by Felicien | Aug 1, 2018 | Education
Communicate More Effectively With These New LinkedIn Messaging Features
While Facebook and Instagram are the social networks of choice for the modern day mobile user, apps like LinkedIn haven’t lost their luster. The professional network is still the master of its class, and a growing number of users are turning to the app to keep up-to-date with their network more than ever before.
LinkedIn Moves To A More Competitive Platform
Whether as a simple courtesy to its users, or an attempt to become more appealing to those who’ve made a habit of bringing their professional life to social apps, LinkedIn has implemented some significant changes to their platform, all aimed at making the user experience more worthwhile.
The company announced the changes in a recent blog post, making the case for why the professional network isn’t one to be ignored if instant communication is a big part of your business. From finding jobs to networking and communicating with teammates, LinkedIn boasts loads of potential, especially with these new features.
Compose Longer Messages
The ability to communicate freely and privately through social apps has become a necessity for many of today’s mobile users. Sometimes, you’ve got a lot to say, and scrolling back and forth as you’re typing to make sure you got it all out can be tedious. With this, LinkedIn has created an easier way to compose longer messages, implementing a larger message box for ease-of-use. There will be no more fishing for your cursor. Now, you’ll be able to fit everything you need to say, just as you need to say it, by stretching the message box to reveal more space.
Share Attachments On The Go
In today’s business landscape, work doesn’t stop once you leave the office. This is the reality for workers across all industries today. Between mobile workers and those who travel often for business, smartphones bear their fair share of the workload, and social networks would do well to keep this in mind when rolling out new features for users.
To make the process of working remotely more convenient, LinkedIn now allows users to share attachments on the go. According to the company, the ability to share attachments was among the most frequently requested messaging features by LinkedIn users. To do it, just tap the attachment icon and choose from the approved file types, which include PDF, XLS, DOC, and PPT. This one change alone is sure to bring big potential for the app and users everywhere.
Express Yourself With Emojis
Conveying emotions through words isn’t always easy to achieve. Rather than spend the rest of your workdays dissecting messages and searching for undertones, you can now incorporate emojis into your messages. Use the emoji picker on your desktop to add emojis to your text. Just search by category, and let the emojis do all the talking.
Start And Manage Group Messages
There are loads of reasons why chatting on LinkedIn makes sense. You may be discussing work with a teammate, gathering info about an exciting new job opportunity, or collaborating with other professionals within your industry. Whatever the reason, instant communication is vital for many people, and the company has addressed this with the ability to start group messages.
It’s now simpler for you to start conversations with people within your network. To do this, just tap the “+” button, which will prompt the suggestions of users to communicate within groups. These can include fellow co-workers from a recent or present company, old classmates, or people you’ve recently met. And if you need to remove someone from the chat, never fear. Simply tap the three dots on the top right corner of your group message and tap to remove people as you wish.
Mention Others In Your Messages
The tagging feature on Facebook and Instagram is a great way to stay connected with friends. LinkedIn has incorporated a similar feature, allowing users to mention other users in group messages or in one-on-one conversations to recommend others.
Copy And Paste Images From The Web
It may come as no surprise that many people opt for visuals over traditional text. The popularity of memes is a testament to this. Visuals are a part of everyday communication for countless users, and LinkedIn has recently come up with a game plan for that, too. Users are now able to copy images from the web, and even their phone, right within LinkedIn’s messaging platform. This makes communication easier and more fun than ever – a big plus for users and LinkedIn alike.
Wrap Up
Given LinkedIn’s emphasis on all things business and professional, it makes sense that the company would further strive to make its features reliable for just that. These new features are bound to attract a new wave of young professionals hoping to find new ways to use modern methods of communication to advance their careers and networks.
by Felicien | Aug 1, 2018 | Education
Productivity is a major source of contention across offices everywhere. In today’s workplaces, distractions abound. While there are the typical culprits of reduced productivity, such as cell phone usage and office banter, there are other factors that can wreak havoc in even the most organized office environments, like IT issues.
Determining which issues are responsible for lower levels of productivity will help you come up with a clear game plan to get production back on track, although the answer isn’t always a simple one.
What Are Some Common Causes of Reduced Productivity?
A recent poll by CareerBuilder surveyed over 3,000 workers and 2,000 hiring managers to get to the root of significant drops in productivity. The survey concluded that 50% of employers say cell phone use is one of the biggest reasons for lack of productivity. Behind this came office gossip, which accounted for 42%, and unnecessary internet use with 39%.
Most surprisingly, however, it was discovered that the average U.S. worker wastes up to 22 minutes per day dealing with tech issues in the workplace. It may seem like a low figure, but combined, this can equal up to 95 hours per year — the equivalent of about two weeks of work! It’s then understandable why a growing number of organizations are seeking out new ways to deal with their dreaded IT issues.
