Managed IT & Support
Cybersecurity
Cloud, Backup & Network
A Chicago IT assessment gives you a plain-English picture of your computers, network, security and backups. You see what is working, what is risky and what to fix first, with real costs attached.
Get a Free IT AssessmentMost owners can’t say with confidence whether their IT is in good shape. Things mostly work, so nobody looks closer. Then a laptop dies, a backup fails or an employee clicks the wrong link, and you find out how much was never checked. An IT assessment is a structured review that answers the question before something breaks.
We start by listing what you actually have. That means computers, servers, Wi-Fi, firewalls, email, cloud accounts, phones, printers and the software that runs your business. Then we check how each piece is set up, who can get into it, how it is updated and whether it is backed up. Nothing is changed during the review. We look, test and take notes.
You get a written report in plain English. Each finding is rated by risk and by cost to fix, so you can see what matters now and what can wait a year. There is no pressure to sign anything. Some Chicago owners take the report and fix items in-house. Others ask for a quote on the work. Either way, you finally have facts instead of guesses.
Chicago offices run on a mix of old and new. A law firm in a Loop high-rise may still use a server closet installed years ago. A River North agency may have grown to 30 people on consumer-grade Wi-Fi. A medical office near Northwestern Memorial may store patient data in places nobody has reviewed. Each case looks fine until a failure exposes the gap.
The timing often comes from a trigger. You are about to renew a contract, move offices, add staff, answer a cyber insurance form or replace a provider you no longer trust. An assessment gives you an independent view at that moment. It also gives you a baseline, so next year you can see what improved and what slipped.
Everything below is part of one monthly plan. Pick a topic to see what is handled for you and how it works in a Chicago office.
We list every computer, server, tablet, phone and printer, along with operating system versions, age and warranty status. Many offices find devices nobody remembered, or machines that are years past support. Knowing the real count also fixes your licensing, so you stop paying for software nobody uses.
We also record the business software your team depends on, such as accounting, scheduling, case management or practice tools. For each one we note who supports it and how it is updated. This shows which systems are fragile and which vendors you rely on most.
We check your internet connection, firewall, switches and Wi-Fi coverage. In a Chicago high-rise this often means mapping dead spots on a busy floor and checking how your space shares a building riser. We look at speed, reliability and whether guest traffic is separated from business traffic.
Cabling and equipment age matter as well. A network built for 10 people rarely holds up at 30. We note where you are close to the limit, so growth does not turn into slow video calls and dropped connections.
We review how people sign in, who has admin rights and whether multi-factor sign-in is on for email and key systems. We check that updates are current and that antivirus or endpoint protection is actually running on every machine, not just installed.
We also look at email protection, staff habits and what happens when someone leaves the company. Old accounts are a common weak spot. You get a short list of the gaps most likely to cause real damage, ranked so you can close them in order.
Having a backup is not the same as being able to restore from it. We confirm what is backed up, how often, where copies are stored and who gets alerted when a job fails. We then test a restore so you know it works before you need it.
We also ask a practical question: how long could you be down? If your accounting system or patient records were unavailable for two days, what would that cost? The answer shapes what recovery plan makes sense for your size and budget.
We compare what you spend now on IT, including software, hardware, support and outside help, with what you will likely need over the next three years. Many owners learn they are paying twice for the same tool or underspending on security.
The report ends with a roadmap that groups work into now, soon and later, with typical cost ranges for each. You can use it to plan hardware replacement, set a monthly IT budget or compare providers on equal terms.
Plenty of companies can fix a laptop. These are the three reasons clients mention most when they explain why they picked Ping Chicago.
Your technicians know how Loop high-rises handle building access, why basement server closets flood in summer storms and how long it really takes to reach Oak Brook at 4 p.m. That local knowledge turns into faster, calmer fixes.
Your network, devices and backups are watched around the clock. Most issues are caught and fixed before anyone in your office notices, and the rest are explained to you in plain English.
You get a written per-user quote after a free assessment, with every included service listed. No hourly surprises, no emergency rates and no fine print about what counts as extra.
Chicago offices differ by building, industry and size, and the assessment adapts to each. Here is how it plays out in areas we visit often.
Most Loop offices share a building’s internet riser, wiring closets and security desk. Managed IT here means working with property management on access and cabling, keeping remote access stable for commuters and scheduling after-hours work around building rules.
Creative agencies need fast Wi-Fi for large files and constant video calls, while medical offices near Northwestern Memorial need HIPAA-ready systems. Both get the same help desk, with security matched to the data they store.
Teams here grow fast, so new hires need laptops, accounts and access on their first day. Managed IT keeps onboarding repeatable and the network ready for the next floor or the next office.
