Oct
26

Are you ready for adverse weather? Quick checklist to prepare your office for Hurricane Sandy

Everon News No comments
Hurricane Sandy, a category 1 hurricane is expected to make landfall on the East Coast this weekend.  We would like to make sure our clients in all areas of their country know how to keep their systems safe during adverse weather.
Here’s a list of things you can do in your office to prepare for major storms and outages:
Unplug all computer hardware and if necessary move to the middle of the room, if possible move critical equipment to a secure and windowless room.
Cover any terminal stations or printers with plastic bags.
o Before removing the bags after the storm make sure to touch something metal to eliminate any static electricity prior to touching the equipment.
Move any critical software, accessories, drives, etc. to a place where they will not get wet or damaged.
Always make sure you have your information backed up off-site in case of damage to your equipment.
Make sure you have an email continuity system in place so email communications can remain uninterrupted in the event of an outage
If you’d like help to make sure your data and email are safe and backed up off-site please contact us today at ecare@everonit.com.
To track Hurricane Sandy’s path click here.  To see more tips on how to prepare for a hurricane and flooding please click here.
Thank you and stay safe,
The Everon Team
1.888.244.1748
ecare@everonit.com

sandy

Hurricane Sandy, a category 1 hurricane is expected to make landfall on the East Coast this weekend.  We would like to make sure our clients in all areas of their country know how to keep their systems safe during adverse weather.

Here’s a list of things you can do in your office to prepare for major storms and outages:

  • Unplug all computer hardware and if necessary move to the middle of the room, if possible move critical equipment to a secure and windowless room.
  • Cover any terminal stations or printers with plastic bags.
  • Before removing the bags after the storm make sure to touch something metal to eliminate any static electricity prior to touching the equipment.
  • Move any critical software, accessories, drives, etc. to a place where they will not get wet or damaged.
  • Always make sure you have your information backed up off-site in case of damage to your equipment.
  • Make sure you have an email continuity system in place so email communications can remain uninterrupted in the event of an outage.

If you’d like help to make sure your data and email are safe and backed up off-site please contact us today at ecare@everonit.com.

To track Hurricane Sandy’s path click here.  To see more tips on how to prepare for a hurricane and flooding please click here.

Thank you and stay safe,

The Everon Team

1.888.244.1748

ecare@everonit.com

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Oct
26

Windows 8 Released Today

Everon News, Hot New Tech Products, Trends and Tools No comments

windows 8

As you may have heard, today Windows released its newest operating system, Windows 8.  In the coming weeks we will be continuing to educate our clients on the pros, cons and changes associated with the new system through a series of emails, blog posts and a webinar.  As with any new operating system we strongly recommend holding off on purchasing the Windows 8 upgrades or new computers running Windows 8 for at least a few months until the software has had time to be tested in the small business workplace.

Some potential concerns of switching to a brand new operating system for a small business are:

  • Possible incompatibility with many business software packages critical to the operation of your business
  • Possible incompatibility with printers, scanners and other various hardware.
  • Radically different interface from older versions of Windows resulting in workflow disruption, additional training and user confusion.

Everon recommends the Windows 7 environment for all business PCs at the moment due to the tested stability and ease of functionality.

In the coming weeks keep your eyes peeled for further communication and invitations to an informative Windows 8 webinar to learn what you need to know about the new operating system.

If you have any specific concerns about Windows 8 and its impact to your business please feel free to contact your account manager today at 1.888.244.1748.

Thank you,

The Everon Team

1.888.244.1748

ecare@everonit.com

As you may have heard, today Windows released its newest operating system, Windows 8.  In the coming weeks we will be continuing to educate our clients on the pros, cons and changes associated with the new system through a series of emails, blog posts and a webinar.  As with any new operating system we strongly recommend holding off on purchasing the Windows 8 upgrades or new computers running Windows 8 for at least a few months until the software has had time to be tested in the small business workplace.
Some potential concerns of switching to a brand new operating system for a small business are:
Possible incompatibility with many business software packages critical to the operation of your business
Possible incompatibility with printers, scanners and other various hardware.
Radically different interface from older versions of Windows resulting in workflow disruption, additional training and user confusion.
Everon recommends the Windows 7 environment for all business PCs at the moment due to the tested stability and ease of functionality.
In the coming weeks keep your eyes peeled for further communication and invitations to an informative Windows 8 webinar to learn what you need to know about the new operating system.
If you have any specific concerns about Windows 8 and its impact to your business please feel free to contact your account manager today at 1.888.244.1748.
Thank you,
The Everon Team
1.888.244.1748
ecare@everonit.com

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Oct
18

Everon announces it’s NEW Total Data Protection Plan.

