leap managed it Archives - Indianapolis IT Support

Leap Now Offers Paper Shredding Services

Leap offers Paper Shredding Services

One of the most effective ways to protect individuals and organizations from the negative effects of identity theft and fraud is paper shredding. This is the reason why Identity thieves hate paper shredding services. Some frauds tie up to paper information and 1 out of 5 data breaches involve paper records. In line with Leap’s effort to give your organization the best in everything concerning technology, business growth, and continuity, they are now offering paper shredding services.

Why is Paper Shredding Important?

Paper shredding is also known as document destruction. The process is highly critical to keep confidential and sensitive information safe. Marketing plans, bills, and other files with sensitive contents should be discarded accordingly to avoid getting in the hands of those who would want to take advantage and get hold of such information.

It is known that once these paper documents are thrown away in the trash, they will be considered public property. This makes it riskier, most especially for big corporations. Paper shredding is not only important for security and cybersecurity reasons but also federal law. There are currently several states which mandate the safeguarding of all private information for both your employees and clients. Thus, securely shredding all documentation is crucial for the protection of your business. Most especially when this pile of paper is no longer relevant.

One last thing to Consider

Make it a habit and for employees to eliminate huge pile of paper clutter to prevent fire hazards. Having unnecessary paper clutter around office spaces double the chances of risk for not just fire but cybersecurity issues as well.

Making it Easy

LEAP Managed IT is encouraging that paper shredding should become a part of your organization’s best practices. With Leap’s paper shredding services, you will never have to worry about the huge stack of papers in the office that needs to be shredded. Leap helps Indianapolis companies along with Carmel, Zionsville Greenwood, Muncie and Ft. Wayne. For more details on Leaps Paper Shredding services, visit www.leapmanagedit.com today!

VoIP Basics

What is VoIP?

Voice Over Internet Protocol, aka VoIP is the best alternative for communication instead of using your local phone company. This phone system works by using your Local Area Network (LAN) .

The distinct advantage is the capability for use across multiple internet-connected devices. In its most basic level, it is the process of turning analog audio signal into digital “packets”. This signal is delivered over the internet.

Simply, it lets you to make a phone call or video call the same way as you send an email.

Advantages of VoIP

Cost saving is the most appealing benefits of using using VoIP for businesses. It is less expensive versus the traditional phone line.

Consequently, this is due to using one single network to carry both voice and data. Most users have existing network capacity and can use this phone system without any additional costs. Hence, in some cases, users see phone calls, including International calls as free. Skype is one good example.

Similarly, another advantage is its mobility. Because it operates using internet, you will be able to call and receive calls as long as you are connected. Thus, making business easy and simple.

How to get Started

Finally, consult your IT provider about having VoIP as a priority for your IT Master Plan. With perks and features that business owners can take advantage of, VoIP cannot be taken for granted. Because most businesses have several locations, easy communication between locations is a must. VoIP makes it easy to connect multiple points with a single click. Hence, it has become a business standard all over the world.

Currently, there are a number of providers available today. Sometimes it is hard to know where to start. Let LEAP Managed IT assist you by assessing what type of business communication solution you need. As partners, we can save time and energy by tailoring a plan for you from VoIP providers in Indianapolis. Contact us leapmanagedit.com today.

VPN Basics: Indianapolis

VPN, what is it?

Indianapolis: VPN or Virtual Private Network is the first line of defense against having your identity or data compromised online. At the moment, Online Security and Data privacy are two of the hottest topics in IT. A VPN serves as a solution to another common problem linked to online security which is identity theft. By adding another layer of security, you get an advantage through technology rather than turning it into a nightmare.

Layered Security

While the prospect of identity theft seems unlikely to you, it is actually far more common than you think. In a recent online survey, it showed nearly 60 million Americans have been affected by identity theft, including nearly 15 million in 2017. These numbers are alarming and makes you rethink in investing in a VPN security plan. Having a Virtual Private Network (VPN) will give you better protection against hackers whenever you’re using the public WIFI. Furthermore, it will work as an added layer of security, to make sure that your online presence, financial data and personal information are kept private.

How a VPN Works

Virtual Private Network protects your data by an installed encrypted tunnel from the network to your device. The encrypted tunnel has the ability to hide your IP address masking your identity from prying eyes such as hackers. Therefore, every time you use the internet, external traffic runs through the tunnel to keep personal information and data safe.

Hence, there are quite a number of VPN providers today that offer affordable rates. They have different packages to choose from like IPVanish. Signing up for a year, would cost $6.49/month or $77.99 for 12 months.

