What Is The Real Cost Of An Ineffective IT System?
Here in Australia, IT issues cost business roughly $3,456 every year for each employee. So if you are a small business with 10 employees, that’s $34,560 annually in lost productivity. Servers that randomly disconnect; software updates that take your computer hostage and demand money for its release; files that cant open on the out of date XP OS you’re using… Its time to upgrade your IT system. Ineffective IT Systems create stress for your employees who become frustrated with fighting against the computer to complete their work. Managing the systems that run your business is a big (and time-consuming task) and it only gets more involved as your business grows. HERE ARE 10 SIGNS YOU NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR CURRENT IT: YOUR SYSTEMS AREN’T IN LINE WITH THE BUSINESS NEEDS. Constantly trying out new technologies is not always the best plan of attack. If what you are currently using works, then stick with it. Provided it’s flexible enough to adapt to your growing needs, there is no cause for concern. If you are worried about the current technology or technologies you are using are preventing you from growing your business, then it’s time to change your strategy. COMPLAINTS FROM CLIENTS. Receiving multiple complaints is something you can’t ignore. It could be because your data is not being handled correctly, is not being forwarded onto the right departments or your reporting systems aren’t efficient. Or, the technologies that run your business are no longer supporting the demands of your customers. Either way, these problems can be prevented if you invest in the right technology and have the right systems in place to handle the demands. YOU ARE UP AGAINST UNEXPECTED IT EXPENSES. Inadequate IT planning results in poor understanding of your businesses requirements which results in wrong tech investments and lack of foresight and forward planning. Although unplanned IT-related expenses are not totally avoidable, they can be considerably minimised if IT costs are accurately estimated and effectively managed. For this, you need the high-level knowledge of IT experts. DATA IS LOST. 99% of data loss is directly related to the way you save, share, and handle your data. Do you have a system that encrypts your data before it is sent to a backup storage? Do you have adequate spam, anti-virus, and malware protection? Are you controlling user access to data? If you are losing data, chances are you don’t have correct safety measures in place, or they are failing. SLOW IT SUPPORT. Your IT staff need to be fast and responsive in attending to your IT issues to avoid problems falling through the cracks. LOSS OF PRODUCTIVITY. Poor productivity in the workplace is often a result of poor/slow computer systems, it could be your slow Internet connectivity, applications constantly crashing, outdated systems or a combination of IT-related issues that chew up employees time and ultimately cost YOU money. If these issues remain unresolved, it can affect your business growth and you may lose your high-performers. THERE’S NO PLAN IN PLACE FOR GROWTH. Your IT supports your business goals and your growth. If your IT strategy is not adequate or not aligned with your goals, you are just wasting your money. THERE’S NO SAFETY NET, DISASTER RECOVERY OR BACKUP STRATEGY SHOULD DISASTER STRIKE. Do not underestimate the need for every business to prepare for worst-case scenarios. Being a small business is no excuse not to have a plan in place as anyone, anywhere could be a target. Your disaster recovery plan should be created and implemented by experts with a thorough understanding of your business operations – consider all the possible aspects that could go wrong and identify all the viable solutions to the problems being considered. YOUR IT TEAM ISN’T IN TOUCH WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEMS. Hiring an IT team is only one element. Unless you are on top of training with key vendors and have a system to keep track of new innovations and how to use them, you could be missing important developments that could improve your business. Similarly, you may also not be aware of new security threats and bugs and how they can be prevented from impacting your business. YOU ARE ALWAYS BRINGING IN IT SUPPORT FOR ISSUES THAT COULD BE PREVENTED WITH MANAGED IT. Your IT support might be mostly centered on ad hoc issue resolution, instead of preventive maintenance. So, by the time a problem blows up, you have no other choice but to get outside help to fix the problem. This can be a costly exercise and a mean a blowout for your budget.
