Grateful for 2012, and ‘ready’ for 2013!

Posted on December 31, 2012 by ReadyIT

Reflecting back on the tremendous year we have had, it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t get a little mushy and stop to address the most important part of our success: our customers.

In all seriousness, thanks to you it has been a very good year for us. We are very grateful and humbled by the trust and partnership you have shown, and the great working relationships we’ve continued to build. While we have grown our family of clients over the year, we are also quite satisfied to say we’ve been able to help many of you, whether new or existing clients, grow your own businesses, achieve your goals, and solve your problems.

A big part of the reflection process is taking a moment to slow down and enjoy what you have built around you. Admittedly, as business owners, we don’t do that enough.  If the recent tragic events aren’t enough of a reminder of how important it is to spend that quality time with your loved ones, then what is? Surely, our work is important but never more important than the people we care about. So, stop and take a breath every once in a while, and not just once a year. You might find that the more often you reflect, the clearer your perspective becomes, and this can benefit every part of your life – business or personal.

Looking ahead to 2013 we can promise things are only going to get better – we are getting “ready” for big changes on the way, and although we can’t reveal too much we can say with certainty that the end game will continue to be top-notch quality service and advice our customers can count on. Stay tuned!!

All of us here at readyIT sincerely wish you and yours a very happy, very prosperous New Year. We are truly excited at what 2013 has in store, and look forward to continuing to serve you.

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A whim is not always a win

Posted on December 31, 2012 by ReadyIT

The end of the year is a special time where many people, namely bloggers and reporters, make it their job to analyze others’ successes and failures. After reading through several of these compilations, a common pattern/question becomes apparent: you have to ask yourself how many of these ideas were a whim.  Let’s take some of the Top 10 Tech Fails of 2012, for example:

  • Apple Maps on the iPhone 5 – a disaster worthy of SNL parody which was promptly replaced with its predecessor, Google Maps
  • Google Nexus Q – a strange product that was announced and never made it to store shelves
  • Nokia Lumia 900 – a phone that was supposed to beat the iPhone and now costs a penny with a 2-year AT&T contract
  • Instagram – announcing that photos posted online could be sold, then – just kidding! – back-peddling with the backlash

When it comes to business, bad results are almost always due to a lack of thinking through decisions and a certain level of “going with your gut” rather than doing the due diligence of research and testing.  Even in large companies such as those above, one person’s decision to forego testing or replace data with an assumption, no matter how small, can make all the difference. Now, granted, there are few examples out there of products or services that have succeeded purely by accident. However, the odds that a whim alone turns out to be a win are largely unfavorable.

Unfortunately we’ve seen too many cases where a small business has not survived because a whim is not enough.  The Small Business Administration agrees, and says that 50% of small businesses won’t survive past 5 years mainly due to reasons such as lack of experience, poor location, or poor time and money management.

There’s nothing wrong with being whimsical in business. Just don’t let it rule your decision-making process.  When you’re good at what you do, you have great instincts and going on a whim is probably leading you to a good place. But don’t go on that whim alone. Develop a hybrid approach where your whims and instincts are backed by research and data. Rely on the advice of professionals in the related field (any technology whims lately?) to confirm your thinking. Sleep on it, at least! A great idea today will still be a great idea tomorrow, and the day after that.

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When you love what you do, you DO work harder than anyone else.

Posted on December 21, 2012 by ReadyIT

You know that saying “when you love what you do, you don’t work a day in your life?” Well, we respectfully disagree. Whether you agree or disagree with that statement, however, depends on how you define work and whether you view it as a positive or negative. We believe work is a positive, when you’re doing the right kind of work with the right people.

In the increasingly technology-dependent world we live in today, IT guys are no longer known as the nerds in the corner with pocket protectors. They are cool. They hook you up with your favorite technology vice. They make it possible for you to stare into that phone for way too long each day. We’re not saying that we’re cool because of that, but in this day and age the trend toward the “cool nerd” has produced many more wanna-be IT guys that ((think they)) know what they’re doing just because they love technology. You can love technology, but it doesn’t mean you’re an expert. You can love technology, but it doesn’t mean it should necessarily be your career to try and fix other people’s technology problems as a result. It takes a certain type to be successful in this field, and criteria beyond just being a techie.

