Professional IT management for Charleston businesses since 1991, with certified technicians serving central Illinois and Coles County companies.
Hear from Our Customers
You’re not losing revenue because your network crashed during a critical client presentation. You’re not explaining to customers why your point-of-sale system is down again. Your employees aren’t sitting idle because they can’t access the files they need to do their jobs.
Instead, your technology runs reliably in the background. When issues start developing, our monitoring systems catch them before they affect your operations. Your team stays productive because problems get resolved quickly—often before anyone notices something was wrong.
You know exactly what your IT costs each month. No surprise emergency bills when equipment fails at the worst possible time. No scrambling to find someone who can help when systems go down. You have a team that knows your setup and responds immediately when you need support.
Your data stays protected with multiple backup layers and security monitoring that blocks threats before they reach your network. You meet compliance requirements for your industry without constantly worrying about audits or regulatory penalties.
CTS Computers has provided IT services to Charleston, Illinois businesses for over 30 years. We’ve supported hundreds of companies throughout Coles County and central Illinois, from small professional offices near the square to growing businesses along Route 16 and operations serving the Eastern Illinois University community.
Our technicians hold certifications from Microsoft, Dell, VMware, and Citrix. We partner with leading technology providers to deliver enterprise-level infrastructure management at costs that make sense for small and medium-sized businesses. When you call our Charleston office, you reach experienced professionals who understand local business challenges—not a call center reading from scripts.
We’ve handled IT infrastructure for Charleston businesses through every technology transition over three decades. Our clients include healthcare practices requiring HIPAA compliance, professional services firms, manufacturers, retailers around the downtown area, and companies throughout the region. We provide the same level of support whether you have five employees or fifty.
We start with a comprehensive assessment of your current technology infrastructure. Our team documents your systems, identifies security vulnerabilities, and pinpoints potential failure points before they cause downtime. You receive a clear report showing what’s working well, what needs immediate attention, and what should be planned for future upgrades.
Once we implement our monitoring systems, we watch your network 24/7 from our operations center. Our tools track server performance, backup completion, security threats, and system health across all your devices. When something starts trending toward failure—a hard drive showing early warning signs, memory usage climbing too high, or suspicious network activity—our team addresses it proactively.
Most issues get resolved remotely without disrupting your workday. For problems requiring hands-on work, our technicians come to your Charleston location with the parts and expertise needed to fix it right. You’re not waiting days for someone to show up or dealing with multiple service calls for the same problem.
We also handle strategic planning for technology investments. When you need new equipment, software upgrades, or infrastructure improvements, we help you choose solutions that align with your business goals and budget. Our vendor relationships mean you get better pricing on hardware and software than you’d find on your own.
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Our managed IT services cover your complete technology infrastructure:
Charleston businesses also benefit from our experience with local infrastructure challenges. We understand the technology needs of companies serving the EIU community, professional practices in older downtown buildings, and manufacturers operating in the industrial areas. We’ve worked with the broadband providers serving Coles County and know how to optimize performance within local connectivity constraints.
Our flat-rate pricing includes unlimited support calls, regular system maintenance, security updates, and strategic IT planning. You’re not watching the clock when you need help or avoiding necessary calls because you’re worried about hourly charges. Everything is covered under one predictable monthly cost that scales with your business size.
Charleston businesses most commonly need managed cybersecurity protection, reliable backup systems, and responsive help desk support. With 43% of cyberattacks targeting small businesses and ransomware threats increasing, professional security monitoring has become essential rather than optional. Companies also need backup solutions that actually work when disaster strikes—many businesses discover their backup systems failed only when they try to recover data.
Businesses serving Eastern Illinois University students and faculty require reliable point-of-sale and operational systems that can’t afford downtime during peak periods. Professional practices need HIPAA-compliant infrastructure. Manufacturers and retailers need network stability for inventory management and customer transactions. Most Charleston companies operate with 25 or fewer employees and can’t afford dedicated IT staff, making comprehensive managed services the most cost-effective solution.
Managed IT services for Coles County businesses typically cost $100 to $250 per user per month, depending on your technology complexity, security requirements, and service level needs. A ten-person Charleston business usually invests $1,000 to $2,000 monthly for comprehensive IT management including 24/7 monitoring, cybersecurity protection, backup systems, and unlimited help desk support.
This predictable monthly cost replaces unpredictable break-fix expenses that can run $120 to $300 per hour plus emergency rates. When you factor in downtime costs—which average $137 to $427 per minute for small businesses—professional IT management pays for itself by preventing the system failures that shut down operations. We provide transparent pricing after evaluating your specific infrastructure, so you know exactly what you’re paying and what’s included before making any commitment.
CTS Computers provides same-day response for IT support requests from Charleston businesses, with critical issues addressed within 1-2 hours. Our 24/7 live support means you reach real technicians who can troubleshoot problems immediately—not voicemail systems or overseas call centers. Most issues get resolved remotely within minutes to hours, depending on complexity.
For problems requiring on-site work, our technicians can reach Charleston locations quickly since we’re based locally in central Illinois. This matters when you’re dealing with server failures, network infrastructure issues, or hardware problems that can’t be fixed remotely. Emergency situations affecting business operations receive priority response. Our service level agreements specify guaranteed response times based on issue severity, and we track our performance to ensure we’re meeting those commitments consistently.
Choose a Charleston IT provider based on local presence, relevant certifications, transparent pricing, and proven experience with businesses similar to yours. Verify they hold current certifications from major technology vendors like Microsoft, Dell, and VMware. Ask about their monitoring systems, response time commitments, and how they handle after-hours emergencies. Request references from other Charleston or Coles County businesses they support.
Evaluate their communication style—do they explain technology in plain language or hide behind technical jargon? Ask about their backup and disaster recovery testing procedures, not just whether they provide backups. Understand exactly what’s included in their monthly fee versus what costs extra. Be cautious of providers who won’t discuss pricing until after lengthy sales processes or who can’t provide local references. The right provider should feel like a technology partner who understands your business goals, not just a vendor selling services.
Break-fix IT support means you call someone only when technology breaks, paying hourly rates of $120 to $300 plus potential emergency fees. You have no proactive monitoring, no prevention, and longer downtime while waiting for technicians to diagnose and fix problems. It appears cheaper upfront but costs significantly more when you calculate lost productivity and revenue during outages.
Managed IT services provide continuous monitoring, proactive maintenance, and unlimited support for a flat monthly fee. Problems get caught and resolved before they cause downtime. Your systems stay updated with security patches. Backups run automatically and get tested regularly. You have predictable costs and faster problem resolution because your provider already knows your infrastructure. For Charleston businesses dependent on technology for daily operations, managed services typically cost 40-60% less than break-fix when you factor in the true cost of downtime and emergency repairs.
Yes—Charleston businesses absolutely need professional cybersecurity services. Forty-three percent of cyberattacks target small businesses specifically because criminals know they often lack robust security measures. Sixty percent of small businesses that suffer a cyberattack close within six months due to financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties. The threat is constant regardless of your business size or industry.
Professional cybersecurity includes managed firewalls, email security to block phishing attacks, endpoint protection for all devices, security awareness training for employees, and continuous monitoring for suspicious activity. Many cyber insurance policies now require documented security measures before they’ll provide coverage. For businesses handling customer data, payment information, or protected health information, cybersecurity isn’t optional—it’s essential for protecting your business, your customers, and your reputation in the Charleston community.
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