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(855) 556-4677 www.azcompit.com
APRIL 2018
Empowering Small Practices to Deliver the Best Care
IT
3 ESSENTIAL PROMISES THAT YOU SHOULD DEMAND OF YOUR IT PROVIDER
Every year, businesses become more reliant on the stability and security of their technology. A server crash or a data breach could end up causing a lot more than a headache for your staff and customers; it might cause you to shut your doors for good. Despite the importance of quality IT services, too many businesses still opt for the cheapest option possible. They hire “break fix” companies that only step in when something goes wrong. In essence, that method is the tech equivalent of crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. In the event that something goes wrong, you’ll be scrambling to do damage control and minimize the losses. Sadly, it might be too late at that point. You wouldn’t treat any other aspect of your business this way, so why would you choose that for your network? The security of your data is far too important to be handled this way. Managed IT services, on the other hand, aren’t just there to help you clean up a mess. They ensure you don’t experience a catastrophe in the first place. When you’re shopping for the best IT service provider for your business, it’s important to remember just how much you depend on your technology to stay competitive in today’s marketplace. If your IT company can’t meet the following three requirements, it’s time to make a change. Reactive IT companies are the lowest tier of support. Good IT providers are proactive and preventative. They don’t wait for something to break to take action. Instead, they are monitoring your network no matter its perceived health and security. An IT company should know the ins and outs of your network and raise the red flag before you’re even aware that something is amiss. They should also note any potential security holes in your system and remedy them before they cause a shutdown. REQUIREMENT 1: CONSTANT MONITORING OF YOUR NETWORK
REQUIREMENT 2: RAPID RESPONSE TIMES
Sadly, you can’t deter every cybersecurity threat. Hackers and criminals are constantly looking for new ways to penetrate even the strongest networks. You can bet that if breaches can happen to government agencies and the world’s biggest corporations, they can also happen to you. When the worst does occur, though, you want a provider that will get to work immediately. If your network is down, every minute you spend on hold is precious. A quality managed services provider will jump on the problem right away, and because they intimately know your network, they’ll be able to find a fix a lot faster than your average company. Managed service providers don’t make their money by fixing problems. They are literally invested in the health of your network and business. It’s in the MSP’s own personal interest to establish a flawless, predictable system that is efficient and easy to work with. Over time, the MSP will implement repeatable processes to fix issues before your customers feel their effects. The health of a good provider depends on the health of your company. That’s a synergy that every business owner can get behind. Managed services, like those provided by AZCOMP, may cost a little more upfront, but they are one of the smartest investments you can make for your business. You wouldn’t opt for bargain-basement options when it comes to marketing, recruitment, or customer service. Discount IT services might seem appealing, but IT is the same as anything else: You get what you pay for! –Byron Adams REQUIREMENT 3: A REAL INVESTMENT IN YOUR COMPANY
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(855) 556-4677 AZCOMP Technologies, Inc. www.azcompit.com • 1
CREATE A CULTURE OF SECURITY Educate Your Employees With Fake Phishing Attacks
As we’ve mentioned before, the weakest link in a company’s network security chain is a lack of employee awareness. You can have the most robust protection available, but that won’t mean anything if one of your team members allows a hacker to get in. Because of this inherent human vulnerability, it’s crucial that you educate your staff on how to avoid compromising the security of the network. No amount of strategy can keep you safe without a culture of security.
ideas into something real. Microsoft, no stranger to security concerns, has gone so far as to label this practice a must.
Here’s how it works: We send your staff emails that resemble the latest phishing attacks, but without any real damage done to your systems. If any employee falls for these attacks, they are immediately notified that they’ve been tricked. From there, they are provided extra training videos to ensure that when somebody with ill intent tries the same tactics, they’ll be ready to play defense. You can send these tests regularly and in varying forms to make sure that nobody is at risk of being lured into a phishing trap. Sending one right after a training might not yield any fish. But if you try the same test a few months down the line, you might be surprised at how many people bite. Tests like these help instill the importance of network safety at your company. Security can’t just live in applications and fail-safes; it needs to matter to your team. Complacency and mindlessness often open the door to hackers. Educating your team will keep that door shut. AZCOMP is happy to offer this service to our clients. If you want to discuss how to up your defense game against all sorts of cybercrime, don’t hesitate to give us a call. NEED NETWORKING OR COMPUTER HELP?
