The ACCENT Learning Hub

Here in Southern California, we take it for granted that growing season extends throughout the year. Did you know that our state leads the nation in agricultural production? Food grown here makes its way to grocery stores and food processors, not only all over the country, but all over the world. The reason why California has been able to become an agricultural leader is largely due to the climate, and conditions that are conducive to growth. As you seek to grow your business, it’s vital that you create conditions that are conducive to business growth. Here are seven ways that managed IT services helps you to do that.

A CFO was reviewing IT costs and decided that he was not going to move ahead with his managed IT service provider’s recommendation to patch their server's operating system software. The CFO was responsible for overseeing IT and his advisors explained the role that software patches and updates played in their overall security. Yet, when looking at the numbers, the CFO wanted to scale back their IT agreement to cut costs and decided to scratch that line item. After all, the managed IT service provider (MSP) was providing unlimited support so they would take care of them if they had a breach. Right? Wrong.

If you’re looking at your options for IT support and asking yourself if you should go with in-house IT or managed IT services, you might be asking the wrong question. A better question to ask would be: How should we staff the IT function of our business so we have the right capability in our IT department?  The reason why this may be a better question is because gaps in your IT capability can create roadblocks that stifle your business success.  

In today’s digital business world, it’s rare to find tasks that don’t require the use of a computer, tablet, or smartphone. This means that delighting your clients and keeping your employees productive depends heavily on the efficiency and competency of your company’s Information Technology department processes, whether it’s internally staffed or outsourced to a third party.

When John Leete wanted to move back to California from Denver, it was his experience in the IT industry that helped him land a job as a Systems Administrator with Accent Computer Solutions. It wasn’t until some 100 days later, however, that he realized how very fortunate he was to become a part of an organization that was not only welcoming and supportive, but overwhelmingly pro-employee.

For most of us Jan. 1 to April 15 is just tax season, but for hackers its “prime hunting season” to steal personal and financial information from unsuspecting taxpayers and businesses. Each year, hackers roll out new phishing scams -- fake emails used to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, financial information, credit card details, etc. They fool the user into clicking links or attachments by posing as a trustworthy source.

Have you ever been in a relationship where one person was the giver and the other was the taker? It doesn’t work. The word “relationship” implies two-way communication and the desire to put some energy into your connection. Relationship is the perfect word to use when you’re talking about managed IT services because, if you pick the right company, your provider isn’t just going to be your IT support vendor; they’re going to be your IT business partner. Read on to understand what we’re talking about.

Many executives don’t think they have unmanaged IT but they do. For whatever reason – to save money, for self-reliance, or lack of knowledge -- they decided that it would be better to cobble together their own mix of technology services and tools, rather than contract with a managed IT service provider to meet their IT needs. Chances are good that the outcome of their custom mix has not met expectations, and IT has become an increasingly frustrating obstacle that the whole business has to bump into every day.

Executives and Information Technology personnel historically have a difficult time seeing eye to eye. Many executives see the IT department as a necessary evil – you need it to keep the business running, but it’s just expensive and doesn’t add value to the organization. IT professionals frequently get a bad rap, which is unfair because in many cases they are destined for failure.

When Josh Garofolo started working at Accent Computer Solutions, he had his sights set on being a Technology Architect, but he wasn’t quite ready for that position yet. Over the next six years, he went from being a Help Desk Technician, to a Project Engineer, to a Technology Architect. As he advanced, he gained the knowledge and experience he needed to reach his goal, and now he’s a member of a collaborative team that designs and implements complex technology improvements for Accent clients.