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Remote IT Support
WHAT IS REMOTE SUPPORT? • Remote support is a secure service, which allows representatives to help the client to solve their computer problems remotely. This can be done either by displaying the steps to take through screen sharing or the alternative that involves taking control of desktops to perform tasks remotely. Most times, remote support is used in conjunction with a phone call to provide support. • This allows the technician to diagnose the problem and play with several potential steps to provide a resolution to the issue and verifies the resolution that has been implemented. Remote support is always done via the Internet. This allows the technician to work from their workstation and eliminates the need to move the computer which can be a big hassle for the client. A desktop sharing software is what is used to feed the remote support trouble-shooter with rapid-fire screenshots from the screen of the problematic computer. Also, mouse clicks and keystrokes are captured by the remote support trouble-shooter and sent to the technician which allows them to view what is happening on their client’s computer and work out what action to take to resolve the issue. REMOTE SUPPORT BENEFITS Now that you understand what remote support is let us explain the benefits of the service for your business. • EfficiencyThis is one of remote support’s biggest benefits. This is because it cuts out the time that would have been used on travel to see a client, getting the job done more efficiently. The only downtime involved in remote support is connecting the remote support software online. • Multi-taskingThis is a worthwhile benefit for those who keep asking why to use remote support. It allows the technician to successfully complete several jobs. This allows the technician to have a number of billable hours taken care of in a shorter time period. • After HoursRemote support is perfect for after-hours jobs that may occur. This generally applies to issues such as Windows updates and server errors. It is the perfect solution for situations where clients have an issue but don’t have the time for the technician to work on the problem.
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How To Give Your Business A Digital Transformation
The process of digitally transforming your business requires strategies and should be treated more as an ongoing process rather than a one-off overhaul. A well-executed transformation will get you the business rewards and achieve digital excellence. KNOW YOUR GOALS Before you even start to consider putting any changes in place, it is essential for you to evaluate and assess the objective of your business. If you’re a sales team that relies on cloud computing, then your needs are going to be very different to a company with factories to produce. When you know your long term business goals you can identify the key areas where applying digital systems will make your business run more smoothly. HIRE AN EXPERT Utilizing a professional with ensuring your transformation is a smooth one.Sit down and have a chat about your goals so they can work out a plan around your needs. You need someone who can thoroughly asses your business and engage technology that fulfills those business goals and expectations.Every business is different, and their digital needs will alter depending on the sector. What is essential for one company may not be useful for another, which is why you need to continue to implement new technologies. Once you have begun to move over to digital tools and services, you’ll start to see your business is able to run more efficiently, saving you both money, time and resources. By failing to adapt to the changing tech landscape, you are seriously undermining your potential to thrive.
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Using Live Chat To Build Customer Engagement
Live chat is a great technology to increase your customer engagement, stay competitive in your niche, and convert those who’re interested in your product/service into buyers. Here are a few statistics to back it up: • 68 percent of website visitors will use the live chat feature and 63 percent of them return to websites that are offering live chat for a repeat purchase. • 38 percent of all online visitors will complete a purchase during a live chat • A live chat feature has been found to increase a website’s conversions by more than 20 percent If you haven’t added a live chat feature to your website, you’re missing out on all the positive benefits. Engage your audience! While this may seem like a complicated way to work towards improving conversions it is easy and effective. Below we go through a few of the benefits a chat service can bring to your site BE AVAILABLE AROUND THE CLOCK 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday doesn’t cut it online. Customers shop around the clock and expect their customer service to be available anytime. If you don’t have in-house staff to handle the chat outside business hours, you can hire virtual assistants to assist customers 24/7. TIME INITIATING THE CHAT RIGHT There will be several types of visitors on your site. Some will be taking their time making up their mind on purchase, some just browsing and some who know exactly what they want. It is a good idea to use software with tracking features to understand your visitors’ movements better and learn how to target the right visitors, especially on pages you have targeted call to actions. GET REAL Customers don’t want to feel like their talking to a robot. Train your staff to personalize their chats, call the customer by name. This is possible after prompting the customer to provide name, email and contact number. ADDRESS YOUR CUSTOMERS PROBLEMS Sometimes it can work in your favor to swallow the loss if live chat agents are addressing a customer’s pain point in return. This strategy, apart from increasing live chat conversions, has the potential to bring in recurring business and build customer loyalty. OFFER/SUGGEST SOMETHING VALUABLE Most live chat software features include loads of information on the visitor, which can in turn be used to provide valuable customer service. By going through a customer’s chat history and information, live chat agents can provide them with valuable suggestions. For example, if a customer shows dissatisfaction towards a product design, the support representative should take a minute to see whether an alternate item with a different design, but same features is available. If the option is available, it can be suggested to build valuable leads. UPSELL, UPSELL, UPSELL After you demonstrate