What Can Companies Do To Help With IT Issues?
Aside from implementing productive-centered technology, or spending time in learning time management techniques, there are other ways to ensure your company’s workers are utilizing their time for maximum productivity. This includes cutting down on anything that unnecessarily eats at your workers’ day, such as IT issues.
Tech issues are no fun for anyone, but they can be particularly frustrating for workers on tight deadlines. The same is true for managers who have seen first-hand the amount of time and money it can take to resolve these kinds of issues.
IT issues can range from inconvenient to serious. Here are some helpful tips that can help your organization cut back on productivity issues caused by pesky tech mishaps.
Conduct Training Sessions
IT issues in the workplace can arise from a variety of factors, many of which are beyond workers’ control. It has been found, though, that some older workers have difficulty understanding certain programs or coming up with a fix for simple computer issues. To alleviate this, it would do employers well to host informative training sessions that can help bridge the gap between the older generation and a new generation of technology. These sessions don’t have to be time-intensive, nor do they have to cover complex issues. An informative session can be as simple as teaching workers how to troubleshoot printing issues or going through quick fixes for internet outages.
Promptly Report Issues
IT issues can be more than just an inconvenience. The severe ones can seriously impact workers’ abilities to perform their job duties, which is stressful for everyone involved. But for productivity’s sake, it’s important to create an office culture in which workers feel comfortable expressing issues once they arise. By encouraging your employees to report technical issues right away, you’ll ensure no time is wasted in coming up with a solution. Additionally, there should always be a clear point of contact for employees struggling with issues. This will cut down on any confusion in regard to who or what organization can help with a fix.
Replace Outdated Equipment
While it may not always seem cost-efficient to do so, replacing outdated equipment is important if you’re hoping to save time with IT issues in the long run. Although much of today’s modern machinery is designed to withstand the years, older models can present quite the problem in today’s offices. If possible, try to replace outdated equipment.
Hire Skilled Professionals
While it can be tempting to attempt to tackle issues on your own, in many cases, it’s best to leave them to the professionals. You could inadvertently cause more serious issues with your tinkering. Investing in a skilled IT professional can save you time, money, and a world of frustration down the line.
Not only should companies hire IT professionals to fix tech issues, but they should also encourage them to share their knowledge about how to prevent such problems in the future. There are tech skill assessments that managers can perform during pre-employment to ensure employees are prepared to tackle issues that may arise. If you are working in a tech-heavy industry with complex equipment, it may be wise to implement a proper screening strategy to minimize the amount of unqualified employees.
Wrap Up
Together, these small steps can make a big impact in how your company’s workers address issues in their daily work lives. By enforcing good IT habits among your office staff, you’ll pave the way for enhanced productivity that can only improve your organization’s bottom line.
by Felicien | Aug 1, 2018 | Education
Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users may be in for a surprise, as Microsoft plans to end forum support for these older systems. Some Microsoft users have reacted very negatively, citing Microsoft’s earlier promise to support Windows 8.1 until 2023 and Windows 7 until 2020. Considering that Windows 7 remains Microsoft’s most widely used operating system at this time, this type of backlash is not surprising.
If you are still using either of these operating systems (including one of the many variants of Windows 8.1), you need to be aware of what the end of forum support signifies and what will likely follow.
Operating Systems and Major Software Impacted by Latest Announcement
The latest announcement regarding an end to official Microsoft forum support for certain products came July 9, 2018, and includes a variety of Microsoft software and platforms, including the following:
Windows 7
Windows 8.1, and Windows 8.1 RT
Windows Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2, and Surface RT, and Surface 2
Internet Explorer 10
Microsoft Security Essentials
Office 2010 and 2013
Other products, such as Zune and Microsoft Band, are also affected by this announcement. The negative responses from Microsoft users have primarily involved Windows 7 and, to a much lesser degree, Windows 8.1. No doubt there are some users of the older versions of Office that are also disturbed. The distress is not so much about ending forum support, as important as that it is, but what is implied by this action.
Other Types of Support
There are different types of support provided by Microsoft, including mainstream and extended support. For the Windows 7 and 8.1 operating systems, mainstream support includes both security and non-security updates. When mainstream support ends, the non-security updates end as well. Extended support continues for a period of time even after mainstream support has ended. It still includes security updates but non-security updates are only available with Extended Hotfix Support and are not available at all for desktop products.
There will be no further improvements or upgrades made to the operating system, including those that would aid incompatibility with newer hardware. Mainstream support is ending for the Windows 8.1 variants, and while users can expect security updates to continue until 2023, there will be no further improvements to the software itself.