Some of the education you provide should come in the form of videos and articles like those you read in this newsletter, but those shouldn’t be your only tools. A great supplement to this theoretical knowledge is sending mock phishing attacks to your employees that turn abstract
SPOTLIGHT ON CRYSTAL HALE
Crystal Hale is the accounting clerk here at AZCOMP, so we rely on her to make sure all our records are in tiptop shape. In her two years here, Crystal has brought a mix of hard work and fun to the office. When it comes to what she loves most about being at AZCOMP, Crystal says, “I love the atmosphere and the people I work alongside. It’s refreshing to work for a company that genuinely cares about its customers. We take responsibility and want our customers to succeed, which are rare qualities.”
Call our direct support line: (480) 730-3055 Create a support ticket via email: ithelp@azcomp.com
Learn more about how to get unlimited computer and networking support at www.azcompit.com .
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE REPORT “What Every Small-Business Owner Must Know About PROTECTING & PRESERVING Their Company’s Critical Data and Computer Systems” covers the essential information you need to know to keep your network safe. If you aren’t up-to-date on the latest in security, your network will be at risk.
Protect Your Data What every small business owner must know about protecting & preserving their
When she’s not crunching numbers, you can bet that Crystal is spending time with her family. She and her husband, Evan, have three wonderful daughters: Jessica, Ashley, and Brooklyn. Jessica was recently married (congrats!), so that’s been the main talking point recently. “In general, we love going out together and having fun,” Crystal notes. “I never get tired of spending time with my family.”
company’s critical data & computer systems!
Ifyou depend on your computer network to run your business, this is one report you DON’Twant to skip!
This report is available for free at azcompit.com/protect . Download it today to ensure that your computer systems are as secure as possible. With this report, you can have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that none of your spring flowers contain a nasty virus.
Here at AZCOMP, we certainly never get tired of spending time with Crystal. She’s a joy to be around and an essential part of our team.
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THE NEST THERMOSTAT SAVES ENERGY AND MONEY
A Win-Win for ‘Smart’ Homeowners
WHEN DO YOU MAKE YOUR BEST DECISIONS? Daniel H. Pink has spent his career uncovering the behavioral factors that determine success in business. In his latest book, “When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing,” he assesses the temporal factors that lead to our best and worst decisions. We’ve all had conversations about whether we’re “morning people” or “night owls.” In the course of researching his book, Pink sought to find the scientific underpinnings behind these categories. It turns out that they are more than just imagined. “Our cognitive abilities do not remain static over the course of the day,” writes Pink. “These fluctuations are more extreme than we realize.” Regardless of your personal peak performance hours, cognitive functioning has a repeatable pattern. “Across continents and time zones, as predictable as the ocean tides, was the same daily oscillation — a peak, a trough, and a rebound,” Pink notes. Understanding when you’re in each particular phase will allow you to maximize performance and minimize burnout. From there, Pink suggests behaviors, like breaks and even naps, that will allow you to peak longer and rebound faster. He brings these hard facts to life with examples from the world of business. Think of Pink’s book as a “when-to” guide rather than another addition to the endless “how-to” catalog. We live in a world of “smart” products: smartphones, smartwatches, and even smart toasters. As the gadgets in our lives become more interconnected, it makes sense that our homes would become smarter as well. At the forefront of the smart home revolution is Nest. The company produces a range of products that allow you remote access to your home. They make everything from cameras and alarm systems to smoke detectors and doorbells, but they are best known for their thermostats. Heating and air conditioning significantly impact your energy bill. The cost associated with your thermostat used to be offset by the level of comfort in your home. Nest promises to provide both, with a thermostat system you can control remotely that also learns from your behaviors. We all want to wake up warm and cozy. In the past, the only way to achieve this was to leave the heat on all night. With Nest Thermostats, you can program your heat to turn on an hour before your alarm goes off. Even better, if Nest notices you’re twiddling with the thermostat at certain times, it will learn those patterns and automatically adjust the temperature. You can also program your Nest Thermostat to interact with