Everon News, Small Business Management Strategies, Small Business Security Strategies No comments

Latest technology in data protection, backed by Everon’s award winning support, all with off-site storage included and flat rate pricing.

Do you backup your data?

You rely on your computer systems to perform many of your business needs, from creating sales quotes to provisioning orders and storing vital data. Your internal processes are built around these systems and you store your customer and financial data on these systems. Can your business survive if this data and these systems are not available?

Data loss can happen to anyone.

tdp-pie-chart

The Solution: The Total Data Protection Plan™ from Everon

A completed backup and disaster recovery solution to make sure your critical data is safe and secure and accessible when you need it.  
Now with flat rate, affordable and predictable pricing and off-site storage included.

Your business data is too valuable to leave its safekeeping to chance. That’s why the team at Everon has created the only data protection plan that exclusively meets the needs of small businesses, and is backed by our commitment to Remarkable Service™.

The Everon Total Data Protection™ Plan (TDP) is made up of three distinct features that make this the most complete and reliable server data backup option available to your business:

TDP header bar

everon-tdp-blocks

1.  Hassle-free Local Backup that gives you the fastest way to recover files

  • Data backed up as often as each 15 minutes to Total Data Protection unit located in your office
  • No unreliable tapes; instead backing up your data to redundant hard drives
  • All data and applications backed up – no need for Exchange, SQL, or open file agents
  • Full restoration of files fast TDP monitored 24/7 by Everon
  • Full 3 year warranty on the Total Data Protection Unit.

2.  Quick Recovery™ Business Continuity Capability

Quick Recovery Business Continuity Capability enables the highest possible levels of business continuity in the event of an emergency.  If one of your servers crash, the TDP can quickly be provisioned to temporarily “take over” in place of the failed server, with all of your applications, data, and settings available within moments vs. the 1 to 3 days typical recovery time from a tape backup system (assuming the data is actually even on the tape, and assuming you even have a functional server to restore to!)

3.  Disaster Recovery Capability

Disaster recovery capability allows us to re-create your entire data history in the event of a true disaster and eliminates the cost and hassle of off-site tape storage. Copies of your data are kept off-site at two SAS70 Type II secure data centers in the United States.  In the event of an emergency that disables or destroys your local back up, offsite copies of your data provides for quick business recovery.

TDP eliminates the cost and hassle of off-site tape storage.  In the event that anything happens to your physical server room, the Everon team can virtualize your Servers from the remote data centers over the cloud; providing complete disaster recovery for your business.

No data protection service is complete without these three features – don’t leave your business exposed to the risks of an incomplete data protection plan!

Why Everon for Total Data Protection™?

The only small business data protection plan backed by hands-on service from a leading SMB IT management team.

Everon’s Total Data Protection™ Plan is tailored precisely to fit the needs of your needs so businesses both large and small can all enjoy the benefits of the most comprehensive and secure data protection in the market at the price point that fits your budget.

Regular, systematic and verified backup of your company’s files is absolutely critical. Our automated backup process virtually eliminates human error and equipment failure. Coupled with off-site file protection, your data security is ensured even in the event of system failure or catastrophic loss. All data is kept in military grade bi coastal facilities (SAS 70 compliant). Whether you are backing up for compliance, disaster recover or archiving, your data is easily accessible and always available whenever and wherever you need it.

server-clocks-illustration

Every TDP flat rate monthly plan includes:

  • Proactive monitoring of your backups 24/7 with free support from our dedicated backup engineer support team
  • Frequent Backups- as often as every 15 minutes
  • Off-site storage in Bi-Coastal Data Centers included in your monthly cost
  • 3 Year Hardware Warranty
  • No Recovery Fees
  • Unlimited Agent Licenses
  • Device Seeding
  • Account Management
  • Flexible Upgrade Policy
  • On-site storage device provides fast server virtualization capabilities in the event of server failure
  • Flat Rate pricing with Off-site storage included!

