With our new “Quick Ticket” option you can create tickets in Client Access Portal faster then ever.

Starting today, clients of VanGuard Technologies now have a simpler way to enter tickets into their Client Access Portal: the “quick ticket.” The Quick Ticket is a very simple form used to create and submit tickets via the Client Access Portal and Taskfire. Users will be able to create and submit tickets with only a ticket title and a description. To utilize this new feature you just need to login in to your Client Access Portal as usual. Once you log in to CAP you will see that a new icon has been added: Create Quick Ticket.  Click on the button, enter your ticket title and description and you are done. We hope this make the Portal easier for you.

As of October 1, 2011, VanGuard Information Services and the VanGuard Computer Training Center are now part of VanGuard Technologies. This change allows us to integrate our billing and support in order to provide more efficient service to our clients.

V-Protect Backup clients now have direct access to our ticketing system via Client Access Portal and the VanGuard support e-mail address. Invoicing is from VanGuard Technologies allowing most clients to write one fewer check each month. Credit card billing is now available for your convenience.

The websites have been merged into one site at www.vanguardtech.net. V-Protect clients will continue to use www.toledobackup.com and www.adrianbackup.com to check their backup usage.

We are excited about this change because it will allow us to better manage our billing and support to ensure ongoing superior customer service. As we implement these changes, we anticipate “business as usual” operations without any disruption in service.

If you have any questions, please give us a call.

VanGuard Technologies is excited to introduce our new “Websites That Work” website subscription service. This brand new service gives businesses like yours a high quality, professionally maintained website at a price you can finally afford. For a flat monthly fee, you get everything from Web design and compelling site content to SEO management, blogging capabilities and social media strategies.

Our Web development isn’t just about building a website; with our services, your company will have access to a whole marketing machine. We will provide you with the tools to run a successful online marketing campaign without the hassle of dealing with its tedious management and costly maintenance. Discover how simple an online marketing strategy can be, with VanGuard as your Web development partner.

To learn more about this revolutionary new technology, go HERE.

VanGuard Technologies President Matthew Adkins was named to the MSPmentor 250 list Monday. The MSPmentor 250 is an annual executive listing and report produced by MSPmentor and its owner, Nine Lives Media Inc. The report features the top 250 CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, entrepreneurs, marketing experts, PR pros, association leaders and others who are shaping the global managed services ecosystem. Managed services is the term coined to describe the delivery of proactive flat-fee IT services such as VanGuard’s V-Care.

Adkins has been interviewed by local media including WSPD radio morning host Fred LeFebvre and the Toledo Free Press. The online version of the Free Press article can be seen here.

The full press release can be read at http://www.vanguardtech.net/2011/08/vanguard-technologies-president-named-to-mspmentor-250-list-of-top-it-managed-services-executives/

The MSPmentor 250 report can be read here.

If you use Window XP, it might just be the time for you to upgrade (or at least start planning to upgrade) as Microsoft has announced plans to pull the plug on Windows XP support in 2014. While that may be a couple of years away, it never hurts to start assessing your options so the eventual move to newer Microsoft OS will be as smooth and efficient as possible.

Part of using any sort of software is the inevitable need to upgrade. Most if not all software needs to either be replaced and upgraded as the demands of the market entail more efficient processing of the various data and information a business handles.

Such is the case with Windows XP. While many continue to use this proven straightforward operating system, Microsoft has decided to stop support by the year 2014. Microsoft further recommends upgrading to its latest OS, Windows 7, in order for users to continue to receive OS support.

While there are some lines of business applications that have not been upgraded to work with Windows 7, most have — and there are alternative approaches. Also, your business needs the security and protection that only a current, up-to-date operating system can provide.

We understand that changing your OS will entail some expense, including new licenses, hardware, and some training. Fortunately, these things are designed to help you operate more efficiently and increase your productivity in the long run. But such change will take time, and if you are interested in starting to plan for an upgrade now, we’ll be happy to sit down with you and develop an upgrade process that meets your specific needs.

8/1/2011 Toledo, OH – VanGuard Technologies President Matthew Adkins was named to the MSPmentor 250 list today. The list is compiled annually by the editorial staff of MSPmentor, a respected publication for IT service providers.

According to Joe Panettieri, Editorial Director of MSPmentor, “The list is designed to help you rapidly build a Rolodex of managed services experts, entrepreneurs and executives…We surveyed the MSPmentor community April through June 24, 2011. We asked readers to identify top managed services experts across sales, marketing, technology, community building, coaching, executive leadership and more.”

