As the holiday season approaches, we at Orinoco 360 reflect on a year filled with growth, innovation, and strong partnerships. For over 13 years, we have proudly served South Florida businesses, providing top-notch IT consulting services and building lasting relationships with our clients and partners.
Orinoco 360 – Reflecting on 2024
This year, we focused on enhancing our services to meet the evolving needs of our clients. We introduced several new offerings, including:
- Cybersecurity Awareness Training for Employees: Empowering teams to recognize and avoid security threats.
- Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) Enhancements: Advanced tools for proactive IT management.
- Patch Management Automation: Ensuring systems are always up-to-date with the latest security patches.
- Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Providing advanced threat detection and response capabilities.
Spotlight on Security: Offline Scams
In addition to digital threats, offline scams such as phone calls and physical mail have become more sophisticated, often targeting older generations through social engineering tactics. These scams can be just as damaging as online threats, so it’s crucial to stay informed and protect yourself and your loved ones. Here are some tips to help you spot and avoid offline scams:
1. Verify the Source
Always verify the identity of the person or organization contacting you. If you receive a suspicious phone call, ask for the caller’s name, company, and a callback number. Then, independently verify this information by looking up the company’s official contact details.
2. Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Requests
Be cautious of unsolicited requests for personal information or money. Legitimate organizations typically do not ask for sensitive information over the phone or through physical mail without prior contact.
3. Look for Red Flags
Scammers often use high-pressure tactics to create a sense of urgency. Be wary of messages that claim you must act immediately to avoid severe consequences. Additionally, watch out for poor grammar, spelling mistakes, and generic greetings in written communications.
4. Protect Personal Information
Never share personal information, such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, or passwords, with unknown callers or through unsecured mail. If in doubt, contact the organization directly using verified contact information.
5. Educate and Communicate
Educate your family members, especially older adults, about common scam tactics. Encourage open communication so they feel comfortable discussing any suspicious contacts they receive.
Case Study: Acme Produce
We are excited to share a success story from this year. Our partnership with “Acme Produce” (We hide the real name of the company for security purposes) highlights the importance of having the right IT partner for critical enterprise IT support services. Here’s a closer look at how we helped them overcome significant challenges:
Background
Acme Produce is a national food distribution company that distributes frozen foods across the southeastern United States. Before partnering with Orinoco 360, Acme Produce faced long IT support requests, minimal communication from their previous MSP, and extended periods of downtime due to unreliable data protection solutions.
Objectives
The primary goals were to modernize their technology and network and restore their main line of business application server to ensure remote and local employees could complete their tasks and scheduled deliveries on time. Acme Produce had numerous issues, including a main server down for over four months and spotty wireless signals in their warehouse, hindering their picking and logistics teams.
Solutions Provided
Orinoco 360 restored its main Active Directory server in record time, reconnected it to its Microsoft 365 tenant Microsoft Intune platform, and brought its main line of business application back to 100% uptime. We also designed and implemented new access points around the warehouse to eliminate blind spots and ensure 100% coverage for the team.
When Acme Produce planned to move to a new location, they were concerned about their legacy IT provider’s ability to support them. After experiencing Orinoco 360’s capabilities, we helped them plan and execute a seamless move, including implementing new wireless infrastructure at their new warehouse. The entire operation was moved and back online in less than 24 hours.
Results and Benefits
- Reduced Downtime: Downtime was minimized to just 24 hours during the move.
- Enhanced Security: Implemented cybersecurity tools and restrictions to prevent unauthorized software installations.
- Reliable Backups: Both main line of business applications are now backed up onsite and offsite.
- Improved Efficiency: Dual internet connectivity ensures continuous communication, improving efficiency by about 90%.
Lessons Learned
We learned the importance of allowing adequate time to determine the best internet service providers for new locations.
Future Plans
We are currently working on upgrading all their computers to the latest technology. Additionally, we are deploying an Analytical Support Program to enable quicker and more effective report generation.
Looking Ahead to 2025
As we look forward to 2025, we are excited to introduce even more innovative services to help your business thrive. Stay tuned for updates on our latest offerings and how they can benefit your organization.
Thank You
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our clients and partners for their continued trust and support. Your success is our success, and we look forward to many more years of collaboration.
Wishing you a joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
Best regards,
The Orinoco 360 Team