by Felicien | Feb 14, 2018 | Education
There are plenty of options when it comes to finding a Managed IT Services provider for your business – how can you tell which is the right choice for you?
These days, business owners are searching for every advantage to put their company on top. With so much competition out there, just a few small issues here and there can result in costly slow-downs to daily work. One of these resides in your IT department. Nothing is more frustrating than broken computers, slow internet service, and expensive service calls.
Things like this can ruin your week and take a huge chunk out of the budget. Though there’s no way to stop computer and network problems from happening, there are ways to minimize your exposure. For small and mid-sized businesses, the solution is Managed IT Services. With Managed IT Services, you can forget about setting up an expensive Server Room and hiring a bunch of highly trained IT people. You’ll probably only need a handful of IT people on staff to handle simple issues that crop up in day-to-day business.
The problem comes with the fact that there are so many IT service providers these days and so it can be difficult to find the one that works best for your company. To help, check out these five timely tips to help you find the right IT service provider so you can get back to the job of running your company.
Tip One: The Budget
Although having the best IT support for your company is important, sometimes managed service providers are keen on trying to sell you expensive services that you really don’t need. To avoid this scenario, sit down with your on-staff IT people and talk about exactly what services your company needs to stay up and running. Speak to your accountant and make sure about the monthly amount that will fit comfortably into your budget. All companies are nervous about data breaches these days; they can be expensive and stressful. However, don’t let that push you to buy over-priced services that you really can’t afford and don’t need. For some companies, hiring a consultant to advise you is a good solution.
Tip Two: Understand Your Contract
Too many business owners get locked into long-term contracts that they can’t afford. Make sure you understand exactly what your contract includes. How often can you call for service? Some companies allow unlimited service calls for just a few extra dollars per month. This can be a good way to go if your computer equipment is getting old and might break down more often than new equipment. Another issue is whether the contract includes regular updates to software and hardware.
One of the biggest issues that companies face is the evolution of technology. Every year, technological capabilities develop at phenomenal rates; it’s hard to keep up. There are new devices, gadgets and social media sites that demand faster computers and networks. Managed IT Services should keep you up to date with the latest advances in business technology.
Tip Three: Stay Proactive
The whole point of Managed IT Services is that you have someone else to handle network and computer problems. As with all service providers, some are just better at their jobs than others. Make sure your Managed IT Services provider believes in staying proactive. Avoid providers who only come out when there’s a problem. You need a company that will stay on top of all the latest threats. One data breach could drive you into bankruptcy, so it’s important for your IT support provider to make sure your computers are ready for whatever may come.
Often, you can find out about things like this by reading online reviews of the company. Have they had any complaints filed against them? How long have they been in business? Don’t let a fast-talking salesman sell you on a company with two employees that just opened its doors. Find someone that has a great reputation and has been in business for years. You want to work with providers who will stand behind their services and won’t stop until you’re satisfied.
Tip Four: Is it Scalable?
Hopefully, your business is growing. What will happen if you need to add five new computers? IT services should grow as your company grows. You don’t need to understand all the intricacies of cost optimization, cloud services, and scalability, but you should know what it will cost in terms of money and time when your company begins to grow. Ask intelligent questions about colocation and virtual infrastructures.
Many business owners are not well versed on these topics but your company’s IT professionals should be. You need IT people you can count on; not people who try to dazzle you with big words. Your on-staff IT team should be working proactively each day to ensure ongoing network services and a sound infrastructure. Hire the best people you can afford and expect them to do their jobs.
Tip Five: Ask the Right Questions
In the world of Information Technology, there’s quite a bit that the average business owner doesn’t know about. For instance, will the Managed IT Services provider perform regular security updates and patch management? These are both crucial to preventing cyber breaches. Will they perform network monitoring and send alerts when something looks out of order?
A new service provider should begin your professional relationship by performing a vulnerability and risk assessment. This will tell you whether your software and hardware are up to par. Is your equipment set up to handle the massive number of new cyber threats that are hurled at businesses each year?
How many times have you waited all day for a service provider to show up? This is stressful and costly for any business owner. Ask if the IT provider has a guaranteed response time. It can also be very helpful to have 24/7 Helpdesk support. Be sure this is included in your contract.
Many managed IT providers also offer additional services that can be very helpful, such as consulting and project management – make sure you ask about these services, and whether they come with an extra charge. The more you know, the better.
Other Considerations
Your company may not be at a place right now in terms of growth, where you can sustain an expensive long-term Managed IT Services provider. If this is true, look around for no contract, pay-as-you-go providers. Many IT pros offer this as an option but they may not say so right up front, so be sure to ask about it.
Look for companies that offer flexible plans for small businesses. Everyone has been in the position of just starting out and needing to save money wherever possible. Companies sometimes have slumps in sales. You have to plan for every contingency. While you do need the most reliable IT services available, they should be professionals who are willing to work with you. Businesses that succeed often have skilled partners who have their back and that’s not too much to ask of your Managed IT Services provider.
Don’t settle when it comes to your Managed IT Services provider – put the time and effort into finding the right one for your business needs, and you’ll soon see the positive effect it can have on you and your staff’s daily work.
by Felicien | Feb 14, 2018 | Education
Coke versus Pepsi. Angelina versus Jennifer. The New England Patriots versus…well, everybody. These are just a few famous rivalries throughout history all of which pale in comparison to the rivalry between Alexa and Cortana. People are fiercely opinionated about which is best – but what if you didn’t have to choose?
What if these “ladies” can improve healthcare?
