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Every business wants to reduce its costs. Over the years, I’ve talked to hundreds of Southern California business executives and many of them are concerned about what they’re paying for IT Support Agreements. The conversation goes in one of two directions: either their provider is doing a good job, so they feel like it must be easy, or they aren’t doing a good job and the executive feels like they’re paying a lot for little gain. If you’re happy with your current IT services vendor but it seems like your costs are going up, it’s natural to evaluate where your money is going, and to look for ways to bring expenses down. Is there a way to reduce IT support contract, or IT services agreement, costs? Here are a few things to dig into to answer that question.

You’ve probably heard the term “managed services.” You might have wondered what it meant and if it had anything to do with your small business. You’ve also probably heard the term outsourcing. Those words are often used interchangeably. In a nutshell, outsourcing or managed services, means that a third-party acts as your IT department. Or in some cases, supplements your current in-house IT department. Do you have an IT department? Is your in-house IT team limited on time, resources, or ability?  It might be time to check out what outsourcing can do for you.

Let’s just be honest, switching vendors for almost any reason can be a distraction and a time snatcher. But sometimes it’s the right move for your company long term. Changing IT vendors doesn’t have to be that hard if it’s planned out in advance. Perhaps your contract is up, or you’re not getting what you need from your current arrangement. Either way, moving to a new IT provider should be about adding value to your company. But value can be lost in transition if your processes, needs, and expectations are not planned and communicated beforehand. The transition might be the hardest part of your new IT services contract, but it doesn’t have to be.

When someone starts exploring the idea of IT department outsourcing, they generally want to figure out why they would outsource your IT support, what IT services can be outsourced, and the advantages of outsourcing IT technical support.

Whether your company has 15 employees or 50,000, it is imperative that your technology consistently works how it’s supposed to. You need a clear vision of where technology is going in your business, and you need to get rid of roadblocks that are holding the company back from achieving its goals.

Anyone who has ever bought a new computer or upgraded to the latest smartphone knows that technology is changing and evolving at a breakneck pace. It can make your head spin just trying to catch up. That’s why Ammon Becar strives to offer Accent’s clients more than just a plan to solve their tech problems. He uses personalized communication to turn every interaction into a relationship-building experience.

With the pace that technology changes these days, IT projects are inevitable — hardware will need to be replaced, applications will need to be upgraded, etc. When that time comes, business owners and managers want to invest their money in solutions that will increase their efficiency so they can serve their customers better. But many times, IT projects fall short of expectations. Why is that?

In today’s world, there are almost no companies that can function without Information Technology (IT). From sole proprietorships to Fortune 500s, EVERY successful business requires the right IT system implementation and management to truly thrive. 

Microsoft research shows that 90% of all compromised passwords come from a data breach. You read that right - 90%! Criminals use tools that can guess thousands of passwords a minute. Their goal is to wreak havoc on your network and steal your trade secrets. But, not all these criminals are hacking masterminds. These attacks can also be a result of a coworker or family member snooping around.

Have you ever wondered why cyclists ride close together in what appears to be packs? You see it all the time on your local streets and in bicycle races all over the world. Riders with their heads down and wheels really close together are “drafting”. Most of us have made assumptions about why they do this but have never taken the next step to find out just what the benefits of drafting are.