Advanced Computers Blog

Helpdesks include tools that provide context and insight into customer interactions. They also have tools that allow you to evaluate your support team's performance, ensuring that they are indeed efficient in supporting and satisfying clients. A helpdesk is the greatest place to start if you want to improve your customer service experience. As mentioned above, implementing a helpdesk can help in a variety of ways; nevertheless, let's take a closer look at each of these advantages individually.

BRING ALL OF YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE CHANNELS TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE.

If you provide support via several channels such as email, phone, live chat, messaging channels, or social media, a help desk will allow you to consolidate all of your support into one location. Nothing irritates a client more than starting in one location (such as chat or phone) and being shifted from one channel to the next, repeating themselves in order to get an answer. By keeping context when a customer moves channels, a helpdesk app allows you to provide a smooth multichannel service to your customers.

PROVIDE FASTER SUPPORT TO CUSTOMERS

Customers hate waiting in lines, on the phone, or over email. Customers just want faster replies from businesses, and your support team can't afford to waste time switching tabs and categorizing enquiries before answering. A smart helpdesk ticketing system consolidates customer interactions into a single page, tags support tickets for a quick overview of the problem, and categorizes issues for agents to provide quick, effective support to consumers.

INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF YOUR TEAM

While a helpdesk system can automate time-consuming operations like ticket assignment, it may also lighten your team's load with basic but effective automation like assignment and process automation, as well as out-of-office autoresponders. Within your help desk, you may also create an internal knowledge base for agents to share information and resources, as well as communicate any changes or product updates to all employees. A smart help desk also boosts your team's effectiveness by promoting cross-team communication and keeping everyone on the same page at your global support desk.

SET UP EFFICIENT SELF-SERVICE ALTERNATIVES.

Customers prefer self-service to interacting with agents, with 39% claiming that they can handle issues faster by looking for help on their own. A feature-rich help desk allows you to generate, manage, and consolidate support information directly from the tool. This documentation may be supplied with FAQs, guides, or tutorials and is a wonderful method to assist customers in finding solutions to their issues before they contact you. Access to your knowledge base's statistics also provides you with information on the most frequently searched inquiries and most viewed articles.

CONTEXTUALIZE YOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS.

You can save all of your client information in one place and view everything a customer has asked you for in the past by using a helpdesk tool. No matter which team member interacts with the customer next, your team may pick up the conversation without any contradictions in context.

OBTAIN CRUCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT AGENT AND TEAM PERFORMANCE.

It's difficult to track the volume, type, and resolution rates of support requests if you just use personal or shared inboxes to handle client enquiries. This data is crucial since it allows you to track the performance of individual agents as well as your entire help desk team, as well as measure your support for future employees. Through big data and personalized reports, a helpdesk system could provide you with these details.

FREES UP TIME

Your in-house staff can focus on other lucrative activities when an IT help desk handles all of your company's technological issues. This increased productivity results in more income, which helps the organization by reducing the expense of the IT help desk. Your staff benefits as well, because they are able to focus on what they were paid to do rather than dealing with technical support issues. While you may engage in-house specialists solely to provide technical help, full-time employees are more expensive than outsourcing IT support. Finding the correct type of IT professional for your company is often a hassle.

Interested in Help Desk Services? Call us TODAY 516-285-2224

The data in your firm is vital, and having proper backups is an essential component of keeping it safe. When calamity strikes, whether it's a hardware failure or a cyber attack, your organization will grind to a standstill unless you have the necessary strategies and data backups in place. One of the greatest methods to ensure that your organization has secure and reliable access to its data when the unexpected happens is to use managed backup solutions supplied by a managed service provider (MSP).

WHAT IS A MANAGED BACKUP?

A managed backup is a sort of monitoring that is used to check that your company's backups are accurate. For this service, a small to medium business would typically engage with a managed service provider. Managed backups can also be used as a disaster recovery site, enabling you to restore your data and documents in case that your data is compromised.

We use a series of daily backup completion and weekly system checks as part of our managed backup services at Advanced Computers to ensure that all of your servers boot up effectively in a virtual environment. Depending on your organization's needs, we also provide a few different types of managed backups. These are some of them:

• A server backup device that is installed on-site and subsequently backed up to a cloud data center
• Cloud backup, which backs up all of your data and documents from a cloud service like Microsoft Office 365 to a remote location that is not connected to Microsoft servers.
• Backups for remote users, where files are backed up locally to a cloud site from the remote user's laptop or PC.

WHY YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS MANAGED BACKUPS

Internal backup management is not only difficult and time-consuming, but it may also be costly. You'll need technical professionals on your team who understand the complexities of proper backups and who have the time to keep a keen eye on these systems 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Because most small and midsize enterprises lack these resources, they will frequently employ the services of a trustworthy IT partner for managed backup services.

When it comes to managed backups, these are just a few ways that an MSP can help your business.