Technical Specifications:

  • Bare Metal Restore
  • Data Deduplication & Local Compression
  • Secure Linux Based OS
  • ZFS Snapshots
  • Message-Level Exchange Recovery
  • Granular SharePoint Recovery
  • Advanced File Level Restore
  • Instant Off-Site Virtualization
  • VMDK/VHD Export
  • Instant On-Site Virtualization
  • Screenshot virtualization of Backups

To learn more about our Total Data Protection or to watch an informative webinar on how our TDP can help your business click here or email us today at info@everonit.com.

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Aug
29

Special Webinar Event: Protect Your Data. Protect Your Business. Total Data Protection™ with Everon Technology.

Everon Events, Everon News No comments

Protect Your Data. Protect Your Business.
Total Data Protection™ with Everon Technology.

TDP banner header

Did you know…?

  • 70% of businesses who suffer a serious data loss are out of business within 2 years!
  • The average small business experiences an average of 6 outages a year.

lockCan your business afford costly downtime?
Your business data is too valuable to leave its safekeeping to chance. That’s why the team at Everon has created the only data protection plan that exclusively meets the needs of small businesses, and is backed by our commitment to Remarkable Service™.

Join us for an informative webinar to learn how to protect your business from both everyday and catastrophic loss of data. We’ll cover…

  • Why small businesses should have a disaster recovery and data protection plan
  • 3 key features every data protection strategy should have
  • How to protect your business against natural disasters, hardware failure, and human error.

Register today at: www.everonitsupport.com/tdpwebinar

Protect Your Data. Protect Your Business.
Total Data Protection™ with Everon Technology

Speaker: Chris Mackin
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
1:00 P.M. EDT

Reserve your spot today and receive a valuable offer worth up to $2000!!

Mackin headshotJoin Chris Mackin, Everon’s Director of Sales for this informative webinar. Chris has been with Everon since the company was founded in 2003. With over 15 years of telecom, data security and small business technology expertise Chris is an expert in helping small to medium size businesses select and implement the right IT solutions to increase productivity and protect their most important asset– their data!

Thank you,

Everon Technology Services

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May
01

Everon Technology Insider- Spring 2012

Everon News, Technology Quick Tips No comments

Feature Article: When is it time to upgrade or replace your IT?

These days, most companies are asking themselves if the cost of repairing and maintaining old IT equipment outweighs the cost of a full product replacement. When the question comes up “How many years should I expect to get out of this computer?” the general consensus can fluctuate depending on how you look at it.

What we typically see as the lifespan of a computer, whether it is a laptop or desktop, is 3-5 years with normal usage. If you are using a laptop, this number might be lower only because there is a higher risk of human error (dropping, spilling, etc.). In most instances, the first piece of hardware that will go is the power supply, followed by the electrical components. Other factors such as usage, stress, location, temperature, and environmental factors can all contribute to a shorter lifespan as well.

With proper care, maintenance, and upgrading, you may get up to 7 years of basic performance out of your computer but without vital hardware upgrades, basic functionality and speed may be the least of your concerns. After the computer hits the 3-5 year mark, hardware versus software compatibility is where we run into the problem. The software that you need for your company or the newest versions of current software, soon become impossible to purchase because your equipment is too out dated to meet the system requirements.

The same can be said about the lifespan of a Windows server. The life span of a server should not be measured in how long it remains able to perform the tasks given to it but by the amount of time that the hardware is supportable. As a company, one would have to balance out the cost of continually replacing the parts to keep it doing what you need it to do until you are able to go out and purchase one that will give you another 3-5 years without worrying about upgrading.

When it comes to making the decision to replace existing and outdated equipment within your company, there is a point that you ask yourself, “is the benefit to my company worth the impact on my wallet?” With a trusted IT provider on your side, you can rest assured that the products you are purchasing are going to be worth your time and money while also providing the right IT solutions for your business.

