Visionary Watchdog Monitoring Service
Announcing Visionary Watchdog, proactive support for your Mac from the people you trust.
We haven’t been this excited to share some news with our customers since we opened our new store - this is that big! Visionary Watchdog Monitoring Service uses a single, light-weight piece of software installed on your Mac, which the Visionary technical team uses to monitor for many common issues, and notify you by email when necessary.
For years now, we’ve seen a change in technology support, shifting from a reactive, “break/fix” model to a more proactive, monitored model where issues can be identified and corrected before they cause a loss of productivity. The tools have matured, the process has simplified, and the costs have plummeted, and so we’re finally ready to roll out a comprehensive bundle of services at a price anyone can afford.
What we monitor:
(click an item for details)
+ Malware/Adware
“Malware” and “adware” refers to malicious software that often pretends to be legitimate software, (ie, Adobe Flash Player). Once installed, you may notice strange search engines in your web browser or a barrage of pop-up ads while browsing popular websites. Often times the effect is enough to be annoying, but just unobtrusive enough fly under the radar. Our remote software detects and alerts us to the presence of this malware, allowing us to take action and remove it quickly.
+ Drive status/failure
Visionary Watchdog software notifies us at the first signs of Drive issues. Timing is everything with a failing Drive, especially if you do not have a current backup. This allows us to get ahead of the problem and take action before your data is potentially lost forever.
+ Available Drive Space
Running low on disk space can happen suddenly and when it does, it has real potential to corrupt a system and cause data loss. We’ll alert you before this overwrites cause destruction of files.
+ Battery Health
As your laptop ages, the battery inside gradually begins to deteriorate and provide you with fewer and fewer hours of battery life. Visionary Watchdog allows us to see if your battery is performing normally, and shows us how many times the battery has been fully charged and discharged (cycle count). This allows us to get a better idea of what kind of battery life you should be expecting from your device and helps us troubleshoot “poor battery life” and “unexpected shutdown” issues.
+ Operating System Version
Staying current is critical for the best compatibility. Visionary Watchdog keeps careful eye on your system software and reports the version so we can make informed recommendations regarding upgrades or updates.
+ Machine Age/Type
While Visionary Watchdog is scanning your system for problems, it also reports back other helpful information such as machine name, last logged in user, serial number, RAM, model number, OS & firmware versions, maximum OS version, processors, uptime, last check-in, and more.
+ Warranty Status
At a glance, we can tell if your computer is under warranty or eligible for AppleCare+. Knowing this information will enable us to provide you with the most appropriate support. We will also keep an eye on any quality programs or other repairs your device may be eligible to receive. - often at no cost.
+ Time Machine Backup status
In the event of a Drive failure, a current Time Machine backup is your lifeline to getting back all of the data that may have otherwise been lost. Although Time Machine usually works reliably in the background, now and then problems arise, and backups fail to complete. Visionary Watchdog allows us to alert you if your computer goes for long periods of time without a backup, or if your latest backup fails for any reason.
+ System Performance
Keeping a computer running at its peak performance is easy with Visionary Watchdog. We’ll alert you to productivity-robbing issues such as failing laptop batteries, kernel panics, faulty RAM, unscheduled reboots, and even failed power-on self-tests (POST) which usually go unnoticed.
Who is it for?
Business Customers - If you use your Mac to earn a living, Visionary Watchdog is for you. It doesn’t matter if you work in an office with a team of people or you own a small home-based business: if your Mac is down, so is your ability to run your business. The proactive nature of Visionary Watchdog and the accelerated response times of our team mean you stay up and running.
Busy People - Life already places a lot of demands on your schedule; why make tending to your computer yet another drain on your precious free time? With Visionary Watchdog we keep an eye out for many of the things that can bring your Mac to its knees. Let our team of professionals keep watch on your Mac so you can check one more thing off your to-do list.
Security Conscious Users - Malware is an ever-changing battlefield; with Visionary Watchdog, we keep constant eye on the most common forms of Malware, Adware and Spyware. We quickly notify you if trouble is found. Removing the offending item is just a quick remote support call away.
Remote Support Customers - The convenience of remote support simply can’t be beat. Why have someone over to your home or office when we can quickly help remotely? Once you’ve tried it, you realize just how great it is and many of our customers use it over and over. Visionary Watchdog customers get all the monitoring benefits, and they get reduced price remote support. For many customers, this discount alone will more than pay for the full year of monitoring! Save money and be more protected, it’s win-win!
What are the costs?
Visionary Watchdog Monitoring Service costs $120 for a full year of monitoring, plus a one-time $25 setup fee. Additional computers in the same home or office can be added for just $99 per Mac. Visionary Watchdog customers will also get a 20% discount on all remote support (normally $2/minute), including Watchdog issues, training, Q&A, or help with a project.
Visionary Watchdog, proactive support for your Mac from the people you trust.