DISASTER RECOVERY

Any company's IT planning should include disaster recovery. If your devices or servers have been attacked with ransomware, the first step is to take them offline and disinfect them. Then, from a backup, you'll need to restore your data and applications. That is why it is vital to have enough backups in place.

It's crucial to remember that ransomware and cyber attacks aren't the only threats to your IT infrastructure. Your equipment, servers, and data might be harmed by fire, natural disasters, or even vandalism. When managed backups are included in your disaster recovery and business continuity strategy, your organization may work remotely and access data and apps in the cloud, independent of the state of your physical facility.

At Advanced Computers we understand the ins and outs of the backup system, making the data recovery process go more smoothly. This saves you time, which is a huge plus when you're stuck.

DELETION

Accidental data deletion is one of the most prevalent problems Advanced Computers encounters as a managed backup solutions provider. Businesses can restore essential files or applications that they have erased but still need access to thanks to our adequate backups.

SERVER FAILURES

When a server fails, it may be necessary to entirely rebuild it and restore it from a backup. Though this is a rare occurrence, it occurs frequently enough that enterprises should consider it when evaluating backup options. As your MSP, we will be able to restore the organization to where it was prior to the system breakdown using managed backup solutions.

Even if your company needs to purchase new equipment to replace the server, you'll be able to use the onsite backup equipment you've set up. Working with a managed backup service provider gives you the advantage of being able to immediately recover while minimizing downtime and lost productivity.

BACKUPS IN THE CLOUD

If your company relies on cloud-based technology to run its operations, you'll still need a backup solution to prevent data loss. Your MSP will back up any files, data, or apps you have in the cloud to an off-site cloud location as part of your managed backup services.

Let's imagine you utilize Microsoft Office 365 for sending and receiving email, as well as creating, saving, and sharing documents on SharePoint and OneDrive. Microsoft does not have a backup system in place, therefore there is no way to restore data if there is a problem with the system or if someone on your team deletes files by accident. You will, however, be able to access this information if you have a managed backup in place.

ADVANCED COMPUTERS CAN ASSIST YOU

Managed backup services operate as a safety net for your business when it comes to downtime. They give your company the peace of mind of knowing that if something goes wrong, you'll be able to recover your data promptly. Managed backups not only safeguard your business from data loss, but they also help you avoid downtime and lost productivity.

At Advanced Computers, we build managed backup solutions on a case-by-case basis. Our ability to design each solution to match the specific demands of each firm is a result of our flexibility with our offerings. Our staff has also put all of the best-in-class tools we offer to the test to ensure that they suit the needs of our customers.

GIVE US A CALL TODAY 516-285-2224

WHAT'S CLOUD STORAGE

Cloud Storage is a global, secure, and scalable object store for immutable data such as images, text, videos, and other file formats. You can add data to it or retrieve data from it as often as your application needs. The objects stored have an ID, metadata, attributes, and the actual data. The metadata can include all sorts of things, including the security classification of the file, the applications that can access it, and similar information. The ID, metadata, and attributes make object storage an appealing storage choice for a large variety of applications ranging from web serving to data analytics. 

STORAGE CLASSES

There are four storage classes that are based on budget, availability, and access frequency. 

• Standard buckets for high-performance, frequent access, and highest availability
  • Regional or dual-regional locations for data accessed frequently or high-throughput needs
  • Multi-region for serving content globally
• Nearline for data accessed less than once a month 
• Coldline for data accessed roughly less than once a quarter
• Archive for data that you want to put away for years (accessed less than once a year)

It costs a bit more to use standard storage because it is designed for short-lived and/or frequently accessed data. Nearline, coldline, and archive storage offer a lower monthly storage cost for longer-lived and less frequently accessed data. 

CHOOSING A LOCATION FOR YOUR USE CASE

Cloud Storage lets you store your data in three types of locations:

• Regional: all of your data is stored redundantly in a single region. Regional buckets usually offer the lowest monthly storage price and are suitable for a wide range of use cases, including high-performance analytics where it is important to co-locate your compute and storage in the same region.
• Multi-region: all of your data is stored redundantly across a continent but it’s not visible which specific regions your data is in. Availability is higher than regional because your data can be served from more than one region. Multi-regions cost a little more than single regions, but are great choices for content serving to the Internet.
• Dual-regions: all of your data is stored in two specific regions. Dual-regions provide the best of regions and multi-regions — providing you with high availability and protection against regional failures while also giving you the high-performance characteristics of regional storage. Business-critical workloads are often best implemented on top of dual-regions. Dual-regions can also be a great choice for a data lake for streaming as well as for batch uploading of data for big data and ML projects.

No matter the location that you select, all four storage classes are available to you so that you can optimize your costs over time, storing your most active “hot” data in Standard and moving it down to colder classes as it becomes older and less frequently accessed.

CONCLUSION

Whether you need to store data for regulatory compliance, disaster recovery, analytics, or simply serving it on the web, Advanced Computers Cloud Storage has you covered. Call us today 516-285-2224 and find out how our IT services can help resovle your IT problems.