Keeping your equipment up-to-date will allow you utilize new software, software that may not be compatible (or possibly runs really slow) on your new equipment. A lot of new software programs are not supported by older software and some older machines do not even meet the minimum requirements.

Have you ever been sitting at your computer and you clicked to open a program and then you had to sit patiently and wait for it to open? If you add up all the time that you and you fellow co-workers spent just “waiting”, my guess is that it would be days or even months of time. With new equipment, the application response times are higher, processing speeds are faster and thus productivity in general increases for your business.

Along with productivity, there will be less downtime and the reliability of your equipment is much higher. Once you hit a certain point in the lifetime of a computer or a server, equipment failure is inevitable. With newer hardware, the quality of products that are being produced today has greatly improved the durability and lifespan of the device. With advancements in technology, the cost has also improved and may not be as expensive as you thought.

Now is the time to upgrade. With Everon on your side, we can do the searching and purchasing for you to find the PC or laptop you need for a price that will not break the bank. We’ll even set it up and configure it specifically per user with all the appropriate software, settings, connection to your domain and mapping of drives so you can get back to running your business while we handle your technology.

Check out our special offer below, if you purchase a new laptop or PC setup from us between now and June 30th, we’ll take $100 off. If you want to replace the whole office- we’ll bump it up to $150 off per machine. For details and to register for this special offer click here. www.everonitsupport.com/springcleanoffer

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Meet the Team: Chris Mackin

ChrisMackinChris Mackin, Sales Manager

We would like to introduce you to Chris Mackin, Sales Manager for Everon Technology. Chris has been with the company from day one when it was founded in 2003 and in addition to his role as Sales Manager has worn a variety of hats over the years as the company grew. He currently oversees not only all sales activity for Everon but also works very closely with our Boston field services team and Boston client base.

Chris is an ex-PGA golf professional, and holds a BS in Computer Information Systems, a BA in Marketing and a BA in Communications from Bryant University. When he’s not hard at work he is found on the golf course, the beach, or hiking with his wife and dog. In his downtime he visits with his friends and family nearby or is watching the Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins and Celtics. Chris grew up in the Boston area in a town called Duxbury on the way from Boston to Cape Cod and currently makes his home in Boston where he works closely with our Boston field services team and our large amount of Boston clients.

Prior to joining Everon Chris worked for national technology and telecom companies; he brings a unique knowledge of how technology works and fits into prospective client’s operations. Chris was one of the founding members of the Gateway Computer business to business division, where he managed a National team of Sales Representatives selling to small and medium size businesses and delivering business solutions to increase efficiencies. Chris has as strong ability to work with business owners to understand their needs and help implement solutions that will allow for increased productivity with fewer technology distractions.

Chris has been pivotal to the success of Everon’s business and growth as well as building our amazing company culture. A testament to his contribution is the peer-nominated MVP award Chris has won every single year hands down at our annual awards ceremony.

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Tech of the Month: Adam Cauchi

AdamCauchi

Adam Cauchi, Network Engineer

Everon is happy to announce that Adam Cauchi has been named our latest “Tech of the Month”! Adam was chosen for his stellar achievement in customer service, receiving 100% NPS from our clients (NPS= Net Promoter Score, learn more about how companies measure NPS here). It’s no surprise to any of Adam’s co-workers that he receives such high marks or is the Tech of the Month. Adam jumps in to help all his fellow engineers whenever he has the chance. He thrives off learning new things and sharing it with others. He recently said, “With this experience, I take pride in helping others resolve issues and teaching them the reason behind the resolutions. The ‘Oh, I get it!’ moments are what make this job completely worthwhile.”

Adam joined the Everon team about one year ago when he moved to the Denver area from his longtime home of Sarasota, Florida. He brought with him a variety of different experiences ranging from computer science and mathematics to security and networking to desktops and servers to propriety software and coding. That extensive experience is apparent in Adam’s work as he is excellent at multitasking and resolving a variety of technical issues for all of our clients. He is known in the office as the “Outlook Master” and is an escalation point for Macs as well as desktop PC issues.

