5 ways Veeam backup boosts your overall cybersecurity

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Cybersecurity is a big topic in every industry due to the increase in threats and the escalating costs of recovering from a breach. If you can protect every device on your network, you’re lucky.

However, an even smarter strategy is to focus on following best practices for protecting your data, regardless of where it resides.

Veeam backup in the cloud provides an exceptionally strong backup and restoration capability.

Backup is critical for cybersecurity

Threat prevention is a valuable part of a cybersecurity strategy. On the other hand, in today’s security environment, many threats come from places that are difficult to control.

For example, research shows that 90-95 percent of cyberattacks start with a phishing email. Educating employees on the threats that may appear in their email inbox is a good first step, but hackers are very clever and many employees can be fooled.

In addition, all organizations are vulnerable, including schools and educational organizations. For example, the Department of Education issued a warning letter to schools based on several successful attempts to extort money from school districts. The personal information schools store in their records make them a prime target.

Surviving a cyberattack by using strong backup and recovery procedures becomes even more important as hackers get better at what they do.

How Veeam backup makes a difference

The Veeam software is unique in that the company developed it in the era of the cloud. This allowed the company to create a backup process that easily outperforms legacy backup software.

In fact, the International Data Corporation (IDC) market share numbers for 2017 show that Veeam leads the industry in terms of market share growth.

Here are 5 ways that Veeam backups boost your cybersecurity.

Lightning fast recovery

Provides hyper availability.

Data loss avoidance

Streamlines disaster recovery.

Verified recoverability

Guaranteed recovery of every file, application and virtual server

Leveraged data

Includes safe deployment with production-style testing

Complete transparency

Ongoing monitoring that provides alerts before operational impact

The ISG Technology and Veeam partnership

ISG Technology established Platinum status agreements for both the Veeam Cloud and Service Provider Program and the Veeam Reseller Program. According to ISG Chief Revenue Officer, Jon Bierman “The partnership goes beyond strengthening our technical team. Our sales and customer-facing teams will also be better equipped to serve our customers as we increase our alignment with Veeam.”

The partnerships allow ISG Technology to provide managed cloud backup services that take full advantage of the Veeam backup technology. For many organizations, online backup services are a cost-effective insurance policy.

With the Veeam technology, we can effectively provide backup as a service both on and offsite.

Final Thoughts

In today’s environment, organizations face several data challenges:

  • They need to gather information and offer user-friendly tools to use it
  • They need to ensure that the data is always available for internal and external users
  • They need to protect the data from cyberattacks
  • They need to ensure quick restoration of data when any type of disruption occurs

Veeam backup meets the need for keeping data available and restoring it quickly and accurately.

In addition, organizations that take advantage of Veeam technology through a managed service provider can have the same high level of capability without the capital outlay required to develop cloud backup capabilities.

Video: Exploring what’s possible with an Office 365 Customer Immersion Experience (CIE)

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The Microsoft Customer Immersion Experience is the most immersive training you can get when it comes to experiencing Office 365. It’s a fully setup environment that allows you to play with the powerful suite of email, productivity and collaboration tools without fear of messing anything up. It’s just one way we help our customers experience the art of what’s possible.

ISG Technology has five Microsoft Certified CIE facilitators across the the Midwest that are eager to help you and your team experience what’s possible with Office 365. Interested in booking a CIE for your team? Looking to join a CIE next time we’re in your area? Contact us today.

 

The essential components for complete ransomware protection

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For criminals, ransomware is big business.

The methodology is simple: attackers target a company with malware which encrypts their data, then send a request for money, usually in the form of Bitcoin or another difficult-to-trace cryptocurrency. Should the company refuse to pay up, their data will remain encrypted and inaccessible. Or it might even be shared publicly on the internet.

Given the potential damage both financial and reputational that might result, it’s no wonder that many companies choose to pay the ransom.

Kaspersky Lab noted a thirteen-fold increase in ransomware attacks in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the previous year. With the average cost of a ransomware attack sitting at over $1,000, the danger is a significant one . . . and no company is safe.