The 3-minute Tech Check

With LEAP Managed IT’s Security Tech Check, we can assess your company’s security state in 3 minutes. Take the quiz and learn if you and your business have the 5 basic levels of security are in place. By understanding your security strength and weakness, we can help you develop a Master Plan for your IT structure.

Indianapolis: Computer Network Support

Getting more from your IT

Indianapolis, it’s time for better Computer Network Support for your company! You need more from your IT, instead of just getting the break-fix scenario. Having the best Computer Network Support can turn your business around. You will be able to give your clients the best customer service with the help of technology.

Tip Top Shape

Computer Network Support and Managed IT Support has played a vital role in keeping businesses running efficiently. Thus, technology has dramatically changed over the last 3 years. You may belong to different industries but the goal is all the same. To provide quality products and services that will meet your customers’ needs. Therefore, these goals are reached through practice of good business management system, strong business policy, highly skilled staff and information technology. To be able to operate efficiently, your computer network should be secure, hardware and software should work for and not against the system. Back up and data recovery plans should be in place, just in case of data loss.

When Is It time for Change and switch to Computer Network Support?

Shifting from a break-fix maintenance to getting computer network support through Managed IT requires some adjustment. However, these changes will be benefit you the long-run as it promotes a strong IT foundation. When you have a computer network in place and something breaks, you contact an IT guy to fix it, and that’s just it. He comes out when he can, fixes only the problem and leaves until you have another issue.

However, when you have a computer network support system you have much more. First, your computer network support team can not only fix the issue but they analyze, test, troubleshoot and evaluate the computer network as a whole. Second, your computer network support team or your managed IT team will examine your entire system to look for issues before they occur. Often most issues can be prevented when you have developed a comprehensive IT plan with your provider.

Your IT support team should also give advice on how to level up business productivity through technology. Computer Network Support through managed IT services train your staff, manage security policies and configuration, manage servers and workstation. Basically, they act as your partner so you can focus on productivity and competitiveness.

It’s about Time

If you feel that your business is slacking due to downtime in your network, maybe it’s about time to contact a Managed IT Service for a Computer Network Support. Let’s talk and we will show you more, visit leapmanagedit.com today.

Dentistry Hot Topics Indianapolis

Best Dental Practice

Running your own dental practice is not an easy task and keeping up with all the dentistry hot topics, compliance, IT, Cyber Security and trends can prove to be difficult. You can give your best at providing your patients with superior oral healthcare all day and at the same time, you might be neglecting the other vital elements of having a successful dental practice in place.

The way you manage your dental office leaves a lasting impression on your patients and determines retention rates. Do they feel comfortable and come back for next appointment? Do you have courteous staff? Is your facility up to date? Are the patients’ medical records secure? Thus, it is important that you stay on top of best practices.

Technology & Dentistry

Technology wise, did you know that you can check your dental technology status in 3 minutes? Knowing the quality of your dental IT is recommended. Being a dentist does not exempt you from this task.

Is your data safe? Cyber security in dentistry has now become a necessity. Dental practices, big or small have become targets of cyber criminals. With the vast amount of data including names, addresses and other sensitive information, threat of this information being stolen is something that one cannot take for granted.

Another aspect of concern is your overhead. Reviewing your overhead percentages will help you stay on the right track. Do you know the industry standards for overhead? Staff is most likely your largest expense. Train and cross train your staff for optimum performance. Create a plan for your overhead. Higher overhead in dental practice hurts your team, patients and most of all, your practice.

Learn More

LEAP Managed IT together with MW Banks bring you an interactive series of Hot Topics in Dentistry. This event focuses on providing Indianapolis Dental Practices with trends and most up to date topics on how to keep your practice growing, staying competitive and evolving to reach the next level of performance. It includes an interactive presentation about Cyber Security, Technology, Financial Management, Operational Efficiency and a lot more.Check back for the next presentation in your area or email us to find out how to schedule a private event at your practice. This series is brought to you by LEAP Managed IT together with MW Banks.

3 Minutes to a Stronger Dental Practice

Dental Practice IT Support

Step foot into any dental practice and you will immediately notice the high tech digital advances dentists have put in place. Everything from digital check-in, patient appointment settings, 3D scanning technology to oral x-rays are done digitally. With all of this technology, it is no surprise that having a reliable dental practice IT support is critical to the day to day operations of a dental office.

Keeping your Practice Safe

Dental practice cyber security has become a hot topic. Dental practices have become targets for cyber criminals. These offices hold a vast amount of data including names, addresses, birth dates, health histories and social security numbers. This information can be used in several kinds of cyber crime like as fraud, hacking, online scams and even identity theft. Keeping your practice safe from cyber criminals is a must.

