Wichita IT Support – Reflecting on the First Year

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Kevin Peterson Comments Off on Wichita IT Support – Reflecting on the First Year

For more information about computer and network support in Wichita KS, visit our homepage at Proper Technology Solutions.

Wichita Network Consulting – The First Year

Proper Technology Solutions, our Wichita IT Support company is getting ready to celebrate its first anniversary.  With 2011 wrapping up, we’d like to thank all the Wichita area businesses who have trusted us to provide for their networking and consulting needs.

Making it through our first year has been an honor.  Each client is important to us, and we strive to provide top-notch customer service and response times to each.  I’m going to take this opportunity to reflect on some of our accomplishments this year:

Consulting Successes

  • Network Deployments – We just finished a successful deployment of a complete network solution for a Financial Services Client.  They were initially tied to their parent-company’s network and wanted to be independent.  We installed a half-rack locking cabinet, router, switch, server with Microsoft Small Business 2011 server, Blackberry Enterprise Server Express, Zix Encrypted Email Gateway, spam filtering, two desktop workstations, laptop and an enterprise-level multifunction printer.
  • Online Backup – Several of our clients have moved to our Proper Cloud Backup solution, storing a total of 750GB of data on our remote, replicated servers.
  • Disaster Recovery – We performed disaster recovery services on multiple machines, including recovering over 10,000 family photos from one machine that would otherwise have been lost.
  • Network Administration – We took over the network administration for several businesses, providing full documentation of their network systems and monitoring their servers for errors and operating system patches.  We excel at coming into a network blind and jumping in as the sole support, determining needs and figuring out the best way to administer the network.
  • Strategic Partnerships – We have formed successful partnerships with premiere industry players such as Microsoft, Dell, Cisco, Crucial and Tech Data, allowing us to provide our customers with software and hardware at great rates.
  • Network Upgrades – Our Wichita IT support customers have allowed us to upgrade their networks with new equipment such as routers, helping them eliminate bottlenecks to performance by taking full advantage of their high-speed data services.

As 2012 comes into view, take stock of your current IT support provider.  If you’re looking for faster, more efficient services, give us a call at (316) 337-5628.  We can visit your network and either resolve a problem immediately or provide you with options on how we can help you make your systems more cost-efficient.  With low rates starting at just $70/hour with no minimum service charges, we can help take the crunch out of your 2012 IT spending.

 

Business, Cloud Computing, IT Support, online backup

Wichita IT Support – Proper Technology Partners with Cisco for Secure Networking Solutions

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Kevin Peterson Comments Off on Wichita IT Support – Proper Technology Partners with Cisco for Secure Networking Solutions

For more information about computer and network support in Wichita KS, visit our homepage at Proper Technology Solutions.

Cisco Partnership Announced

Proper Technology Solutions is proud to announce our newest industry partner, Cisco Systems.  In addition to our Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) on staff, we are now authorized to sell Cisco products and services.  We continue to strive to increase our industry reach so we can provide our Wichita customers with multiple options for networking and all their other Information Technology needs.

Cisco Registered Partner Logo

Cisco Registered Partner Logo

As network consultants to small business in Wichita, we are always looking for ways to help your business remain effective and efficient, while keeping costs under control.  Call Proper today at (316) 337-5628 to discuss your networking and IT support needs.  With low hourly rates and no minimum service charges, we can assist whether you have one computer or fifty.

 

Business, IT Support

Proper Technology Certified as a Microsoft Small Business Specialist – Wichita IT Support

Posted on November 12, 2011 by Kevin Peterson Comments Off on Proper Technology Certified as a Microsoft Small Business Specialist – Wichita IT Support

For more information about computer and network support in Wichita KS, visit our homepage at Proper Technology Solutions.

Proper Technology Solutions, LLC Certified As a Microsoft Small Business Specialist

We’re proud to announce that Proper Technology, our Wichita IT Support company has just been granted the Microsoft Small Business Specialist designation.

Microsoft Small Business Specialist Logo

This designation is granted to IT support companies that prove an understanding of small business needs as related to Microsoft technologies and maintain a staff of Microsoft Certified Professionals who have passed comprehensive certification exams in order to better support their clients.

