It’s not uncommon in today’s entertainment to come across a scene where one of the characters is able to gain access or retrieve sensitive information by hacking through security systems or computers. As they say, fiction mirrors reality—so what happens on TV is definitely based on what is happening in real life.

Whether people are aware of it or not, there is always someone watching and trying to steal personal information for their own gain.

In this current day and age of the internet, it shouldn’t take a serious data breach (like the much-publicized Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal) for people to take action when it comes to their data privacy, especially when there is an easy way to keep data and internet browsing sessions safe. It’s called a virtual private network (VPN).

What is a VPN?

A VPN, or virtual private network, allows users to access a secure private network and share data remotely, even while they’re connected to a public network. To visualize how a VPN works, imagine a secret tunnel that leads you to an end destination without running into any unwanted hitches. Usually the route takes more time, but it gets you to your destination safely.

A VPN cloaks and encrypts your internet activity so that your data is secure. Instead of accessing the internet directly, it goes through a VPN server, which manipulates your IP address so that it appears as if you’re using a different device or coming from a different location.

Although VPNs sound too good to be true, they have one caveat: they slow down your internet connection by 25-50%. However, there are several good reasons to use one.

The Many Reasons Why You Should Use a VPN

The primary reason to use a VPN is for data privacy.

America does not have data privacy laws as stringent as the European Union, which recently enacted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Sadly, few states recognize an individual’s right to privacy—save for California, which currently has an online privacy law in the works. Although US institutions must abide by certain regulations regarding personal data, they are severely outdated and not comprehensive.

Another reason to use a VPN is to access better web content. A GlobalWebIndex study found that half of VPN users downloaded a VPN to access better entertainment content. In fact, the number of VPN sales doubled, especially after news that net neutrality was repealed.

Net Neutrality is a set of rules that required internet service providers to treat all websites equally and prevent them from overcharging for better service or content. The repeal of net neutrality means that internet providers can opt for a pay-to-play strategy, which means that consumers might have to pay more for better service. This provides advantages for people and businesses that can pay while alienating those with less budget.

If you live or visit countries with restrictive internet connections such as China, VPNs allow you to bypass censorship restrictions and access the internet freely, while concealing your activity from the government. In fact, in countries like these, as much as 30% of the population use VPNs.

On a lesser scale, VPNs can also keep your connection safe, especially if you use public WiFi connections in places like coffee shops.

The good news? Americans are aware of how government and corporate entities manipulate how their personal information is collected and used.

According to a 2018 Pew Research study on internet privacy, 64% of Americans believe that the government should do something to address internet safety and privacy, with 61% saying that they would like to do more to protect their privacy. A simple way to do so is through the use of a VPN, but sadly, only 17% of Americans use a VPN, versus 25% of the rest of the world.

Final Thoughts: Why You Should be Using a VPN

With data breaches and the end of net neutrality, a VPN is an affordable way to keep your data and browsing safe. If you’re looking for additional guidance with protecting data privacy in your organization, contact the experts at Harrington Technologies.

When you think of computer support services, you probably envision a geeky looking guy showing up at your business doorstep to fix a problem when you call.

This approach – waiting until a problem arises to reach out for help – might seem like the least expensive option but in the long run, it could cost you thousands of dollars more in money. It could also cost you hours more in downtime. And it might even cost you your business if you’re not careful.

I don’t say this to scare you but rather to shed light on a common misconception. Computer support services don’t have to be (and shouldn’t be) something you employ as soon as a problem arises. Here’s what you should look for when finding a company to help you repair any computer issues now and keep them running smoothly in the long run.

On-Site and Off Site Support

On-site computer support is what’s traditionally thought of when business owners think about what this service looks like. Although many problems can be remedied by having someone come out to repair the damage when it happens, especially hardware issues, such as with printers or copiers, on-site support is only one facet of a strong IT plan.

