About Us
NetWerks Strategic Services specializes in securing businesses against cyber-threats for the small-to-midsized business market. With nearly 35 years serving businesses in Western Massachusetts and North-Central Connecticut, we are no strangers to the challenges faced by today's businesses.
We get it - there are a lot of IT support providers out there. Technology is the easy part. Understanding how to align your business goals to the appropriate technology systems takes experience and a deeper understanding of how your business works. We have served clients in the legal, accounting and finance, manufacturing, non-profit, municipal, start-ups, and medical areas since 1988.
When you need IT advice that makes sense, call the pros that make IT work!
NetWerks
How We Got Started
Started out a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away - different name, different focus. Through several evolutions, but always with the same mindset - our mission is to ensure our clients success through the effective application of technology solutions.
The products and services we offer
Recommendations Received (6)
"Mike is at the top of his game in the IT services field. He is easy to work with; he listens and..."
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"Mike is at the top of his game in the IT services field. He is easy to work with; he listens and asks questions about what you need and he only bills you for the services that are necessary. He is not the least expensive, but his pricing is very fair, and he does a really great job of meeting the needs of both ownership and the users and stakeholders in the business. I would highly recommend Mike if you are looking for someone to help in the IT arena at your facility. "
"Mike and his team at NetWerks aren't just an IT company. They are expert advisors who understand..."
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"Mike and his team at NetWerks aren't just an IT company. They are expert advisors who understand how IT can be a part of an overall business strategy for small and mid-sized businesses. I learn something new every time I talk to Mike. I truly value that he takes the time to educate and advise, as well as the time to ask thoughtful questions. "
Products & Services
Running a small business already comes with enough stress.
The last thing you need is slow tech, surprise outages, or security risks that leave yo...
If your computers feel like they’re stuck in 2012, your business probably is too.
Slow logins, crashes, and outdated systems don’t just frustrate ...
Cyber threats don’t discriminate.
Whether you’ve got five users or fifty, attackers only see one thing—an opportunity.
The idea that "we’re too ...
Recommendations Given (13)
"Matt has been outstanding in putting together branded swag for NetWerks. From banners, pens,..."
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"Matt has been outstanding in putting together branded swag for NetWerks. From banners, pens, wipes and more, he always finds the best quality items at the best price. His recommendations have also been instrumental in positioning our logo effectively on our branded items. He'll take good care of you!"
"Whether you are looking to get an accurate valuation of your business pre-sale, looking to sell,..."
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"Whether you are looking to get an accurate valuation of your business pre-sale, looking to sell, or acquire a business, Heather is the real deal. Her honesty and integrity are beyond compare. She's not one to sugar coat things, preferring to speak truth to ensure you have the right expectations set regardless of the transaction. She really is as awesome as the other reviews suggest. As an accredited business broker, she will not steer you wrong."
Recent Activity
Cybersecurity is a journey. All platforms are vulnerable to an extent (yes, even Apple and Linux based platforms. IT security is an ever changing landscape, with bad actors often a step or two ahead of the industry. Partner with a reputable managed security services provider who is more likely...
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Cybersecurity is a journey. All platforms are vulnerable to an extent (yes, even Apple and Linux based platforms. IT security is an ever changing landscape, with bad actors often a step or two ahead of the industry. Partner with a reputable managed security services provider who is more likely to first have a conversation with you about what your risk factors are before making any recommendations. Best advice - hire a professional. Cybersecurity is not a good DIY project.
While there is no "one size fits all" approach to preparing for ransomware here are a few rules of thumb we follow when developing a business continuity plan for our clients:
Start from the outside in... Ensure that the organization has a firewall that is appropriate to the task. If you can...
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While there is no "one size fits all" approach to preparing for ransomware here are a few rules of thumb we follow when developing a business continuity plan for our clients:
Start from the outside in... Ensure that the organization has a firewall that is appropriate to the task. If you can block the ransomware before it gets into your network, you've solved the largest part of the problem. Sadly, many small businesses still think they can get that level of protection from a box purchased at Staples or Best Buy. Many strains of ransomware and other malicious payloads come in on the same form of encrypted SSL protocols as your banking web sites.. the criminals are keeping up with technology - you should too.
