? Despite enjoying the food, you likely aren’t going back if it was a bad experience. While it doesn’t have a direct impact on the quality of their services, you don’t want to deal with an unprofessional MSP.

While you’re reading customer reviews, you should be able to get a sense of what the vendor’s customer service is like. As with any good business relationship, your MSP should see itself as your partner. A partner takes an interest in your business and wants to help you improve it. If there are any signs of unprofessionalism, you may want to look at a few other candidates.

How Are You Improving Your Services?

The technology landscape moves quickly, and MSPs need to keep pace if they want to provide the best solutions. An MSP should be strategically focused on improving their services. If they act like they’re content with what they already have to offer, then they may not be your best option.

Get the Managed Services You Deserve

The Logic Group is an industry-leading MSP that’s dedicated to the success of our clients. We follow managed service provider best practices to ensure you’re always getting the most out of your infrastructure. If you need customized service, we can tailor our solutions to meet your needs.

The post MSP Experience Every Managed Service Provider Should Have appeared first on The Logic Group.

Benefits of IT and Why You Need a Reliable MSP

wpengine — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Benefits of IT and Why You Need a Reliable MSP

Whether you work for a big tech company or a small business in the hospitality sector, we all rely on IT infrastructure for our operations. In order for your organization to be at it’s best, your IT needs to be optimized and aligned with your goals. However, it takes a lot of time, work, and dedication to maximize the potential of your technology. Fortunately, there’s a shortcut you can take to achieve your ideal IT environment.

The Benefits of IT Support

One of the biggest challenges companies face when attempting to execute their corporate strategy is not having the support they need from their infrastructure. Most business operations require IT that’s fast, responsive, and resilient. In today’s technology-dependent world, it’s difficult to find success without reliable technology that’s configured to your needs.

The typical IT environment requires maintenance, repairs, and upgrades. Performing these tasks can be cumbersome for any company with finite resources. To solve this problem, a growing number of organizations are turning to managed IT services.

Managed IT support is when a managed services provider (MSP) partially or fully takes over the management of your IT. From remote monitoring and management to cloud migration, an MSP delivers what you need to be more efficient and productive. Although any organization can benefit from managed IT services, small and medium-sized businesses tend to benefit the most from MSP service offerings.

Why You Need Managed IT Services

If IT management can be done internally, it may be confusing as to why you would need managed IT support from a third-party provider. The truth is, not every business needs help from an MSP. A firm with a large IT department and plenty of funding can likely handle their technology without a problem. While some may choose to go down this route, it’s not a realistic choice for others.

It’s important to remember that an MSP is meant to act as an extension of your team. Their purpose is to make your job easier through technology-related services. As experts in their field, they have the knowledge and experience to help you make smart IT decisions. They also have the ability to enhance the way your employees work. And since you don’t have to worry about your IT, your staff is free to focus on other projects that grow your business.

Advantages of the Managed Services Model

The reasons to outsource your information technology needs don’t just involve resource limitations. There are many benefits of IT support your company can take advantage of, including:

Stronger Security Posture: With the rapidly expanding presence of cyberthreats, cybersecurity is something every business should prioritize. An MSP not only has the tools, but also a team of experts who know how to keep your network protected. Even if you already have a firewall in place, your MSP can provide services like 24/7 monitoring, penetration testing, and security audits.
Reliability: Downtime means your employees can’t do their jobs, which means you’re losing money. That’s why it’s important to have a business continuity solution. With the help of an MSP, you can prevent network interruptions through maintenance services. Disaster recovery and backup can also get your organization up and running after an emergency.
Lower Costs: Outsourced IT staff can do everything an in-house IT department does. If you need to troubleshoot a computer problem or replace some old equipment, they can help. You get all the support you need without having to hire new employees.
Access to Experts: When you have an issue you can’t solve on your own, it’s best to get the help of an expert. An MSP is made up of professionals who are highly trained and knowledgeable in a variety of IT disciplines. Depending on the MSP, you often have access to these experts at all times of the day.
More Productivity: Technology should always work for you, not against you. However, if your infrastructure isn’t aligned with your business goals or maintained properly, it could be hindering your operations. An MSP provides consultants who can shape your IT in a way that benefits your organization and helps your employees be more productive than ever before.
Premium Tools: Purchasing and maintaining the best hardware and software is expensive. And to add insult to injury, those solutions can become obsolete in a matter of months. Partnering with an MSP gives you access to cutting-edge tools while avoiding upfront costs.