So what is the point of this rant? Know the difference. For us, technology is more than a hobby. It’s our career. It’s what pays our bills. But technology alone didn’t get us here. It’s our focus on our customer’s needs, and more specifically, our customer’s business and growth aspirations and our ability to partner with them to get them there. If your “IT guy” is not much more that a hobbyist who seems to know a lot, then you might want to think twice about who holds your entire business life in their hands. Just sayin’.

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Evolution of a small business: learning among the identity crisis

Posted on October 29, 2012 by ReadyIT

As we celebrate 12 years in business this month, we thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane.  Yes we’ll admit it, in the 12 years of growing pains we have had moments of confusion as you’ll see through the numerous logos. In between those, though, we have also had great moments of learning and clarity. It’s always fun to keep mementos of those times of confusion, just for laughs and as a reminder of what we’ve taken away from this great journey so far :)
2000
We were born with the name Computer Technology of South Florida, Inc. We didn’t have a logo, but wait for it…
2001
Network Solutions Group of Florida (mouthful?) became our name, and our very first logo. Our customers began to affectionately refer to us as “NSGF”.
2003
Apparently, we had no problem with our first logo, just buyer’s remorse with the Network Solutions Group name. So what do we do? Just drop it in. Why? Not sure, but I guess we felt the need to highlight we were “tech”. LOL.
2004
Wait a minute…that name sounds familiar! This is looking like an on-and-off relationship. Maybe we decided to listen to our customers, who got used to calling us NSGF. And of course, people needed to understand that the words “network solutions” meant technology, so we had to throw a tagline in there to clarify it.
2005 & 2008
So while we had a company and brand, we kept thinking of new ideas for products and technologies. These two logos represent two of them. Hey, despite our company logo at the time, we were (and still are) out-of-the-box thinkers! While the ideas were good, they weren’t quite good enough to materialize into anything tangible. However, their memories survive…R.I.P.
2009 to present
After several bumps and bruises, we finally learned our lesson: we need marketing help! So we found it and after many hours of brainstorming and meetings at Starbucks, voila! ReadyIT was born.
There are lots of reasons this logo and brand are special to us. We live and breathe what it stands for every day. And it truly represents (what we think) is a good brand. Does that mean it will never change? No, not necessarily. Like everything else, it needs to evolve! That’s what being a successful business is all about. HAPPY BIRTHDAY readyIT!
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What do you do when your website is attacked?

Posted on October 5, 2012 by ReadyIT

Last month, website hosting service provider GoDaddy.com was down for several hours. Unfortunately, by association, millions of small businesses who have their website and email services hosted through GoDaddy were down too. Many reports state the cause of this outage was a “DDoS” (“Distributed Denial of Service”) attack, otherwise known as a hack. In fact, an individual from the cyber “hacktivist” group Anonymous claimed responsibility.  However, officials at GoDaddy will tell you a different story: that the outage was the result of an “internal error”.  Either way, any outage at all for such a large hosting provider paints a scary picture for those, again, MILLIONS of small business owners who depend on them for reliable website and email service. By targeting GoDaddy, hackers are now indirectly targeting small business too. In fact, there is a recent example of a small business being targeted directly by hackers. So what can small business owners do to protect themselves? Perhaps being informed on this topic is the best weapon to ensure there is a plan in place if it happens to you. Because it CAN happen to you.
 
Why do hackers attack?
Many of us outside of the techie world may not understand why hackers would want to wreak such havoc. But then again, many crimes are incomprehensible. As far as hackers go, there are a range of motives for attacking any given website. Money is an obvious one, but sometimes the reasons are more about disagreements in politics and policy. Other times, it is plain ego and the need to build a “reputation” that drives an attack. As we saw from the GoDaddy incident, just because you’re a small business doesn’t mean you are not susceptible to being targeted or affected.  If you find yourself attacked and facing a demand for ransom, we strongly recommend NOT responding. By giving in to hacker demands, you’re giving them free reign and control to be able to attack again.
 