value and make the case for a higher level of customer service, you can try increasing conversions by upselling. Once the agent has engaged visitors by understanding their needs, they are in a better position to recommend upgrades, add-ons, etc. Internet Retailer revealed that Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. uses live chat to achieve conversion rates as high as 23 percent. Customers that used their live chat converted a rate 3.5 times higher than the customers who didn’t engage the chat feature. The interesting fact is that the UK-based airlines don’t use their live chat to push airline ticket sales but as an opportunity to upsell. Their customers are already in the decision-making phase when purchasing their tickets online and upgrading their purchase to include priority seating, personalized meals, etc is easier. This increases overall averages of sale value and total sale revenue. TAKE CUSTOMERS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE A number of live chat agents overlook the fact that their visitors may not know where to go on a website. For example, they may want to look at the faq page before completing their order but don’t really know how to find it. As a result, your chat agents can make things easy for them by sending the links which redirect them to their webpage of choice, and that’s how you facilitate actions that lead to conversions
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Ransomware
Ransomware attacks are on the rise and a real concern for many businesses. For those who are unfamiliar ransomware is a malicious software that blocks your access to your computer by encrypting your files and data. It often drops into your inbox in the form of spam an or unsolicited email attachment asking you to update your account details or information. Clicking on the link activates the “worm” to begin downloading and infecting your computer blocking you from your files and data You are then asked to pay a ‘ransom” or attackers destroy your data. For many businesses, the effects of losing data would be disastrous. Small and Medium-sized businesses are prime targets due to their limited IT resources. For more info on ransomware – Warning signs to look out for, how to educate your staff and protect your business from an attack –
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IT Solutions Gold Coast (Digitally Transform Your Business)
THERE ARE 4 KEY PILLARS TO ANY DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION • Cloud • Mobile • Big Data • Social HOW DO THESE PILLARS MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Equipping your staff with mobile technology and keeping the connection without being tied to the office is a wonderful way to increase productivity and availability in the workforce. Today’s workers need the flexibility of being able to work anywhere and anytime. GETTING READY TO MAKE A CHANGE AND DIGITALLY TRANSFORM YOUR BUSINESS? There are three important questions a business needs to consider: • Why do we need to transform? • What do we need to transform? • How can we transform? Everywhere and anytime a customer, staff member or partner interacts with your business, it should be a consistent and positive experience. This is the change that drives customer loyalty and staff retention pushes down costs and increases revenue. This is how a digital transformation will allow your business to respond instantly to the marketplace, innovate faster, analyse more deeply and anticipate what your users what they want almost before they know they want it. We have created an e-book to give you more info on the various aspects of a digital transformation
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Upgrade Your IT Systems (Maximise Your Business Potential)
How long has it been since you last updated your businesses IT software? You could be wasting valuable time on basic tasks because your computer system struggles with routine traffic. You don’t need to over complicate the process, start by considering your current systems, business needs and your budget. From there you can put together an upgrade strategy best suited to your business. A major upgrade can be daunting so we have put together a guide to help you through the process. In this guide we cover: • Where to start • Long Term strategy • Upgrade checklist If you have been thinking about upgrading your systems we recommend you read our comprehensive guide and you can always give us a call on (07) 5520 1211
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How Efficient Is Your Computer System?
HOW EFFICIENT IS YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM? If you… • Have noticed slow speeds on your computers networks • Had an increase in lost productivity due to technology issues recently • Would like to ensure technology is working for, not against your business growth Then you may need to look at optimizing your computer system. By taking action and having an experienced IT specialist thoroughly assess your computer network, you can instantly identify problems and inefficiencies in your businesses IT systems and provide solutions to help you maximize the return on your technology investment. With technology constantly changing and updating and the amount of data piling up in your systems growing every day, your computer networks can quickly become overrun resulting in… • Reduced employee productivity due to slow networks and IT outages • Outdated security and back-up solutions that are easily penetrated by Malware and viruses • Inefficient technology systems, which harm your businesses profitability and competitiveness SO, WHAT EXACTLY IS SYSTEM OPTIMISATION? System optimization is the term of system science, and now it is usually defined as the term of computer technology. System optimization requires reducing running processes in computer, changing work mode, deleting unnecessary break off for more efficient computer performance, optimizing file location for faster data write & read, freeing more system resources for computer use and reducing unnecessary system boot processes, etc. This will increase the stability and speed of computers, no harm to hardware. Computer system optimization includes many fields, it can clean Windows Temp Files in temp folder, free disk space, clean registry, reduce the possibility of system errors. It can also speed up computer boot, hold back auto-start processes, speed up internet speed and computer shutdown. Or even personalize the theme of Windows. WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF OPTIMIZING MY SYSTEM? Even computers with the powerful third and fourth generation i7 