With the pending storm, this is a good opportunity to remind everyone of some standard IT procedures. Before leaving the office for the weekend, we advise you power off desktops. All WingSwept client servers have been given peace of mind with preconfigured with battery backup and automated software to gracefully shut down in the event of a power outage. This is a good opportunity to review your server setup with your IT service provider. Please feel free to contact us with any questions/concerns.
WingSwept would like to warn you about the a identity theft scheme that is being accompanied by tax season. The newest scheme developed by identity thieves is to send an e-mail posing as the IRS. According to the Trend Micro Consumer Newsletter, there are different versions of scamming e-mails being sent.
One version of the scam IRS messages has victims receiving an e-mail advising they did not report all of their income to the IRS. The recipient is then asked to download an attachment which the scammer claims is a portion of their most recent tax return. When the attachment is downloaded, the victim’s computer has acquired a virus.
Another similar scam plays on a victim’s fear of being audited by the IRS. A bogus information form is sent to the victim by e-mail who is told they must complete and return it. If the victim does not complete the form, the scammer will then threaten them with levy penalties and interest.
In order to avoid the newest scam this tax season, it is important to remember one thing: The IRS uses the US Postal Service to contact taxpayers—they never use e-mail.
In this article by Ray Barber of Kaseya, seven questions are outlined to help you choose a technology partner that will allow you to focus on your business. The article states that ”you need your IT to work – all the time – and using an outsourced IT service can give small to medium-sized businesses like yours the enterprise-level IT capabilities needed to help achieve business growth, reduce costs and maximize profitability.”
Are you satisfied with the answers to these questions about your tech support?
What level of customer service do they provide you? Can their staff offer expertise? Do they offer fixed monthly pricing? Do they take a proactive approach?
If you aren’t satisfied with the service you are getting, consider WingSwept, an IT consulting firm and managed services provider in Garner. Customer service and IT expertise are founding principles of the company.
In 2009, millions of innocent consumers were harassed, defrauded, and robbed of valuable personal information that may have done serious damage to their credit and privacy for years to come. Some of the most memorable scams of 2009 and possible threats for 2010 are:
1. Spoofing Attacks – Scammers ask you to visit a website by pretending to be an official source, and rob you of your personal information.
2. Economy Related Scams – Scammers use the economy and enticing terms like loans, debt relief, etc. to get you to fall for their scam.
3. Work at Home Scams – Do you want to earn fast money while working at home? These are the type of things scammers will say to get you to participate in their scam. They most always ask for an upfront fee.
4. Social Networking Scams – The continued popularity of social networking sites is a target to scammers and malware makers looking to spread viruses, hack into people’s personal accounts, or con people out of money.
5. Classified Ad and Auction Scams – Although Craigslist can ebay can be a good way to find things you are looking for, it is also a good place for scammers to plot.
This WingSwept article was inspired by one by Trend Micro. Read their article here.
WingSwept’s IT experts offer businesses the chance to better understand their technology. How efficient is your network? Is your server and technology equipment holding you back? Are you on the brink of a computer crash? These are all easy questions to answer after getting a Technology SWOT analysis by WingSwept. It is our goal to help you leverage your technology, but first you need to know where you stand. To find out more, contact our consultants. This affordable offer could save your business!
Recently, the Town of Garner launched their new website, created by the web developers at WingSwept. The local IT firm created a ”cleaner, sleeker version of the town’s previous homepage with a series of user-friendly navigation buttons and a new feature that will make it easier for residents to register for parks and recreation programs.”
http://www.garnercitizen.com/2010/01/blue-gold-and-read-all-over-garner-revamps-web-site/
If you are a business professional of today, then you are most likely on the move and rely heavily on technology to connect you to your work. When you are traveling, you may transfer important data to your laptop and work on it away from the office. Perhaps you have to go home at the end of the day, but find your self plugging away on internal corporate documents on your personal PC. If you are doing any of this, you are not alone! When was the last time you backed up your personal or corporate data on your off-site machines? You are also not alone if you haven’t ever backed it up.