How do you fight back?
There are several ways to fight a hacker attack, but the best way is proactively. By having a conversation with us here at readyIT about your needs and concerns ahead of time we can ensure the right levels of protection are in place for your system security. Granted, all of that preparation may not stump an ambitious hacker, but it is better to be caught prepared than by surprise.  That brings us to our next very important point: plan, plan, plan. Not only should you have the right level of protection, but you should also create a contingency plan in the event that protection fails. Ensuring your data is safe and protected and that there is some level of replication possible will be critical to enabling you to resume business more quickly and avoid losses. If the idea of all of this preparation and planning sounds overwhelming to you, do not fear – that is what we do. Call us.
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Customer Spotlight: Zuni Transportation

Posted on September 4, 2012 by ReadyIT

Technology and top-notch support help to “drive” this business and its clients

When Jorge Azor co-founded his company, Zuni Transportation, over 20 years ago there was no internet – let alone phone service – available in his area. “Phone companies would not provide service to us since we were in a rural area, and we actually had to use a dish to connect to the internet”, said Azor. That was a long time ago, and since then this entrepreneur has grown his business from 2 employees to over 100 with $10 million in annual revenues.

Zuni Transportation is one of the largest transportation firms in South Florida, providing paratransit, fixed route, and tourism and travel transportation for local citizens and visitors in Miami-Dade County. The company specializes in non-emergency patient transportation working with the county, HMOs and clinics. It has also been recognized multiple times by the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged for its service and safety record.

Ask Azor how he was able to achieve all this success and he will tell you that a service-oriented mentality along with good, reliable technology advice and support played a significant role. “In our business there is plenty of competition, but I think we are different because our motto is ‘service comes first’”, said Azor. “Like us, readyIT is always ‘ready’ to assist when they are needed. When something happens or a mistake is made they are there to fix it”.

Azor recalls calling his previous IT guy after his systems had gone down and praying someone would show up the next day. “Even then, at times, no one would show up”, he said. “In this business, people are elderly and disabled, and we are out on the street constantly. We depend on technology to keep going and know who we have to pick up next. ReadyIT, like Zuni Transportation, come when they say they’re coming, and are always dependable.”

Besides providing excellent support, readyIT was there to help Zuni Transportation modernize their technology and communications.  Not giving up on the quest for better phone and internet service despite Zuni’s rural location, the guys at readyIT finally found a suitable provider and managed the entire project.  “They coordinated everything from all vendors to people making holes in the ground”, said Azor. “They kept everyone away from the blame game and knew how to get everything resolved.”

Software now automatically manages routes and schedules that were previously kept on paper. The guys at readyIT also set up the computer network to allow employees to be more productive by working from home. “ReadyIT has gone a long way to help us do things properly and has helped every step of the way”, said Azor.

While there are still technology challenges for Zuni Transportation, all problems can usually be fixed quickly and remotely, and the guys are constantly advising on new software and equipment that will improve operations. Many of these services are included in Zuni’s readyCARE subscription at no additional cost.

So what does Azor like to do outside of work? “I enjoy playing golf,” he said. Azor is currently President of the Lago Mar Country Club and has even partnered with readyIT outside of his business by bringing the guys in to provide IT assistance to the Lago Mar organization and modernize its operations.

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Beware: The difference between us and system (dis)integrators…

Posted on August 30, 2012 by ReadyIT

 From Wikipedia:

“A systems integrator is a person or company that specializes in bringing together component subsystems into a whole and ensuring that those subsystems function together, a practice known as system integration. Systems integrators may work in many fields but the term is generally used in the information technology (IT) field, the defense industry, or in media.”

This definition may sound similar to what readyIT does for our clients, and it certainly is only a part of what we do. Many times we find ourselves working alongside or competing with system integrators, as they tend to specialize in certain technologies and vertical markets. However, there is a big difference between that group and us. Over the years we’ve learned what system integrators do and how they work, and, well let’s just say our philosophies vary greatly. Ironically, and unfortunately, we’ve witnessed incidents where the integrator has actually become the disintegrator, leaving a mess for someone else to deal with. But – gladly, we might add – that’s where readyIT comes in to help. 

Don’t get us wrong, system integrators are valuable and necessary. We just want to differentiate what their typical focus is compared to ours. Primarily, integrators only care about selling and installing a particular technology or solution. Once it’s installed, they’re out. There is never really a conversation about existing systems, how they might interact and “integrate” (pun intended) with the new solution, or even change management. One notable example we’ve seen of this is a manufacturing client of ours who purchased a software program for the actual machine that makes their product.  The software was designed to capture and diagnose errors during production.  This means that a lot more data was going to be generated in addition to what is produced during the normal course of the machine operation, and backup of data became an immediate concern. However, the concern did not come to light until we at readyIT thought to ask the question. How can the integrator know to ask this question if they are not remotely as familiar with the client and their other IT systems/needs?

