Proactive IT Management: The 5 Best Ways to Build a Smarter Future
Proactive IT management is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity for healthcare clinics and growing businesses. As organizations become increasingly dependent on technology, the ability to shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive IT strategies can be the difference between frustration and success. At Stringfellow Technology Group, we specialize in managed IT services designed to […]
4 Motivators for Stuck Tech Projects
4 Motivators for Stuck Tech Projects Technical people tend to focus on details. And when it comes to technology consulting there are a lot of details. For example, the minimum system requirements for a server, the firewall ports that are required for an application, the space included in a wireless network. Technical people juggle technical […]
Five Ways Your Team Can Boost Productivity with Azure AD
Everyone wants a more productive team, but with Azure AD you can deliver a lot of time saving benefits without much additional cost or another server. You may not recognize Azure AD as something you use, but if you use Microsoft 365, you’re already in Azure and you’re already using Azure AD. Azure AD is […]
What to watch for when your IT provider is acquired
The IT industry is consolidating at an rapid pace right, especially in the Managed Service Provider (MSP) space. As a buyer we focus on acquisitions that will allow us to provide an enhanced level of services to the Clients and opportunities to the team members we bring on. If you find yourself the Client of […]
Stringfellow Technology Group acquires CTC Networks
Stringfellow Technology Group (“Stringfellow”), based in Nashville, TN, has acquired CTC Networks (“CTC”) based in Franklin, TN. CTC was founded in 1993 and provides managed technology services to the healthcare, manufacturing, and life science industries. All CTC team members joined Stringfellow on November 1st, 2020. CTC president Jim Marable wanted to provide his customers with […]
Now is the time to move to VoIP
[vimeo 415230686 w=384 h=339] The work-from-home shift has expedited the need for businesses to evaluate their technology roadmaps and make adjustments to their technology stack. One area that should be considered improving is the way to handle voice across a phone system. Many offices are still using an in-office PBX which lacks the phone capabilities […]
Technology Costs Should be Variable, Not Fixed
The COVID-19 pandemic has made businesses painfully aware of their fixed operating costs. The largest fixed costs are people, often followed by office space. Some business owners consider technology costs fixed. Outsourcing your technology immediately changes many fixed costs into variable costs that are use-based and positively impact your business efficiency. We already prepped you […]
Don’t Let the Sunk Cost Fallacy Drive your Technology Decisions
[vimeo 410306204 w=384 h=339] Business owners are constantly bombarded with information about fiscal responsibility and how to avoid incurring more expenses than necessary. But sometimes the fear over “losing or spending money” leads many to stick with a decision because they already purchased a product or service, not because it’s the right choice. This is […]
Your Status matters more than ever working from home!
Status is now a communications tool in your office, not something to brag about! What we are talking about is the usage of the Status setting in Teams (or other products) to effectively communicate during the Work From Home (WFH) world we are transitioning to. In the physical workplace we could literally see what someone […]
Trust is crucial in a remote workplace
Patrick Lencioni’s book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, clearly shows that Trust is the basis for developing high performing teams. Until this is addressed, it will be difficult for any team to achieve consistent and repeatable results. Unfortunately, some managers attempt to achieve results by imposing various controls on their employees which ultimately reduces […]
What the end of Windows 7 REALLY means
Today marks the last day that Microsoft will provide updates for the Windows 7 operating system. Depending on who you talk to, your computer may burst into flames OR it may continue to work perfectly for the next several years. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum of that debate, the following three points […]
Do you need a technology phase shift in 2020?
If your business and technology planning are out of sync, it may be time for a technology phase shift. Fortunately technology capability is not cumulative, skipping some steps is allowed! The services-first, app-first approach to technology planning can enable much higher productivity without a huge lag in implementation or capital expenditure. First, let’s review some […]
DIY IT needs to stay at home
The DIY (do it yourself) movement has taken off with the advent of social media. Pinterest runs an entire business off of it! The two biggest drivers of DIY are saving money, and being creative. Neither of these are good reasons to DIY your corporate technology! The number of businesses STILL taking a DIY approach […]
Increase the success of your Microsoft Teams implementation
Microsoft Teams is fast becoming the go-to application for managing communication and information flow within organizations. We wrote HERE about how Teams will be supplanting email for internal communication in the near future. Many organizations don’t plan their technology deployments and this is a big mistake. Just because you can “turn on” Teams and start […]
Shift to managing data, not devices
It is time to shift your focus from managing devices to managing your data. The threat landscape changes quickly but the target remains the same, your data! Data is everywhere, and attempting to secure all the places it can be does not scale. Starting with a “data first” mindset will help secure you in a […]
Three cybersecurity standards most businesses are missing
Cybersecurity has finally been elevated to a “standard” in the business world. A business of ANY size needs to have a cybersecurity as part of their basic business planning checklist. This is especially important for businesses that are in the 50-500 employee size range, as these groups often are utilizing processes, and tools that have […]
MFA is like green beans, you just gotta eat them!