Victims range from small businesses to huge organizations, such as the UK’s National Health Service and aeronautical engineering firm Boeing. Whatever the size of your company, protecting data against ransomware is every bit as essential as physically protecting your premises from burglars.

Here are four things you can do to ensure that you are effectively protected against ransomware.

Backup everything, often

A robust backup plan can make all the difference to a company hit by a ransomware attack.

Rolling back to a previous version may make it possible to avoid paying the ransom and resume normal operations. But beware. Ransomware is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Many new viruses are designed to seek out backups and encrypt those as well.

To avoid this worst-case scenario ensure that you employ a backup solution with versioning or one that is physically disconnected from your system, like a cloud backup solution.

Train your staff

Every staff member in your organization is a potential entry point for malware. Many attacks still succeed largely due to human error.

Indeed the “WannaCry” attack which struck Boeing was transmitted by means of a zipped file attached to an email. In order for the malware to take effect, an employee within the organization had to unzip and run the file.

Train your employees to identify fake emails and encourage a culture of double-checking the origin of any suspicious attachments. Also, establish robust procedures for employees to follow when they think they might have exposed a device to malware. A swift response can isolate the machine in question and potentially save thousands of dollars in damages.

Stay up to date

There are many reasons to keep the operating systems, browsers and plugins up to date. Ransomware prevention is just one of them.

Many ransomware attackers gain entry to a system via weaknesses inherent in out-of-date plugins and other tech. By recommending (or, better yet, enforcing) updates, you can stay ahead of the criminals and keep your sensitive data secure.

Employ ransomware protection

Last, but by no means least, you should ensure that every machine (even personal devices used for work purposes) in your organization is running malware protection software from a reputable provider. While no program can prevent every single attack, most will be able to guard against a whole raft of common exploits.

If the worst does happen . . .

If you are subject to a ransomware attack and cannot recover your data from backup, your options are limited.

Paying the ransom might seem like the most sensible course of action, but there have been numerous cases in which doing so didn’t yield a decryption key. If that happens, you’ve only added an extra cost to an already-expensive situation.

An expert might be able to help you mitigate the damage, but it is vastly preferable to avoid attacks in the first place. The time to act is now—protect your data and ensure that your company doesn’t end up on the long list of ransomware victims.

The best IT support tasks to trust to your MSP

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Have you ever forgotten to install that Windows update you ‘rescheduled’ for a later date? How about installing those 5 new security patches?

Well, you were going to do it, but then you had a meeting. That meeting led to a mandatory orientation. From there, you nipped out for a cup of coffee and returned to an office with no working phone lines. Now, you must drop everything to troubleshoot while your computer systems remain open for attack without those oh-so-important security patches installed.

Welcome to the world of an IT technician.

With so many things to do, new systems to learn, new compliances to go over it’s little wonder these small problems grow out of control so quickly. Small businesses usually have small IT departments, so there’s not a lot of room for mistakes.

Outsourcing to a managed IT services provider (MSP) is an attractive proposition for both business owners and IT staff. It allows a trustworthy company with IT know-how to handle the most crucial tasks, while everyday business operations remain unscathed. IT techs can focus on growth-related tasks, while MSPs keep an eye out for alerts, updates and threats.

To get the most ROI from working with an MSP, outsource tasks that need more hands on deck to complete.

Tasks that you can easily outsource to an MSP are:

Security

Each year businesses spend millions in lawsuit payouts for data breaches, phishing scams and security compliance failures—and this isn’t the only loss businesses incur due to lapses in security.

According to Kaspersky, $1.3 million is lost each year on average due to cyber attacks. Sadly, much of this loss could’ve been prevented through simple data security measures. Many of the companies affected by security breaches had IT departments that were just too stretched to catch security threats before they created problems.

If the skills on your team aren’t as diversified as you’d like, or you lack the budget for a full-sized IT team, you can outsource your security to an MSP.

An MSP works hand and hand with your in-house IT team to deflect security breaches. This way your team can focus on pertinent tasks such as onsite equipment repair and installation, software setup, server maintenance and technical support.