Our clients love Adam. His friendly approach and quick response help them know they are in good hands when he is on the phone or connected to their machines. Check out some of the great comments Adam has received recently from our clients:

  • Adam helped find the problem and offered to let me call back later when I could get him answers to his questions.
  • Adam was by far the most helpful representative that I have had the pleasure to work with up to this point. He was diligent in finding a solution to my problem and made a point to follow up with me when I lost track of time and forgot to call him back.
  • Adam was extremely helpful. He gave a step by step explanation of what he was doing and answered the many questions I put to him while he was at work fixing my problem. I appreciated the manner in which he broke down the issue so that I could clearly understand what happened and what he did to correct the problem.
  • Adam is the best! He was great through my numerous phone calls and issues throughout the day!

When Adam is not working hard at Everon he is enjoying his new life in Colorado. He spends time hiking and snowboarding and exploring all the Denver has to offer. Adam, like many in his field, spends countless hours fine tuning his computer skills with his current gaming obsession, Starcraft 2. Adam’s favorite non-profit is Gamers Outreach Foundation, an organization that through gaming tournaments raises money for gaming systems in children’s hospitals and to ship gaming systems oversees to the troops. www.gamersoutreach.org

Adam is a great addition to the team and brings a tremendous amount of value. He is truly deserving of “Tech of the Month” status and we’re happy to have him onboard!

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Special Offer: Spring Clean Your IT

springcleanheader

Did you know the average lifespan of a PC is just 3-4 years and a laptop is only 2-3! Chances are if you look around your office you will see at least a few machines past their prime.

There’s no better time than the present to replace those old slow machines. Register with us before May 30th and we’ll give you:

  • $100 OFF the setup of a new PC or laptop* (Regular price is $299)
  • Need more? Order 10 or more new PCs or laptops setups and we’ll take off $150 per machine!

Our new PC or laptop setup includes:

  • Joining to your domain.
  • Installation of 3rd party applications.
  • Installation of Microsoft Office
  • Email setup for user
  • Setup shared location and mapping of drives.
  • Remote configuration of printers if requested
  • Installation of antivirus software

Register here for details and to claim your discount today!

www.everonitsupport.com/springcleanoffer/

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Tech Tip of the Month: What is your domain name? Where does it live? When does it expire?

Your company’s domain name, or its address on the internet, is an important part of your brand, image, and message. It is akin to a piece of property or some other form of capital that you want to protect. That is why it is important to know the vital details about your domain name, including the technical information around expiration dates, Internet Protocol (IP) and IP location information, domain registrar and Domain Name System (DNS) name servers… read more here.

Read these other recent articles and more at www.SmallBusinessTechTips.com

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Client Spotlight: Metromint by Soma Beverage

metromint product line

Metromint is the brain-child of Rio Miura and Scott Lowe. Miura’s background in product and fashion design when combined with Lowe’s background in product development and manufacturing came together to form Metromint and Soma Beverage Company. Founded in San Francisco’s South of Market district (SOMA), a neighborhood that is home to artists, high-tech start-ups, and the entrepreneurial spirit, Soma Beverage has taken the beverage industry by storm. Combining the purest ingredients with innovative packaging and extraordinary taste, Metromint single-handedly created a new beverage category called mintwater. Metromint already has a loyal following. Metromint was introduced to the public at the New York Fancy Food Show in 2004.

Metromint starts with the best mint in the world. Real mint. Fresh, flavorful, pesticide-free mint grown in Washington State’s Yakima Valley. Their water is purified using reverse-osmosis, a process that saves all the good stuff and filters out the bad, including salts, impurities, and particles as small as an ion. What’s left is a blank canvas, so that we can showcase the taste of mint. When it comes to Metromint, their dedication to purity is so high they bought their own bottling plant and converted it to a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Every bottle that rolls off the Metromint bottling line is laser etched with an honest, easy-to-read freshness date stamp.

Everon has had the pleasure of providing fully managed IT support to Soma Beverage/Metromint since 2007 and can vouch from our samples in the office that Metromint is a special product from a company full of outstanding individuals. Scott Lowe recently talked more about his experience with Everon in an interview with New York Time blogger, Dave Freedman. To read the full article click here.