Having trouble with a website? Struggling to get access to your company’s VPN? There are many IT problems that arise throughout the day that do not require an in-person visit. For those, having a trusted computer support service on hand to call for remote support is ideal.

Depending on the circumstance, the company you have on speed dial to help with your IT concerns can login remotely and resolve an issue faster for you than driving to your Tucson office.

Proactive Monitoring and Maintenance

Support for IT concerns as they arise is only one part of the type of IT support your business needs. The goal of employing any IT company is to stop issues before they arise. This requires behind-the-scenes ongoing maintenance of your current systems.

Ongoing maintenance takes shape in a variety of ways. Much of it is done remotely, logging into your current configurations to ensure everything’s running smoothly. This includes:

• Making regular updates to the backend of your system;
• Monitoring to ensure your computer security software is running and effectively stopping threats;
• Ensuring the data backup services your business relies on are working properly;
• And more.

This proactive stance helps stop serious problems before the arise. If anything happens to your business after hours, such as a ransomware attack or a server shutdown, you’ll be notified and know that someone is working to restore your business as quickly as possible, so you minimize downtime.

This is the gold in computer support services. It’s also the piece that saves you the most amount of money because it stops problems before they arise.

Having proactive monitoring and maintenance also stops you or your employees from trying to repairing a small computer problem with a temporary fix. This approach often causes further damage in the long run, so it is less than ideal.

Ongoing Cost Analysis

In addition to saving you money on larger technology issues, some computer support services also do an ongoing cost analysis. This analysis lets you sleep better at night knowing you’re not overspending on programs or software that are not needed for your business.

Are You Getting Enough Out of Your Business Computer Support Services?

If not, it might be time to make a switch. Without proactive monitoring and maintenance, you’ll continue to pour money toward fixing problems. Stopping issues before they arise is far less expensive in the long run. And with a regular cost analysis performed for your business, you can be sure you’re getting the best protection for the lowest price.

Want to learn more about what this costs and looks like for your business? We’d love to give you a quote. Reach out and we’ll go through all of your business’s unique needs to find the best option to save you money over the long run.

This is a common call we get at Harrington Technologies – “Help! I got into work today and my computers aren’t working. I’ve been limping them along but it looks like they finally bit the dust. When can you come in?”

I’ll be honest. We have a love/hate relationship with these calls. We love them because we’re here to help and these types of calls let us work our magic to get fellow business owners back up and running (read: back to productivity and money-making status). But we hate them because we could’ve helped earlier. And the earlier help typically translates into money saved and fewer hours of downtime.

Yes, small business tech support services are about solving problems, but there’s so much more to them that you need to know about if you want to keep your costs low and keep your business operating at maximum efficiency.

Here’s what that looks like with our managed IT services:

Cyber Security Software Reduces the Risk of Attacks

With the migration of your business from the offline world to the online world, you’ve become more productive. You’ve also become a little more vulnerable in new ways. Instead of worrying about data loss due to fire and burglary, you’re kept awake at night worried about ransomware attacking your business or a virus destroying your computer system.

By utilizing small business tech services before a problem arises, you can minimize your risk of these types of attacks. And as a small business, that’s more important than ever before. Small and medium businesses are the biggest targets because they’re notoriously the ones that have the biggest holes in their security.

We help you become the business hackers and attackers hate.

Behind-The-Scenes Updates to Keep You Running Smoothly

Are you one of the businesses that we talk to regularly that try to put bandages on problems in an effort to limp along a system until it completely crashes? You don’t (and shouldn’t) have to take that risk. Doing so is more expensive for you in the long run – dramatically more expensive, in fact.

Although you might not see us in your storefront on a regular basis, you will feel the effects of having our backend support because we work behind-the-scenes to keep your systems updated and running as efficiently as possible. This, in turn, keeps you and your business running as productively as possible with minimal downtime. Pretty good, right?

