5 avoidable technology oversights: prepare your business

Waiting for the perfect moment to kick off improvement projects for your business? Now is the time. Don't hesitate, take a look at these 5 common technology oversights you can avoid with a few simple improvements.

1. Overloading your network can lead to failures. Computer systems are like a coffee cup…you add your beverage of choice, drink it down, and repeat. It's a house for the caffeinated goodness you rely on. You wouldn’t continue filling your coffee cup if it was full, right? After all, you can't drink the coffee off the floor.

With computers, we fill them with information, cycle out the old data, and work some more. Filling servers and computers to the brim can cause your systems to slow dramatically, pro- grams may crash, or you may receive error mes- sages warning you about low memory or disk space. interrupting your workflow.

Make room before you overfill your cup.
Believe it or not, most people don't know how much memory they have on their computers or company servers. Unfortunately, this is a huge risk. When you run out of room on your computer, there is simply no where to store things and there's less memory for operations. This can cause your whole computing experience to come to a halt.

When was the last time you tested your servers to see what’s left? If you can't remember, it has been too long! Have a trained technician determine the current memory used on your ma- chines, the amount remaining, and the amount you need for your systems to continue operating effectively. Knowing what you’ve used, what you have left and what you need for the future will give you a clear picture to make informed decisions about your technology improvement projects.

2. Old equipment brings increased failure rates, compatibility challenges, and higher labor costs. Pushing the life expectancy of your server to the brink of its useful life is dangerous. You're walking a tightrope with no net!



Yes, it sure looks good on your depreciation schedule, but your chances of a complete server failure dramatically increase and compatibility struggles as well as standard maintenance costs will skyrocket your operating expenses. Ultimately, using a server beyond its useful life can cost you more in the end than replacing the entire unit with something larger and more reliable.

Don't underestimate the volatile nature of aging technology. Address errors, failures, and storage constraints before they become a burden your company can't handle.

3. Rushing into solutions that won't last. Sometimes making a plan seems tedious. It's just easier to implement something and see how it goes. Hours of analysis and meetings to make decisions for the future can be time consuming and seem needlessly painful.

Enlist the assistance of an experienced advisor to review your current operations and suggest reliable solutions for the future. Creating a plan for technology improvements before you dive into an overhaul will save you time and money. Put a system in place that offers the security, versatility, and scalability you need to grow your business without interruptions.

4. Underprepared for inevitable risks. If you are in business, you know there are always risks. Some risks can be mitigated with simple procedural solutions like an evacuation plan for workers to safely exit in case of an emergency. Unfortunately, technology doesn’t allow the same level of visibility. You cannot always see the hazards ahead.

Invest in quality critical business services that support and secure your operations.

Things like an automatic backup and recover solution, regular software and hardware updates, antivirus protection, a firewall, and ongoing network monitoring will help you head off disaster before it strikes. Take control of your essential operations so you can focus on more important tasks like serving your clients.

5. Ignorance is bliss. When you see a new high-ticket item, do you simply take a deep breath and pay the price you see first? NO! These days, we are a society of wise shoppers. The Internet is a great resource to find great deals on otherwise grossly overpriced items you may see in stores. And, you might even find
   something more suited to you needs.

Technology is no different. Shopping for items for your business shouldn’t be about the best sales pitch or the prettiest advertisements. If you have a need, ask. Reach out to your trusted advisor to discuss your business needs, technology goals, expectations, and general thoughts. Finding a solution that works doesn’t mean you have the best equipment for the long haul.

Business is business… and there will always be risks. Take charge! Avoid these five common oversights and save your company a bundle of money and a barrel of time so you can get back to what you do best, running your business.

Give us a call today for your FREE Network Audit! We will make sure you have adequate memory for your operations, up to date equipment to keep things running smoothly, give you a full review of your current technology as well as our recommendations for the future.

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April 2013 marks the 10th year of service for ITS in Las Vegas and surrounding areas. Celebrate with us!

The ITS crew… From our technicians in the field to our behind the scenes staff, Intelligent Technical Solutions is a fantastic place to work and thrive. Thank you Tom Andrulis for a decade of dedication creating a company with strong core values, exceptional service standards, enrichment opportunities, as well as an encouraging innovative work environment.

We measure our success from your success. Our clients are the focus of our every move. We strive to provide usable technology solutions that add value to your operations. We couldn’t have made it this far without support from our amazing clients. Thank you, we all appreciate your business.

Intelligent Technical Solutions. IT you can count on. Offering a host of business services to serve and grow your organization with live support when you need it most

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Stress Awareness

April is Stress Awareness Month. April 16th, the day after taxes are due, is National Stress Awareness Day.

This observance is sponsored by the Health Resource Network (HRN). Since 1992, they have worked to increase the public’s awareness of the causes and cures of stress.

National Stress Awareness Day is a great time to let go of those annoying stresses in your life that could be impacting everything you touch-your family, work and even your friends.

This national holiday is celebrated by analyzing our stressful lives and learning to deal with our stress points in a healthy manner.

Steps to celebrate… Don’t miss this opportunity to take a stress-free day. That’s right, you have a national observance as a great excuse to take a day off from work and spend the day in a stress-free way out of your usual elements!

