XFER Blog

When shopping for your personal computer, you will gladly pay the extra money to buy the best machine possible. However, when buying piles of workstations for your business, paying extra for the best equipment adds up quickly. Utilizing Desktop Virtualization for your business is a great way to get away with buying inexpensive computer hardware and that allows you to save money.

We often talk about the need to back up your data, but did you know that it is also a best practice to back up your hardware? Backing up your hardware works differently than data backup; whereas data backup involves network devices and a cloud, backing up your hardware is a simple matter of having extra computer components on your premise.

Servers have always been one of the more expensive yet crucial pieces of your IT infrastructure. A new development in servers is the microserver, which is a stripped down version of a server. The appeal is that they can be designed to handle one task efficiently, and therefore, use fewer resources while costing less to purchase and maintain.

Isn't it nice to have everything prepared for you? Of course it is. Whether it's having your dinner made for you when you get home, or having your car turned over to you fueled up and cleaned out, everybody appreciates having everything taken care of. In the world of technology, we take care of everything with our turnkey business management solutions.

Do you feel tied down by your phone system? Traditional phone plans can be expensive and your phone bill will grow if you try to do more, like add lines and use extra features. One of the ways that the Internet can help your business save money and grow is by replacing expensive phone plans with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

There are many challenging aspects that come with running a business, but which aspect is the most difficult? According to a 2012 survey of small business owners by The National Federation of Independent Businesses, managing costs is the most difficult responsibility. We can help; our managed IT services turn technology into a predictable expense.

As a business, you do things differently than the mild-mannered consumer. Like paying bills, it’s not like a business can sit down for half an hour every month, write a few checks, and then be done with it. Businesses have employees whose major duty is paying bills. Technology is the same way, and businesses have different technology needs than consumers.

As busy as you are, the last thing that you want is to have one more thing to keep track of. This is why you have us take care of your IT infrastructure; it is worth it compared to learning how to troubleshoot each problem by yourself. Did you know that we can take care of more than just your computer network? With our vendor management service, we can also keep track of all of your technology.

Have you ever felt like your business is missing out on a big opportunity simply because you are unaware of it? In order to see a hidden opportunity, you need a fresh set of eyes. You need the help of an expert who knows what to look for, and you need regular input. This is exactly why we offer business technology reviews.

April 22, is Earth Day. What is your office doing to help save the planet? We talk a lot about business continuity, but none of that matters without Earth continuity. Here are three office technologies that will help your business go green.

Your electricity bill is the worst. This is because you know that it could be smaller if you only made a few adjustments to how you run the office. Little tricks like turning your lights off will save you money, but to really make a dramatic cut to your bill, you can virtualize your servers.

There are many advantages that come with switching your company's traditional phone system to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). VoIP uses the Internet to handle all of your communication needs; this can streamline your communications and save you 50-70% compared to a traditional phone plan. Not only can VoIP save your business operating costs, it can also make your company more efficient.

If your business is large enough to have its own IT department, then you know firsthand how valuable it is to have a knowledgeable technology professional on the premise. Being IT technicians ourselves, we experience this appreciation all the time from helping our clients. Sometimes, a technician's popularity can be almost overwhelming, and for times like these, it is nice to have backup.

In business, the more ways that you can find to communicate your message to your customers, the further your reach will be, which will ultimately increase your bottom line. This reach-to-profit formula works even better when your communication tools are affordable and can save you operating expenses. A webinar is a great communications tool that will both save you money and make you money.

Remember being told as a kid that, "Nobody likes a know-it-all?" As an adult, while it is still true that nobody likes a braggart, it turns out that everybody loves an expert! Every professional is an expert within their field; and whenever a problem crops up that you may not be a know-it-all in, then you call in another expert.

One shocking IT scenario that we regularly encounter is expensive computer hardware plugged into inexpensive power strips. Power strips are adequate if you need a few extra outlets for your kitchen appliances, but if you want to protect the computer hardware that is mission critical to your business, like servers and NAS devices, then you will need a solution that is more powerful.

Every enterprise, whether it is a successful one or not, has to deal with its fair share of adversity. One of the most rampant difficulties a business is forced to deal with is the necessary ability to secure prompt payment for the goods and services it provides its customers. For small and medium-sized businesses, or even one-man bands, they likely do not have the deep pockets many larger organizations have. Not being able to timely collect income can make sustaining business operations all but impossible. With remote payment applications that are now available for mobile devices, collecting crucial revenue at a mobile point-of-sale is making collecting that is money easier.

We understand your desire to upgrade to a new computer, using the latest technology has its advantages. Although, upgrading because your old PC has "worn out" may be an inaccurate assessment. There are many reasons why a computer's performance slows down, but it is doubtful that hardware deterioration is a cause. This is because PC hardware is built to last.

An IT help desk is a resource that will benefit any office. Knowing that you have a team of computer experts standing by to deal with any technology problem will keep everybody calm whenever an issue develops. You likely won't be calling the Help Desk every day but, should the need arise, you know that a solution will be found.

There are dozens of PC tricks and procedures you can try in order to speed up a slow computer. Before you do something drastic like open your case and tinker around with the hardware, or reinstall your OS, or even call your friendly IT techs for a service call, you may first want to adopt these four PC practices that are guaranteed to boost your computer's performance.