To learn more about Metromint and where you can find a retailer near you click here.

“Due to Soma’s basic, yet vital IT needs, we’ve been partnering with Everon for the last 4 years, and have been consistently impressed with the level of knowledge, service and dedication provided. Whether the problem is simple or complex, common or obscure, I’ve had nothing but great experiences with the folks at Everon, from the project team and front line techs, to account and general management staff. Over the years we’ve employed more and more of the Everon SaaS/TaaS services with great success, giving us time to focus on growth for our business and not on IT.”

– Evan Campbell, Soma Beverage


metromint offer

100% pure water. 100% real mint. 100% ahhh.

“LIKE” Metromint on Facebook for a coupon to buy one get one free!

Advertise here for free! We would love to help our clients spread the word through our newsletter. Contact marketing@everonit.com today to see how you can feature your ad here for FREE!

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Apr
03

Tech Audit: Two Owners, Two Companies, Lots of I.T. Headaches

Everon News No comments

Originally posted on the New York Times You’re the Boss blog.  Original article can be found here: http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/tech-audit-two-owners-two-companies-lots-of-it-headaches/

April 3, 2012, 7:00 am

Tech Audit: Two Owners, Two Companies, Lots of I.T. Headaches

By DAVID H. FREEDMAN
Scott Lowe and Rio Miura have two companies and plenty of information-technology issues
Courtesy of David Rio
Scott Lowe and Rio Miura have two companies and plenty of information-technology issues.

Scott Lowe had been living in Tokyo with his wife, Rio Miura, for a few years when in 1996 they started selling coffee and tea by catalog. “We really wanted to open a coffee shop and then expand, like Starbucks, but we didn’t have the money for it,” he said. But the catalog started pulling in sales, and then in 1998 they moved back to the United States and started selling here as well, settling in San Francisco.

Their chai tea blends became their biggest seller, especially in coffee shops and specialty stores — Williams-Sonoma sells it — and soon they focused their small company, David Rio, on that one line. (Mr. Lowe’s first name is David, though everyone knows him as Scott.) At that point, information technology was low on the list of the company’s challenges. “We were doing business by faxes,” Mr. Lowe said.

In 2003, they added a mint-infused water created by Ms. Miura, and that started taking off, leading to deals with big distributors as well as with Whole Foods, Kroger, and other large retailers. Recognizing that the battle for shelf space was very different from selling tea in shops, the two spun off the drink, called Metromint, into its own business, the Soma Beverage Company. But the two companies are still pretty much joined at the hip, Mr. Lowe said, with combined annual revenue of about $16 million and 26 employees split fairly evenly between them. “Their business models are different,” he said. “But they’re under the same roof, and share accounting and other resources.”

The two companies share something else: I.T. headaches and the lack of a full-time I.T. guru to deal with them. “We’re not big enough to afford a dedicated, six-figure I.T. guy here,” Mr. Lowe said. But with 30 computers, a server and a growing dependence on software, smartphones and the Internet, the combined business is big enough to feel a frequent need for expert help. To get it, the two companies contracted six years ago with an outside firm to do many of the things an internal I.T. expert would do — except remotely.

For the first several years, Mr. Lowe himself did the best he could to keep the company’s computers and cellphones up and running, with higher-powered help coming when needed from local independent contractors. But as the need grew to have help on hand day to day, he tapped one of the company’s employees — the operations manager, Evan Campbell — to take on the extra responsibility. “One day I just walked up to him and said, ‘Guess what? You’re the I.T. guy now,’” Mr. Lowe said. Mr. Campbell has done a great job, he continued, especially considering he had to teach himself how to do it and can only give I.T. about a tenth of his time. But as the importance and complexity of the technology increased at the companies, they found that Mr. Campbell and sporadic outside help wasn’t enough.

In 2006, after inviting a number of support companies to come in to pitch him on a higher level of care, Mr. Lowe signed with Everon, a division of a larger I.T.-support firm called PlumChoice, based in Billerica, Mass. (Many other firms provide remote I.T. support services, including dedicated support firms like ProVal Technologies and LogMeIn, and big companies that do it on the side, like AT&T and Staples.) He now pays a bit more than $3,500 a month, for which he gets assurance of constant up-time on all his computers, full-time monitoring for viruses and other security problems, online backup of all company data and the leasing of a server.