Compliance Requirements

As you may have read recently, the EU introduced The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rule requiring all businesses with clients/customers in the EU to tweak their Terms and Conditions. This new rule helps customers understand how their data is being used.

According to Intersoft Consulting, businesses that don’t comply with this regulation risk losing customers and incurring a penalty equaling 4% of the company’s global turnover or $20 million (whichever is the highest of the two).

Most businesses—if not all—simply cannot afford to lose this amount of money. Outsourcing your compliance watch to an MSP insures you’re on top of these new regulations when they are first introduced.

Updates

Since in-house IT departments work traditional business hours on average, they have a very small window to deal with a heap of technical issues. Phones, computers, software, hardware, servers and websites are all under their radar—but what about maintenance and updates?

As software companies work to keep the risk of technical issues to a minimum, important updates are required to continue using their programs in the most efficient way. These updates take hours and may not finish by the end of the workday.

Some updates can’t even begin until everyone’s logged out for the day. This means the update will run overnight. If there’s a glitch anywhere along the line, or permission screens prevent the update from completing, the whole process will be repeated again.

MSPs start and monitor the progress of these updates from start to finish. If there are any hang-ups along the way, they will troubleshoot allowing it to complete. Best of all, MSPs are available after business hours so the updates can be installed on time.

Troubleshooting

Occasionally, IT staff will run into a glitch they just can’t seem to troubleshoot. Glitches of this magnitude can grind business to a complete halt.

MSPs work along with onsite IT staff to troubleshoot and solve these issues as soon as they occur. This minimizes downtime and in some cases, prevents it entirely.

VOIP Service

More and more businesses are looking to VOIP cloud-based phone systems over traditional landlines. VOIP systems are flexible and allow businesses to conduct business from anywhere, anytime so long as there’s a good internet connection. This saves time setting up new phone systems and troubleshooting traditional phone lines when they go down.

VoIP service also makes a great addition to any disaster recovery plan as it allows workers to continue from remote locations. MSPs offer VOIP services which they monitor and troubleshoot all without disturbing your everyday business tasks.

Backup Services

Rolling blackouts and power surges go hand and hand—but you know what else goes hand and hand? A loss of data and corrupt software.

When systems suddenly blackout due to storms or power outages, improper shutdown creates an avalanche of glitches. These systems generally require hard resets, essentially losing all data stored within them. According to Computer World, Superstorm Sandy caused this very issue, forcing some businesses to close permanently due to an inability to recover data.

MSPs offer real-time backup systems ensuring that your latest keystroke is recorded and saved. In the event of an emergency, this data can be uploaded to a new system or reinstalled on your existing PCs.

 

No matter the size of your business, an MSP provides great value for service. Not only will you save yourself the nightmare expenditure associated with data breaches, but you can also relax knowing that your most important IT tasks are in good hands—inside and outside of normal business hours.

How to efficiently and effectively execute any IT project

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Taking an IT project from its inception to successful completion is something every business needs to do on a regular basis. Whether your company completes the project internally or brings in a professional technology service at some point, there needs to be a detailed plan in place to make sure your IT project runs smoothly from start to finish.

There are five specific steps to take when carrying out any type of IT project.

Step 1: Project initiation

The first step is to name and define the project. You’ll also want to clearly define the concept and scope of the project.

What is the primary goal? What should the end result look like? Feasibility studies and analysis will likely be performed during this phase.

It’s also important to decide what type of devices employees will be working on while completing the IT project and what sort of office set up will provide the ideal working environment. These are all questions that will need to be answered before taking the next step.

Step 2: Project planning

Developing a timeline and a schedule for when certain aspects of the project are completed occur during the second phase of an IT project.

It’s crucial to develop methods of communication that will be used during the execution and monitoring stages. Will your team email or text message? How often should these types of communication be expected?

It’s also important to make sure your IT project is secure throughout each step of the process. Cybersecurity strategies are just as important for a project as they are for every other aspect of your business.

Step 3: Project execution

This is the heart of the project. Everyone on the team should know exactly what they’re doing at this point.

During the execution phase, milestones provide a way to measure the progress of the project. There should also be regular meetings and updates regarding the status of the project. This is critical. A project can quickly get off track if everyone isn’t kept in the know.