Most people don’t understand how much critical information they carry around in their laptop or personal PCs until they crash, are stolen, or files are accidentally deleted. Some irreplaceable documents you may be carrying are HR documents, time/expense reports, and client files. Laptops often have a short lifespan and disasters are likely to occur.
Many believe that backing up files on a personal computer is too expensive and difficult to do, but WingSwept is here to clear up the misconception. Protecting your off-site machines can be simple, affordable, and accessible through the Internet. If you want to see for yourself, try out WingSwept’s reliable online solution for your laptop or personal PC with a FREE 30 day trial. If you want to know more about the benefits that Data Vault can provide you, click here.
WingSwept, a leading local IT firm, has gone through 2009 accumulating much recognition and proving themselves to be an award-winning company. WingSwept is based in Garner, NC and staffs over 20 people in the four divisions of Government Services, Network Support, Web Development, and Vertical Marketing.
In light of the state of the economy, this IT firm has not hesitated in hiring the staff members they need to reach their growing client base, which also led to expanding office space. WingSwept has selectively filled multiple Sales Representative positions, a Customer Service Representative, a Community Relations Director, a Marketing Coordinator, and a Partner Advisor. WingSwept will conclude the year with other 1,700 diverse customers in all 50 states. It is WingSwept’s forward-thinking approach to business that has allowed the company to achieve revenue growth of 50% for the second straight year.
In 2009, WingSwept gained many key customers and strengthened relationships with existing customers in all divisions. The Network Support division has converted many significant customers to Managed IT Services to better accommodate the customer’s time and budget. The Vertical Markets division has the most rapidly growing customer base, and its success has not mirrored the economy in any way.
In the summer of 2009, Business Leader Media announced WingSwept as 31st on the Top 100 NC Small Businesses. In September, WingSwept was ranked on Triangle Business Journal’s Internet Marketing & Design Firms for the third time, this time topping the list in fifth place. North Carolina Technology Association most recently chose WingSwept as one of four finalists for the Customer Service Company based on the organization’s commitment to simplifying business for their customers and exceeding client expectations.
In August, the company was rewarded with a $16,000 workforce development training grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Workforce Development. The Program is designed to benefit businesses by enhancing the skills of employees, thereby increasing productivity and the potential for company growth. WingSwept’s focus is on becoming highly skilled in the techniques of selling and customer service in Vertical Markets, which serves clients nationwide.
All of these successes have not stopped WingSwept from being active in the community more than ever this year. They remain being committed to the Garner community and surrounding community, and often participate together in charitable events. WingSwept held its first ever Technology Spring Clean, an Earth Day inspired recycling event, which allows citizens to drop off old technology equipment to be recycled without polluting landfills. Jay Strickland strives to set an example in leadership and involvement. He is the Garner Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board and President of the Garner Rotary Club.
“It was always our intention to not only survive the economic turmoil, but come out of it stronger than we went into it. We have been blessed with a solid foundation of strong customers who themselves masterfully navigated the current economy and dedicated and focused staff,” says Jay Strickland, WingSwept CEO and a 2009 Triangle Business Journal “40 under 40” recipient and 2009 Business Leader Media “Mover and Shaker”.
This year everyone was trying to find a way to access information with ease and speed. In fact, Smartphone sales worldwide for 2009 were up 24 percent compared with 2008, according to Gartner Inc., a research company.
From smartphones to social meda…WingSwept suggest you take a look at CNN’s Top 10 Tech Trends of this year.
What would happen if there was a flood, fire, or theft? Could your business operate? How long would it take you to be up and running again?
Some don’t realize how much they rely on data until after the fact…when it is too late. That is why every business needs a reliable backup at an affordable rate.
At the very least, business owners need to have data backup on the machines that hold the most critical data. At WingSwept, we offer a very affordable online solution for people like you to put on single computers, such as your off-site machines or coverage for main computers. It also recommended to have backup to your existing backup, and you can use our Data Vault Services to do so, because it is that affordable. We are even offering a FREE 30 day trial to test it out and help you protect your business.