Dental and medical practices, therapists and small firms run on a few critical systems: scheduling, imaging and billing. Managed IT keeps them patched, backed up and running before the first appointment of the day.
Point-of-sale systems, guest Wi-Fi and a handful of laptops can still take a shop offline. Managed IT separates guest and business networks and keeps payment systems updated and monitored.
Event, hospitality and professional offices near McCormick Place deal with seasonal rushes. Managed IT scales support around busy weeks and keeps shared and public spaces secure.
Practices and offices in Evanston and Skokie get the same remote help desk as downtown clients, with on-site visits scheduled for hardware, cabling and network work.
Logistics and distribution businesses near O’Hare run warehouses, scanners and shipping systems around the clock. Managed IT monitors those networks 24/7 and plans updates outside shift changes.
Many companies in Oak Brook, Naperville and Schaumburg run a suburban headquarters with a city branch. Managed IT connects both sites securely and supports staff at either location.
You can get a review from a local provider, a one-time consultant or a free online scan. They do not give the same result.
| Topic | Ping Chicago | One-Time IT Consultant | Free Online Scanner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free for local businesses | Often a fixed project fee | Free, but limited |
| Scope | Devices, network, security, backups & cost | Depends on the engagement | Mostly external security checks |
| On-site review | Yes, with staff interviews | Usually yes | No |
| Restore test | Sample restore checked | Sometimes | Not possible |
| Report format | Plain English, ranked by risk | Varies by consultant | Automated score, little context |
| Cost estimates | Typical ranges for each fix | Often added at extra charge | None |
| Follow-up | Optional quote, no pressure | Usually ends at the report | Upsell emails |
The review ends with decisions you can make, not a pile of technical jargon.
Every finding is explained in plain English with a risk rating.
You see weak passwords, missing updates and open access before an attacker does.
Each fix has a typical price range so you can set a realistic budget.
You learn what to fix this month, this quarter and next year.
Once you know where you stand, these are the pages most owners explore next.
A deeper look at Wi-Fi, cabling, switches and firewall performance when the network is your main concern.
Virtual CIO ServicesOngoing planning and budgeting help so the assessment roadmap actually gets carried out.
IT ConsultingExpert advice on systems, vendors and projects when you need decisions made with confidence.
IT Project ManagementHands-on coordination for fixes like office moves, upgrades and system replacements.
Our old provider took a day to answer. Now a typical ticket is closed in about 12 minutes, and password resets happen while I’m still on the phone. Our staff stopped complaining about IT within the first month, which never happened before.
We were nervous about changing providers with deadlines ahead. The whole move took three weeks, email and files kept working throughout, and every login and device was documented. Not one person missed a day of work because of it.
We used to get surprise invoices every time something broke. Now it’s one predictable monthly bill, and problems get flagged before we notice them. Planning our IT budget takes five minutes instead of an argument with the owner.
After the free assessment, you get a written quote with fixed prices and no obligation to move forward.
It is a structured review of your computers, network, security, backups and software. The goal is to find what works, what is risky and what needs replacing. You receive a written report that ranks findings by risk and estimated cost to fix.
Most small offices take a few days from first visit to final report. The on-site part is often a few hours. Larger offices or those with several locations may take a week or two, depending on how many systems need testing.
Yes. For Chicago businesses, the initial assessment and written report are free. You are not required to hire anyone afterward. If you want help with the fixes, you can request a quote, but that is always your choice.
Very little. Most work happens in the background or after hours. We may ask a few staff members short questions about how they work. We do not shut systems down or change settings during the review.
A short call to learn about your business, plus access to your office and a contact who knows your systems. If you have an existing IT provider, we ask for their cooperation, but we can often start without it.
Only if you want us to. Some owners keep the review private, while others involve their provider from the start. The report belongs to you, and you decide who sees it and what happens next.
We check the conditions that let ransomware spread, such as weak sign-ins, missing updates, open remote access and untested backups. We do not run attacks on your systems. You get a clear view of how exposed you are.
Yes. Small offices often benefit most, since one failure can stop the whole business. The review is lighter for a five-person office, but it still covers devices, security, backups and a simple cost plan.
Once a year works for most Chicago businesses. Repeat it sooner after a move, a merger, a big hiring push or a security incident. Each review shows what improved and what slipped since the last one.
Often yes. The findings help you answer insurer questions about sign-ins, backups and updates truthfully. Insurers set their own requirements, so we recommend checking what yours asks for. We do not provide legal advice.
Need something slightly different? These services cover the same ground from another angle.
A free assessment shows what works, what is at risk and what it would cost to fix.