If you can't get the day off work, just take a breather on the weekend and plan to do nothing. Yup! Plan to do NOTHING!

When was the last time you had a full day on your calendar with no appointments or reminders. Schedule it now! If you work at it, you can move everything off your agenda for a few days a month.

Planning for nothing can help you defuse. A day away from your regular grind can give you a new perspective and increase your motivation. Time reflecting on your inner feelings, goals, and personal achievements will help you build strength in your life. You will feel regenerated.

Some folks plan to do nothing on the field. If nothing isn’t your cup of tea, Plan a family outing, lessons you’ve always wanted to take, time for your hobbies, or a weekend vacation. Disconnecting can help you reconnect with your better half.

Happy National
Stress Awareness Day!

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Outsourcing: Don't overextend yourself, get help!

In present times, businesses are required to do something new and special in order to thrive in the midst of severe competition, both locally and globally. Check out these great tips to outsource tasks for yourself and your company.

Reducing the cost of doing business has become the topmost priority. Since the benefits of information technology have become ubiquitous today, outsourcing has assisted in developing new global business trend. Time consuming tasks like trip planning, bookkeeping, research, scheduling, and marketing calls can be delegated and completed while you focus on larger tasks.

Outsourcing offers businesses more traction. For instance, managers can easily get the things done in faster, better and cheaper through contractors living in another part of the world. It has helped to bridge the gap between the east and west. Countries like India, Bangladesh and Philippines have done a tremendous job to produce technically skilled manpower in order to put momentum in the businesses of the developed world.

Tips for outsourcing your work or personal tasks There are a variety of resources online to help you find the right freelancer or assistant. Look for a reputable organization that has a history of outstanding service, offers reviews on their website, and tests for their freelance workers to show their skills like ODesk.com. As for personal assistants, consider using a virtual assistant staffing firm that does background checks and monitors their agents before you offer up your personal information.

A little extra time goes a long way. Business owners are now concentrating solely on important things like strategic planning and attracting potential customers. They are confidently putting the responsibilities of doing the simple day-today activities into the capable hands of freelancers or personal assistants.

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Clean up your data before you merge a document

Sometimes data isn’t pretty. Does your customer management system dump all of your information out in an undesirable format? Half of mail merging is the data you use. Clean it up in Excel to find and correct discrepancies before you merge.

1. Find errors. Open your data file, click on a column header to highlight an entire column of information, then choose “Sort & Filter” in the “Editing”
   section of the “Home” tab, and click “Sort A to Z”. This will list your data in alphabetical order showing you entries with missing data or characters at the top or bottom of the list. Use the “Expand the Selection” option so each row of information is sorted as an entire record. Carefully review the data and make any necessary corrections.
2. Alphabetize and number records. If you would like to number your recipients, sort your list by company name or first name from A to Z and insert a new
   column labeled “Key”. Then click in the first cell, type the number 1, and double-click the small black box in the lower right hand corner of the cell. This will auto fill the column with the number you typed. Then click on the white “Auto Fill Options” box located in the lower left corner of the columns filled and click “Fill Series”. This will fill the column with the numbers you need in sequential order for your mailing.
3. Use the Mail Merge Wizard in Word to complete your work. Open or create a document to merge and click on the “Mailings” tab, click on "Start Mail Merge", and select the “Step-by-step Mail Merge Wizard”. The Wizard will prompt you to set your preferences from start to finish.

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Inquiring Minds...

An affordable convertible to show off at the office.
No, you won't have to invest $100,000 in this baby, but you will get all the bells and whistles. Lenovo now offers convertible laptops that incorporate the standard features of a laptop, a full keyboard and a healthy lineup of ports, along with touch screen tablet like technology.

A variety of styles to choose from. First off, we have the 11 and 13 inch Yoga versions that give you 360 degrees of performance. You literally flip the screen all the way over the top and you're all set. Then there is the IdeaTab Lynx which offers a detachable touch screen for you to simply grab and go or use with the keyboard dock and finally, the ThinkPad Twist in which the screen pivots on the base providing four fantastic positions for use (www.lennovo.com).

Each of these new marvels are packed with great storage, long battery life, Windows 8 compatibility, and lightweight portability. Are you ready for a new convertible?

You mean the world to us. that’s why we are running this Anniversary Trivia to give a little something back to those of you who are avid readers of our newsletter and ITS fans. Take a peak at the following trivia and give us a call with the right answer as soon as possible. The 10th person to call with the right answer will receive a FREE 1 hour massage from Massage Envy so you can relax and treat yourself for our 10th Anniversary.

ITS was born from?

A. A vision of excellent technology service
B. Hours of video games and contemplation
C. Scraping the bottom of the barrel for the
first handful of clients
D. Years of technical training and experience
E. All of the above and more!!!

Give us a call now with the right answer and we will mail you your prize! (702) 605-6231 ask for Ashley!

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Call us today! Were here to help!

Concerned about old equipment?

Frustrated by slow responses?

Worried about data backups?

Upset with constant problems?

Sick of getting nickel and dimed?

Irritated with getting voicemail?

Call us today! Were here to help!

3330 W. Desert Inn Road
Las Vegas, NV 89102
702-605-6231

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