It’s particularly important for managers and leaders to stay connected to the IT project by speaking directly with those working on the project and occasionally getting into the trenches along with them. You’ll learn only so much by reading memos and attending meetings. It’s necessary for managers to find a healthy balance between micromanaging and completely disconnecting from the project.

Step 4: Project monitoring

Throughout the execution phase of the project, you’ll want to monitor its status with flexibility. When you run into obstacles and challenges, it may be necessary to adjust milestones, methods and even goals.

It’s important to understand that few projects will go from start to finish without any unforeseen problems or detours along the way.

Feedback is crucial during this phase. Forbes states that testing and feedback is necessary for the project to be successful. This will be especially critical during the execution phase. Your team will need to be flexible and ready to take the project in a different direction if necessary.

Step 5: Project closure

This final phase will include delivery of the product. According to PMtimes, there are several items that need to be checked off your to-do list when a project is wrapping up. A few include making sure everything is delivered and signed off on and that all invoices are out and paid. Once all the loose ends are wrapped up, this is the time to recognize and celebrate the entire team as well as individual members for their hard work.

Make your next IT project a success

Stick to this tried and true project management method when you undertake your next IT project. And remember, too, that for particularly big IT projects you’ll want to reach out to your IT support provider. Their insight and guidance can prove invaluable.

Why cloud computing is safe

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Cloud computing has been gaining popularity in the business space over the last couple years. Organizations are abandoning server-based data centers in favor of a third-party-provided solutions. Yet as more data is stored digitally, the danger of hacking grows. Companies are losing significant income to data breaches, and cybercriminals are developing new, sophisticated ways to steal data.

So why are companies taking their information to the cloud? Many executives want to push their businesses to the cloud but don’t fully understand how it works. As such, they may be wary over the idea of removing confidential information from complete corporate oversight. However, the cloud is not as penetrable as its name might imply.

Three factors driving cloud safety
According to Forbes, there are three principal factors helping to keep data secure when it is in a cloud platform. The first is redundancy. Losing data can be almost as harmful as having it stolen. When a server fails or a hacker gains access to a corporate network and deletes or attempts to ransom vital information, companies can lose months of productivity. Most cloud networks, however, typically keep data in at least three locations.

This means that lost data at one location, such as data loss caused by a server failure, will not have the disastrous impact that it could in an organization relying on an on-premise data center. By keep copies of each file, cloud solutions are making sure mission-critical data is accessible until the user no longer wants it.

The second factor is the safe sharing policy. Anyone who has ever used the popular Google Docs knows how file sharing works. Rather than making a copy, the user must enter the email address of anyone they want to see the file. These extra users can’t share the file on their own (unless given express permission), they simply have access to the information. This is how safe sharing works. It prevents any unauthorized copies from being created or distributed. Users have access to their own data and can control exactly who sees it.

The last factor driving cloud safety is encryption. Provided a user keeps track of their password, it is very difficult for a hacker to gain access to the files. They are being stored either entirely in the cloud or at a secure, remote facility in an unknown location. Since the user’s connection to this information is encrypted, following it to gain access would be difficult, if not impossible for a human hacker.

“Cybersecurity today is more about controlling access than managing data storage.”

It’s all about access
As TechTarget pointed out, cybersecurity today is more about controlling access than managing data storage. When hackers breach data, they typically do so because they have access to sensitive information. This can be a password or even a corporate email address. Cybercriminals infiltrate and steal information based on the access they’ve gained, typically from an unknowing authorized user.

Cloud solutions help monitor this access, keeping secure data under control. The providers offering these platforms have the expertise and the resources to keep cybersecurity evolving alongside the threats. In most cases, they have more resources than the client companies using their solutions.

The cybersecurity arms race
One popular cloud vendor is Microsoft. Each year the company invests over $1 billion into cybersecurity initiatives for its Azure platform. The money, explained Azure Government CISO Matthew Rathbun in an interview with TechRepublic, isn’t just about maintenance, it is about innovation:

“Ninety percent of my threat landscape starts with a human, either maliciously or inadvertently, making a mistake that somehow compromises security,” said Rathbun. “In an ideal state, we’re going eventually end up in a world where there’ll be zero human touch to an Azure production environment.”