To save you from all the trouble, you need an experienced IT manager or outsourced IT support for dental practice that can evaluate your current IT structure. Through solutions like adding a strong encryption for data transfer and storage. Install firewalls and antivirus that fits with your existing dental practice system. They will provide layers of protection that will keep your data safe. Starting with a strong IT foundation will not only protect vital information. It will help your practice run smoothly and with greater efficiency.

The 3-Minute Guide

LEAP Managed IT offers Dental Practice Managed IT services is solely focused on assisting your practice from the IT side. From hardware integration to HIPAA compliance and data security our experts help aid the successes of your dental practice. We have developed a 3-minute guide to a Stronger Dental Practice to further help you understand and grow your dental practice. In 3 minutes, you will be able to identify strengths and weaknesses within your practice and know what questions to ask of your current provider. Our goal is to help make your practice more efficient through technology.

For more information, visit leapmanagedit.com

Indianapolis Tech Support: Netflix Themed Phishing Attack

In this Indianapolis Tech Support Update we’ll delve into the latest phishing attack and the risk it poses to Indiana businesses. Since nearly 50 million households in the U.S. subscribe to Netflix, the Indianapolis Tech Support Update calculates that the attack has the potential to impact over one million Hoosiers. The Grand Rapids, Michigan Police Department recently uncovered this Netflix phishing attack which tricks recipients into thinking their accounts have been deactivated or suspended. Individuals who click on the email are at risk of having their personal information stolen along with compromising their computer and network.

How your employee’s penchant for ‘Friends’ can impact your business

The confluence of work and personal communications is hard for a company to avoid. Face it, employees are busy and need constant access to important updates of happenings outside of their work life. Receiving continual updates bombard their inbox:

soccer practice update from Team Snap
birthday reminder for that almost forgotten high school buddy compliments of Facebook
a heads up from Netflix that season 4 of ‘Friends’ is about to be removed from the line-up

Besides a productivity drain this can’t cause a big issue for a company, right? Remember the people behind the phishing attacks like the Netflix example are not selective. They will gladly steal your employee’s identify and if performed on a computer attached to your network, they will be more than happy to try to compromise your technology. A hacker just needs a way in and this phishing attack might open the front door they need.

Must Do’s from the Indianapolis Tech Support Center

We can’t stress enough that nothing will make your network 100% safe from attack. You can with some simple steps, significantly reduce your risk. Here’s what the cyber-security experts at our Indianapolis Tech Support center recommend:

Develop a clear policy for how company owned devices can be used – Can employees use company computers & email for personal use? If so, what are the guide posts?
Deploy Multi Layered Protection – Firewall and antivirus are not enough. If your company is not deploying true multi layered protection you are at risk and trying to fend off sophisticated attackers with 10 year old technology.
Train and Test – Don’t assume your employees know what to click on. Train them and then test them on a monthly basis. We conduct regular testing for our clients and see nearly 50% of all employees fail on initial testing. It takes practice to get good!

How to stay ahead

This Netflix phishing attack is just the latest in what will be many more attempts to get your company’s data. The technology the bad guys are using is changing fast and companies have to keep up to stay protected. Leading Indiana companies know that outsourcing IT support is one of the best investments for keeping an organization safe.

Reach out the Leap Managed IT Indianapolis Tech Support team to get more information.

leapmanagedit.com

Michael Thomas, LEAP Managed IT – “The Mid-Size Advantage: Evolving at Light Speed”

Michael Thomas, the COO of LEAP Managed IT, went from working at a Fortune 200 company to innovating an 85-year-old organization.

Known by his clients as the ‘behind-the-scenes’ genius, he is always up to solving challenges and seeing opportunities.

The best way to get to know Michael Thomas is through his career achievements and business vision.

So here’s a short yet comprehensive interview that will help you find out more about one of the professionals at the helm of LEAP Managed IT.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your professional journey from Business Manager to National Team Leader at Colgate-Palmolive

A: I was very fortunate to work a decade and a half at Colgate. I had exposure to almost every key function of the organization: finance, technology, research, marketing, sales, and manufacturing. I worked with some of the brightest minds and soaked up as much from the experience that I could.

Half of my time [at Colgate] was in the business development arm of the company. You are given an area of responsibility and tasked with one main directive: you are to run it like it is your own business.

Just like it was your own company you have a P&L you have to manage, you are given investment funds, you have a team of people that you must lead, and you are expected to use business insights to influence decision makers internally at Colgate and externally at the client.

I was tasked with managing several business units during my time at Colgate and learned something new at every stage.

The pinnacle was when they asked us to move to Bentonville, Arkansas to head a critical business unit dedicated to the largest company in the world, Walmart.