MFA is no longer optional in today’s threat landscape. Over three YEARS ago we started talking to our Clients about utilizing MFA, as passwords are no longer keeping your information safe. The number of IT providers that STILL do not ENFORCE this critical security configuration is very surprising. No one likes to be told what […]
The three illusions executives have about internal IT versus outsourcing
The first step to improve your business productivity is to understand the three illusions executives have about internal IT versus outsourcing. These illusions are reinforced by unsophisticated technology providers, vendors what want you to use their (on-premise) products, and internal IT’s need to stay employed. The illusion of control What is the first thing we […]
Netflix outsources their IT, what is your excuse?
Netflix has changed the way we consume video content, and grown into a streaming giant. A key to their success was knowing what parts of the business to outsource, and which ones to keep in house. Starting in 2008 they shifted their infrastructure over to a partner, and unplugged their last corporate datacenter in 2016. […]
Know before you grow, have a Strategic Technology Roadmap!
Congratulations, you are part of a growing business that is about to make an acquisition! All the financials are thoroughly reviewed, corporate culture is synergistic, and everyone is excited. Did anyone do a technology capacity and alignment review? Nah, we will let the “IT folks” figure that out later, no big deal….except that it is. This […]
Does your business strategy take technology consolidation into account?
Large technology companies are masters of technology consolidation, think Microsoft, Salesforce, and Apple. They watch new technologies emerge from other groups, and then buy or replicate that functionality. Over time, all the DIFFERENT technologies you need to accomplish a goal now show up under a single integrated application from a vendor. Your business strategy needs […]
Three ways you should STOP using email
Email is the defacto communication standard in business today. This is interesting considering the first email sent was in 1971, and the fax machine has come and gone since that time. Email continues to be useful in the business environment, BUT it time to consider alternatives for many scenarios. Here are three ways you should […]
Moving to an App-based delivery model
If what physical device you are using determines what applications and services you have access to, it’s time to reevaluate your technology setup! It still surprises me at the number of organizations still dependent on VPN, local file shares, and legacy applications. The “cloud” has become a common solution to many technology issues, but the […]
Do you still think the world is flat?
Digital natives will not hang around long with a company that still things the world is flat! This shift of mentality is real and happening now. Make sure that you are keeping an open mind about how technology can improve your productivity, profits, and results. If you agree with any of the following statements about […]
How to avoid technical debt
Debt refers to the state of owing something, usually money, to another party in the future. Technical debt is when you “borrow” from your company’s FUTURE PRODUCTIVITY by not making the proper investments TODAY. The justification is usually based on not having the actual financial capacity to invest in your business technology. This leads to […]
Goldilocks and the right level of technology involvement
Delegating is a key driver for growth and scalability in your business. You can’t do it all! Delegation does not remove responsibility, so you still need some understanding. Many executives and business owners struggle with the right “level” of understanding of technology. You don’t need to be an expert, but ABDICATION differs greatly from DELEGATION […]
Playing the long game in business
[vimeo 314332980 w=384 h=339] There is a time limit in sporting events is because there has to be a loser! Don’t put a time limit on your business relationships, play the long game. Three advantages of playing the long game with your business relationships: Allows for investments in improving the overall relationship…this can often take […]
Technology is NOT always the answer!
[vimeo 313262571 w=384 h=339] Technology is NOT always the answer to your business needs or issues. In the video we discuss four common areas where technology is not the answer. Wrong people Lack of Training Product or Service that is on the decline Broken Processes
110% client retention exists…here’s how!
Client retention is an important metric for any business, especially those with a high customer acquisition cost (CAC). The old saying it’s always easier to keep a client you have than to go and find a new one is true! What if you could plan on keeping all your (profitable) Clients and getting them to […]
It is 2019, and you are still talking about uptime?
First, no technology platform provides 100% uptime, period. Technology is too complex for that level of reliability. The car has been around for about 120 years, and they crash every day, albeit with a better survival rate. This is similar to technology in general. The crashes still occur but with less impact and a much […]
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles…how do you run your technology?
Do you run your technology like a plane, train, or automobile? All three will get you from point A to point B but in different ways. We can also apply this concept to how you run your technology. Let’s assume you have decided where you want to go, now let’s review how we are going […]
Technology is Making Us Busy Not Productive
Go ahead and reread the headline again; it’s correct. We have reached the limit of technology, making us more productive, and entered the era of “being busy.” We are losing the fundamental ability to prioritize our work time and now stay busy, responding to emails, texts, and other REACTIVE tasks. So what is technology’s role […]
Unless you like building power plants, get on board with technology subscriptions
Would you build a power or water filtration plant for your business? The answer for 99% of us is no, which would make no sense. Many large factories built their own power plants at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. There was no distribution network or centralized power plant to connect it to. This was the only […]
Has your technology provider outgrown you?
