On several occasions, our clients have asked us to audit their bills pertaining to technology and telecommunications.  To their dismay, we have found unnecessary charges that range from services that they haven’t used for years to paying for too many services that they no longer need.  Here are just a few examples:

• Old Internet services that have been disconnected but are still active.
• Telephone lines that are still active but no longer being used.
• Expired equipment contracts that could be canceled or renegotiated.
• The wrong services on an account that were not subscribed.
• Expensive old technology that could be replaced with newer, cheaper, faster services.
• Long distance per minute charges well over today’s average rate.
• Expired contracts on copiers and printers that are well beyond their duty cycle.

Could you save $10,000?

In a recent case, we found that one customer had been paying for an old, high priced telephone circuit for almost 10 years before they realized it.  Their total bill for the past 10 years was almost $10,000!  Needless to say, they were a bit taken back.

Here’s how you can take action today.

So, how do you make sure this doesn’t happen to you?  Here’s what we suggest:

• Call your Internet and/or telephone service provider and find out if you are still under a contract and ask for the expiration date and the number of days required for advance notice fortermination of service.
• Find out if any of your service contracts have an “auto-renew” clause that continues your contract unless you request a cancellation.
• Enter your contract cancellation dates in your calendar with advanced reminders.
• Ask your service providers for itemized bills.
• Audit your bills for phone numbers you don’t recognize, features you don’t use or didn’t know you had.
• Call the numbers you’re paying for on your bill.  You may be surprised who answers!
• Don’t buy toner from the big box store down the street.  Shop the price online and look for less expensive recycled cartridges.

Many telecommunications and Internet services have changed drastically in recent years.  If you’re paying the same rates for the same services from 2 or 3 years ago, you’re probably paying too much or missing out on better features for the same price.

If you’re not sure where to start, your bills look like their written in a foreign language and you’re afraid to open the door to your telephone closet, give us a call at 866-529-1568 or email us at info@bridgenetllc.com.  We’ll be happy to do a do a full audit for you.

1.  Dig a moat for your email to drown spam – Email is one of the primary attack vectors used by virus writers.  Email must be properly scanned for viruses and spam by a spam filter before it reaches your network.

Tip:  Do not open files attachment unless you are expecting them even if they are from a name you know.

2.  Build an advanced drawbridge to control traffic – Typical office networks have one entry and exit to the information super highway.  Hackers and virus writers are constantly looking for ways to knock down your door.  Firewalls build a hedge of protection between you and the rest of the World Wide Web.  Firewalls are also capable of enhanced features such as gateway antivirus and intrusion protection.  These tools will detect malicious activity as it enters your network “gateway” before it reaches your computer.

Tip: Don’t buy over the counter routers from local office supply stores.  These routers usually do not provide the level of security necessary for business networking.

3. Equip your soldiers with advanced weaponry – Is your computer nagging you to install Windows Updates?  Don’t ignore it.  These alerts contain critical security updates that plug the loopholes that hackers use to infiltrate your computer.

Tip: Make sure your Windows Update settings are configured to allow updates to install and leave your computer on overnight at least one night per week to allow time to install and process updates.

4.  Man the guard towers 24/7 – Antivirus software on your computer is your last line of defense.  Your antivirus software must be up to date with the latest definitions that tell the antivirus program how to detect the newly released viruses.  Schedule your antivirus software to run routine full system scans at least once a week.   Also, make sure you are using the latest version of the antivirus software available.

Tip:  Your antivirus software will usually have a date associated with the last definition file that was downloaded.  If the date is more than two weeks old, something’s not right.  Open your virus software and attempt a manual update of the definitions.

As with the building of ancient fortresses, it takes a team of experts to design and build a defense system to withstand today’s advanced computer attacks.  We are here to help you rest easy knowing that your systems are protected with these best practices so you can concentrate on building your business.  Give us a call today.  866-529-1568

This free report plainly explains in non-technical terms what you need to look for when searching for better IT support, as well as cost-saving strategies, insider tips and 16 revealing questions you MUST ask any computer consultant before giving him access to your computer network. If your current guy can’t answer a confident “Yes” to all 16, it might be time to look for someone else.

You’ll discover:

• The single most expensive mistake most small business owners make when hiring an IT consultant.
• The surprising reason most small businesses fall victim to sub-standard support.
• What some IT consultants are doing to take advantage of business owners, and how to make sure you’re not one of them.
• How to avoid expensive computer repair bills and get all the computer support you need for a low, fixed monthly rate.

 
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