The business unit I led was responsible for $300 million in sales and tasked with nearly spending $50 million in investment funding. Understandably there was a lot of focus and pressure from the senior leadership team to deliver results.

There was no flying under the radar. It forced good communication and teamwork habits.

The biggest lessons I learned were around leadership from our senior executive, Stephen Maher. He wanted us to think differently and not just do things because that’s the way they have always been done. He did the things that great leaders must do. He is currently the CEO of Carlsberg Breweries China.

The second part of my career at Colgate was in the technology and insights group. I’m a numbers person and love technology. This was a perfect fit for me. The term “Big Data” is one of the new buzz words that everyone throws around these days.

Big Data has actually been around for over 20 years with a start in the retailing and consumer product world.

I was fortunate to lead a nationwide team dedicated to showing retailers how to utilize data and technology to grow their business.

Whether it was attracting new customers, improving efficiencies, or improving their guest experience. It’s similar to what I bring to my current clients: identify the business issue and utilize insights and technology to solve the problem.

Q: What are the main lessons about organization change that you’ve learned from working at a Fortune 200 company?

A: Change is harder the larger the company. It’s kind of like steering a cruise ship down a canal versus a speed boat.

Here are the main lessons I learned:

Communicate: Get feedback from all your stakeholders – Clients and people in your organization above and below. You just might learn something.

Maximize your current resources: Option 1-9 should always be about better utilization of your existing resources. You must scrutinize your existing resources and find the best way to deploy them to achieve your goals.

Plan for the good and the bad: Things rarely go according to plan. If the change is on a large scale, it might get tougher before it gets better. This risk should be in the plan ahead of time and what actions you would need to take as a leader should be outlined.

Q: What made you leave a multinational brand to start working at LEAP Managed IT?

A: The opportunity was too special to pass up. A chance to work daily with my brother/business partner along with helping guide an 80-year-old organization through one of its biggest evolutions is hard to match.

It is honestly more fun than I could have imagined.

We have one of the most talented teams I have ever worked with and clients are choosing to invest with us. We have seen our organization double over the past four years which is not an easy task when you’ve been in business for over eight decades.

I look forward to coming to work and love the unique challenges we face every day. Since we are a mid-sized organization, we can implement innovations very quickly and see tangible results almost immediately. It is very rewarding.

In a large organization, it might take a year to go through the approval process, acquire resources, train, and test. By this time, the opportunity has changed.

Q: What determined you to open a business that developed ‘smart’ therapies for the treatment of severe bone disorders?

A: I started a drug development company focused on smart therapies with three business partners in 2009.

We found that the current therapies for individuals with bone disorders such as osteoporosis needed better options for their care. We developed a compound that was smarter. It targets more precisely where the medicine needs to be delivered.

This is at the forefront of the next wave of medications and you will continue to hear about smarter therapies in other categories as well.

The support we have received from the Department of Defense and authorization of patents in the U.S. and Japan make us optimistic that we will be able to improve the lives of thousands if not millions of people across the world. It’s exciting to imagine the impact this innovation would have so many people.

You Can Meet Michael Thomas at PIVOT 2016

Michael Thomas will be one of the key speakers at the Indiana-based conference for entrepreneurs, business professionals, and community leaders.

If you want to meet him and other seasoned professionals, you can get early-bird tickets to PIVOT 2016 today.

Gary Thomas on “Focusing On The Next 86 Years” of LEAP Managed IT

Gary Thomas has been a part of LEAP Managed IT’s 86-year-old story for almost a quarter of a century.

During this time, he had the courage to make bold moves and encourage change. But he also stayed true to the company’s core values and channeled his efforts towards increasing customer satisfaction.

Want to know more?

Here’s an insightful interview with LEAP Managed IT’s president, Gary Thomas. Read on to find out more about what has kept them in business for almost a century.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your professional journey from Sales Representative at Thomas Office Machines to Partner at LEAP Managed IT.

A: It’s been a great journey and a natural progression. I was blessed enough to work with some great people including Michael and my father, Wayne when he was working day-to-day in the business.

He was always so focused on the customer, it was like second nature. He said: “Always run at a customer, never away.”

Meaning a face-to-face conversation is always better than email, phone or ignoring them.

At the end of the day, we do business with people, and that’s what I’ve truly enjoyed from sales rep to partner.

Q: How has the company changed in the 22 years you have been part of it?

A: The technology deliverable changes right off the bat have been mind-blowing. From analog copiers to digital, to the new threats in IT security, it’s changed a ton.

The number one change is collaboration. It’s no disrespect for how we worked 15 plus years ago, but it’s no shock to say that business has become more complicated.