Next - educate your people.. all of them - if they open email or browse the web - educate them on how to avoid phishing, spear phishing, and redirect threats. It will be time and money well spent - contract with an organization like KnowBe4 or other similar threat reduction firms to help keep your workforce from being the weakest link.
Ensure that your internal network is secure - have a network security assessment performed - if you are required to follow HIPAA, PCI, FINRA etc. compliance - this should be in your annual risk assessment plan and budget. Depending on the size of your organization - this may be annual, quarterly, or even monthly. This will pinpoint where your vulnerabilities lie. It will show you what systems are missing security patches, how effective your security policies are, what systems are missing anti-virus..
Backups - a lot of good advice here on backups - but - buyer beware - make sure the backup provider you are using has a product that matches your need. How long can you go before you have access to your data - fully cloud based products can take weeks to return your data to you due to the length of time it takes to get it all back on board - some can't recreate the system state of your servers. While some will provide you with a "Seed Drive" sent overnight to aid in your restoration, not all provide this service. If you need rapid uptime - you might want to look into an appliance based product that can spin up a virtual copy of your systems that are up to date within moments of infection, and allow you to run on that virtual system until your server is back on line and ready to be restored with current data - but - be ready to pay for that level of uptime.
A little note on Carbonite - a decent product as long as you don't exceed your allotted storage capacity - once you go over that magic number - your backups stop - if you miss the email telling you that your are over storage quota - you could be in for a very rude awakening.. also - getting your data back can be painfully slow from their cloud only product.
Anti-virus - plenty of good products out there - but again, your mileage may vary - some add a lot of system bloat - slowing you down to a crawl during simple tasks such as scanning a USB drive that you inserted to back up Quickbooks.. some generate a lot of false positives or miss critical things like browser hijacks. Do some research.
Best suggestion - find a competent and qualified managed service provider that can walk you through the process of securing your network from potential threats. And please remember - smaller companies tend to make better targets for ransomware simply because they often do not have the systems in place to block or mitigate their risk.
Play safe out there!
27 years ago, I received a call from a (then) new client experiencing problems with network connectivity. This was back in the day of coax cable networks. We found a run of cable that was wrapped around one of the ventilation blower motors. A quick fix that took about a half hour to properly...
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27 years ago, I received a call from a (then) new client experiencing problems with network connectivity. This was back in the day of coax cable networks. We found a run of cable that was wrapped around one of the ventilation blower motors. A quick fix that took about a half hour to properly secure the cable away from the blower and check the rest of the installation for any further issues. All was well. Since they already had a vendor for their PC and server support, we figured it was a one and done client..
About 3 months later we got called in to look at their server - it was completely thrashed, and their current support vendor couldn't handle the problem. Unfortunately, they didn't have as recent a backup as they would have liked. Over the course of 3 days, we resurrected the server (back then, it took a day and a half to format the server drive), and recover the data with only a few lost weeks.
We are still supporting these attorneys 27 years later.. Their reason for the longstanding client loyalty.. as a support provider, we always go the extra mile.
No matter how slick your ad copy is, no matter how cool and fresh your web site looks... The best way to promote your business is by developing strong referral networks and build relationships based on your reputation as an expert in your field who doesn't compromise on their high ethical...
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No matter how slick your ad copy is, no matter how cool and fresh your web site looks... The best way to promote your business is by developing strong referral networks and build relationships based on your reputation as an expert in your field who doesn't compromise on their high ethical standards.
The rest is just window dressing.
One of my accounting firm clients use a combination of GoTax and Lacerte depending on the type of return being prepared. They've been using both for most of the 24 years we've been supporting their IT platforms.
From my perspective, any time we have needed to contact support, the response was...
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One of my accounting firm clients use a combination of GoTax and Lacerte depending on the type of return being prepared. They've been using both for most of the 24 years we've been supporting their IT platforms.
From my perspective, any time we have needed to contact support, the response was always timely - the only detractor is that with GoTax, you have to make sure your antivirus software is set to ignore the updates that the program sends your way - otherwise there will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth!
Best feedback.. happened years ago.. 1996, in fact.