If your business is looking for professional, personal IT support services, call Proper Technology Solutions at (316) 337-5628.  We can discuss your needs or schedule an on-site visit from one of our certified technicians to help identify your needs and how we can make your business network more reliable and more efficient.  With rates as low as $70/hour with no minimum services charges, we can lower your IT costs while maintaining the level of support your business requires.

 

Business, Cloud Computing, IT Support

Wichita IT Support Companies – Building the Trust

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Kevin Peterson Comments Off on Wichita IT Support Companies – Building the Trust

For more information about computer and network support in Wichita KS, visit our homepage at Proper Technology Solutions.

Building a Wichita IT Support Company

We’ve been in business for a little more than nine months now and have learned a lot along the way about providing the best IT support possible for Wichita businesses.  One of the main reasons we’ve been successful (and learned our lessons) is that we try very hard to listen to our customers.

Technology support is the key to most small businesses.  In this point in history, computers and technology play a vital role in most every business, and each business needs to have an IT consultant that understands their needs, both in technology and in budget.  Here are somoe of the key needs our customers have outlined for us that we use to tailor their support and the way we run our IT services business in Wichita.

  • Timely Support – We don’t put much stake in setting priorities.  When a problem arises, it’s a priority for any business, and we make it our own.  By keeping flexible, we can treat every issue as a high priority, and address them quickly and efficiently.
  • No Minimum Charges – We’ve never charged a minimum service charge.  If we’re on site for fifteen minutes, the customer will be billed for fifteen minutes.  While other IT support companies charge as much as two hour minimums, others are slowly starting to follow our lead.
  • Affordable Rates – Don’t let the affordable rates fool you.  We’re still the same IT consultants that worked at other firms charging premium rates ($100-$140/hour).  By eliminating overhead we’ve kept our rates low ($70/hour) so small businesses can afford to have Enterprise-level IT support at a more budget-friendly rate.
  • Leveraging Open Source – Open source software has come a long way in the past ten years.  We can leverage this technology to our consulting customers to help them reduce costs while still keeping the functionality and efficiency of for-profit software packages.
  • Certified Technicians – Every IT consultant at Proper Technology Solutions holds various industry certifications to ensure their skills are current.

If you’re looking for IT support in Wichita, call Proper Technology Solutions any time at (316) 337-5628.  We’re building an IT support company Wichita can trust to take care of their needs, day or night.

 

Business, IT Support

Tip: Zooming in On Internet Explorer 9 – Wichita IT Support

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Kevin Peterson Comments Off on Tip: Zooming in On Internet Explorer 9 – Wichita IT Support

For more information about computer and network support in Wichita KS, visit our homepage at Proper Technology Solutions.

Wichita IT Support Tip for October 26th, 2011

Tired of squinting at a webpage with small font sizes?  As an IT professional, I find myself staring at screens most of the day, especially at the smaller screen of my laptop.  I sometimes notice myself getting closer and closer to the screen depending on the site that I’m on.  To resolve this issue, let’s learn some features and shortcuts available in Internet Explorer 9 to make our lives just that much easier.

Zoom in On Internet Explorer 9

Let’s talk about the quick and easy method first, then learn to have a little more precise control of the features available.

IE 9 Zoom Shortcuts

Look at the bottom right edge of the Internet Explorer window (you’re probably there right now).  Look for the number (by default it reads 100%)

Zoom Readout in Internet Explorer 9

Zoom Readout in Internet Explorer 9

Step 1: Let’s make it bigger.  Hold down CTRL and hit the plus(+) key (no need to shift)  CTRL+

Things should have gotten bigger and your readout should now be at 125%.

Step 2: Let’s take it back. Hold down CTRL and hit the minus (–) key (no need to shift) CTRL-

You should be back to 100%.  If you can remember these two shortcuts, they may be all you need to know to zoom in and out on the website you are trying to read.

Want more control?  Read on.

IE9 Zoom Options

Let’s look at more fine-tuning options.

Step 1: Click the down arrow right next to the readout at the bottom right of IE.