What Ending Forum Support Means
When Microsoft states that it is ending forum support for a product, it means that when users post questions on community forums for the product in question, they will not receive an answer from a Microsoft agent. There will be no proactive reviews, answer marking, or monitoring of questions by official Microsoft employees for these forums, which include Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 as of July 2018.
The forums will not be shut down, however, and users are perfectly free to communicate and help each other with product issues using the forums. In addition, they will still be moderated by Microsoft employees to make sure that users have a safe and pleasant experience, but they are no longer to be considered a timely or official source of assistance with issues for the products involved.
What Happens Next?
Every Microsoft product, including operating systems, have a well-defined lifecycle. Windows 7 and 8.1 fall under a fixed policy which prescribes the end of mainstream support followed by the end of extended support. Windows 7, Service Pack 1, mainstream support ended in 2017 and its extended support will end in 2020. For Windows 8.1, mainstream support ended in January 2018 and its extended support is scheduled to end in 2023.
What Does Sunset Mean For A Software Product?
Once a product has reached the end of its lifecycle, it is designated as being in the “sunset” stage of its life. After an operating system has reached sunset, it becomes a serious security risk because there will be no further security updates to prevent it from being exploited by malicious agents. Withdrawal of forum support, and the impending end of mainstream and extended support, signifies that a product will be facing sunset within a matter of years. In the case of Windows 7, this process has already begun.
Advice for Those Running Windows 7 or 8.1
Anyone running an operating system that is about to be sunset should seriously consider upgrading to a newer operating system. If an outdated operating system continues to be used, there will be degradation in performance. Along with that, users will experience more and more compatibility problems with newer software and hardware. Of course, the most serious issue is security. Using an older software product can lead to serious security problems. Hackers will exploit these vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
By ending forum support for some of its operating systems and products, Microsoft is signaling to users that it is time to consider upgrading. No one likes change, and yet it is inevitable for software programs. While many users do not appreciate being pressured like this, Microsoft has a vested interest in the compatibility, performance, and security of their software. But they simply can’t offer support forever on all products. Therefore, it might be time to consider transitioning to a newer version.
by Felicien | Jul 31, 2018 | Education
Learn About Customer Relationship Management Software (CRM)
Customer relationship management (CRM) software offers a full suite of solutions together in one program that helps manage data. A great CRM program is able to manage email, create reports, make calls, store information about prospects and customers, manage your pipeline, and a whole lot more.
Today’s comprehensive CRM programs are more than just storage for customer contact information regarding purchases or inquiries. This software has grown from being a digital contact register to a very reliable tool that streamlines the entire customer management process from end-to-end.
Of course, there are multiple CRM programs on the market today. Each one may offer similar capabilities, but you get what you pay for. Those programs that are less expensive will not be able to handle all the tasks you need in order to do the best work. Depending on the type of business, you will need to choose something that includes the programs you need but fits within the budget.
CRM has been enthusiastically adopted across different industries and this has led to software companies competing to become the best and most reliable CRM software on the market. You’ll find many features and functionalities that you may not even need. Though most do require a level of training to use properly, all should be user-friendly. You should not need a degree in computing to use CRM software.
For large businesses with rapid growth, it is best to work with a highly customizable CRM system. The more flexible the programs are, the better you’ll be able to make them work for you. In the end, a good CRM platform should pay for itself in a short time frame.
What should you look for when choosing a CRM System?
The basic features that any customer relationship management software should contain include a dashboard, customer contact management, activity tracker, prospect management, report generation, and also opportunity management. Below are a few considerations to ponder before settling on a CRM platform for your company.
Usability
How easy to use are the solutions offered by the CRM? Your sales team won’t be happy with a complex system that takes months to master. Is there an intensive training required for them to understand how to work with the new system? What does the implementation process entail? It’s a good idea to check feedback from current customers. Users will tell you about their experiences and this can help you decide.
Pricing
Determine your price range for the new CRM program. Depending on the size of your business, there are a number of options to choose from. How many people will be using the new platform? Will you be able to get free training and consistent upgrades? It’s important to take everything into consideration. Training alone could be pricey.
For those big organizations, it’s easier to negotiate the price and the types of services that will be included. You can work with the software developer to customize the program so it delivers exactly what your company needs. Smaller companies may have to pay extra for a few things. Remember that a good CRM is an investment in making life easier for your sales force. It should deliver on all the services you need today while being able to provide expansion for the future. Be sure to ask about user limits. Some programs have a limit of up to 10 users maximum, as well as storage limits.