Should I Invest in Managed IT?

Regardless of the size of your business or how much technology you use, you can experience the benefits of IT support. But if you’re still on the fence, here are some warning signs you need an MSP.

Growth Problems: Does it feel like your business has hit a brick wall? One of the main obstacles to company growth is a poorly maintained IT environment. With managed IT support, you can make your company more efficient and productive.
Cybersecurity Problems: If you feel like your network isn’t protected enough from cyberthreats, then you need a better solution. An MSP has a variety of tools to stop most cyberthreats.
Your Team Is Overwhelmed: Managed IT services put the hard work of managing your infrastructure on the shoulders of an outsourced team. As a result, your staff is free to work on other projects.

Experience the Benefits of IT With The Logic Group

The Logic Group is an industry-leading IT company that takes pride in helping clients overcome their technology challenges. Since every business is unique, we customize our services to meet your specific needs. From managed IT support to compliance services, we’re here to enhance your operations.

The post Benefits of IT and Why You Need a Reliable MSP appeared first on The Logic Group.

Why Your Business Needs an End-of-Year IT Assessment

wpengine — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Why Your Business Needs an End-of-Year IT Assessment

Your IT is the backbone of your business, allowing you to do everything from sending emails to holding virtual meetings. You and your employees use your technology extensively throughout the year, which is why it’s important to have a resilient and optimized infrastructure your business can rely on at all times. The key to achieving such an IT environment is to perform regular IT assessments.

What Is an IT Assessment?

An IT assessment, or technology audit, is a comprehensive review of your systems. It involves having an IT expert evaluate your infrastructure and can range from a formal site survey to a full examination of your operational needs and how your technology stacks up. The auditor’s findings are then put in a report that gives you a new level of clarity about the state of your IT.

This process can also find opportunities to boost efficiency, productivity, and profitability. As the analyst inspects your IT, they can offer suggestions on how to make your infrastructure better for your company. The more aligned your IT is with your business objectives, the more you benefit. While you can perform an assessment on your own, it’s best to have someone who can provide an unbiased eye.

The Purpose of an IT Assessment

Has your office been experiencing recurring downtime? Is there an annoying pain point you need to address? Or maybe an application you frequently use is starting to run slowly?

There’s an endless list of things that could inhibit how your business functions. The purpose of a technology audit is to eliminate them. IT audits check your:

Internet connectivity throughout the office
Cybersecurity programs
Software/hardware age
App or equipment redundancy
Technology conflicts
Latency in voice and data apps

IT Audit Objectives

At the end of the day, an IT assessment is meant to improve your business through infrastructure visibility, optimization, and alignment. An audit accomplishes this by setting certain objectives, such as:

Identifying strengths and weaknesses: An audit highlights the best parts of your IT environment as well as what needs improvement.
Early detection: Finding a problem early on can prevent bigger issues down the road, allowing you to avoid costly disruptions.
Compliance: Any systems that fail to meet the compliance standards of your industry can lead to paying avoidable fines.
Clarity: Gaining deeper insight into your infrastructure and its capabilities is necessary to build a successful strategy for the future.

Why Is It Necessary To Have an End-of-Year IT Assessment?

It’s recommended that you visit a dentist twice a year so you can maintain the health of your teeth. An end-of-year IT assessment is beneficial in a similar way. Think about it like this: your infrastructure consists of a variety of technologies. Over the course of the year, inefficiencies can find their way in, be it because updates aren’t installed, certain technology becomes outdated, or some other issue arises.

By scheduling an IT assessment now, your company gets an opportunity to review its systems before the end of the year. With the IT audit methodology, you can discover what’s helping or hindering your business on the IT side so your team can hit the ground running when they come back to the office in the new year.