Gigahertz processing power and Gigabytes of RAM need to be optimized. If you use your computer on a daily basis, you may not realize that it is getting slower by the day. The computer registry gets cluttered with useless registry keys and it just is not smart enough to get rid of the clutter on its own. The computer hard drive also gets cluttered with useless files that can and will slow your PC to a crawl if not properly optimized daily. REGISTRY CLEANING AND OPTIMIZATION Everything done on a computer whether programs are installed and uninstalled or simple tasks like web browsing are kept in the registry until it is cleaned out or optimized. A knowledgeable computer person can optimize the registry manually if he has way too much time on his hands but that is not recommended. If the wrong registry keys are deleted, the computer will become very unstable often unbootable. This is where a registry optimization program comes in handy. For example, when you eat too much your body slows down to a crawl until some of the food is digested or removed in another way. The same thing happens to the computer hard drive. Over time, it stores files that are not needed and slows down the computer until these junk files are removed. Again, this can be done manually but who has the time to dig around the Windows file system. HARD DRIVE OPTIMIZATION • you uninstall a program, more than likely the folder for that program is still on the hard drive and referenced in the registry. If you browse the Internet, temporary Internet files are cached on the system. Some of the cached files are okay because they are intended to make web browsing faster by not having to download an entire web page every time it is viewed. The problem is that it also stores files if you only go to a web site once and those files are unnecessary and will slow the computer down. A good computer optimization system will remove the unnecessary clutter on the hard drive thus optimizing the computer. By having an experienced tech take care of your system optimisation you will have all the necessary tools available to maximize computer performance with very little effort on your part. A computer needs to be cleaned up in more ways than the average person has time for. The file system needs to optimized at regular intervals. The hard drive needs defragmenting. The registry needs to be defragged and optimized. Outdated system device drivers can slow your PC to a crawl. All of this keeps your computer running at its peak performance however it’s something we often neglect. If you would like more info on how we can help you optimize your system give us a call on (07) 5520 1211
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Backing Up Your Data
It may not seem like a big deal to you, but you’ve lost important contracts, emails or contact information, your business stops running efficiently, losing your boss time and money. If the thought makes you feel stressed, then it’s time to take action to protect your data and the success of your business. CLOUD-BASED DATA BACKUP At Netlogyx, we can set you up with a Cloud-based data system, which has automatic recovery of anything you think you’ve lost or accidentally delete. This system of protection is an off-site backup, so there’s no risk if something happens to your office. The Netlogyx team also personalise the cloud-based system to your business, so you aren’t just receiving a standard service that doesn’t offer you the correct protection. Having this system in place is just one step of successful data backup, as you also need to ensure you know what you’re doing. Although cloud-based backup is mostly automated, you want to know that if any errors occur you are covered by an IT team that knows what they are doing. And so, Netlogyx is the ideal choice to not only set up your backup system but also maintain your entire IT. IT SERVICES BY NETLOGYX Netlogyx has years of experience in the industry, and are dedicated to delivering the best quality services to each and every client. No matter whether your business is just starting up or you’ve been established for a while already, the Netlogyx team can help! For any enquiries about data backup solutions or other IT services, get in contact with us today.
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Choosing The Right Operating System
When you’re running a business you obviously want it to be successful, which means that every aspect of operating your business needs to be working efficiently. From phone systems to filing cabinets, it all has to be covered, but one of the most overlooked elements to business success is your IT. This is mostly because it’s simply unpleasant and doesn’t bring you the joy that matching stationery does. However, it’s also because there’s so much at stake. You don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars setting up all your employees with operating software that’s just going to cause more headaches than its worth. These headaches can be crashes, payment issues, loss of data and being too slow to keep up with your business. To avoid the stress, you’re better off by consulting the experts at Netlogyx Gold Coast before making any big decisions. At Netlogyx you are guaranteed to receive honest advice. The experienced IT experts won’t just recommend a product that costs the most or are partnered with, instead they will evaluate the needs of your business and its employees to determine what operating software will be the best fit. Not only will Netlogyx get you set up, building the foundations for your IT, but they will also ensure your technical operation is well maintained. This means regular check-ups, support within work hours so you can address the problem quickly, and friendly service that will take the stress out of the irritation of IT errors. It may be crossing your mind to simply do a Google search and find the best option online yourself. There are a lot of problems with this. First of all, you can’t be sure whether the reviews you are reading online are biased or not, so you may fall prey to the upsell. As well as this, you don’t have the background knowledge to make this decision, and you will probably just choose something that is low on price so you can use this extra cash on that pretty stationery. And finally, going your own way and choosing something online means that all your maintenance of the product is up to you (or the company if you can stand sitting on hold for hours on end). When it comes to making decisions about your operating systems, you need to the experts, so get in contact with Gold Coast Netlogyx now!
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