TS Tech Blog

It seems like 2008 was just yesterday, all the rage in fashion was unnecessary vests, cell phones were pretty much still just phones and had buttons, Beyoncé was putting a ring on it and Breaking Bad had just premiered.

When TS Tech first opened its doors in 1996, 22 years ago, technology was extremely different. Looking back, 1996 was the year that Netgear was first founded, Google was first developed, and the USB cable was first released to the public.

At TS Tech, we appreciate it when our employees keep themselves engaged, both in their professional lives and their personal ones. This month for our employee highlight we’d like to feature our Service Coordinator, Sarah McKeever.

Many years ago, we had a company come to us that had only been in business for a month. They were working off of an in-house server (this was before the big cloud boom), but the software company they had setting up their applications forgot to re-enable their backups after installation. Then, one dismal day only 30 days into being open, their server crashed. And because their automatic backups weren’t running as planned, all of their data was lost.

As a small business, when it comes to selecting the right partner there’s one absolutely vital element that can’t be overlooked: you must be able to buy into the same business philosophy. This includes your business partner understanding your long-term business goals, having similar operational methodologies, and complimentary work ethics that brought you into business in the first place. This synchronicity lays the groundwork for enduring success.

This is no less important when you’re selecting your IT Partner. Beyond the elements mentioned above, your IT Partner must also bring the right tools to the table that allows you to buy into their complete IT solution. After all, your technology is what keeps your company alive. And here’s a difference between IT that simply works, and implementing the proper IT solutions for your company’s specific needs.

Here are 5 things that we believe all small businesses should expect from their IT Partner to ensure delivery of that “complete” IT solution:

Shortly after Microsoft released its latest update Windows 10, hackers are trying to solicit and target Windows 10 users with malware. What do you need to know about this new attack and your risk? We've got all your information here:

It’s uncommon for small businesses to come outright with a desire to enter the cloud. While the cloud has a bit of glamour to it these days, popular amongst the talking IT heads (us included!) for all its cool business applications, the real motivation for entering the cloud stems from in-house server issues.

When a company needs to replace their server, they begin to question other alternatives. When their server malfunctions, the headache that comes with repairs can make using the cloud feel a lot more cost-effective. When you consider that a typical server project can cost up to $15,000 – a one-time lump sum just to buy and set up a new in-house server and not including downtime recovery plans, maintenance and repairs – server-related-stress makes sense.

Excitement about the cloud isn’t just a trend, though. It’s been around for decades (formerly referred to as the World Wide Web or the Internet). It’s constantly improving. And it can do so much more for small businesses than a piece of metal inside your office.

To explain this further, we’ve outlined our top five small business advantages associated of using the cloud:

Have you thought about what would happen if disaster were to strike such as a fire? What would happen to all of your data and files? Believe or not, having a contingency plan for your company is essential and not having one is a big risk that you may not want to take.

Communication

Google Translate:

The Google Translate App gives you the power to communicate in 90 languages! Thanks to this app, language barriers are being broken down and businesses alike are using this app to help them translate and send messages to partners around the world. This app will surely take your communication to the next level!

Business owners are constantly wondering how do we make our employees more productive and how do we instill in them our company’s values? Well, look no further for answers! Here are three key steps to turn your employees from Sidekicks to future Superheroes for your company:

You might have heard the buzz, Starting July 29^th, Microsoft is going to be giving away the latest (and last) version of Windows 10. This is an unprecedented move, considering that upgrade versions in the past have cost over $100 per computer.  As an IT professional, I normally tell my clients to avoid the hype associated with new releases and wait until the software is stable and proven before adopting, however I am modifying my recommendation with Windows 10, and here are my five reasons why you need Windows 10 now: