Be Proactive with IT, So You Aren’t Grounded

May 8th, 2013
San Diego IT Support Services

Examples of proactive IT Support: Having a clear backup strategy, ensuring all machines are getting backed up regularly, and testing that the backups have the data you expect them to.

Last month, American Airlines’ fleet was grounded for several hours and over 400 flights cancelled due to a computer system problem. That led to an incredible amount of customer frustration and extra expenses for the company. While the exact problem was never explained, it is reasonable to assume that the problem came about because American Airlines was not proactive enough with their IT infrastructure.

So, how proactive is your company with your IT systems? Even though your computer system going down would be less costly and embarrassing than American Airlines, it could still be expensive and cost you potential new or existing customers.

Here are a few steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of having significant downtime:

  1. Update your software programs and operating systems regularly to minimize the risk from bugs and protect against known security vulnerabilities.
  2. Use server virtualization to eliminate or reduce any downtime.
  3. Have a clear backup strategy, ensure all machines are getting backed up regularly, and test that the backups have the data you expect them to.
  4. Ensure you have a proper firewall setup to make it harder for hackers to hack your computers and servers.

A little investment on the IT front can pay healthy dividends by keeping your computer systems up and running.

About Skyriver IT
Skyriver IT delivers frustration-free IT for small and midsize businesses with Managed IT and Outsourced CIO Services. If you would like to discuss how we can help make your IT frustration free, please contact us.

Tags: ,
Posted in CIO Services, IT Infrastructure Management | No Comments »

How the Right IT Support can Help your Life Sciences Company Grow

May 6th, 2013
Believe it or not, a good IT team helps you save money and grow

Believe it or not, a good IT team helps you save money and grow

Did you realize that a good IT team saves you money and can help your life sciences company grow? It may seem counterintuitive at first, but let’s look at a couple of scenarios.

When a Ph.D. or other high caliber team members cannot work because their computer is really slow or your server has crashed, you are losing money. That is why you need a good IT team to be proactive with both individual computers and servers. When they keep software and antivirus programs current and protect your network from hackers, your employees stay productive.

A good IT team can also help you grow (and save money in the long run), because they help you make better IT decisions the first time. For example, when making a software decision that is critical to your company’s productivity, the difference between getting it right the first time and choosing the wrong software is huge. A bad decision comes back to haunt you and requires more of your attention. When you make a good decision, you don’t have to deal with it in the future and you can stay focused on growing your company.

So, be sure to make a wise investment in a good IT team. Personally, I think that choosing Skyriver IT is a great choice for small and midsize life sciences companies. However, regardless of the IT team you choose, be sure to remember that it is a strategic investment in your company and not just an expense.

Tags: , ,
Posted in BioTech Services | Comments Off

Believe it or not, a good IT Team Helps you Save Money and Grow

May 3rd, 2013
San Diego IT Services

Is your IT Team helping your business grow?

Did you realize that a good IT team saves you money and can help your organization grow? It may seem counter-intuitive at first, but let’s look at a couple of scenarios.

When your employees cannot work because their computer is really slow or your server has crashed, you are paying them for unproductive time. That is why a good IT team is proactive with both individual computers and servers. They keep software and antivirus programs current and protect your network from hackers, so your employees stay productive.

A good IT team can also help you grow (and save money in the long run), because they help you make better IT decisions the first time. For example, when making a software decision that is critical to your company’s productivity, the difference between getting it right the first time and choosing the wrong software is huge. A bad decision comes back to haunt you and requires more of your attention. When you make a good decision, you don’t have to deal with it in the future and you can stay focused on growing your business.

So, be sure to make a wise investment in a good IT team. Personally, I think that choosing Skyriver IT is a great choice for most companies. However, regardless of the IT team you choose, be sure to remember that it is a strategic investment in your company and not just an expense.

About Skyriver IT
Skyriver IT delivers frustration-free IT for small and midsize businesses with Managed IT and Outsourced CIO Services. If you would like to discuss how we can help make your IT frustration free, please call  (858) 812-9322.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in CIO Services, IT Consulting, Managed Solutions | Comments Off

Are You Using Technology as a Competitive Advantage?

April 23rd, 2013
salesforce

A CRM tool like Salesforce.com can help you automate follow-up for payment, which helps you reduce time to receive payment and minimize non-payment without anyone having to touch it after it is set up.

Technology has made our lives much easier. On a personal level, a smartphone allows you to keep track of appointments, find the closest coffee shop, get directions to your next meeting, check in for your flight and so much more.

For businesses, it is not just a matter of convenience. You can use technology as a competitive advantage: to reduce costs and increase effectiveness. A CRM tool like Salesforce.com can help you automate follow-up for payment, which helps you reduce time to receive payment and minimize non-payment without anyone having to touch it after it is set up. Similarly, you can used technology to reduce costs and improve your customer’s experience. Many grocery stores use self-checkout to allow one employee to cover 4-6 checkout stations while customers get to check out more quickly.