The Benefits of an End-of-Year IT Assessment

Regardless of the size of your organization or what industry you operate in, every company can benefit from an end-of-year IT assessment. A few benefits that come from an audit include:

Elimination of vulnerabilities: During an IT assessment, the analyst can review your cybersecurity policies and processes. This gives them the chance to find security gaps in your network. Once you know about your organization’s vulnerabilities, you can take measures to counteract them.
Having a baseline: One objective of an IT audit is to establish a baseline of performance. Without a baseline, it would be nearly impossible to know if your infrastructure has improved after making changes.
Understand your IT: The more you understand your infrastructure, the easier it is to improve it. An assessment provides more visibility into your network. This allows better management, which can lead to higher performance and greater cost effectiveness.
Improved Communication: An IT audit often requires help from people across the organization. This opens the door for communication between departments about topics concerning different parts of your business. The more interdepartmental communication there is, the better your organization runs.
Due Diligence: An assessment provides documentation you can share with insurance companies, government regulators, and business partners. So, if your company is hit by a cyberattack, an audit could be used as proof that you did everything required to protect the information in your possession. Without proof, your organization could face legal problems.
Easier Budgeting: Creating a budget for the new year is something every business has to do. However, some things are easier to build a budget around than others if you don’t have the right information. The details in your technology assessment checklist can help you figure out the best course of action for your short- and long-term expense planning.

Schedule Your IT Assessment With The Logic Group

The Logic Group is an industry-leading managed services provider that has been providing IT solutions since 1996. We offer a wide range of services to meet any need, including IT assessments. If you’re interested in improving your company’s infrastructure, schedule an IT assessment with us.

The post Why Your Business Needs an End-of-Year IT Assessment appeared first on The Logic Group.

How Mistakes With IT Documentation Hurt Your Business

wpengine — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0000

How Mistakes With IT Documentation Hurt Your Business

Have you ever wondered how an IT technician is able to immediately pick up the project from where the last one left off? It’s not uncommon for IT issues to switch hands. This is true whether you have an internal IT department or use a managed service provider (MSP). What enables specialists to get right to work regardless of whether they’re the person you talked to initially is IT documentation.

What Is IT Documentation?

IT documentation is the process by which technicians record and track detailed information related to technical work. This includes how to execute a process or program and the exact steps needed to do so efficiently. It’s essentially a guide meant to get everybody up to speed without the need for training.

Here’s a perfect example of what the purpose of documentation is. Imagine you call your MSP to fix an IT problem, but it can’t be fixed before the end of the day. On top of that, the technician you spoke with is about to go on vacation. When you call the next day, a new person may answer the phone, but they already know what needs to be done because the previous technician created a document with all of the needed information.

Why Is Documentation Important?

Over time, IT departments generate large sums of data. Without something to organize that data, the information often ends up scattered across several systems, software tools, and technicians’ memories. The objective of documentation is to bring all of that information together so anyone can access it when needed.

Here are a few reasons why IT documentation should be taken seriously:

Preserve Organizational Knowledge

Let’s say your most experienced employee suddenly decides to retire. If they leave none of their knowledge about clients or processes behind, that creates a gaping hole in your operations. You wouldn’t know what specifically to do with those clients, and you’d have to start your relationship with them from the beginning.

Save Time and Effort

Everybody has their own way of doing things, but that can waste valuable time in some cases. Without proper IT documentation, technicians are likely to carry out tasks in different ways from each other. While some may do the job quickly, others may waste time trying to figure things out from scratch.

Clear and concise documentation ensures all employees carry out the same task in a set period of time. This is especially useful when creating standard operating procedures, improving workflow and promoting consistency across the board.

Client Consistency

When you’ve been working with an MSP for several months or even years, you expect them to know your company and how you like things done. However, if you’ve only interacted with one IT specialist and all that knowledge resides in that person’s head, issues could pop up down the road. If that specialist isn’t available when you need them, your MSP won’t be able to provide the level of service you’re used to.

Cost Savings

The problem with information being scattered in different places isn’t just poor organization. As technicians chase down the data they need, they waste valuable time that could be spent resolving your issue. As a result, downtime lasts longer and you lose more money being unable to work.

Fewer Errors

When processes—especially complex ones—are left up to individual discretion, it should come as no surprise when errors happen. IT analysts need clear, detailed instructions so they know exactly what to do from the get-go. With the help of documentation, avoidable errors are kept to a minimum.

Compliance

IT specialists are experts at handling sensitive information. However, depending on what industry you operate in, the rules for managing that data can differ. Documentation provides an outline of how that data needs to be accessed, stored, processed, and shared. This helps greatly with maintaining your company’s compliance.

Remote Support

After the last year and a half, more employees than ever are working remotely. Since we’re still in the midst of the pandemic, it’s possible that your technician is also telecommuting. That means they can’t just lean over and ask a colleague for insight. They need to be able to find the information they need virtually. IT documentation allows that information to be stored where the specialist can access it from wherever they’re working.

