The average user sees a computer as nothing more than a machine used for doing spreadsheets, writing documents, and surfing the internet. They aren’t IT experts, so they cannot deal with technical aspects such as malware removal, system configuration, and program installations, among others.

You’ve finally decided that hiring a managed IT services provider (MSP) is the right way to go. You’re convinced of its benefits, aware of IT challenges in the future, and certain that MSPs can help you jump over those hurdles. You’ve also allocated enough budget for the monthly service fee.

Many small businesses can usually afford only one or two full-time technicians to support their IT infrastructure. But if one of your staff is on vacation or an extended leave of absence when you experience an IT problem, the downtime can result in unproductive employees, missed business opportunities, and lower revenue.

Technology is an integral component of any modern business. Innovations like computer networking, social media, and digital marketing not only aid in productivity and efficiency but also provide a competitive edge. How can you optimize these tools to achieve success? Here are some ideas that will help you make the most of your technology resources.

Many small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) believe that IT management entails only one of two things: hiring an internal IT staff or partnering with a managed services provider (MSP). While these are common in Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland, there is also a growing trend of combining an internal IT staff and an external contractor — also known as co-managed IT services.

In-house or outsourced? That is the question.

With businesses striving more and more to improve profitability, it isn’t uncommon for companies to seek creative ways to cut costs and optimize production. And no department is safe from scrutiny — even IT.

So which one is better? Read on to find out.

With a broad range of service offerings including network and desktop management, data back-up, and business continuity, Fidelis is your ideal managed IT services partner.

Organizations across all industries are spending an average of 3.28% of their annual revenue on IT, with sectors like banking professional services spending around twice that. The cost of running an in-house IT department isn’t getting any cheaper either.

Network cabling might not be the most exciting area of business technology, which is why it’s importance is often overlooked. Yet the infrastructure your systems run on influences many key factors, such as performance, reliability, security, and scalability.

Even if your focus isn’t IT, technology is a key driver of growth. As such, IT support has become every bit as important as customer and financial support for most organizations.

You can only get away with limited IT support for so long. Eventually, there comes a time when technology can make or break your business.