Hello! It’s us, your friendly Grande Prairie IT services company, here to answer some of your questions about all things ‘IT’.
Do you help individuals with computer problems?
No, IT Horizons works with small to mid-sized businesses. Although much of our work is with individuals at those businesses, our work is only through these organizations.
We always get the latest software and upgrades so we don’t need an IT consultant, right?
That depends. Are you confident that you’re getting only what you need, and that what you’re purchasing is saving time and money? If not, we can help.
An IT consultant is not a salesperson. Our job is to analyze your organization, your current systems, and your needs, and then decide what solutions will suit you best (and actually save you time and money).
If your IT strategy is to always buy and upgrade, then you’re using excess resources (both money and staffing). We’ll help you focus your purchases where they’re needed and stop adding to your systems unnecessarily.
When you do purchase new software, you’re not only spending the initial money, you’re also paying for staff to install, learn, and manage anything new. This isn’t always in your best interests. As IT consultants, we evaluate your needs and abilities so you’re not stretching your resources when you make a new purchase.
It’s our policy to upgrade our IT every 5 years so we don’t need an IT consultant, right?
Although it sounds like your company has the opposite strategy as the one above, you may also be spending money and using staff resources unnecessarily.
Lifecycle replacement (like you already practice) is a great idea. However, we recommend a staggered approach with continual replacements based on a 4-5 year lifecyle. (Different than a once-every-5-years approach.) This continual approach allows us to be more agile in reacting/proactively adjusting based on unexpected changes in direction.
Part of our job as IT consultants is to remain up-to-date on changes—both changes to technology and changes to the way our clients do business—so we can always advise on the best solutions.
Take this crazy pandemic as one example. Many of our clients who had well-functioning offices were completely unprepared for work-from-home solutions, especially when it came to devices, security, and remote communications. They needed solutions fast in order to keep their businesses operating.
We were able to directly assist our clients in setting up their employees to continue working from home with minimal disruptions to their businesses.
Of course, this shift has also caused more changes: some businesses want to close down their offices and need support to manage their IT needs remotely, other businesses need support to work with their clients who are now working remotely or under vastly different set-ups.
We’re always there when things change unexpectedly for our clients. And because it’s our job to quickly evaluate challenges and determine the best solutions, we’re not flummoxed when the unexpected happens—we’re ready for it.
My neighbor’s kid is really good with computers. Can you hire them?
It’s always exciting to hear about the next generation, and how natural they are with computers. IT Horizons continues to grow and expand, but we’re very careful about adding to the team.
Everyone on the IT Horizons team has a minimum Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience within the IT field. While there is constant on-the-job training and upgrading, they must come to us with a solid technical and practical foundation.
We’re also a very friendly and down-to-earth group. The entire team not only excels at the technical aspects of the job, but the personal aspects. We all like people, we like working with people and ensuring that they’re comfortable with the IT solutions we recommend, and they’re set up to succeed in applying those solutions.
Can we save money by not purchasing new software?
Sometimes. If your business needs to operate more efficiently, it makes sense to look at every area—including IT. But your IT systems are not an optional part of your business. They’re essential. And iIf you make budget cuts without a careful strategy established, you risk costing far more than you save.
We started IT Horizons because we saw businesses that were desperate to succeed, and technology problems were standing in the way of that success. Our job is to help you achieve success through the right technology applied in the right way. Nothing more, and definitely nothing less.
I’m worried about getting hacked. Can you help?
Yes. Security is an essential part of everything we do as IT consultants. And protecting our clients from hacking, malware, and data loss is critical.
There are a few ways we approach security. The first is as a part of everything we do. There is no IT evaluation, recommendation, or intervention without considering security. And we are constantly identifying opportunities to increase security, and areas where businesses may be vulnerable.
The second approach is a detailed security analysis. When you bring in an IT consultant to evaluate your systems, we’ll identify the best ways to defend your business and its network against security threats.
The third way is through ongoing monitoring and support. No matter what systems you have in place, there will still be risks. It’s important to always be vigilant. When you have constant monitoring, you have a ready defense against threats.
We’re a small business and can’t afford our own help desk, but we need one. What do we do?
You’re not alone. Many businesses are stretching their current resources to their limits, and a help desk just isn’t an option. That’s why we offer complete help desk coverage. Not only do you get access to the full breadth of experience our team brings, you see substantial savings over having your own in-house team.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a general question, a weird glitch, or your entire system just crashed. You can rely on IT Horizons to step in and quickly rescue your team and your business so you can continue doing your job and serving your clients.
We just got a huge contract, and we don’t have the time to implement the new systems that we need. Can you recommend a contractor?
We’ve got you covered! While many clients use us for IT consulting services, there are others who take advantage of our full range of project management and implementation services.
Whether you’re doing a small upgrade or a massive overhaul, we can handle everything from start to finish to ongoing support so your project is completed on-time, on budget, and with everything you need to continue to grow your business.
Do you have more questions? Or just need someone to come fix everything right now?
We’re here to help! And if you need support that’s not within our expertise, we have a list of trusted providers we can refer you to. Contact the team at IT Horizons today and let us bring you the IT solutions you need.
