09.17.07
Critical Importance of Strategic IT Planning to SMB Growth
ByteSmart – we take the pain out of using technology by making IT simple for small businesses.
A recent survey of over 150 successful, small business executives by CDW Corp found that “…the strategic use of IT is one of the biggest challenges for small business growth, and one of the most important keys to success.”
Second only to recruitment and retention of employees, managing IT was a more significant challenge than understanding customer needs, covering external costs of doing business, and establishing and maintaining financial controls.
There is no question that technology is getting more capable but complex at a dizzying rate. In its simplest form, it is a functional tool to accomplish basic business tasks; however, it can be leveraged to accomplish so much more, an enabler of business growth, but only when directed strategically to match the organization’s goals and direction.
ByteSmart is aimed squarely at addressing that need – we are an advisor to small businesses by helping them to develop an IT roadmap with their use of technology, guided by their business goals, including the software that they use to run their business, the security and protection of their data and systems, and their use of communications and other business-enabling technologies.
ByteSmart – we take the pain out of using technology by making IT simple for small businesses.
09.15.07
Data Protection for Small Businesses
About a month ago, I was invited to speak to the Delaware Professional Photographers association. The subject of choice for the presentation on September 18th is Data Protection for Small Businesses – Securing Your Business Information.
Data protection is a hot conversation among small businesses today. As more and more organizations become dependent on technology, the risks interwoven with the loss of information stored electronically become greater and greater. Statistical averages show that of those small businesses that have a significant loss of information (data), a surprisingly high percentage of them, over 90%, will never fully recover. Besides data loss from systems that are not backed up effectively, electronic information is the target of a worldwide stage of hackers and associated organized crime. They are not targeting just the rich and famous in business anymore- your data is in their crosshairs. The internet isn’t just the wild, wild west anymore – it’s a downright war zone.
Data protection isn’t simply a product that you buy. It is a plan that is developed and maintained. And interestingly enough, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. The presentation will address what issues to consider, related industry best practices, and some technology options in addressing this critical area of business today. Check out what MSNBC had to say for some related food for thought.
07.26.07
Making IT Simple
From its inception, ByteSmart’s slogan and one of the points of our value proposition has been “making I.T. simple.” Small businesses owners typically have little interest in focusing on keeping their technology running properly. Computers are just a tool to get the job done. And unless you’re a non-profit, that job is to make money!
All too often, however, those owners and managers are forced to spend too much of their precious time and resources struggling to make their IT (information technology) investments work for them – that is, unless they are fortunate enough to find a trusted computer service provider who can whip their systems into shape and help direct all those bits and bytes to work hard to support the organization’s direction and goals.
One of the powerful ways we are “making IT simple” for our clients is through flat-rate service plans that provide different types of unlimited amounts of support. Through the use of powerful software and processes, we can now keep a pulse on the health of our client’s systems 24/7/365 and act proactively to resolve issues, as most problems have early warning signs before they become show-stoppers. This new model is a significant, forward-thinking shift from the traditional hourly rate support model that has been in place for decades. It is such an extraordinary win/win service model that we believe it is the destiny of IT service delivery.
Our clients sleep better at night, because they know their information is safe and their systems are reliable. They have less cash flow worries, because their IT support expenses are fixed, regardless of how long it takes to complete. They are positioned stand out in the marketplace as they can now take advantage of technologies that streamline processes, reduce overhead, and generate revenue. These are strategic and competitive advantages, all available because the “plumbing” is finally stable.
If you are interested in finding out if what we offer is a good fit for you, then contact us for a complimentary consultation. For more information, visit www.byte-smart.com.
07.25.07
How To Get A Human
Tip of the day:Have you ever called a company for information or help and gotten lost in the maze of phone tree options? The age of automated, multiple level phone systems and long hold times has become so ubiquitous that we now need “cheat codes” to cut through the red tape and get a human on the other end of the line.
07.06.07
My First Blog
For the sake of introductions, my name is Ben Ahlquist, an IT Specialist working with small and medium businesses in the tri-state area (DE, PA, MD). I have had a varied range of experiences in the computer industry, from selling business machines, to teaching computer classes, to installing cabling infrastructures and upgrading networks up and down the east coast, to working at a biopharm as a tech support analyst, to… you get the point. A little over three years ago, I launched my own company, ByteSmart.
To those in the computer industry, ByteSmart is an OMS SBSC’d SMB IT service provider, recently turned MSP. How’s that for a mouthful of acronyms? J
To the rest of the world that doesn’t live, eat, sleep, and breathe all things IT, ByteSmart is a computer services provider that supports small and medium businesses in the greater Delaware Valley. Essentially, we do support and maintenance of computers and networks. We also provide solutions directed at meeting our clients’ needs and matching their business direction. For example, data protection solutions keep their information secure, messaging solutions help them communicate in the 21st century, and mobility solutions get them access to their data while away from the office.
Put another way, ByteSmart is the virtual IT department and trusted advisor for organizations that use computers in their line of work. “Virtual IT department” is another way of saying that our clients outsource their IT needs to us. We provide the type of technical and business support that an IT department in a big corporate company would deliver, but scaled to the size and needs of small and medium businesses. “Trusted advisor” is a position that is earned. We strive to fulfill that role in several ways, including helping our clients develop an IT roadmap, which is a strategic plan that outlines expenditures in the upcoming year, aligns their IT usage with the organization’s goals and priorities, and helps resolve their particular pain points.
While I have thought about starting a blog for a while, what finally stirred my blood to action was reading recent articles written by a titan in my industry on the subject of community (hats off to you, Vlad). I have benefited greatly from the wealth of resources available in the IT community and hope to be able to participate for whatever measure of help it may bring to others. I imagine that my blog will be articles written for small business owners and managers, peers in the industry, and sometimes chronicling my journey of experiences. I can’t promise that it will be perfectly accurate or politically correct, but it will be real and practical and hopefully meaningful and applicable.
Until next time,
Ben Ahlquist, SBSC, MCP, MOS 2000, A+
