Ferrum Technology Services Blog

Technology is critical to the success of your business. You rely on it for productivity, efficiency, and security. Your organization can’t run as intended without constant access to important data and systems. If a business can’t afford to maintain and implement adequate technology solutions, they will often pay untrained employees to do what they can, but this comes with too many risks to be effective.

IT support is one of the most important parts of any modern business simply because it’s just not feasible to run a business without any form of technology at its core. For example, most businesses rely on email and other forms of communication, whereas stores might require access to a point-of-sale software to sell their wares. Either way, it’s critical to the success of most businesses, and where there’s technology, there is bound to be someone who needs to manage and maintain it.

Network security is more than just a conscientious attempt by your staff to protect your organization’s digital assets. It’s making sure that your employees know how to handle dangerous situations, implementing preventative IT measures to eliminate potential issues entirely, and having the right technology experts on-hand to handle tough problems that can’t be solved by a few pieces of technology.

When you are looking for help with your IT maintenance, would you rather experience downtime and frustration, or would you rather not? While the right answer to this question is clear, many organizations still rely on antiquated break-fix IT support that holds them back from achieving greatness. What are the differences between traditional break-fix IT support and a managed service provider?

It’s inevitable that your organization will face some hard decisions, but no choice is as painful as pulling the plug on the one thing that you’ve dumped your heart and soul into; your business. There is a plethora of problems that could cause a business to consider shutting its doors, but often there is a solution. If technology-related costs and downtime are your main problems, managed IT services can help.

Workstations that don’t work properly can get in the way of even the most diligent of workers. If the IT department is too busy to give them immediate assistance, where can your employees turn to? If your organization has a help desk solution, workers have a great way to get the assistance they need without having to wait.

It’s not unheard of for organizations to experience immense technological trouble that brings future potential problems into question. Surprises like these can spell trouble for businesses that are unprepared, especially considering the major damage it could cause to your budget. This forces you to ask yourself if you know what your current plan for IT covers, and what you want your provider to do to eliminate unexpected billing surprises.

Business owners have a lot to worry about. However, keeping workstations, server units, mobile devices, and various software solutions in good working order doesn’t have to be a concern--that is, if you outsource these responsibilities to the right IT professionals.

Think of your business technology like a car. Sure, it’s a great way from getting from one location to another, but if it breaks down, you’re in big trouble financially. Even worse, you’re stuck without a vehicle for a certain amount of time. Can you imagine purchasing new hardware and losing precious productivity due to downtime?

The advantage of managed IT service is that it allows businesses to secure the IT support they need, without having to take on the responsibility and expense of managing these services. When coupled with the development and deployment of computing resources, it becomes clear that outsourcing IT is the smart way to go for small to medium-sized businesses looking to do more for less.

IT can be a tricky concept to the business owner, and we all know how touchy technology can be at times. It can be working one minute, then completely incapacitated the next. This unpredictability is one reason why the concept of help desk support was created. It’s an important way to assist individuals when they need help most.

We're just about to roll into a weekend, which to a lot of employees (and hopefully some business owners) means a little bit of relaxation and freedom from the day-to-day grind of business - not that it's all THAT bad, but it's nice to step away for a while, right?

We know what it's like running a business. Sometimes you simply can't unplug, step away, and be free. There's just too much to worry about, and not enough time in the day. Business owners often sacrifice that little bit of freedom the weekend brings (when you should be spending time with family, recharging your batteries, and preparing for yet another Monday). We have a few ways to help you free up more time.

Due to the overwhelming success of George Lucas's science-fiction film franchise Star Wars, fans all over the world will be celebrating May 4th as a holiday (May the Fourth be with you). Star Wars wouldn't have been nearly as successful if it weren't for its fascinating space technology, something that was previously only imagined by the most creative of minds. X-wings, blasters, and hyperdrives seem really neat, but they can break down just as easily as present-day space technology. There's something about the unknown void that is space which draws our attention, even if it's "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."

Humans are notorious for staying within their comfort zones. When something new or unfamiliar rears its ugly head, we often are too habitual to change with the times. While this is mostly applicable to social situations, such as an introvert being stuck in a hot, stuffy room full of people, comfort zones can also apply to your outdated laptop or smartphone. Upgrading can be challenging, but very rewarding.

Today is opening day for Major League Baseball. Teams are finishing up spring training and making the last round of cuts before they start the regular season. In the MLB, each team is allowed to have 25 players on their club when they break camp. Every year each club has a handful of guys that make that decision hard for the General Manager.

This situation happens in your business as well. After determining the viability of an expense, the least viable expenses are often cut from the budget. Redundant expenses can really drive down the bottom line, so cuts are made. Here are three ways the IT professionals at Ferrum Technology Services can save your organization money and give your team the best chance to succeed.

As a small business leader, your obvious "win" is making a large profit. With this goal in mind, small businesses commonly try to cut their costs by neglecting tech upgrades. Unfortunately, technology often ends up on the backburner of the budget in an effort to maximize profits. Here are seven tech must-haves that your business can't afford to skimp on.