Adkins had this to say about the announcement, “I’m shocked. To see my name up there with the biggest names in the industry is indescribable. These folks are the giants, the greats, and the best of the best. The names on this list show that cooperation and sharing among providers and executives really benefits IT Managed Services Providers and our clients as a whole. I truly thank my peers who have honored my small part in helping the IT provider community. This helps to show that Toledo, OH is still a city on the map.”

About VanGuard Technologies
VanGuard Technologies is Toledo Ohio’s Premiere Microsoft Certified Small Business Specialist. Founded in 2003, VanGuard has helped pioneer the concept of proactive, flat fee IT support services to small and medium businesses in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. VanGuard is led by Matthew Adkins, a 12-year veteran of the IT industry. More information can be found at their website: www.vanguardtech.net.

About MSPmentor and the MSPmentor 250
MSPmentor, produced by Nine Lives Media Inc., is the ultimate guide to managed services and the leading global destination for managed service providers. The MSPmentor 250 identifies the world’s top managed services experts, entrepreneurs and executives — including professionals who have mastered business leadership, marketing, sales, technology, coaching and other areas within the managed services market. More information can be found at the MSPMentor website: www.mspmentor.net/. The 2011 MSPmentor 250 list can be found here: The list is available now at www.mspmentor.net/mspmentor-250-page-1-of-our-2011-edition/.

VanGuard Technologies President Matthew Adkins was recently featured on the Toledo Biz Talk Show on WCWA radio. In this interview Matthew discussed the history of VanGuard Technologies as well as a bit about what we do and where we are going.

You can listen to the Podcast here. The Toledo BIZ Talk Show airs Monday through Friday from 9-10 AM on WCWA 1230 AM. You can also listen online at www.1230foxsports.com.

VanGuard Technologies recently attended the 2011 ASCII Success Summit in Chicago, IL. The SMB IT Success Summit provides solution providers business building activities, market intelligence and an array of partnering opportunities all in just a single day. While there we renewed acquaintances with friends from vendors and other IT service providers, attended training, and shot a commercial for one of our vendors. The event was made memorable by a power outage affecting 250,000 customers. All day Wednesday and most of Thursday the hotel had minimal power. One of our vendors was handing out flashlights with their logo on them – they were a huge hit!

Being a member of the ASCII group provides VanGuard with access to other IT service providers throughout the US and Canada allowing us to exchange information, share resources, and gives quick access to product experts. ASCII membership differentiates us from the competition. We were the only service provider form the Toledo area in attendance! More information on the benefits our clients gain from our ASCII membership can be found here: http://www.ascii.com/member. More information on VanGuard Technologies can be obtained at www.vanguardtech.net or by calling 419-269-9918.

We answered a few questions for Geek Squad while we were there.

VanGuard recently attended the Spring SMBNation event in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The event is held every year and features many seminars on the newest and best ways of providing quality, value-added computing services to small and medium businesses. Also included were technical overviews of various products designed for the small and medium business market. This year’s theme was on cloud computing and highlighted many Microsoft technologies such as Office 365. Hundreds of IT providers from around North America were in attendance (including Geek Squad agents attempting to understand how to service small businesses). VanGuard was the ONLY service provider from the Toledo area in attendance.

In addition to the main event, VanGuard also attended a full day’s training by Cisco on the new UC320 Business Phone System. This phone system is a digital system designed to bring the same high quality, feature rich, durable phone systems to small business that the big companies have. The twist here is the UC320 is very affordable with a suggested retail price of $999 and phones starting at under $100. In addition to affordability the system is also very easy to use and program using a simple web interface.
Cisco Phone systems as well as cloud computing services such as Office 365, hosted e-mail (Exchange), SharePoint, and spam filtering are available now from VanGuard Technologies at www.vanguardtech.net or 419-269-9918.

VanGuard President Matthew Adkins recently attended the annual Microsoft-Intel Training event held in the Chicago area. At this event Matthew attended presentations from Microsoft and Intel on their newest products. The afternoon session was composed of hands-on lab training with Microsoft’s newest sever for small and medium businesses – Microsoft Small Business Server 2011.  Small Business Server 2011 affordably provides e-mail, document management, and file services for up to 75 users while Small Business Server 2011 Essentials is designed for companies of up to 25 users and features employee desktop backup. Both products are available now from VanGuard Technologies, Toledo’s Premiere Microsoft Small Business Specialist. Call 419-269-9918 or visit www.vanguardtech.net for more information.