Ongoing Cost Saving Analysis

Let’s face it. Technology is a must-have in today’s business environment but that doesn’t mean it comes without a cost. Sometimes these costs are high but most of the time, the expenses your business incurs are competitive. That’s because developers continue to create new solutions that rival old solutions – and the bulk of the time, those new solutions can save you money.

I hear you. You don’t have time to spend researching every new solution that hits the market. That’s where we come in. We perform ongoing cost saving analysis to ensure you’re running as cost efficiently with the best technology as possible.

And Of Course, Tech Support Services

No matter how much prevention you do, problems are bound to arise. When they do, you don’t want to feel like you’re scrambling to find someone you can trust with something as critical as your business intelligence.

By using a tech support service for your small business before a problem arises, you’ll already have someone in your back pocket that you trust and who knows your business. That, in turn, will make it faster for you to call for help and get the help you need.

These services are here to help you run a better business. We want to help but we prefer to help when we can save you the most money and keep you operating productively the longest.

Call us at (520) 398-7935, or contact us anytime to learn more about what that looks like specifically for your business. We’re glad to have a no-pressure chat with you about it all.

Every business utilizes technology in some form or fashion. Whether software or hardware, technology is everywhere and it makes our lives more efficient and effective. But sometimes, small/medium business owners (SMBs) find themselves wearing so many hats just to manage their operations, that their tech needs fall by the wayside.

Experts estimate that there are major technology advances every 28 days. At this speed, only dedicated IT professionals can keep abreast of the changes. But hiring a full-time, in-house IT professional could require a significant (and often times unnecessary) investment.

A wiser, more cost-efficient solution most SMBs pursue is outsourcing their IT needs to companies that specialize in tech. This frees up their budgets to focus on operations and marketing. This is called managed IT services.

Here’s how SMBs benefit from managed IT services.

How Managed IT Services work

According to CompTIA’s 5th Annual Trends in Managed Services report, the global managed services market is expected to grow to up to $193B by 2019.

Managed IT service providers use remote monitoring and management systems to keep track of the systems that power your business. They also provide suggestions on the software and hardware that will most benefit their clients.

Regular maintenance, data backups, and periodic software checks for viruses and malware are also handled by IT service providers. Many provide access to a support desk as needs arise, serving as an extension of your in-house team. Compensation structures vary with many utilizing a fixed fee interval.

Proactive vs. Reactive Approach

The peace of mind that comes from using an IT service provider cannot be quantified. Clients do not have to worry about their day-to-day IT operations. Many potential problems are prevented (a proactive approach), instead of dealt with when they arise unexpectedly (reactive).

Unfortunately many SMB use a reactive approach. This can cause significant downtime in operations, or damage important internal systems and data. Having an IT service provider who is familiar with your business also adds to increased incident resolution time (versus someone coming in who is unfamiliar with the system)

Increase Productivity

Utilizing a provider specialized in IT increases your team’s productivity. Now your employees can focus on doing what they do best, whether that is finance, marketing, or operations. You risk less downtime and expenditures (that would be used for in-house IT staff) when time can be allocated to other parts of your business to drive revenue.

Quick Response Times

As the old adage says, “time is money.” SMBs benefit from managed IT services because their support team is working remotely, and your customers get support no matter where, when or what time the needs arise. Support services can be reached 24/7, 365 days a year.

Save Money in the Long Run

In the long run, calling in a technician every time your system breaks down could cost your business more over time (not including the loss of operation time).

For budgeting purposes, SMBs benefit from managed IT services, because you will have a handle on what your IT costs will be month to month. Together, you and your managed IT services provider will arrange a flat fee to include coverage during normal business hours, and after hours.

For SMBs, Managed IT services are a cost-effective solution for the long run. By outsourcing your IT needs, your employees can stay focused on doing what your business does best.

Prevent problems before they arise, and start a relationship with a professional who keeps attuned to the latest tech developments to keep your systems running well. Using a Managed IT Services provider who focuses on SMBs, like Harrington Technologies, provides critical day-to-day support and maintenance of your network.