Overseen by talented specialists with ample resources, cloud solutions are a safe form of data protection in today’s digital business space.

Is physical data destruction completely secure?

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Cybersecurity is a paramount issue facing businesses in the digital world. The average costs of a successful cybercrime in 2017 were roughly $1.3 million for large enterprises and $117,000 for small- to medium-sized businesses, according to Kaspersky Lab. These figures include the cost of data theft but do not encompass the additional potential price of a damaged reputation and ensuing legal action. Data also indicates that cyberattacks will become only more expensive and damaging in the coming years.

Defending an organization against cybercrime requires a multi-channel approach. Companies should be open to software solutions, employee training and hardware upgrades whenever necessary. However, another avenue for cybercrime is occasionally overlooked. Physical theft of connected mobile devices, laptops and even desktop computers can lead to an open pathway for cyberattacks. In addition, some businesses simply sell their used electronics without first doing a proper data cleanse.

But can information to completely and permanently removed from a hard drive?

Hard drives are traditional data collection units that can be altered in a number of ways. However, the question is "can data be permanently removed."Hard drives are traditional data collection units that can be altered in a number of ways. However, the question is "can data be permanently removed?"

The levels of data destruction
Deleting data is not as secure as some might assume. In actuality, when information on a computer is "deleted," the files themselves are not immediately removed. Instead, the pathing to that information is expunged. The data is also designated as open space, so the computer will eventually overwrite it. However, until this rewrite occurs, it is relatively easy for the information to be restored and accessed by any tech-savvy user.

Fortunately for organizations trying to permanently dissolve their data, deletion is only the first step of the process. Lifewire recommended three additional methods to ensure that information remains lost.

First comes software – using a data destruction program on the hard drive. This method has been met with approval from the National Institute of Standards and Technology as a secure way to permanently remove information from a hard drive, according to DestructData. However, drawbacks include resource consumption, as this can be a time-intensive process. In addition, some overwriting tools can miss hidden data that is locked on the hard drive.

The most secure method to completely remove data is degaussing. Hard disk drives operate through magnetic fields, and degaussers alter those waves. The result is a drive that can never be read again. In fact, the computer will not even register it as a hard drive from that moment on. However, the downside in this process is twofold: One, the drive is useless after degaussing. Two, this method can on only hard disk drives. Solid state drives and flash media do not use magnetism in the same way, so a degausser will be ineffective.

The final option is to physically destroy the data drive. While many people think that this task can be done with patience and a hammer, it is unfortunately not that simple. Hard drives can be rebuilt with the right tools and expertise. According to the Computer World, NASA scientists were able to recover data from the charred wreckage of the Columbia shuttle after its disastrous explosion and crash in 2003.

Computers that are simply thrown out can still possess classified data, which can return to haunt the company. Computers that are simply thrown out can still possess classified data, which can return to haunt the company.

The resiliency of hard drives
In short, it can be difficult to permanently expunge data from a hard drive. This reality is in part why businesses are opting for less internal data centers and more dependency on cloud solutions. According to TechTarget, cloud solutions represent a more secure method of data organization than traditional IT infrastructure.

While data can be safely deleted, the reality is, unless a degausser is used, there is always some chance of information recovery. Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated, and given the expensive nature of dealing with data breaches, it is understandable why the cloud is becoming the preferred solution.

Google joins the empowered edge with Cloud IoT Edge

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The internet of things has been a rapidly growing segment of technology over the past decade. Ever since Apple took made the smartphone a consumer success with its first iPhone, users have grown comfortable carrying technology in their hands and pockets. This IoT-filled world has created new opportunities and challenges.

According to IDC, connected devices will generate over 40 trillion gigabytes of data by 2025. This is too much of a good thing, especially if IoT devices remain only collectors and not processors. To help speed up data collection, Google has announced its Cloud IoT Edge platform, as well as a new hardware chip called the Edge tensor processing unit.