So, look for opportunities to leverage technology to save money or make your organization more effective. Organizations that adopt business-improving technologies can gain a real advantage over competitors. The key is to consistently examine your business processes and figure out which ones would benefit from applying technology.

If you are looking for outside help on assessing how technologies could make your business more effective, Skyriver IT offers outsourced CIO services that do just that.

Tags: ,
Posted in CIO Services, IT Infrastructure Management, Managed Solutions | No Comments »

Do You Really Trust Your IT Support Team?

April 22nd, 2013
San Diego IT Support Services

Do you trust your IT Support Team?

If you or someone you love has a serious medical condition, you want to work with a doctor you trust. Why? Because there is a lot of information to understand, such as different test results and treatment options, plus there are personal factors to consider. Basically, it‘s complex. While IT is (typically) not life threatening, it is no less complex.

And just like most people do not want to become a medical expert, most business leaders do not want to become an IT expert. And yet, you still need to understand the costs and risks associated with your IT infrastructure, so you can make educated decisions. That is why you need an IT person who you trust to give you an honest assessment of your IT situation based on your company’s needs and tolerance for risk. One important way to increase trust is through clear communication.

Whether your IT person is internal or outsourced, you want someone who can communicate clearly and in terms you (a non-technical person) can understand. How do you find IT people who can communicate clearly? If you are working with an IT services company, choose one that trains team members on customer service and communication. For internal IT people, training on project management and communication skills can be invaluable for your company.

At Skyriver IT, we hire engineers who are naturally good communicators. Then, we invest a lot of time and effort in helping our engineers develop their customer service and project management skills. Our goal is to ensure that clients have a consistently positive experience with every IT support interaction.

About Skyriver IT
Skyriver IT delivers frustration-free IT. We provide small and midsize companies with the information they need to make better IT and business decisions. If you would like to discuss how we can help make your IT frustration free, contact us today.

Tags: , ,
Posted in IT Consulting | No Comments »

Do You Know Any Customer-Focused IT People?

April 21st, 2013

If you know of any IT people who really care about end users, we would appreciate an introduction (even if they are not currently looking for a new position). As Skyriver IT continues to grow, we are always looking for IT engineers who want to help us change the IT services industry.

To find the right engineers, we created a process to assess engineers for the qualities that help Skyriver IT stay focused on end-user needs. This includes personality tests as well as specific technology skills tests. To be valuable members of the team, they need to have the personality to understand and empathize with client needs as well as the technical skills to solve their problems.

Once we find the right type of person, we invest in training them. Skyriver IT provides the typical technical training that most IT people receive plus:

• Customer service training to learn best practices for solving client problems in a way that makes clients feel valued.
• Organizational training to help engineers understand how the different parts of an organization work together, so their recommendations can be more effective for the whole organization.

Finally, we create a culture within the company where engineers feel valued and enjoy their work. This leads to happy employees who take better care of clients.

We think that Skyriver IT is a great place to work, and our current engineers agree. So, we would appreciate any introductions to similar-minded IT people. You can send introductions to hr@skyriverit.com or have them contact us directly. Thanks for your help!

Posted in News & Events | No Comments »

Looking for New Office Space? Consider Broadband Speeds when Making your Decision.

April 21st, 2013

Whether you are looking at new space because you are growing, you are downsizing (hopefully not), or just because it is time to renew your lease, be sure to consider your internet connection options. Far too often, companies sign a lease then look at their internet options. After it is too late, they find that there are no good internet options or the wiring in the building will not support high enough speeds.

Good bandwidth is important for productivity. As more companies move to cloud services, employees need sufficient bandwidth just to be able to get their work done in a timely manner. As a business manager, the last thing you want is $50,000+ per year employees sitting around waiting for their applications to load.

Before you sign a new lease, do your due diligence on broadband speeds for the location:

1. Ask the landlord what internet service providers are connected to the
building and what cabling is installed in the building (ideally you want fiber).
2. Contact at least 2 of the internet service providers and confirm that
they can provide high-speed service to that location.
3. If there are other tenants in the building, speak with them about their
broadband speeds, keeping in mind what their needs are compared to yours.

One other option for frustration-free leasing is to work with a tenant rep, such as Hughes Marino (which we highly recommend). Their role is to help you think through all of the important issues for your new space, including broadband speeds.

About Skyriver IT
Skyriver IT delivers frustration-free IT. We provide small and midsize companies with the information they need to make better IT and business decisions. If you would like to discuss how we can help make your IT frustration free, please feel free to call (858) 812-9322.