The technology space is known for innovative, rapidly growing companies. The downside is finding your technology provider has moved “upmarket” and left you behind. This is happening more and more with acquisitions funded by private equity groups. Their goal is to put together more and more recurring revenue, show increasing revenue and profit growth, and […]
Visit Your Family, Not Your Servers: Weekly Onsite IT Visits Probably Aren’t Necessary
Many groups provide a weekly, Onsite IT “visit” to make sure that their customer’s technology is working properly. This is based on an hourly billing model that requires someone to show up to get paid. The problem is it’s 100% reactive and there is no reason to show up anymore physically. Do all of your […]
Maximizing return – Putting it all together (Part 3 of 3)
Making a decision is the first step towards maximizing return. Until that happens, we are operating in the theoretical world, not reality. Once you have determined what type of decision you are making (covered here), we apply a simple scoring matrix to determine what type of BUYER will be best suited to make your decision. This […]
Maximizing return – What type of decision making are you doing? (Part 2 of 3)
How is making a decision about what to purchase for dinner different from buying a new car? Those differences are pretty obvious. What about the difference between a rental car you want on vacation and a car to purchase? What about purchasing options for a new car? All these examples highlight three impacts you need […]
Maximizing return – What type of buyer persona are you? (Part 1 of 3)
Business is all about making good decisions and then executing them. Deciding what products and services your business buys is a key driver of your firm’s profitability. There are different types of buyer personas that we see in the marketplace. The key takeaway here is to be aware what type of buyer you are in […]
A cost first mentality will land you in last place
Is the first item you review when making a decision the cost? Do you think in terms of what you can (or can’t) afford? When choosing between alternatives, is cost how you order them? Approaching business decisions with a cost-first mentality can be very limited, especially when looking at technology decisions. Let’s start with the […]
Technology projects can slowly drain your business productivity
Productivity growth in the US has stalled out over the past several years. Productivity is the measure of output in good or services per hour worked. There are a lot of experts on this area, so I’m going to focus on some observations I’ve had in the business environments we manage. If you want to […]
Why internal IT still needs a partner
A good partner can make a big difference in the performance of your INTERNAL teams. Finance partners with accounting firms, legal with outside council, and sales will partner with various marketing firms. These relationships are based on mutual professional respect and often become an extension of your internal teams. A solid partner for internal technology […]
It takes money to make money, even with technology!
We have all heard the adage, “it takes money to make money”, and this holds true even with technology. Lack of proper investment in technology strategy and services is the second leading cause of poor business results. Lack of investment in people is the first. People depend on technology to get their job done, so […]
Don’t buy a cow if you want milk. Technology ownership does not equal reliability
If you wanted a reliable source of milk back in the day, you owned a cow. There was no reliable distribution network or steady supply otherwise. Technology ownership was very similar to this until the advent of the Internet. You needed to own everything to control it; in theory, this was more reliable. Today, the […]
Going to the emergency room is expensive, especially for your business!
The emergency room is the last place anyone wants to be. It means that something unplanned and usually painful has occurred. To make matters worse, going to the emergency room is EXPENSIVE! This holds true not just in your personal life but also in business. Proactive technology health checks can make your business ER visits […]
When you have no plan, everything seems like a good idea
When you have no plan, everything seems like a good idea. Think about that for a minute. How many times in your business do you end up switching courses, or “trying” out something new just because it *seemed* like a great idea? If you do not have a solid ability to plan, decide, and execute […]
Your business is unique. Your technology shouldn’t be
Your business should be unique in some way. It’s what we call a competitive advantage. If there is no uniqueness, you compete on price, which means you better operate more efficiently than others! In either case, your technology strategy and systems should be 100% aligned with supporting your business needs. Your technology should be standards-based […]
What exactly is an IT Director directing anyway?
Congratulations, you are a growing company, and now it’s time to hire an IT Director. Or is it? This role has evolved significantly over the past ten years. The advent of the cloud, software-as-a-service, and increasingly digital workflows means that your IT Director needs skills that are likely different than you think. Less tactics, more […]
Deliverables versus Results
The new business initiative has been planned and deliverables defined, but why did it not product results? Often, we define deliverables that actually don’t tie back to tangible business results. The new marketing plan that is never implemented 100%, and thus, does not deliver improved sales results. The new customer service process, that ends up […]
Do not get comfortable at your business!
The goal of life in many ways is to be comfortable. Comfort can in financial, health, or physical aspects of your life. This should never happen in your business! Getting comfortable in your business is a sure way to lose market share, make less profit, and be caught off guard. Are you comfortable with how […]
Spring Break, the Best Test of your Technology Strategy
We all know the feeling of taking “time off” and wondering how much work we can fit in during the vacation. Spring Break is mandatory time off for those of us with school-aged children and should be treated as a great opportunity to make memories and spend quality time together. Will your technology strategy support […]