Posts written by:
Dave Monahan
There are two general types of IT support providers: reactive and proactive. So, what’s the difference? Reactive: The client calls the reactive IT provider (often referred to as a “break-fix” provider) when they perceive a need, usually when something is broken or when there is a change in the business (i.e. a new computer is…
Read MoreIt’s tough to manage every cent spent in a business, but when we’re talking about a similar investment as a skilled employee, it deserves deliberate attention. Investment in IT is often made in large batches (every 3 to 5 years) when companies refresh their technology and these larger scale decisions require in-depth planning. Too often, not…
Read MoreI recently read a pre-COVID article by a businessperson who was bragging about a few trailblazing remote-only companies. He was referring to cloud-based collaboration, asynchronous chat and virtual, culture building events. These presumed remote work capabilities are now table stakes in a COVID-19 world, but there is great disparity in the success of their usage. So, the question is, how large is that…
Read MoreUnderstanding the ROI of world-class managed IT During the 1800s Sir James Goldsmith coined the idiom, “You pay peanuts, you get monkeys.” The modern iteration is, “you get what you pay for.” Good thing Goldsmith wasn’t referring to elephants. Can you imagine paying peanuts and getting elephants? You all know the phrase; you hear it all the time. And, it is…
Read MoreAs of this writing, we have recorded our first 14 episodes of our new “Island Thrive” podcast. Although it is early in the learning curve, we’re feeling optimistic that this is a great start to something impactful. We hope you agree. The podcast was a natural extension to the Business Outlook Survey that we did…
Read MoreIn April, in response to COVID-19, Smart Dolphins launched a “Business Outlook Survey” with the purpose of gathering our business community’s collective sense of where we’ve been and where we’re going. We work closely with many clients and business peers on (and off) the Island and get a lot of value from sharing perspective, resources…
Read MoreLike many, COVID-19 has inspired my sense of community, company-mission and importance of team. That combined with too much social isolation and you end up with…a mullet! I threw out the challenge to the Pod last week: let’s raise some money for the Rapid Relief Fund. The motivator: if we raise over $2000 dollars, I’d transform…
Read MoreTwenty years into this business that I named Smart Dolphins and I continue to learn something new almost every day. A journey like this is interesting in that the landscape changes as we travel. We need to adapt to what the new realities demand of us at any given time. As we level up the…
Read MoreAre you working from home right now? Chances are, you could be getting a better connection out of your home Internet connection with these simple tips. First things first, get a benchmark of what your current Internet speed is. Go to speedtest.net and perform a quick test of your Internet speed. It’s free, easy and…
Read MoreMy crystal ball has never been that trustworthy, but I could sure use a little clairvoyance right about now. How about you? We all wish we had a better sense of what the future holds for our business community, as we all go flying through this Covid-19 crisis. Obviously, there is not much historical context…
Read More