A client felt that we were not holding up our end of the bargain as our response time had slipped. Rather than giving us a chance to correct the situation, they opted to find a new support provider that was more local to them. At that...
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Best feedback.. happened years ago.. 1996, in fact.
A client felt that we were not holding up our end of the bargain as our response time had slipped. Rather than giving us a chance to correct the situation, they opted to find a new support provider that was more local to them. At that time, they were one of our larger clients.
While we've had our fair shares of "attaboy's" over the 30 years in business, that one caused us to do some deep soul searching, and was far more constructive than any acknowledgement of a job well done.
Feedback is a gift - if you have the guts to look at it that way. Positive or negative, it leads to improvement if it is handled properly.
1 Reply
In any field, there are times when clients are a bit slow to pay... In our case,
inevitably,
they will call for IT support... If they are on contract, we have written expectations of payment so have a bit more leverage. In the case of break-fix or not under contract, we either require...
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In any field, there are times when clients are a bit slow to pay... In our case,
inevitably,
they will call for IT support... If they are on contract, we have written expectations of payment so have a bit more leverage. In the case of break-fix or not under contract, we either require payment at time of service, or extend net 10 days if they are a repeat client. In either case, if a call for additional service is made, we politely ask to speak with the AP department. Once connected the the AP person, we explain that additional service time is being requested and a check will need to be ready for pickup at time of service for any past due balances. Otherwise we will put them on the schedule where we can fit them in. Most people get twitchy when we tell them we can't get to them for a few days - maybe a week.
There have been instances where we have fired clients for consistently slow payment - it's not worth our aggravation to chase a client who does not value our service - that's what it boils down to. If they truly value your service, you will be paid promptly. If not, consider putting your efforts elsewhere. Ask the question of the decision maker - why habitually slow payment - If cash flow is always a problem, they need to do some re-evaluation of their business plan. If they just drag their feet and use you (and presumably others) as their bank, ask yourself the hard question - Do I need them more than they need me?
Best of luck - worst part of entrepreneurship - chasing down what you are owed.
The best marketing strategy begins with getting yourself out there - networking. Whether casually (going to chamber of commerce or social hour type events) or more deliberately (BNI or knock-offs thereof) - the only way to develop the relationships that will turn into business is to be present. ...
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The best marketing strategy begins with getting yourself out there - networking. Whether casually (going to chamber of commerce or social hour type events) or more deliberately (BNI or knock-offs thereof) - the only way to develop the relationships that will turn into business is to be present. If you are not familiar with how to put networking to the best use - go with a structured networking group such as BNI as you will learn excellent skills in how to develop those referral relationships. You will also learn that casual networking can be made to work when you realize that the majority of the people there are looking to sell, not to buy, and you can adjust your strategy to capitalize on that.Depending on what type of software you sell, that will also dictate what the best direction is going to be. If you sell high end ERP systems, then you need to be connecting with people at the C-Suite level. If you are selling garden-planning software - well.. that's a different audience. Know your audience.I use a company called Mindmatrix - who specialize in content delivery / social media / email drip campaigns for the field we cover - Managed Services. Companies like this exist for most industries and come loaded for bear with content that is relevant to your industry.Finally - have a plan. Connect with a local marketing group that can step you through the branding process, product placement/recognition planning, and creating a solid marketing campaign for your product/service profile.One thing I've learned in the 30 years I've been doing this thing called IT - other than unexpected moments of economic downturn, the reason most marketing plans fail is that they are not followed. Get yourself a good CRM package - Salesforce has been mentioned - Another that has a robust CRM integrated with an excellent time and billing manager is ConnectWise Manage. While the ConnectWise product does not have quite the customization abilities as Salesforce - the other things it brings to the table may help you find where your other revenue streams are.Best of luck!
Some interesting answers... my spin on it looks like this..
It depends..
Now to qualify that: You've given us very little detail, so one has to accept the use of "department" to mean you are planning on hiring at least 2 or 3 people for this "department"..I will preface this by saying.. I've...
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Some interesting answers... my spin on it looks like this..
It depends..