Posted in IT Infrastructure Management | No Comments »

IT Security Tips for Life Science Companies

March 25th, 2013

Security-keyboardLast year, US Congressman Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence made the following assertion:

“There are two types of companies in this country, those who know they’ve been hacked, and those who don’t know they’ve been hacked.”

Most life sciences companies recognize the importance of cyber security. However, many business people do not know how to take action. So, they either ignore it or leave it up to their IT team; either of which could be a big mistake. While some IT teams take security seriously, others do not. So, it is good to work with your team to understand what they are doing and make it clear that security is a priority.

Cyber security is as much about good habits as it is about having the right hardware and software in place.

Here are five steps any Life Sciences company can take to increase their security:

1. Ensure you have a proper firewall setup to make it much harder for hackers to get to your computers and servers in the first place.
2. Use strong passwords for servers and the network. In addition, teach employees what a strong password is and why they should always use one.
3. Update your software programs and operating systems regularly to protect against known security vulnerabilities.
4. Install antivirus software and update it frequently.
5. Secure your laptops with encryption, so that the information on the harddrive can only be accessed with the correct password. This provides two levels of protection: it secures the data on your laptop and it prevents a hacker from gaining access to your network from a stolen laptop.

By taking some simple steps and developing good habits, you can dramatically decrease your cyber security risks.

About Skyriver IT
Skyriver IT delivers frustration-free IT. We provide small and midsize life sciences companies with the information needed to make better IT and business decisions. If you would like to discuss how we can help make your IT frustration free, please call 858-812-9322 or visit SkyriverIT.com

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in BioTech Services | No Comments »

Is Your Network Really Secure?

March 22nd, 2013
Has your computer been hacked?

There are two types of companies in this country, those who know they’ve been hacked, and those who don’t know they’ve been hacked

Last year, US Congressman Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence made the following assertion:

“There are two types of companies in this country, those who know they’ve been hacked, and those who don’t know they’ve been hacked.”

Most business people recognize the importance of cyber security. However, they do not know how to take action. So, they either ignore it or leave it up to their IT team; either of which could be a big mistake. While some IT teams take security seriously, others do not. So, it is good to work with your team to understand what they are doing and make it clear that security is a priority.

Cyber security is as much about good habits as it is about having the right hardware and software in place.

Here are five steps any company can take to increase their security:

  1. Ensure you have a proper firewall setup to make it much harder for hackers to get to your computers and servers in the first place.
  2. Use strong passwords for servers and the network. In addition, teach employees what a strong password is and why they should always use one.
  3. Update your software programs and operating systems regularly to protect against known security vulnerabilities.
  4. Install antivirus software and update it frequently.
  5. Secure your laptops with encryption, so that the information on the hard drive can only be accessed with the correct password. This provides two levels of protection: it secures the data on your laptop and it prevents a hacker from gaining access to your network from a stolen laptop.

By taking some simple steps and developing good habits, you can dramatically decrease your cyber security risks.

About Skyriver IT
Skyriver IT delivers frustration-free IT. We provide small and midsize companies with the information they need to make better IT and business decisions. If you would like to discuss how we can help make your IT frustration free to call (858) 812-9322 or visit SkyriverIT.com

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Disaster Recovery, IT Consulting | No Comments »

Making Smart Tech Investments… the First Time

March 12th, 2013
san diego it consultants

Working with a third-party IT service provider can help you make a smart tech investment… the first time.

Has your company ever made a tech or IT investment that did not go as planned? Many small and midsize companies have. Far too often, businesses buy a cool feature set, but end up with a solution that does not really work for them.

For example, a company came to Skyriver IT with a phone system problem. After just two weeks of using a new VOIP phone system (voice over internet), they realized they had made a mistake. While they had been seduced by the cool feature set — voicemail access from multiple devices, SalesForce integration, etc. –  and low upfront costs, they had not considered the impact of low call quality.

For a company that makes hundreds of calls per day, call quality is critical to business success. Even if just 5% of calls had low quality, such as echoes or static, that amounted to 15-20 calls per day. After 2 weeks of suffering from low call quality, this company engaged Skyriver IT to help them find a solution that met their needs. While it lacked some of the cool features of VOIP, Skyriver IT recommended a phone system that would ensure consistent call quality, be frustration-free,  and help them communicate clearly with customers.

Whether it’s a phone system, CRM, ERP or any other technology solution, it can be difficult to understand the critical factors for choosing the right solution. So, it often makes sense to work with a third-party IT service provider to help you make a smart tech investment… the first time.

About Skyriver IT
Skyriver IT delivers frustration-free IT. We provide small and midsize companies with the information they need to make better IT and business decisions. If you would like to discuss how we can help make your IT frustration free, please feel free to call  (858) 812-9322 or visit www.SkyriverIT.com

Tags: , , ,
Posted in IT Consulting, IT Infrastructure Management | No Comments »

« Older Entries