Next time you are considering working with an integrator, remember to assess where you think they will add value and involve other vendors who have a stake in or would benefit from knowing what’s going on. Any project you would engage an integrator for is never without some impact to other systems that may be managed by other vendors. We have found that when our clients involve us it’s always a better result at the end. We’re not afraid of working with other vendors, and it’s better for the client. Smooth implementations, no (dis)integrations.

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Are You Ready for Isaac?

Posted on August 24, 2012 by ReadyIT

We have been seeing an increase in request asking us questions on how to prepare your office space and computers for the arrival of Isaac.

Current forecast show it will be providing lots of rain for our area. Currently your biggest concern should be flooding, as long as Isaac’s course doesn’t change dramatically.

Here’s a link to a site that provides you with lots of info and nice maps: http://spaghettimodels.com/.

If your office is an area that is prone to flooding you should consider moving your desktop computer and/or laptops up off the ground. We typically don’t recommend covering them in plastic, unless you can seal the plastic bag, otherwise water will always find a way to seep in.

Another important step to take is unplugging all computers from the electrical outlets, electricity and water don’t mix well. If your computer gets wet, it is very possible that once it is dried it will continue to operate, however if it is wet and there is a short circuit all hats are off.

Keep in mind that all you can really minimize is water damage from flooding or a small roof leak. If your office suffers from a larger disaster your computers along with other items in your office will be at risk, but there is little you can do to mitigate this.

If you have any questions regarding your electronic data and or backups do not hesitate to contact us.

Stay Safe and dry this weekend.

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Back to school for the kids, back to basics for your small biz: 5 questions to ask

Posted on July 27, 2012 by ReadyIT

As we approach the tail end of summer, many small business owners who are also parents are probably looking forward to getting the kiddies back into the school routine. With a little more structure back in your life and fewer distractions it’ll be a great time – even if you’re not a parent – to refocus your efforts on your business and go “back to basics”.

In this post, we focus on 5 key areas of your business to pulse-check. Not all of this is directly about technology (although nowadays so much is) because this is coming from our experience and lessons learned as business owners who happen to be IT guys. Many might seem like no-brainers but they may also be gaping holes sitting right under your nose. So here goes…

1.     Do I have enough (or the right) hardware and software?

Oddly enough, many business owners think that all they need is one computer per employee and Microsoft Office to run a business. First off, you may want to take a look at whether each of your employees has a desktop and/or a laptop. The default choice is usually a desktop, but with the growing work-from-home phenomenon and technology enabling remote working more and more seamlessly, a laptop might make it more convenient to squeeze as much productivity as you can while your worker bees appreciate the flexibility.

As far as software goes, depending on your line of business there are a limitless number of applications specially designed (or customizable) for virtually any industry that you may not realize how many options there are out there to make your  day-to-day easier. Finally, what about your network, servers, printers, even mobile devices? We could go on and on here. Suffice it to say that if you look around your office at all of your equipment we’ll bet you’ll see at least one or two areas of opportunity for improvement that could bring higher productivity, time savings, and not cost as much as you think.

2.     If a hurricane or other disaster strikes, what will happen to my data?

Hopefully you know the answer to that question – and hopefully your answer to that question is nothing, because you have a backup and storage plan. Your data and servers are being replicated off-site, in the “cloud”, a.k.a. some other remote location that is not your office. If this is not the case, then we need to talk. That would be the equivalent of playing with fire, literally.

3.     How does my website look?

With the exception of some legally questionable types of businesses, there is no excuse to not have a website for yours. It’s today’s digital business card. If you don’t have a website yet, you are missing a huge opportunity to tell your story: who you are, what you do, why you do it. You’re also probably well behind your competition. Even if you think all you need is a “basic” website for your small business, it will take some deep thought on your brand and what value you provide to your customers to truly make it stand out. If you have a website already, here’s a good test: ask someone who is not familiar with your business to visit your site and see if they can tell you the following: a) what product/service you provide, b) why they should do business with you, and c) what they need to do to reach you/learn more. You may be surprised at the result.