Now to qualify that: You've given us very little detail, so one has to accept the use of "department" to mean you are planning on hiring at least 2 or 3 people for this "department"..I will preface this by saying.. I've been in this trench (IT) for 30 years. Having been in the position of being a "Department of One" in one of my stints in corporate IT for an organization of approximately 100 users with multiple servers, custom applications, etc.. I can tell you with all honesty, IT is often a thankless job.. I left that particular position after 4 years feeling as if I had been enslaved.
Here's why - even a great technician will begin to stagnate quickly as technology passes him/her by while they are stuck in the weeds of supporting your organization. One which is probably just big enough to have enough work to keep a tech busy full time if you are asking the question.. but therein lies the problem - that one tech will get mired in the day to day brushfires. Now - let's break that paycheck down a little.. Depending on your state, you may have to pay that tech hourly.. problem with IT, stuff doesn't wait to break until the bell rings.. So you may be paying out a lot of overtime or shift differentials.. then of course add to that taxes, benefits packages, etc.. so you could rapidly be looking at dropping $80K - $100K on that superman/woman.. Now - back to the weeds.. if you don't give that tech opportunities to learn new stuff, he/she will be useless in about 3 - 4 years. Chances are, he/she will not be going home to learn new stuff on their own dime/time.And what about when that superman/woman wants to go on vacation.. do they have to wear their ball and chain when they are away? (i.e. cell phone) Will you expect them to work while they are supposed to be recharging? Do you plan to comp them additional PTO for the myriad of hours they will inevitably spend supporting your company from the beach? Didn't think so...So - then you need at least 2 or 3 people. So - double or triple those numbers.Now - let's look at outsourcing.. The word "Outsourcing" has become sadly given a bloody nose over the years... Too many corporate entities have decimated their in-house IT departments in search of cost savings - some have found what they were looking for.. others have realized, after the fact, that they end up spending more due to increased contract fees, lost productivity due to poor performance on SLA's, miscommunications & finger-pointing... all valid reasons to distrust outsourcing..
For the small to mid sized business, outsourcing with a reputable local Managed Service Provider (MSP) is very cost effective - generally you are paying for support either by the number of users or endpoints, and it covers the majority of issues you may encounter - like any insurance policy - there is always the possibility that you may pay for more than you receive.. but then there is also the possibility that the MSP will take one on the chin if there is a widespread problem that they are covering under the terms of the contract. The advantage here is that a reputable MSP is typically staffed by people who have both broad as well as specific expertise that you may not realize are vital to your success as a business. No need to worry if there is going to be someone there at the other end of the line - the tech you usually work with may be on vacation, but their backup has you covered. Also - your best in class MSP's invest heavily in training their staff on new technology, require certifications on products and technologies, and have access to diagnostics and remote monitoring & management software that would cause a huge dent in your bottom line if you had to pay for it..In fact, in the event that your organization is large enough to occupy someone more than 20 hours per week, some MSP's will actually dedicate a tech to you for those hours on-site and save you the hassle of finding a well trained, self motivated individual for that position - and - if that tech needs to take time off, they fill in the gap with another trained person. If you already have an in-house IT department, partnering with an MSP is good business sense, as again, the MSP can deploy tools that will allow your in-house team to respond faster on the day to day stuff, allowing them more time to devote to business building projects.
Hope that helps
Due to the security risks inherent with WiFi, unless you are planning to implement VPN over WiFi or strict ACL lists to ensure only the people you want are connecting to your corporate network, it's buyer beware.. Aside from the oft-pointed-out facts that WiFi uses half duplex communications,...
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Due to the security risks inherent with WiFi, unless you are planning to implement VPN over WiFi or strict ACL lists to ensure only the people you want are connecting to your corporate network, it's buyer beware.. Aside from the oft-pointed-out facts that WiFi uses half duplex communications, unless you are willing to shell out for some of the bleeding edge gear, your performance will always be below that of a wired connection. There are definitely use cases for and against, and as long as the environment is properly designed will be relatively stable. Regardless of wired or WiFi, in this day and age of data breaches, make sure you are having a regular network security analysis done. If you are under HIPAA/PCI/FINRA compliance - that's pretty much mandatory to retain compliance.