What are Google's new announcements?
Google described its decision to move forward on the Cloud IoT Edge platform as "bringing machine learning to the edge." Essentially, current edge devices, such as drones and sensors currently transmit most of their data collection back for internal processing. This procedure uses a lot of bandwidth and reduces the speed at which decisions can be drawn from the data. It also places a lot of stress on constant network connectivity, as any downtime can result in lost information.

Google's new software solution would allow this data processing to happen right at the data source. It will also enable advanced technology, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, to operate on these edge devices. Enter the Edge TPU: This chip is designed to maximize performance per watt. According to Google, the Edge TPU can run TensorFlow Lite machine learning models at the edge, accelerating the "learning" process and making software more efficient faster.

Google is seen as one of the big three when it comes to cloud infrastructure solutions. Google is seen as one of the big three when it comes to cloud infrastructure solutions.

How does this compare with the greater market?
In this announcement, Google is following in the path of Microsoft. Released globally in July, Azure IoT Edge accomplished many of the same tasks that the Cloud IoT Edge solution intends to. The two aim to empower edge devices with greater machine learning performance and reduce the amount of data that must be transmitted to be understood.

However, as Microsoft has been in the hardware space much longer than Google, no TPU chip needed to accompany the Azure IoT Edge release. It is possible that Google may gain an advantage by releasing hardware designed to optimize its new platform performance.

Amazon's AWS Greengrass also brings machine learning capabilities to IoT devices. However, unlike the other two, this platform has existed for a while and seen modular updates and improvements (rather than a dedicated new release).

The presence of all three cloud platform giants in edge space signifies a shift to at-location data processing. Cloud networks have already been enjoying success for their heightened security features and intuitive resource sharing. As these networks become more common, it has yet to be fully seen how Microsoft, Amazon and Google deal with the increased vulnerabilities of many edge devices. However, with all three organizations making a sizeable effort to enter this market space, businesses should prepare to unlock the full potential of their edge devices and examine how this technology will affect workflows and productivity.

Why companies must change their infrastructure for optimal data visualization

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The digital revolution has brought a host of new opportunity and challenges for enterprises in every sector of business. While some organizations have embraced the wave of change and made efforts to be at its forefront, others have held back. These institutions may not have sufficient staff to implement the changes or may be waiting for a proven added-value proposition.

In other words: No technology upgrades until the innovation is proven useful. There is some wisdom in this caution. Several reports have noticed that productivity and efficiency are not rising at expected levels alongside this technology boom. However, as Project Syndicate noted, this lag may be a case of outgrowing the traditional productivity model, meaning that not every employee action is measured in the old system. 

However, there is another reason to explain why more technology does not automatically equal greater efficiency and higher profits. If a company buys some new software, it will see a minor boost. However, it will reap the full rewards only if staff properly learn to use said platforms.

Part of this problem stems from the misunderstanding that technology can only improve current work processes. This is not true. When looking at a basic enterprise operation like data visualization, technology has created an entirely new workflow.

Examining the traditional business model
In the traditional business model, all data visualization was manual. Employees would gather data from various endpoints and then input it into a visual model. Common examples of this process included pie charts and bar graphs. The employee would then present the data to the executive, who would use it to make information-based decisions.

While acceptable, this process is far from optimized. Most data had to be generated in spreadsheets before it was collected, using formulas made by staff. Collecting and framing the information is a time-consuming process that will absorb at least one individual. As employees are involved at every step of this workflow, there is a potential for human error.

The time involved prevented companies from acting on real time information. In the interim, intuition and "gut feeling" were used as substitutes for data-backed decisions. The people involved raised the level of risk that the data in question may be inaccurate or misleading.

Charts work because the human mind can understand pictures so much faster than words.Charts work because the human mind can understand pictures so much faster than words.

Unlocking data analytics 
Of course, with the arrival of the internet of things, companies have a lot more data collection at their disposal. Connected devices have provided a whole new network of information. This gold mine, also known as big data, has one downside: There is too much of it. A human cannot hope to categorize and analyze the information in any acceptable timeframe.