How To Start Documenting

One of the main reasons organizations hesitate to implement IT documentation is because they’re afraid it’ll take too much time. However, it’s quite the opposite. While it does take a bit of work to get everyone on the same page, IT documentation can save a lot of time in the long run.

A few good ways to start the process include:

Get your team together and collect information about their current processes, standards, and needs.
Brainstorm with your team to create internal standards you think are important for the department.
Using the internal standards you came up with, create a guide and train the team on the documentation.

How To Make Your IT Documentation Effective

The more precise your IT documentation is, the easier it is for everyone to follow. It should also be comprehensive, as leaving anything out could lead to problems down the road. The information you collect in the documents should fall into one of two categories: internal data or customer data.

Turn To The Logic Group for the Best in IT

The Logic Group is an industry-leading IT provider dedicated to helping your company achieve its technology goals. We offer an array of IT solutions that are customized to fit the specific needs of your business. If you’d like to learn more about our services, contact us today.

The post How Mistakes With IT Documentation Hurt Your Business appeared first on The Logic Group.

11 Vital Managed Services KPIs To Measure and Monitor

wpengine — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0000

11 Vital Managed Services KPIs To Measure and Monitor

Managed service providers (MSPs) are essential for many small and medium-sized businesses across the globe. The services they offer help companies be more productive and profitable. To make sure they’re improving their client’s operations and maximizing customer satisfaction in the process, the best MSPs look at specific key performance indicators (KPIs). But what are these metrics, and how do they contribute to MSP performance?

11 Vital Managed Services KPIs

When it comes to making important decisions, using data is often more beneficial than relying on intuition or gut instinct. However, it can’t just be any kind of data. MSPs have to use the right IT support metrics. For example, knowing that your favorite color is blue isn’t going to help an MSP optimize your IT environment. These KPIs need to drive performance, maximize profit potential, and increase operational efficiency.

While each MSP has their own datasets they like to pay attention to, most managed service provider metrics revolve around three core areas: productivity, client experience, and profitability. There are dozens of KPIs that fall into these three categories, but we’re only going to focus on the most important ones MSPs use to keep clients like you happy.

Productivity KPIs

By measuring productivity KPIs, your MSP can learn how efficiently you’re working, if resources are being used effectively, and if you’re receiving the best possible service. This allows them to improve in areas that are lacking, so they can deliver the service you deserve.

Average Resolution Time

As the old adage goes, time is money. Clients are usually busy, and don’t have a lot of time to wait on a solution. Unsurprisingly, resolution time plays a big role in customer satisfaction. As a result, the best MSPs monitor how long they take on average to fix a problem and work to shorten that time.

First Contact Resolution Rate

While speed is important, it’s not the only factor that matters. Your vendor knows that how the resolution is reached is just as important as speed. For example, you can get a fast solution, but it would still be a bad experience if you had to ask for assistance more than once. That’s why MSPs track the percentage of clients they’re able to help right after first contact.

Resource Utilization Rate

As a customer, one of the most important MSP value propositions to you is having access to top-quality technicians. However, their time needs to be managed wisely so they don’t keep you or their other clients waiting too long. As such, it’s necessary for MSPs to assess the usage rate of their resources.

Close Ratio

At the end of the day, an MSP is a business, and their goal is to convert you into a paying customer. This requires better ways to sell to you after first contact. As a result, MSPs are constantly creating better service packages and deals to win you over.

Client Experience KPIs

Healthy business relationships are the foundation of most companies, and your MSP is no different. IT providers like The Logic Group are dedicated to keeping you happy.

Satisfaction Rating

The happier a customer is, the more likely they are to come back or even recommend an MSP’s services. It literally pays to do whatever is necessary to maintain a high satisfaction rating. That’s why MSPs care a lot about receiving good reviews and testimonials from people who have used their services.

Turnover Rate

Another critical client-centric KPI is turnover rate. This refers to how many customers are canceling their contracts and for what reasons. If the turnover rate is high, that’s a telltale sign there may be something wrong with the service and a change is needed.

SLA Rate

A service-level agreement (SLA) is a contract that outlines what the customer can expect from the provider, and it’s up to the provider to meet those expectations. Tracking SLA compliance is the easiest way for an MSP to ensure it’s fulfilling its promise to you.

Customer Lifetime Value

There’s nothing better for a business than a repeat customer. That’s why your MSP wants you to be a long-term client who can rely on their services. Gauging customer lifetime value helps the MSP consider what they need to provide to keep you around for the long haul.