Mr. Lowe insists the price is worth it. If Everon determines there’s a hardware problem, he noted, it will either send in a technician or send a replacement computer overnight — as happened last week when Mr. Lowe couldn’t revive his laptop. (Everon charged for the replacement computer, which Mr. Lowe picked out, but Everon procured it, configured it with the needed software and backed-up data, and shipped it, all on the same day.)

Mr. Lowe was particularly impressed with Everon when his server died late in the day three years ago and a repair person drove six hours through the night to get to it and have it running before morning. “I don’t think about that sort of service being worth what I pay for the contract,” Mr. Lowe said. “That’s worth the value of staying in business.”

Still, Everon doesn’t do everything an in-house I.T. manager would do. It doesn’t help choose and customize application software, for example, leaving Mr. Lowe less than fully satisfied with his portfolio of software. The business relies on the software version of Intuit’s QuickBooks, and while the software does a good job for most financial accounting tasks, Mr. Lowe said, it falls short when it comes to his inventory-management needs. But he doesn’t feel the business has the time and expertise to migrate to a more inventory-focused package.

He also wishes he could figure out a way to set up a system that would help the sales representatives share detailed information about what sorts of promotions work best with which products and customers. He tried Salesforce.com‘s cloud-based, customer-relationship management service, but after several months, he determined it wouldn’t do the trick without more customization than he felt he had time or money to implement. “For me, that defeats the purpose,” he said. “I want it to be easy and affordable to share information.”

Everon also doesn’t design, set up or host the business’s Web sites or assist with its Facebook and Twitter efforts — although Mr. Lowe feels that his own marketing and design people have handled all of that well, with some help from an outside development company and a hosting firm. Thanks to some successful Facebook promotions, including a Scooter giveaway, the company has more than 100,000 consumer e-mail addresses, and Metromint alone has more than 25,000 Facebook likes and more than 2,000 Twitter followers.

And there are still those niggling little things that have to be handled in person and don’t justify waiting for a technician to drive six hours — things like resetting a cellphone, replacing a flash drive, getting the right passwords into everyone’s computer for a new network connection or helping a frantic boss pick out a new laptop to replace the one that just melted down. For that stuff, Mr. Campbell remains on call. “It would be a problem for us if we didn’t have him closing that gap,” Mr. Lowe said. “He can still deal with a lot of problems.”

No matter how flat or high-tech the world becomes, it’s hard to beat a flesh-and-blood presence.

You can follow David H. Freedman on Twitter, Facebook and on Google+.

April 3, 2012, 7:00 am

Tech Audit: Two Owners, Two Companies, Lots of I.T. Headaches

Scott Lowe and Rio Miura have two companies and plenty of information-technology issuesCourtesy of David Rio Scott Lowe and Rio Miura have two companies and plenty of information-technology issues.
Tech Support

What small-business owners need to know about technology.

Scott Lowe had been living in Tokyo with his wife, Rio Miura, for a few years when in 1996 they started selling coffee and tea by catalog. “We really wanted to open a coffee shop and then expand, like Starbucks, but we didn’t have the money for it,” he said. But the catalog started pulling in sales, and then in 1998 they moved back to the United States and started selling here as well, settling in San Francisco.

Their chai tea blends became their biggest seller, especially in coffee shops and specialty stores — Williams-Sonoma sells it — and soon they focused their small company, David Rio, on that one line. (Mr. Lowe’s first name is David, though everyone knows him as Scott.) At that point, information technology was low on the list of the company’s challenges. “We were doing business by faxes,” Mr. Lowe said.

In 2003, they added a mint-infused water created by Ms. Miura, and that started taking off, leading to deals with big distributors as well as with Whole Foods, Kroger, and other large retailers. Recognizing that the battle for shelf space was very different from selling tea in shops, the two spun off the drink, called Metromint, into its own business, the Soma Beverage Company. But the two companies are still pretty much joined at the hip, Mr. Lowe said, with combined annual revenue of about $16 million and 26 employees split fairly evenly between them. “Their business models are different,” he said. “But they’re under the same roof, and share accounting and other resources.”

