Racine County’s Growth Momentum: Why Local Businesses Are Partnering with Proven IT Experts
Racine County is rapidly developing, with new businesses investing, expanding, and choosing this area as home. From Mount Pleasant to Burlington, the local economy is diversifying, attracting both established organizations and emerging enterprises. This growth in Racine County business brings…
How to Kick Off the New Year with a Smarter Q1 Strategy
Your budget is finalized, the spreadsheets are closed, and Q1 has arrived. Now comes the harder question: What do you actually do with that plan as part of your Q1 IT strategy? Maybe you’ve been thinking about switching managed service providers in 2026, experimenting with AI tools,…
GPT-5.2 AI Reasoning Consistency: Why It’s Steadier Than GPT-5.1 (But Not Smarter Than GPT-4o)
Short answer: GPT-5.2 is not smarter than GPT-4o, but it is noticeably steadier than GPT-5.1 for long, multi-step work, showcasing improved AI reasoning consistency. Based on sustained professional use, GPT-5.2 maintains context, intent, and reasoning structure more consistently across extended…
Should Small Businesses Use AI at Work in 2026? Benefits, Risks, and Best Practices
Short answer: Yes — small businesses should use AI at work in 2026 to save time, improve productivity, and stay competitive. But those gains only happen when AI adoption is guided by clear guardrails, documented usage policies, approved tools, and…
How to Get Out of an MSP Contract Without Losing Your Sanity
Picture this: your business signs up with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) expecting reliable support, fast response times, and professional service. But within months, you realize the quality isn’t matching the promises. When you try to exit an MSP contract,…
When the Right IT Partner Makes All the Difference
Some businesses see IT as a necessary expense. Others view it as an advantage waiting to be unlocked. The difference often comes down to the kind of partner they choose. Platinum Systems works best with clients who see technology as…
Planning for Success: Your 2026 IT Budget
You’re sitting down to plan your 2026 IT budget when you realize several major assets might reach end-of-life at the same time. Desktops purchased together five years ago, aging switches, security renewals, and backup storage are all due soon. Without…
Platinum Systems to Exhibit at the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce Business to Business Expo
Platinum Systems is proud to announce that we’ll be exhibiting at the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business to Business Expo on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at the Parkway Chateau in Kenosha, Wisconsin. This annual event brings together local businesses…
Webinar: The Fastest Tech Revolution You’ve Never Seen: How AI Is Quietly Transforming Business
Webinar: The Fastest Tech Revolution You’ve Never Seen: How AI Is Quietly Transforming Business. Details You’re already seeing it, but most people haven’t realized how deep it’s going. You use AI every day, often without even noticing. The personal computer…
Fall IT Cleanup: The Digital Equivalent of Raking Leaves
Most businesses tidy their offices each fall. Out go the old files, broken chairs, and outdated posters. Yet digital clutter often sits untouched. Think orphaned user accounts, retired devices that are still connected, or folders that haven’t been touched in…
Why Cybersecurity Awareness Month Should Feel Like Halloween for Business Leaders
Imagine waking up on Halloween morning not just to trick-or-treaters knocking at your door, but to an alert that your company’s files have been encrypted overnight. Instead of costumes and candy, you face ransomware demands and potential business paralysis. That…
When Your “Side Job” as IT Becomes a Hidden Cost
A family-owned manufacturing company in Wisconsin had a bookkeeper named Mark who “knew his way around computers.” Over time, small requests piled onto his plate: updating antivirus software, buying new laptops, fixing printers, handling password resets, even calling the internet…
How Standards and Best Practices Transform IT into Strategy
How Technology Standards Turn IT Risk into Business Strategy Picture this scenario: your company’s IT vendor recommends replacing aging firewalls or updating password policies. The technical explanation sounds reasonable but the real question in the boardroom is, “What risk are…
What SMBs Can Learn from YouTube’s NFL Streaming Test
When YouTube streamed its first exclusive NFL game for free last week, over 17 million people tuned in at the same time. For NFL fans hosting watch parties, the nightmare scenario would have been the feed stuttering or dropping mid-game.…
NFL Season Kickoff: The Hidden Tech Powering Gameday at Lambeau
The NFL season is here, and our Green Bay Packers open at Lambeau this Sunday, September 7, against the Lions. Before the first snap, there is already a massive NFL Fan Experience Technology ecosystem at work. It powers everything from…
Back to School Cybersecurity: How Students Can Stay Safe Online
As the back-to-school season arrives, students and parents alike are preparing for a new academic year filled with opportunities, connections, and technology. With classrooms more connected than ever and digital learning tools woven into everyday education, the importance of online…
The Myth of the Summer Lull: Why Smart Leaders Stay Productive
Everyone has heard the phrase: “Summer is slow for business.” For owners, sales leaders, and employees, the summer months sometimes feel like an easy excuse to relax productivity. Vacations are happening, schedules shift, and conversations in offices and over Zoom…
Fairways, Friendships, and Finding Balance - by Chuck Swetland
Golf has always been a big part of my life. I’m fortunate to be a member at Kenosha Country Club and to spend time on the course with friends, partners, and community leaders. This summer was no exception: I had…
ChatGPT 5: The launch, the backlash, and the fixes one week later
On August 7, 2025 OpenAI launched ChatGPT 5 with an ambitious promise: one unified system that knows when to answer fast and when to think deeply. It arrived with big claims about better coding, fewer hallucinations, improved health guidance, and…
Preparing for Windows 10 End of Life: Upgrade, Migrate, or Risk Security
How to Navigate the Upcoming End of Windows 10 SupportCome October 14, 2025, Microsoft will discontinue support for Windows 10. If you’re a small business owner, manager, or IT professional, this change presents a significant challenge. What steps should be…
Stop the Email Ping-Pong: Let Microsoft Copilot Schedule Your Next Meeting
Every week, I’m pulled into multiple email threads where several internal teams need to align on something quickly. Whether it’s quoting, project coordination, or account strategy, the solution is often simple: set a meeting. But setting that meeting? That’s historically…
AI at Work: Why It’s Time to Get Serious
Artificial Intelligence isn’t coming to the workplace, it’s already here. According to Microsoft’s 2024 Work Trend Index, 75% of employees are already using AI at work, and 78% are bringing their own AI tools. That means teams are finding value…
It’s Masters Week… and Productivity Just Landed in the Rough
Let’s be honest again here… somewhere between Amen Corner and someone’s dual monitor setup, productivity across the nation takes a tiny dip during Masters Week. Kind of like March Madness Opening Day but with more green jackets and fewer busted…
Hackers Don’t Knock—They Scan for Weaknesses
Let’s be honest here… cybercriminals aren’t picky. They, for the most part, do not care who you are or what your business does. Most are simply looking for vulnerabilities, and if your business isn’t protected, you’re exactly the kind of…