The Features
Lightweight solutions are usually meant for small businesses where the customer relationship is immediate, quick, and easy. They have fewer features and functionalities but this could be better because it means that learning to use the program will be easier as well. Start with a good checklist of what you expect from your CRM. Just ensure that when you finally decide on the right one, you do not have to pay extra for features that might never be of any help to your teams.
Do Your Research
Knowledge is power. Perform extensive research before making a decision. Once you check all the programs available in your price range, you can check to see what features they each have. A few websites have all the popular CRM’s listed in a comparison format. You can quickly view pricing and features. This makes choosing a less-complicated process.
Wrap Up
The main goal of purchasing new customer relationship management software is to give your sales teams the best tools you can afford to do their jobs. By selecting a program that automates many tasks, your sales people are free to make more calls or follow up with prospects. They can do more with less work. In the end, this should increase your bottom line. It should help your sales people to improve their numbers and this, in turn, increases your profits.
by Felicien | Jul 31, 2018 | Education
The United States is in the process of leveling tariffs against China, and those tariffs are going to impact the cost of electronics, either directly or indirectly. A good understanding of how these tariffs will affect the cost of computers and networking technology, including items such as laptops, servers, and routers, is vital. However, there is confusion about exactly what types of products the tariffs will apply to, how prices can be expected to change, and what the best course of action is for those in the market for innovative technology.
Background On The Latest Tariffs
The Trump Administration leveled a 25% tariff on over $50 billion in high-tech Chinese exports and 800 products, including technology solutions, on June 15th, 2018. The target of these tariffs is products that are a part of China’s “Made in China 2025” plan.
The “Made in China 2025” plan is a comprehensive strategy to upgrade Chinese industry and enable it to focus more on value-added sectors so that China can more quickly move toward profitable industries. Even though China is currently the world’s second-largest economy, it is still considered a developing country. China’s plan would make the nation far more competitive with the United States.
Targeting the industries highlighted in the “Made in China 2025” plan will impact information and communication technology, robotics, and automobiles, but will not directly impact smartphones or televisions. The effectiveness of the tariffs leveled against these industries in China is still being debated. However, that is not the end of the tariff issue.
On July 10th, a 10% tariff on $200 billion in Chinese-made products was announced and is set to be imposed by August 30th this year. The 10% tariff includes electronics and is poised to significantly affect the prices of information technology infrastructures here in the United States. This round of tariffs will include the building blocks of products such as laptops and modems, which can affect American-manufactured items that use Chinese parts.
The reason for these tariffs, according to President Trump, is to help reduce our current trade deficit with China, which hit an all-time high of $375 billion in 2017. President Xi Jinping of China has threatened retaliation, which the Trump Administration warned could result in even more tariffs.
Expected Impact On Technology
Tariffs on electronics could directly impact what consumers pay for laptops, tablets, desktops, printers, copiers, network routers, modems, monitors, and more. As of right now, the expected change in prices for electronics is around 15%. If a Chinese manufactured laptop currently costs $1,200, then the price could easily reach $1,380 if not more. If a 25% percent tariff is imposed at the end of August, that $1,200 laptop would be $1,500 or more. Such price increases could quickly drive brands like Lenovo, which is manufactured in China and is the world’s second-largest maker of PCs, right out of the market.
Also included are printer and copy machine components, lithium batteries, electrical equipment, and imaging and navigational equipment. Electronic components that make up much of modern technology are also a target. These components include copper wire, resistors, capacitors, printed circuit boards, flat panel displays, LEDs, and rechargeable batteries.
If there is a tariff on semiconductors, laptop prices alone could rise by an additional 3%. Even the cost of motor parts and screws could be affected by the round of tariffs due to be imposed at the end of August. This means that electronics that are not made in China but use Chinese parts could also see a significant increase in manufacturing costs.
Those higher costs will eventually be passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices. The tariffs on such components can also cause a reduction in supply as manufacturers scramble to find non-Chinese suppliers. If supply is impacted, then prices are likely to rise. Moreover, the lists of items are still being developed.
Consumer Course of Action
The additional tariffs, which are still being developed and could change for the better, will go into effect on August 30th. The immediate effect of the combined tariffs is not known, but the wisest course of action would be for IT departments and companies to complete their technology purchases before that date if at all possible. If not possible, then additional funds may be required to budget for future networking and IT technology purchases.
Conclusion
While exactly what items will be subject to tariffs remains in flux, the price of critical items such as laptops, routers, and printers is still expected to rise by about 15%, if not more. Not only are imports such as computers, tablets, and monitors affected, but individual parts for manufacturing them are also in the crosshairs of current tariff plans. If your company is looking to purchase electronics or planning to upgrade networking equipment, this should be done before the additional August 30th tariffs are enacted.
