CoreTech Blog

There is no question that businesses need to spend money to safeguard their network and data. But most business owners don’t even know where to start when it comes to budgeting for IT security. How much should you spend? What items should you include in the budget? How do you decide the division of funds between these items? Are you allocating too much or too little? All these questions are perfectly valid and, in this article, you will find the answers. 

Have you ever noticed the digital screens at stores or restaurants displaying deals, menus, or videos? These are called digital signs, and they’re incredibly useful for businesses of all sizes. Let’s dive into why they’re so great!

Keeping your small business’ technology up to date is a lot like maintaining a car—you need to make updates to keep it running smoothly and avoid costly breakdowns. The problem is, with IT, where do you start? This month, we thought we’d provide a step-by-step guide to planning tech upgrades for your business.

The threat landscape is littered with organizations that have failed to adjust their security strategy to the most prevalent and modern threats. If you want to ensure you have the best chance at keeping your network and data secure, you need to build a strategy that actively addresses the threats that are actively trying to undermine your business’ security efforts. In today’s blog, we’ll discuss how to adjust to modern threats competently. 

There aren’t many successful businesses left that haven’t embraced technology in some ways. Even businesses that took a while to integrate it, like restaurants, are more often than not going to have some type of online ordering or point-of-sale system. Let’s take a look at some of the ways technology helps businesses advance.

AI has become a major tool all throughout the modern economy. Businesses are using technology with built-in AI, and that’s because it improves operational efficiency. Let's take a look at some of the benefits small businesses can take advantage of with AI.

Dealing with downtime is a very expensive and frustrating problem for any business. When we say “downtime,” we’re referring to periods when critical systems, processes, or equipment are not functioning properly. This month, we examine the negative impacts of downtime and what you can do about it.

The concept of a four-day workweek has started to gain significant traction among businesses of all sizes. There's a subtle distinction between the traditional four-day workweek and the compressed workweek, however. Today, we will discuss the compressed workweek and what it means for employees.

There are plenty of risks that today’s businesses regularly deal with, particularly in terms of cybersecurity. This year, a panel of experts shared some human risk management insights at the Cybsafe Impact 2024 USA conference. Let’s review some of the topics they touched on.

To maintain a healthy and thriving business, it's essential to have a team that can effectively manage spending. For small businesses, this often means making strategic choices. Let’s focus on why a simple approach to technology might be the best strategy.

IT is an integral part of any business today. It doesn’t matter if you are in an industry that seems to have nothing to do with IT, like retail, healthcare, or catering. In our technology-driven world, every business needs an efficient IT infrastructure to thrive with the help of co-managed IT. 

Perhaps you have an in-house IT team, but do they have all the skills necessary to ensure your network stays in top condition? Will they be able to guarantee your data’s security amidst the rampant online threats? Can they handle specialized technology requirements? Your staff might be good but it’s unlikely they are adept in every single area of IT. This is why co-managed IT is a highly recommended choice.

Benefits of Co-Managed IT for Your Business

The list of co-managed IT benefits is quite long. Just to give you an idea of what you are missing out on, here are some of the most noteworthy.

Wider Range of Expertise

Partnering with an MSP for your IT needs gives you access to all kinds of skills and resources. These skills are things that your in-house staff might not have. When you switch to co-managed IT, you are not giving up your in-house team at all. You are simply getting external support to fill in the gaps and ensure that all technology issues are immediately fixed.

Reduced Expenses with Co-Managed IT

Adding co-managed IT services will cost your business extra. However, it won’t nearly be as much as that of fully managed services, and the payback is very much worth it. They can provide a range of cost-saving IT solutions, allowing you to allocate a bigger budget to other areas of your business.

Access to 24/7 Support

In-house staff normally work regular office hours. When something happens to your network or you need any kind of support outside these hours, you probably won’t even know until it’s too late. On the other hand, co-managed IT can include round-the-clock monitoring and support. With co-managed IT you and your staff can enjoy weekends and holidays without worrying about business matters. 

Enhanced Network Security 

The more layers of security your network has, the better protected it will be against cyber criminals. Your in-house team can provide the first line of defense against hackers. An MSP can take charge of deeper and more sophisticated security measures, which are sure to adhere to industry standards.

Final Thoughts on Co-Managed IT

With the right co-managed IT services provider, your IT team will have a skilled and reliable partner in managing your organization’s technology needs. Problems get resolved faster, security will be at its peak, and your business will be updated on IT advancements.

These are just a handful of the benefits that you can enjoy. Discover the many other ways that co-managed IT can help your business by checking out our Essential Guide to Co-Managed IT. We can hook you up with a co-managed IT partner that’s perfect for your needs. 

Businesses are constantly trying to find a way to best use their data. Whether it is creating a business intelligence strategy, integrating artificial intelligence, or for simple analytics, without having accurate, reliable data, the insights you derive can be misleading and end up costing you. That’s why it is important to know how to scrub or clean your data. Having access to clean data is essential for anyone involved in business intelligence or AI. Today, we will discuss the issue and give you a simple guide to help you get started.

It’s no secret that things are more expensive nowadays, making it important that businesses have access to the technology needed to generate revenue. Without this access, a business suffers downtime and all the challenges it brings… not something you want to do.

Let’s consider why downtime happens, the scale of its costs, and what can be done to avoid it.

We all want our businesses to succeed… that’s generally the point of running one. However, this will require you to set the right goals and do so correctly.

Let’s walk through the process you should follow to accomplish this.

Passwords have long been one of the central pillars of account security on the Internet. Combined with a username, they make up the foundation of most login systems. Because of this, they are a hot commodity for hackers who want to steal credentials and infiltrate accounts or networks. In recent years, however, other security measures have exposed the weakness of poor passwords for security, leading to the adoption of other measures.

Big data is now a crucial resource for businesses of all sizes, including small enterprises. Today, businesses have unprecedented access to vast amounts of data, enabling them to make more informed decisions and operate more efficiently. This month’s newsletter explores how small businesses harness big data's power.

Technology is a major part of today’s business. It’s fair to say anyone that works in business today is at least semi-proficient with the technology needed to complete their tasks. Unfortunately, for many people, however, the fact that their business requires complicated technology is problematic. This is because at any given moment there are people looking to undermine their job, seeking access to accounts that will allow them to siphon money and data from organizations. 

Cutting-edge IT solutions are a top priority among businesses in today’s digital world, and it’s no big surprise. Technology continuously evolves, sometimes at a frighteningly rapid pace. You must be equipped with the latest software and hardware to achieve that business success.

IT staff termination has notably increased in the last couple of years. According to Business News Daily, 37% of IT professionals were discharged, a continuing trend that began during the pandemic. This is not good for IT professionals or the companies that they work for. 

There has been a lot of talk about ways to get more productivity from your staff. One idea floated a few years ago was reducing the number of days people work to four. Now, if you think, “How does working one less day improve worker productivity?” you aren’t alone. This week, we will take a look at the benefits of a four-day workweek.