your phone. If you want your heat to kick in while you’re driving home from work, your Nest can do that. If you want to lower the temp without having to leave your bed, Nest can do that as well. It also interacts with home products like Alexa and Google Home, allowing for voice commands. All of this next-level tech is housed (pun intended) in a sleek and easy-to-read display. Since debuting in 2011, Nest Thermostats have saved homeowners over 20 billion kWh of energy. A lot of tech purports to “pay for itself,” but with the amount of money you’ll save on your utility bills, Nest Thermostats can actually back up that lofty claim. If you’re tired of deciding between savings and comfort, it’s time to turn your home into a Nest. Daniel H. Pink’s ‘When’ Will Give You the Answer
HOW TO CREATE A CONTINUING EXPERIENCE WHAT MARVEL STUDIOS’ SUCCESS CAN TEACH YOU ABOUT BRAND ENGAGEMENT Whether you lined up for a midnight showing of “Black Panther” or bemoan the relentless march of superheroes at the box office, we can all agree that Marvel Studios is a cultural and economic behemoth. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is the highest-grossing film franchise in history, and it shows no signs of slowing down. The unprecedented success of these movies can teach you a lot about continued brand engagement. From the very first salvo of the MCU, 2008’s “Iron Man,” producer Kevin Feige had a long-term plan. Taking a cue from the comic books that inspired the movies, Marvel Studios set out to build toward climaxes over the course of dozens of movies. Feige and his collaborators realized that if they could create a reason to keep viewers invested in the entire enterprise, rather than just their favorite hero or actor, the movies would be consistently successful. The relationship between the movies, though, never supersedes the standalone experience. “We always set out to just make a great movie,” Feige notes. Sometimes, as with “Ant-Man” and “Black Panther,” the movies only have tangential nods to the rest of the MCU. Other movies, like “The Avengers” series, build on everything that’s come before. Because of this method, viewers can enjoy the movies without context, but those that have seen every MCU movie will always have an Easter egg waiting for them. Before the MCU, sitting through the credits was unheard of. At a Marvel movie, it’s a rite of passage. While it would be foolhardy to suggest that every business can become as successful as Marvel Studios, there is a huge lesson to be learned from their formula. When you engage with your customers, you need to make sure every experience is a success in its own right. But you also need to give them a reason to keep coming back. Selling somebody a great product or service should be the start of a relationship, not the only part of it.
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The 3 Things IT Companies Must Do PAGE 1 How to Build a Culture of Network Security PAGE 2 Meet Crystal Hale PAGE 2 How to Create a Superhero Following PAGE 3 The Hi-Tech Thermostat PAGE 3 AZCOMP Leadership Library: Daniel H. Pink’s ‘When’ PAGE 3 Jeremy Affeldt Does the Right Thing PAGE 4
WOULD YOU GIVE UP $500,000 TO DO THE RIGHT THING? BY SCOTT HIGGINS
At AZCOMP, one of our core values is “We do the right thing.” Since the meaning of this value is pretty self-evident, I’m not going to take the time to explain its origin or purpose. Instead, I want to share with you a story of this value in action. It’s easy to say you’ll do the right thing, but what happens when that requires giving up something massive? That’s the exact situation San Francisco Giants pitcher Jeremy Affeldt found himself in. After a contract renegotiation in 2010, a clerical error led to Affeldt being given an extra $500,000 that didn’t rightfully belong to him. All parties signed the contract without anyone noticing the error. It wasn’t until Affeldt was in possession of the surplus half million that he realized something was amiss. He spoke with the MLB Players Association; the assistant general manager of the Giants, Bobby Evans; and his agent, Michael Moye. Everyone agreed that, despite
the fact that the terms were not those agreed upon during talks, Affeldt was legally permitted to keep the extra money.
Moye, however, advised him to do otherwise. “As your agent, I’ve got to tell you that, legally, you can keep it,” he told Affeldt. “As a man who represents integrity, I’m saying you should give it back.” Affeldt recalled, “I talked to Bobby the next day and said, ‘I can’t take that money. I won’t sleep well at night knowing I took that money, because every time I open my paycheck, I’ll know it’s not right.’” Talk about doing the right thing! Affeldt did literally nothing wrong in this situation, but even still, he felt it most important to stick to his word. He valued his promise more than the number in his bank account.
When the time comes, will you do the right thing? Jeremy Affeldt answered that question with a resounding yes.
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