Zoom Options in IE9

Zoom Options in IE9

This pulls up a menu where you can choose your zoom level, without CTRL plus-ing over and over.  Notice the CTRL+0(zero) next to the 100%.  This is yet another shortcut to take you from wherever you are back to a normal view.

Step 2: Click on Custom… in the pull-down menu.

This is pretty intuitive.  What if I want somewhere between 100% and 125%.  Just set your zoom and click OK.

If you’re looking for small business or residential IT support, call Proper Technology Solutions at (316) 337-5628.  Whether your office has one computer or one hundred, we can help to reduce your computer support costs and make your system more efficient.  Day or night, one of our college educated and certified technicians can assist you over the phone or make an onsite visit with no minimum service charges.

Applications, IT Support, Tips

Tip: Check Your Autoplay Settings – Wichita IT Support

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Kevin Peterson Comments Off on Tip: Check Your Autoplay Settings – Wichita IT Support

For more information about computer and network support in Wichita KS, visit our homepage at Proper Technology Solutions.

Wichita IT Support Tip for October 24th, 2011

So what happens when you put a CD or DVD into the drive on your computer?  There are many default actions that can be performed by a feature in Windows 7 (and other operating systems) called AutoPlay.  Application discs should start an Autorun program, usually prompting you to install the software, while DVD movies should play automatically.

What happens if they don’t?  It’s annoying if things start when you don’t want them to, or equally annoying when the don’t start when you do.

How can we tell what’s happening and fix it if it isn’t the way we want it?

Reviewing AutoPlay Defaults and Options:

Step 1: Click the start flag on the bottom left (Windows 7)

Step 2: Choose Default Programs from the menu

Default Programs on the Start Menu

Default Programs on the Start MenuStep 3: Choose Change AutoPlay Settings Change AutoPlay Settings in Windows 7

 Step 4: Review your settings.  For each type of media, use the dropdown box to accept the default action or program you want to use to open files.

Windows 7 AutoPlay Options and Defaults

Windows 7 AutoPlay Options and Defaults

Step 5: Make sure to hit the Save button on the bottom if you make any changes.

Notes: Some applications change these options during their installation.  If you find that inserting your flash drive pulls up an image editing program or something similar, you might want to change the setting on Pictures to Take No Action or Open Folder to View Files Using Internet Explorer.

If you’re looking for technical or IT support in Wichita and surrounding areas, give us a call at Proper Technology Solutions, (316) 337-5628.  One of our certified technicians can help you with your technical needs from desktop troubleshooting to network design and implementation.  With rates starting at $70/hour with no minimum service charges, we can get you running quickly and efficiently. 

 

Applications, Business, IT Support, Tips

Wichita IT Support – What’s Been Happening

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Kevin Peterson Comments Off on Wichita IT Support – What’s Been Happening

For more information about computer and network support in Wichita KS, visit our homepage at Proper Technology Solutions.

Wichita IT Support – Professional Onsite Service for Small Businesses

The last month or so has been a busy one.  We’ve been keeping active supporting several new small business clients in the Wichita area and it has unfortunately kept me from keeping the blog up to date.  Hopefully I will have some new tips for the readers shortly.

Here’s a brief recap of some of the work we’ve been doing to give you an idea of what we do here at Proper Technology and how we can help your business succeed.

  • Installation of new network hardware – One of our customers had been progressively bumping up their speed through Cox Business without results.  By looking at their equipment, we found that the bottleneck was in their router.  It just wasn’t rated for the speeds they were hoping for and expecting.  After replacing this key networking device, we were able to improve their Internet experience.
  • Data and disaster recovery – Another customer had taken a system to a local repair shop when it crashed, to be told that the hard drive had failed and the data was lost forever.  They returned with a new hard drive and a new operating system.  Fortunately, they had kept the old hard drive.  We were able to recover all the old data and even the original operating system, allowing the user to go right back to work with all data intact.
  • Temporary hardware – A user’s motherboard failed just months before a planned workstation refresh.  Wanting to standardize their hardware in the months ahead, the customer wanted an inexpensive alternative to replace the machine.  We were able to located a replacement device used that allowed their hard drive to boot and was easily recovered.  They had a replacement machine for just over $100 to hold them through until the refresh.
  • Virus removal – We removed a large number of malicious programs from machines over the past month, from virus infections to malware, bringing the customers back online with as little headache as possible.
  • Online backup – One of our customers replaced an existing tape-based backup system with our Proper Cloud Backup solution, lowering their total cost and giving them the peace of mind of having offsite data storage.

