January 2025

Download

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

This month’s newsletter is focused on changes we are busy implementing.

Starting January 1, 2025, we’re enhancing our billing system and improving how we track and resolve your IT issues.
How it affects you:

  • New Ticket Creation: Any emails sent to support@toriangroup.com will automatically generate a new ticket.
  • Ticket Updates: Replies to emails with the ticket ID in the subject will be added to the existing ticket.
  • Automated Notifications: You’ll receive automated email notifications when a ticket is received, read, and resolved.
  • Notification Preferences: You can opt out of these notifications or request to be notified on all tickets for your staff.
  • Resolution Confirmation: The resolution email will include buttons to confirm the issue is resolved or to indicate if something is still unfinished, which will reopen the ticket.

If you need to email our techs, please use techs@toriangroup.com, instead of support@toriangroup.com. The techs@toriangroup.com email address should only be used for informational purposes, where no action is required. If you have an internal IT or Help email that we are copied on for notifications, continue using that. Only use support@toriangroup.com if you want to create new tickets or update existing ones.

For significant changes, we can follow an approval process with automated emails, allowing you to easily click “Approved” or “Not Approved.” Examples of such changes include adding a user, upgrading or replacing equipment, adding a license, or granting file permissions. This is optional. You can choose the method that works best for you. Please confirm who is authorized to approve work if you have not already done so.

We are setting up a Torian Group web portal for you. This portal will display active tickets, allow you to request service, and show your invoices. If we have managed service agents on your equipment, you can also view your equipment inventory.

Clients using Microsoft 365 can log in to the portal with their MS 365 email address, and Single Sign-On will make the process automatic. Others can create a username and password to connect. Permissions can be customized for each of your staff. We will contact you to set up your account and offer a tour if desired.

Invoices will have a new look, making them easier to read.

For those paying by Credit Card:

Starting in February, we will switch to a new credit card payment service and will be able to accept ACH payments. We encourage you to set up ACH payments, and you can automate payments if desired.

Your web portal will display outstanding invoices, allowing you to make payments directly from the portal. You can select the invoices you want to pay and choose your preferred payment method.

The payment service also allows you to finance payments for up to six months at a reasonable interest rate.

Since we don’t store your card information, we will be contacting those of you who have a credit card on file with us to re-enter your information or update to ACH payments in the new system.

As mentioned, we will increase pricing for support and monthly subscriptions by an average of about 3.3%, effective January 1, 2025.

The new rates will be:

Technical Service Labor: $160 per hour

Travel Time: $85 per hour

PC Agent: $7.50

Server Agent: $22.00

PC Backups: $13.00

Server Backup: $62.00

We are changing the way we bill from 15 minute increments to 6 minute increments (1/10th hour). This will probably reduce your cost.

The price changes will apply beginning with January invoices sent in February.

If you have any questions, please call or email.

Reminders

In January, Microsoft will push “New Outlook” to all Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium customers. If you do not want this new version of Outlook, you can proactively block it. Contact us for assistance. Microsoft states that classic Outlook won’t be retired for another five years.

End of life for Windows 10 is less than a year away. Review your options and determine what you need in order to do business.

HUMOR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim Torian

Torian, Group, Inc.

Newsletter Sign-Up

The Torian Group Times Newsletter is a service to our clients, and anyone who finds it useful. Topics include security updates; known problems with recent patches; new and upcoming software and hardware that might affect your business; and information about technology in the Visalia area.  It is free to anyone who wishes to subscribe by providing their name and email address. We will not do anything with this information other than sending the newsletter – no unsolicited marketing of any kind.

Subscribe to our Newsletters