We collaborate better as a team, with partners, with clients better than we ever have. It’s necessary to see projects through to the end with the greatest success.

Q: Your business has managed to stay on the market for over 85 years. What do you consider are the main reasons you are still a successful business?

A: The core of our success revolves around supporting the customer. The technologies are always going to change, but being committed to communicating well, setting reasonable expectations and being creative in solving opportunities is critical.

Q: What are some major changes you’ve noticed in your mindset and everyday work compared to five years ago?

A: My mindset compared to five years ago is 180 degrees different. If we just look at managing technology for our clients, we not only have to look at today’s opportunities, budgets, and challenges but have a crystal ball to make foundational decisions for the short term plus 3, 5 and 10 years down the road.

I look at every solution and business decision that helps a client with a personal decision like I’m making it for our own organization.

Q: What motivated the team behind the business to change from Thomas Office to LEAP Managed IT?

A: Our name change was a natural evolution in our 86-year-old history. We aren’t the same organization from a technical deliverable point-of-view, but we are the same for taking care of clients’ needs.

We are in the people business and that will never change. Our motivation for change is focusing on the next 86 years and it’s giving us a platform to tell our story.

We have amazing, smart people on our team solving business problems we would have never dreamed about 10 years ago. Clients rely on us to serve their clients and operate a profitable organization. We are a part of their success and that’s what makes it awesome.

Q: If you could offer three pieces of advice to managers of organizations who don’t know if they should pivot or not, what would they be?

A: If you don’t pivot at the right moment, the marketplace will change around you and it will make it harder to lead. Investing in your organization is priority number one in having the opportunity to be successful.

We can’t dictate what our competition is doing and, frankly, I’m not even concerned in what they are doing. If we take care of ourselves, make tough decisions, work on the process of continually improving, then everything else takes care of itself.

Secondly, your workforce doesn’t only want to be competitive but they want to win. Everyone wants to be on a winning team leading new ideas and innovations in the marketplace. If you aren’t challenging them to grow, change and solve problems, then they will leave. It’s not all about the paycheck.

The last part is about looking internally as a business leader:

What do you want?
What stamp do you want to leave on your business, employees, clients, and community?

We can look at examples of half-hearted relationships and businesses. Complaints that business is down because of road construction, or it’s hard to find the right people or whatever the next excuse is.

We all have that stuff in our businesses, and as a leader, it’s our job to look at everything as an opportunity.

Change before you have to, be committed to the process, grind it out, give 100%, don’t assume, be a better friend, be a great business partner, deliver ‘Wow!’ and have a blast.

Don’t Miss Out on the Chance to Meet Gary Thomas at PIVOT 2016

Gary Thomas will share more of his knowledge at PIVOT 2016 – Indiana’s conference for entrepreneurs, business professionals, and community leaders.

He’ll get into detail about his experience when it comes to change and pivoting in a session called “Lessons from an 85-Year-Old Start-up”.

The session will be presented together with his brother and business partner Michael Thomas.

If you’re looking forward to learning more from LEAP Managed IT’s leaders and other seasoned professionals, head over to www.pivotindiana.com and get your early-bird tickets today.

For Immediate Release: Thomas Office Solutions Announces Name Change

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 13, 2015
Contact: Michael Thomas
michael@leapmanagedit.com
866-520-6414

Thomas Office Solutions Announces Name Change, Increasing Focus on IT Solutions

MUNCIE, IN– Thomas Office solutions, a managed print services and IT solutions provider, has recently announced it has changed its name to LEAP Managed IT. The new name reflects both the wide range of IT service offerings that are provided as well as the company’s vision for the future.

Founded in 1930, Thomas Office Solutions has been a recognized name and leader in managed print services. Their innovative solutions for office equipment technology are what gave them the foundation to grow and evolve over the past 85 years. With this rebranding, Thomas Office Solutions is choosing to reposition their company as a full service IT provider.

“LEAP Managed IT will continue to expand its technical offerings to be the only true local, full service business class IT provider,” said Michael Thomas, COO of LEAP Managed IT. “Our team can now manage and support the entire technology suite from productivity software to IT network servers and PCs to printing devices.”

With the new name, customers should expect the same great services and solutions that they have always received from Thomas Office Solutions.

“Our print and copy services aren’t going away,” says Gary Thomas, President of LEAP Managed IT. “We are adding more IT experts to our team so we can give our customers the benefit of having a single provider to handle all of their technology needs.”

The new website, launching in late December 2015, will include various resources and educational content geared at keeping customers informed of technology updates, industry trends, and new ideas. To learn more, visit leapmanagedit.com.

###