These are just a few of the projects we’ve encountered since my last update.  If you’re looking for professional enterprise IT support in Wichita and surrounding areas, please give us a call at (316) 337-5628.  We can have a certified technician at your place of business within hours (or faster) to resolve all your issues and get your business running again.

 

Business, Cloud Computing, IT Support, online backup

Wichita IT Support Updates and Success Stories

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Kevin Peterson Comments Off on Wichita IT Support Updates and Success Stories

For more information about computer and network support in Wichita KS, visit our homepage at Proper Technology Solutions.

Wichita IT Support Update

We’ve taken some time off the blog to focus on our core customers, but hopefully we’ll be able to get back to the tips!  Happily, we can announce that our customer base is expanding, as well as our business.  By providing top-notch IT support and customer service, our existing customers have been rewarding us with referrals, keeping us hopping.

As a networking consultant, it’s always been my belief that value is the key to success.  Computers are the lifeblood of most businesses and proper care and maintenance done in a timely manner is critical.  A customer recently experienced a disaster in the form of a server that was unrepairable as the hard drives were destroyed.  Fortunately, they had a solid online backup solution in place allowing them to restore their data.  If your company is unsure about the status and nature of its current backup plan, give us a call and don’t take the chance!  With a simple and inexpensive monthly monitoring agreement, we were able to provide online backup services and maintenance at a low cost.  Even though the maintenance wouldn’t have prevented the outage (power related), the online backup saved the day.

Our thanks goes out to all of our corporate customers as well as our existing customers under our Executive IT Support service.  Executives are finding great value in having a solid and available tech able to come onsite to keep their home equipment running properly, allowing them to remote into their corporate network to get work done at home.  We’ve had great feedback regarding the quality of service and the peace of mind knowing that a professional, on-call tech can resolve issues, even in emergencies.

Even if you have a current IT service provider, take a look at the following triggers.  If you’re unhappy in any of these areas, please give us a call!

  • My IT consultant takes too long to return my calls or emails
  • The service is great but the costs are too high
  • My IT support provider charges me a minimum of 1-2 hours for onsite service
  • I don’t trust the technician is competent or capable

Call Proper Technology Solutions at (316) 337-5628 if you’re looking for a Wichita IT Support company that can eliminate any or all of these concerns.  You’ll always be provided with quick service from a professional, college educated and industry certified computer consultant that will make you a raving fan of your IT support.

 

 

Business, Executive IT Support, IT Support, online backup

Tip: A Little Computer Maintenance – Wichita IT Support

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Kevin Peterson Comments Off on Tip: A Little Computer Maintenance – Wichita IT Support

For more information about computer and network support in Wichita KS, visit our homepage at Proper Technology Solutions.

Wichita IT Support Tip for August 22nd, 2011

A little computer maintenance goes a long way.  When was the last time you took your computer ‘to the shop’?  As I said at a gathering a while back, computers don’t have a check engine light.  When your check engine light comes on in the car, most drivers make a bee-line to the mechanic, to find out what is wrong with the vehicle.  Though a computer doesn’t have this light, it generally gives you some more subtle warning signs that it’s time for some periodic maintenance.

Just as we put a lot of importance on our transportation, most small business people rely on their computer to organize their daily lives and make them more efficient.  If your computer is acting oddly, or is suddenly slower, it might just be time to have it looked at.

Keep an eye out for these check engine lights on your system:

  • The computer keeps getting slower and slower
  • You receive error messages from the operating system
  • Your antivirus isn’t running or updating (look for Xs in your taskbar at the lower right)
  • Sometimes when you search for things on the Internet, you end up at sites you weren’t expecting

Your computer is probably the most valuable and important business tool that you own.  Take the time and have it looked at, and you may be able to avoid downtime or data loss.