Enter data analytics. Using advanced technology like machine learning, companies can create and implement this software to study their data, creating automatic visualizations based on trends and prevalent patterns. According to Fingent, these software solutions employ mining algorithms to filter out irrelevant information, focusing instead on only what is important.

However, companies cannot simply go from a traditional system to a fully fledged data analytics solution for one reason: data segmentation. Many enterprises divide their information based on different departments and specializations. Each group works internally, communicating primarily with itself. While this method is helpful for organization, it greatly impedes data analytics potential.

If companies have siloed their data, the program will have to reach into every source, work with every relevant software and bypass every network design. In short, it will have to work harder to communicate. While modern data analytics solutions are "smart," they cannot navigate barriers like this easily. They are designed to optimally read only the information that is readily available.

For organizations to fully capitalize on the potential of internal data analytics, infrastructure overhaul is needed. Departments – or at least their data – must be able to freely communicate with one another. This process entails implementing a common software solution that is in use across the entire company.

The good news is that many modern solutions fit this need. Solutions like cloud platforms store relevant data in accessible locations and train employees to not segment their work. By creating an infrastructure that is open to the data analytics program, organizations can start to act on information, rather than relying solely on their gut. 

Data analytics can give companies real time answers to their challenges. Data analytics can give companies real time answers to their challenges.

Getting the most bang for your buck from outsourced help desk support

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In 2017, 32 percent of companies around the world chose to outsource their help desk support services. This fairly high percentage shows that many businesses know that they can get better services by outsourcing their help desk needs to experts.

If you want to outsource your help desk support needs, then you need to know how to get the most bang for your buck. You need an IT support partner with reasonable prices, strong expertise, impeccable customer service and the ability to support the tools you rely on.

Follow these four tips to make sure you choose a partner that can help your company succeed.

Find a company with a reliable ticket escalation process

What seems like a small problem at first can quickly turn into a significant issue that needs to be addressed immediately. The more efficient a company’s ticket escalation process works, the sooner you can find a solution to your IT problem.

Few companies have the resources and expertise to create a reliable, efficient ticket escalation process. Before outsourcing its help desk services, employees at John Deere often had to wait days before their IT staff could find helpful solutions. After outsourcing its help desk support, the company benefited from increased end-user service levels, reduced downtime and reduced IT costs.

By handing its help desk needs to a group of experts, managers at John Deere also found that they had more time to focus on core projects. None of these advantages would have been possible without a reliable ticket escalation process handled by experienced professionals.

Outsource to a company with an easy ticket solution

Your employees need a simple way to submit tickets and contact the help desk for support. When choosing a partner, look for a company that lets your employees submit tickets via phone and an app. That way, your employees can use the solution that feels more comfortable to them.

By making the process as easy as possible, your employees will experience fewer disruptions so they can focus on completing their assigned tasks.

Choose a passionate partner that exceeds your expectations

According to Outsourcing Insight, companies should look for several features when choosing partners for help desk support. Some of the most important features include:

  • A passion for helping people solve problems
  • A focus on problem-solving skills
  • Good communication
  • Interest in collaborating with clients
  • A group of professionals with technical expertise and a personal touch

Essentially, you want a partner that exceeds your expectations by lowering costs, giving you access to resources that you wouldn’t have otherwise, and decreasing your IT complexity. Without those key features, what’s the point?

Avoid outsourcing options that don’t set your business up to thrive.

Compare prices and outsource with a company that fits your budget

If you want to get the most bang for your buck, then you need to compare prices and outsource with a company that fits your budget. Most companies actually find that they can save significant amounts of money when they outsource managed help desk support.

SMBs often find that they stand to save the most money from outsourcing. When you have a small workforce, hiring full-time help desk employees can hit your payroll budget particularly hard. By outsourcing, you avoid the costs of paying employees, providing benefits and training workers.

When you’re ready to benefit from help desk support from true professionals, contact your IT support provider to learn more about how they might be able to help. Most managed IT services firms offer some form of help desk support.

Just be sure you don’t shy away from asking the hard questions. The goal of outsourced IT support is to make your life easier and create better efficiency within your organization. Carefully consider the options before you make your choice.