Series: January Reset for Oregon SMB IT: Part 1 of 4
Up next in Part 2: a “Dry January” for tech, six bad habits to quit fast.
The One Business Resolution That Actually Sticks (Unlike Your Gym Membership)
January feels fresh. For three weeks, everyone is a new person. Then February shows up, and good intentions fold. Business tech goals do the same, unless you trade willpower for systems.
Why “get our IT under control” fizzles
Vague goals die first. “Fix IT this year” means everything and nothing. Meanwhile, phones are ringing in Portland, someone in Salem can’t print, and file access is down for a project in Eugene. Your plan becomes a sticky note under a coffee mug.
The gym lesson
Gyms count on January drop-offs. Not because people are lazy, but because they lack:
- Specific targets (e.g., 30‑minute response, 85% first‑contact resolution).
- Accountability (someone else expects you to show up).
- Expertise (a plan that fits you).
- Consistency (it happens even when you’re busy).
That’s the same gap in most businesses’ IT.
What you really want: fire prevention, not firefighting
Stop measuring heroics. Start measuring calm and boring. An IT MSP ( Managed Service Provider ) is your business’s personal trainer: builds the plan, holds the calendar, and keeps the boring basics on repeat.
The MSP model in plain English
- Expertise on tap. You don’t have to learn patching, backups, and security frameworks. You get a plan that fits Professional Services teams from Bend to the Pearl District.
- Accountability that isn’t on your plate. Updates, backups, and monitoring run whether anyone remembers or not.
- Consistency that outlasts motivation. Your January energy fades. The maintenance schedule doesn’t.
- Proactive moves. Replace the failing firewall before the Friday outage.
Want the structure without the homework? See our Managed IT Services https://www.10dtech.com/services/managed-it-services and IT Help Desk & Remote Support https://www.10dtech.com/services/it-help-desk-support .
What this looks like in real life
Picture a 25-person accounting firm in Salem. Nothing’s on fire, but everything feels slow. Laptops drag. Wi‑Fi hiccups. One person knows three “tricks” to fix the line‑of‑business app. The owner writes “fix IT” at the top of the planner … again.
Within 90 days on a basic plan:
- Backups are installed, tested, and verified.
- A hardware schedule replaces “run it till it dies.” People get time back because machines aren’t fighting them.
- Spam and risky links get filtered; suspicious activity is flagged 24/7.
- Tickets drop; billable hours stop leaking away.
They didn’t become tech experts. They made one decision: stop going it alone.
EXAMPLE:
Alex runs Tumble Weeds Are Us, a small fictional consulting outfit in Eugene. January used to be chaos: new engagements, last‑year closeout, and laptops that begged for updates at the worst time. Alex repeatedly promised to “do a tech day” but never did.
This year, Alex called in help. A light IT Assessment set baselines. Patching moved to nights. Backups were checked and a 15‑minute test restore proved they worked. The help desk added a 30‑minute response target with first‑contact resolution tracked.
Week three, a workstation fan failed. No drama. The monitoring caught it, a spare was staged, and Alex’s project meeting in Bend started on time. No hero story. Just a normal day … finally.
The one resolution that changes everything
If you choose only one IT resolution in 2026, choose this:
“We stop living in firefighting mode.”
Not “digital transformation.” Not “modernized infrastructure.” Just fewer surprises. When tech becomes boring again:
- Teams move faster.
- Clients get answers sooner.
- Costs stop spiking.
- Growth feels doable, not risky.
What to do: Want calm, not chaos? Book a Free IT Checkup at (541) 243‑4103 or (971) 915‑9103, or grab a slot: https://www.10dtech.com/15min-assessment.
Simple scoreboard for the next 30 days
- Tickets: trending down week over week.
- Response time: under 30 minutes during business hours.
- Patch compliance: >95% of endpoints are current.
- Backup health: nightly success, quarterly restore test.
- Asset age: any machine >5 years has a plan.
If you want a plan to hit these numbers, start with an IT Assessments & Strategy Consulting session and lock goals for Q1.
READY?: Skip the guesswork. Call (541) 243‑4103 or (971) 915‑9103 for a quick fit check.
FAQs
1) What’s the single best IT resolution for Oregon SMBs?
Pick measurable support targets and review them monthly with your MSP.
2) How do we begin without disrupting work?
Make a 30‑60‑90 plan: stabilize tickets, patch/backup, then one upgrade.
3) Which metrics matter most?
MTTR, first‑contact resolution, patch compliance, backup success, and endpoint coverage.
4) Co‑managed or fully managed—how to choose?
If you have an internal tech who needs tools and coverage, co‑managed fits. Otherwise, fully managed keeps everything under one roof.
5) How do we stop surprise IT costs?
Scope projects up front, lock SLAs, and separate recurring support from one‑offs. Start with Managed IT Services.
TAKE ACTION!
Make 2026 the year tech gets boring (in the best way). Book your Free IT Checkup—call (541) 243‑4103 or (971) 915‑9103, or pick a time: https://www.10dtech.com/15min-assessment.