If you’re looking for IT support in Wichita KS for your home or small business, give Proper Technology Solutions a call at (316) 337-5628.  We can discuss some of the issues you are having, or just give you some advice on whether it’s time for a tune-up, or time for a new vehicle.  Our Information Technology consultants strive to be more than what you would consider the ‘typical’ IT person.  With quick customer-centered service, we can get you back on the road, or keep you on the road.

 

 

Executive IT Support, IT Support

IT Support Wichita – Network Consulting, One Customer at a Time

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Kevin Peterson Comments Off on IT Support Wichita – Network Consulting, One Customer at a Time

 

Visit the Proper Technology home page for more information about IT Support Services in Wichita and surrounding areas.

Wichita IT Support – Listening to the Clients[google1]

At Proper Technology Solutions, we’re listening to our customers and our potential customers.  We want to know what small business expect from their IT service provider, and what they don’t expect.  Here’s a short list from our experience so far.

IT Company Traits Customers Don’t Want:

  1. The ‘typical’ Tech Guy – This is something we hear from our clients all the time.  You know what you think of as the ‘typical’ tech guy.  There are a few traits in common whenever we hear this.  Antisocial, demeaning, and superior are the words we hear most often.  The Fix: IT consultants that can hold their own both socially and technically and are able to understand not only their customers’ technology needs, but also able to understand the customer and help them learn to be more productive and more efficient.
  2. Difference in Priorities – I tend to ask new and potential customers what the average response time is from their current or previous IT company.  The answers generally range from what I would consider acceptable to what I would definitely consider unacceptable.  The Fix: If you don’t catch us on the phone the first time, we generally try to get back to customers within an hour.  We understand that whatever we might think our priorities are, our customers’ systems are their lifeblood.
  3. High Cost – Most of our small business customers complain about the high cost of IT service, especially on-site support and are looking for a more affordable option.  They know an on-site certified technician is better than the big box store, but the price difference is sometimes out of reach.  The Fix: We strive to support small and medium businesses with fair pricing.  While other firms charge $125-$140 per hour for on-site support, our rates start at just $70 per hour.  The price difference reflects our business model.  The customer still receive a highly-educated and certified technician to resolve all their business needs.  Most have even worked for the others, billing out those same higher rates.
  4. Minimum Service Charges – Some call them trip fees.  Some IT companies in Wichita charge a one-hour minimum for on-site service, though most seem to charge a two-hour minimum.  We have customers that previously would wait for a second computer to go down before calling in for service on the first computer, just to justify the minimum fee.  Nothing like paying $250 to have a technician on-site for 15-20 minutes.  The Fix:  Simple.  We’ve eliminated the minimum service charges.  If we’re at your location for 15 minutes, you are billed for 15 minutes.  We want to support your business and keep your systems running; now, not later.
  5. Excessive Charges – We’ve heard the term ‘nickel and diming’ more than once.  Just yesterday we heard a story of a business manager calling her IT company to discuss how her system still wasn’t running properly after an on-site visit.  She actually received a $70 bill for that conversation!  The Fix: We want to help your business.  If you call a tech and ask a quick question, you won’t get a bill.  If it goes long, the tech will let you know in advance that you’re getting into billable time.   No surprises.
  6. Superfluous Equipment and Software – It’s amazing how many times we find Department of Defense level equipment at Jerry’s Deli and Diner.  The equipment is outstanding, we understand that; but Jerry doesn’t need it and could have saved a bundle. The Fix: We make recommendations for equipment that the company needs, not equipment we can make a commission from.  The non-tech equivalent: a business that only has $50 in cash on-hand at any time doesn’t really need a bank-grade time-lock safe.  The same goes for software.  We’ve eliminated annual software renewals for several customers by switching them to equivalent and functional open source alternatives.

If you’re looking for IT support for home or your small business, call Proper Technology Solutions at (316) 337-5628 and let us schedule a free visit to evaluate your network (we won’t send you a bill!).  We can take the pain out of transitioning to a new IT company because we are familiar with a wide variety of technology.  You’ll always be assured of having a certified, college-educated and ‘atypical’ tech at your disposal.

Business, Executive IT Support, IT Support