The two companies share something else: I.T. headaches and the lack of a full-time I.T. guru to deal with them. “We’re not big enough to afford a dedicated, six-figure I.T. guy here,” Mr. Lowe said. But with 30 computers, a server and a growing dependence on software, smartphones and the Internet, the combined business is big enough to feel a frequent need for expert help. To get it, the two companies contracted six years ago with an outside firm to do many of the things an internal I.T. expert would do — except remotely.

For the first several years, Mr. Lowe himself did the best he could to keep the company’s computers and cellphones up and running, with higher-powered help coming when needed from local independent contractors. But as the need grew to have help on hand day to day, he tapped one of the company’s employees — the operations manager, Evan Campbell — to take on the extra responsibility. “One day I just walked up to him and said, ‘Guess what? You’re the I.T. guy now,’” Mr. Lowe said. Mr. Campbell has done a great job, he continued, especially considering he had to teach himself how to do it and can only give I.T. about a tenth of his time. But as the importance and complexity of the technology increased at the companies, they found that Mr. Campbell and sporadic outside help wasn’t enough.

In 2006, after inviting a number of support companies to come in to pitch him on a higher level of care, Mr. Lowe signed with Everon, a division of a larger I.T.-support firm called PlumChoice, based in Billerica, Mass. (Many other firms provide remote I.T. support services, including dedicated support firms like ProVal Technologies and LogMeIn, and big companies that do it on the side, like AT&T and Staples.) He now pays a bit more than $3,500 a month, for which he gets assurance of constant up-time on all his computers, full-time monitoring for viruses and other security problems, online backup of all company data and the leasing of a server.

Mr. Lowe insists the price is worth it. If Everon determines there’s a hardware problem, he noted, it will either send in a technician or send a replacement computer overnight — as happened last week when Mr. Lowe couldn’t revive his laptop. (Everon charged for the replacement computer, which Mr. Lowe picked out, but Everon procured it, configured it with the needed software and backed-up data, and shipped it, all on the same day.)

Mr. Lowe was particularly impressed with Everon when his server died late in the day three years ago and a repair person drove six hours through the night to get to it and have it running before morning. “I don’t think about that sort of service being worth what I pay for the contract,” Mr. Lowe said. “That’s worth the value of staying in business.”

Still, Everon doesn’t do everything an in-house I.T. manager would do. It doesn’t help choose and customize application software, for example, leaving Mr. Lowe less than fully satisfied with his portfolio of software. The business relies on the software version of Intuit’s QuickBooks, and while the software does a good job for most financial accounting tasks, Mr. Lowe said, it falls short when it comes to his inventory-management needs. But he doesn’t feel the business has the time and expertise to migrate to a more inventory-focused package.

He also wishes he could figure out a way to set up a system that would help the sales representatives share detailed information about what sorts of promotions work best with which products and customers. He tried Salesforce.com‘s cloud-based, customer-relationship management service, but after several months, he determined it wouldn’t do the trick without more customization than he felt he had time or money to implement. “For me, that defeats the purpose,” he said. “I want it to be easy and affordable to share information.”

Everon also doesn’t design, set up or host the business’s Web sites or assist with its Facebook and Twitter efforts — although Mr. Lowe feels that his own marketing and design people have handled all of that well, with some help from an outside development company and a hosting firm. Thanks to some successful Facebook promotions, including a Scooter giveaway, the company has more than 100,000 consumer e-mail addresses, and Metromint alone has more than 25,000 Facebook likes and more than 2,000 Twitter followers.

And there are still those niggling little things that have to be handled in person and don’t justify waiting for a technician to drive six hours — things like resetting a cellphone, replacing a flash drive, getting the right passwords into everyone’s computer for a new network connection or helping a frantic boss pick out a new laptop to replace the one that just melted down. For that stuff, Mr. Campbell remains on call. “It would be a problem for us if we didn’t have him closing that gap,” Mr. Lowe said. “He can still deal with a lot of problems.”

No matter how flat or high-tech the world becomes, it’s hard to beat a flesh-and-blood presence.

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