4.     What comes up when I Google my business’ name?

This is one of those questions that seems like it has an obvious answer, right? Well, not so much. If you don’t have a website, you’ll want to make sure your business is at least listed and registered with Google, Yahoo and other local listing sites like www.yellowpages.com. When is the last time you remember dialing “411” to get a phone number? Ignoring the internet and search engines in this day and age is foolish, even if you’re a mom-and-pop corner store. Sites like Groupon, Foursquare and Living Social have made sure of that and succeeded by putting the spotlight on local businesses.

Now that we’ve covered what comes up on Google that you can control, let’s cover what you can’t. Not only are people taking to the internet to find local/small businesses, they are going back to talk about those businesses, for better or worse. Make sure you are aware of any comments or mentions, positive or negative, about your company on a regular basis. An article published earlier this week in the online publication Business Insider gives some helpful tips on how to manage your brand reputation online.

5.     How am I marketing my business?

It may seem like we know a lot about marketing for IT guys. Well that’s because it has taken us some time to learn this lesson the hard way. We’ve tried to take the seemingly easier path and hired expensive firms that did not produce results, and we’ve also tried the cheapest option at other times. At the end of the day, no matter how big or small your budget is, you need to know your business well enough to carve out a clear, compelling brand message.  If your company was a person what would its personality look like? What value or benefits do you provide to your customer? Notice that we are not talking about the actual product or service, but value – the actual benefit your customer gets from what you do or provide (we recently posted how we feel about being valued vs. appreciated). Finally, who is your ideal customer and how should you reach them? You may decide (like we did) as a strategy that you don’t want to please everyone and only cater to a certain type of customer.

Knowing all this well is the first step. The second step is deciding whether you know marketing well enough to develop and execute a strategy around it. Chances are you’ll figure out (like we did) that you don’t and you’ll never have time to do it yourself. You need good help in the form of an experienced professional. Luckily we found a good one and we are happy to refer her to our clients.

Moral of the story for this post: don’t underestimate the difference made by thinking about all of these things frequently enough. Even if you think you have all the answers, it doesn’t hurt to revisit them every so often because like the old saying goes, the only constant is change. Business owners who don’t realize and embrace that will only go so far.

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Knowing when to pick up the phone in today’s text-happy world

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ReadyIT

Sometimes, you might notice subtle habits that grow to be more regular habits, even annoyances, but you or others never take the time to address them. Well, we’re taking the time to address a growing elephant in the room – and only because this is not an insignificant habit. It’s one that affects clear communication and can ultimately cause issues in the business world. If you’re a business owner you can probably appreciate the immense value of good communication with your employees, customers, partners – whomever you deal with on a daily basis. It can make or break a deal, or cause a smoothly running project to go south. You get our point…we can go on and on all day. That’s why communication is at the core of our values at readyIT.

Aside from the long introduction the title of this post might give you an idea of what we’re talking about here. Texting. It’s a great communication tool we have all become accustomed to using in our daily lives. We started observing our children or teenage family members begin to use it, and before you knew it we were texting back and forth with our grandma. No doubt it has greatly affected (in a positive way) how we communicate with our family and friends, in a personal setting. But how about texting’s influence in a business setting?

Certainly emailing, not texting, is the primary communication medium used in business today, but we’d argue that the texting habit has bled into business emails. You know – those short, one-sentence emails that might come from a customer, or might go to an employee from their manager. Those guilty of sending these short emails tend to assume that the receiver knows exactly what the sender is talking about. We all know what happens when you ASSUME something right? Well…there’s a back and forth until the email thread grows endlessly. Or perhaps the sender, hastily sending that first one-sentence email, decides to tack on another one-sentence email to that thread to supplement the thought, without giving the receiver a chance to respond to the first one. It’s a messy tango of texty emails that are truly not necessary, and can spur confusion from either side. And by the way, we are ALL guilty of doing this at one time or another.

So, when is it time to reunite your ear with its long-lost buddy, the phone and call the receiver of your message instead? The answer is right before you send that first one-sentence email. Not only will you save confusion and frustration, but guess what? You’ll save time too. And as we all know too well, especially if you’re a business owner, time = money.

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