The traditional approach to maintenance, for many years, was reactive. Reactive Maintenance accepts equipment failure as inevitable. Repairs are carried out when a machine stops functioning properly. Downtime is almost certain – the focus is on trying to get the production/operation restarted as soon as possible through emergency repairs. 

On the other hand, Proactive maintenance is the opposite of such an approach. Every proactive maintenance strategy focuses on avoiding machine failure and downtimes as much as possible. Instead of treating the symptoms, they try to identify the underlying causes of the malfunctions– and fix or prevent them in advance.

Using a "Proactive IT Maintenance" strategy lowers the chances of costly problems emerging. Your company can profit from the following advantages if you have a solid IT maintenance strategy in place:

1. FEWER SECURITY VULNERABILITIES

Since the global pandemic, cybercrime has increased by 600 %, with experts estimating that incidences cost firms an average of $2.9 million every minute. With hundreds of new vulnerabilities being discovered every week, keeping your cybersecurity up to date is critical to keeping your business running. Before it's too late, it's vital to address cybersecurity problems. You can identify problems and deficiencies early by taking a proactive approach. This enables IT and security specialists to either avoid or assist your company in recovering from an attack.

2. PROTECTION AGAINST DATA LOSS

Your machines and systems can malfunction at any time, and it can be costly, especially if you lose important data as a result of the loss. According to a research published in 2018, the global average cost of data loss is $3.6 million. Even more concerning is the fact that, per another study, 60% of companies that lost data closed down within six months of the tragedy. That's why having a solid backup and disaster recovery plan may help you prepare for unforeseen situations like data loss. Setting up a plan of action in the case of a major system failure can help IT professionals in protecting and recovering your data, ensuring company continuity.

3. MINIMIZED DOWNTIME

All IT systems must experience some level of downtime. Your IT systems will need to be taken offline for a period of time, whether for updates or preventive maintenance. The advantage of planned downtime is that you can notify your team and customers ahead of time. You could even work around the schedule to lessen the impact. Unplanned downtime, on the other hand, is a different issue. When your systems fall down, you lose productivity and your customers can't use your resources. It's possible that this will end up costing you a lot of money. According to Gartner, the average cost of IT downtime per minute is $5,600. Unexpected downtime can be considerably reduced by proactive monitoring and maintenance of your systems. In the event of a system breakdown, systems like a backup and disaster recovery (BDR) server can help your team recover faster.

HOW CAN ADVANCED COMPUTERS HELP YOU WITH PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE?

Partnering with a trusted managed services provider like Advanced Computers is one of the of the best ways to prevent IT problems from happening. We will go to great lengths to keep your technology from breaking down and to optimize it to fit your demands. As a trustworthy MSP, we will ensure that your technology is working for you, not against you. We commonly use the following methods to accomplish this:   

• Documentation — we collect and archive all network-related documents.

• Backups — we can assist you in setting up and monitoring your backups to guarantee they are functioning properly.

• Patches and Updates — we will keep all of your software up to date.

• Technical Evaluations - we can also conduct technical assessments to guarantee that your equipment is always up to the task.

• Errors - we can look into the logs and inspect the hardware to see if there are any problems.

• Network Stability - we can also help fix and prevent network connectivity issues. 

• Monitoring Tools – we can also help keep your devices and tools in check through device management. 

• Cybersecurity –we can help you meet cyber security best practices

ARE YOU PREPARED TO IMPLEMENT A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO IT MAINTENANCE?

We’ve helped hundreds of clients optimize their technology so they can have more time, money, and freedom to focus on growing their business. Want to find out how we can help your business? Call us at 516-285-2224 for a FREE TECH CONSULTATION

Buying new computer hardware for your business should be more than just a financial business decision. In this article, we will look into the benefits of investing in new computer hardware.

ADVANTAGES OF INVESTING IN HARDWARE.

Before buying any hardware, you should first consider what benefits it might bring to your business. This might affect what type of hardware you choose. For example, certain types of computer hardware could help you:

• reduce costs by automating routine tasks, such as record-keeping, accounting and payroll
• improve customer service or supplier relationships
• develop more effective communication within the business or with customers
• increase business efficiency and staff productivity
• increase employee morale
• expand your business offer or reach new markets - eg through an online shop
• develop a competitive advantage by implementing the right business technology

Before any major purchase in Business, it is generally a good idea to carry out a Technology Needs Assessment. This will help you to prioritize them and see which you can afford now, and which can wait. Keep in mind that the cost of hardware depends on its specification and this, in turn, is determined by some key computer hardware components. Make sure that any hardware you choose is compatible, brings clear advantages to your business and is worth the investment. For more information, see choosing computer hardware for your business.

At Advanced Computers, we offer a broad range of on-site and off-site technology solutions and IT services that include but are not limited to Hardware Installations and Configuration.Call our team of experts today at (212) 532-9500 and find out about our Hardware Installations services or any other of our managed IT services,