Profitability KPIs

The last area of concern for your MSP is profitability. The more profitable your MSP is, the more leeway they have to improve their services and provide better deals.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold (COGS) refers to the labor, material, software, infrastructure, and anything else used to deliver services. Your MSP wants to give you the best deal possible, which requires an acceptable balance between COGS and the service price point.

Recurring Revenue Rate

Relying solely on upfront sales can be a dangerous game for an MSP, so they need to find a way to keep the revenue flowing at all times. This often takes the form of subscriptions, renewals, and contracts. The need for recurring revenue benefits you because it forces your MSP to find innovative solutions to earn your patronage.

Rate Per Offering

When an MSP’s service is expanded, it could be simply because the owner wants to provide more value for their customers. In other cases, it’s deemed a worthwhile investment after reviewing the rate per offering.

Get the Best in IT Services

The Logic Group is dedicated to delivering the best IT services in the industry. We work with you to customize our services according to the specific needs of your business. Contact us today to learn how we can improve your operations.

The post 11 Vital Managed Services KPIs To Measure and Monitor appeared first on The Logic Group.

IT Support Trends for 2021

wpengine — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0000

IT Support Trends for 2021

The year 2020 was a unique time that brought many challenges both personally and professionally. In the context of the IT world, we saw a variety of new trends make a big impact, such as the rise of remote work and the need for online communication solutions. Now that it’s 2021 and the business climate has changed once again, what are the biggest topics affecting IT support services this year?

IT Support Trends

Everything from new technology innovations to work culture can have an effect on the direction of IT support. As a result, this service has to constantly evolve to suit the technical demands of business. Which is why trends tend to change from year to year. Here are the main points of talk for IT support in 2021.

A Renewed Importance for IT Service Desk Optimization

The pandemic forced many businesses to adopt a work from home business model. Consequently, employees who were affected by this change became much more reliant on technology in general. Out of this grew a need to change the traditional ways of delivering IT support.

To prevent interruptions that could lead to downtime, IT support needs to be better, faster, and cheaper than ever. The key to achieving this goal is through IT support optimization. The more optimized support is, the more efficient technicians can be when delivering solutions. While this was a trend that started last year, it continues to be a trend this year.

Elevate Customer Experience Expectations

The ultimate goal of IT support is to help employees and make sure their technology is functioning properly. However, expectations of IT specialists have changed as the workforce has become more remote. Along with providing solutions, there is now an elevated sense that IT specialists should also focus on providing a better customer service experience.

In this situation, customer experience refers to delivering better means of communication. This includes enabling multichannel communication processes, introducing chatbots, and providing access to a self-help knowledge base. These measures can improve reputation and create a work environment free of frustration.

Workflow Automation

The current push to automate processes is speeding up. With automation, organizations can use technology to take care of mundane and repetitive business operations. Not only does this help reduce employee stress, but it also allows workers to be more efficient and productive. We should see a steep incline in automation throughout the foreseeable future.

Value Affirmation

These days it’s important to understand the value you’re getting from the services you use. This includes the different levels of IT support you get from your IT department or managed service provider (MSP).

If you were to contact IT support and ask what value they bring to your organization, what would they say? If it’s something similar to, “We fix things and provide new technology,” that’s not a good enough answer. There’s an increasing desire for IT support to demonstrate their worth. For example, if an IT issue is fixed, but the employee is still unable to do their job, then where’s the value of the service?

That’s why we’re seeing a push this year to change how companies look for value in their IT support. Many companies are now taking factors like employee productivity, business efficiency, and support availability into consideration.

The Continuing Growth of Internet of Things Solutions

The internet of things (IoT) is nothing new, but it has been gaining popularity and continues to do so in 2021. This solution focuses on the direct integration and interconnectedness of computer systems and IT devices. Simply put, it enables the exchange and transfer of data through the internet. The biggest benefit of IoT is having the ability to control all connected devices from a single spot.

An increasing number of organizations are searching for help in integrating IoT into their existing networks. As a result, IT support is expected to be the go-to source for assistance with this solution.

Get IT Support You Can Count On

The Logic Group offers a comprehensive list of IT services you can use to improve your business. From managed IT support to IT compliance, we have everything you need. If you’re looking for something more personalized, we are able to tailor our services to fit naturally with your operations.

The post IT Support Trends for 2021 appeared first on The Logic Group.