Zinc Blog

Nobody likes getting big, unexpected bills from tech companies—neither the business owners who have to pay them nor the employees who might feel responsible for causing them. Small businesses face a tough choice: spend money to keep employees productive or save money and deal with slowdowns.

Small businesses often face a range of technology-related challenges that can disrupt the efficiency of their business. Being able to understand the common issues—such as network connectivity problems, outdated technology, or cybersecurity—is the first step toward keeping business running smoothly. By identifying these recurring problems, businesses can anticipate potential disruptions and prepare strategies to reduce their risk.

You would be hard-pressed to find anything more important to a company’s success than information technology. Today, we want to cover five of the most important tools modern businesses can use to improve operations and engage in commonly known and standardized best practices.

The definition of sustainability, according to the United Nations, is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Originally coined in 1987, this definition has fueled businesses' efforts to work toward their own versions of sustainability, as per their service models. Let’s look at some ways you can make your own operations more sustainable.

With the threat landscape littered with companies that don’t take their IT security seriously, it's hardly surprising that many are embracing what's known as a zero-trust policy to fortify their security measures. What exactly does zero-trust entail, and why does it prove so formidable in thwarting potential risks for your enterprise? Let's delve into this topic in today's blog post.

Oftentimes, a technology issue has less to do with the technology itself and more with the one using it. User error is simply one of the biggest reasons why technology support is asked for, and it’s such a common occurrence that it leads to many users becoming the butt of jokes among IT workers. People who provide IT support must practice empathy and understanding rather than foster this antagonistic mindset amongst teams.

Chances are, some of your employees operate outside the traditional office setting, whether it's occasional remote work or a permanent setup. Consequently, your business needs to furnish your team with the necessary tools and resources to ensure their success. It's a good practice to carefully evaluate the technology you provide, particularly for those who work remotely part-time, and to strategize how your team will access these resources.

Managed IT services are a great way for your business to save money, but what specifically do these types of services do to have such a profound impact on your budget? The impact stems from three primary causes: a reliable level of service, a proactive stance on maintenance and management, and access to professional technicians with decades of expertise.

The decision to outsource your company’s IT decisions to a managed service provider is significant, and the importance is not lost on us. After all, you're essentially handing over the keys to your company's assets and resources, and it's crucial to ensure you make the right choice for the future of your business. Fortunately, gauging the suitability of a managed service provider can be made much easier by asking three key questions.

If you read our blog regularly, you probably saw the post we shared the other day talking about the various cybersecurity issues that your business could very well be damaged by without the right precautions. We wanted to build on that conversation, so what follows are the measures to help you take these precautions.

Businesses make money by providing services to their customers that bring them value. This business model is at the core of managed IT services, where the offerings are widely considered to pay for themselves, so to speak. Individually, the services might not seem like they would impact your bottom line that much, but when combined, they are a force to be reckoned with.

The COVID pandemic forced businesses all over the world to adopt remote work practices, whether they were ready for them or not, and it wound up establishing full-fledged remote and hybrid positions which may never have existed otherwise. However, with these new developments come new threats, and you need to be ready to handle them as they crop up.

Wasting money is a major problem regardless of the kind of business you run. Technology can do a lot to stretch your dollars, but it can also be the cause of waste. This week, we thought we’d identify three ways that your business could be wasting significant money on your IT. 

If your business is not all that productive, then it is not all that profitable, either. Some companies prefer to see results-driven productivity and revenue generation, but there are other ways to improve productivity as well, like refining processes. Let’s examine how you can make adjustments to your processes to focus on improving productivity through the use of technology.

Innovation is something that stems from creative thought, and it’s something that is generally not associated with your average business’ IT department. IT tends to be practical and logical, not necessarily creative. All that said, there is immense value in going against the grain and solving problems in a creative way. Today, we want to focus on how you can encourage your IT department to think creatively about their responsibilities so they can innovate and do amazing things for your business.

When you consider technology management for your business, what comes to mind? Do you replace technology as it breaks, or do you take steps to prevent it from breaking in the first place? The traditional model of break-fix IT could be costing your organization an arm and a leg. We want you to know that there are better solutions out there than break-fix IT.

You might have encountered the term MSP while navigating our website, but what does it mean to be a managed service provider? Today we want to get into the nitty-gritty of what we do for our clients and how you can benefit from our services. It’s our goal to show just why managed services have completely changed the landscape of business as we know it today.

Sometimes a business model or way of managing something complex comes along that changes the game for countless businesses, industries, and organizations. One such model is managed IT services, and it can effectively replace the way you used to manage your technology with a better, more efficient method. It can impact your budget, increase your bottom line, and save you countless hours throughout the workday.

Look, we get it; technology management is not easy, especially for small business owners who already wear a lot of hats. The last thing you want to do is add even more to your plate when you already have so much going on. That’s why we offer managed IT services to SMBs in the area. But what if we told you that managed IT services aren’t just for small businesses, but for all types of companies and organizations? Let’s discuss why this is the case.

Log4j is a major vulnerability that has a widespread impact across a wide range of technology. We can’t stress how serious this is, and your business needs to take action right away.