Amazon and Microsoft recently announced that they will work together to make Alexa and Cortana interact. More importantly, they’re examining ways to have them work to improve healthcare and the overall patient experience. The first healthcare providers in line to use this technology are Penn Medicine in Philadelphia and Commonwealth Care Alliance in Boston:
“Amazon’s Alexa will stretch the boundaries of how people view their ability to organize their own care,” stated CCA’s John Loughnane, MD and chief of clinical innovation. “We see the possibility to learn about stress points for our patients – and address those.”
Brian Wells, the associate VP of health technology and academic computing at Penn Medicine notes, “We’re focusing on Amazon as it is a more open platform and furthest ahead in the race”.
Alexa and Cortana both bring strengths to the game, and according to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos:
“Together, their strengths will complement each other and provide customers with a richer and even more helpful experience.”
Here are just a few things we can expect to see in the future from “the marriage”.
Drug Creation
Developing medications through clinical trials can take more than a decade and cost billions of dollars. AI technology could speed up the process and make it more cost-effective.
Assisting With Tedious Jobs
IBM launched an algorithm called Medical Sieve, which is capable of assisting with clinical decision making in radiology and cardiology. This “cognitive health assistant” can evaluate radiology images to spot and detect complications faster and more reliably. Radiologists in the future will only have to look at the most complicated cases where human supervision is useful.
Getting The Most Out Of Doctors’ Visits And Consultations
Having to wait days to see your doctor is never fun when you’re sick.
Medical Artificial Intelligence (AI) consultations based on personal medical history and common medical knowledge is the newest way to get access to medical help faster. Users can report their symptoms to an app, which checks them against a database of diseases, and then offers a suitable course of action. It is also capable of reminding patients to take their medication.
Date Management Controlled By AI
AI in healthcare is storing and safeguarding data. “Collecting it, storing it, normalizing it, tracing its lineage – it is the first step in revolutionizing the existing healthcare systems,” states Medicalfuturist.com. Google recently introduced the Deepmind Health Project, which analyzes the data of medical records in order to provide better and faster health services. They are working with the Moorfield’s Eye Hospital in London, England to help improve eye care for patients.
A Nurse Available At The Touch Of A Button
Meet Molly, the world’s first virtual nurse. Driven by the award-winning medical start-up Sensely, she has a friendly face and a kind voice. Molly’s goal is to aid people by monitoring their conditions and treatments, offering support to patients in-between doctor appointments. There is even a process that monitors whether patients are taking their medications or not. In addition to Molly, the AiCure app, which is supported by The National Institutes of Health, uses a smartphone camera along with AI to confirm that patients are following their doctor’s orders and following their prescriptions.
AI in healthcare could establish patient treatment plans and afford physicians with all the information they need to make the best decisions. AI will have a major influence on the study of genetics as well, with new technology looking for mutations and connections to disease. “Voice technology is an opportunity to provide care in conjunction with transportation, scheduling, prescription refills, reminders, and alerts,” tells Loughnane.
This new merger will create customized care based on the ability to ask Alexa things like when home health aides are scheduled to arrive, to check out wait times and schedule appointments, and to arrange transportation to get there.
Advancements in the healthcare industry will certainly lead to breakthroughs in other industries as well. When will we fully see these applications in action? Only time will tell, but some experts think it will be sooner rather than later.
The world is changing fast, and it’s a great time to be alive. One can only imagine what it will be like 20, 50 and 100 years from now. Steps taken today will improve our lives and the lives of our loved ones for years to come. “Voice has been a tremendously underutilized aspect of how healthcare views interactions,” Loughnane said. “I see a future where voice is going to be an integral part of healthcare.”
by Felicien | Feb 14, 2018 | Education
There are few things worse than feeling trapped in an unfulfilling relationship – especially when it’s a vital business relationship.
Technology is an integral part of everything your business does, which raises a few important questions about your current IT set up. For starters, what is your relationship like with your technology systems – rock solid, or more than a little rocky?
How about with your technology service provider – are they always there for you when you need them the most? Do you still love your technology service provider the same way that you did the day you first met? Does your relationship with them still make you happy, and leave you feeling confident and supported in everything your business does? Can you count on them to help you reach your goals and achieve your dreams for the future?
One last question – has your passion for your network faded, leaving you frustrated, disappointed, and longing for happier times? If the answer is yes, then we have some good news for you… Your IT cupid is here to help you get back that lovin’ feeling. Let {company} rekindle your passion for your business technology. Something that is such a core part of your daily life shouldn’t be a constant drag on your mood, your productivity, and your success.
You deserve better. You deserve a technology company who puts you first and treats you like you’re special. IT and IT support are in no way one-size-fits-all. Your technology infrastructure should be as unique as your individual business, and tailored to meet your specific needs. Everything from the software you use to the way your data backup system is configured should take into account the way your company operates, and what your employees need to have access to in order to be effective and efficient.
A cookie-cutter IT infrastructure can’t help your business grow and thrive. If your IT company can’t or won’t treat you like you’re not just another client, it’s time to look for someone who will be more than happy to treat you right.
If you’ve stopped feeling that spark from your tech support when you pick up the phone and call them, it’s a surefire sign that the relationship is no longer working for you. Dreading making a call to the help desk because you know that you’re going to, at best, get an apathetic response from the person on the other end of the line is not a good feeling. This is a company you’re trusting with your business’ most valuable assets, and if they can’t make your needs a priority? That’s a serious problem.
What happens when something goes seriously wrong, and you know that your emergency is going to be treated like just another service ticket? What could possibly be a worse feeling than that?
It’s time to put your foot down and stop being taken for granted by IT companies who have become complacent, thinking that you will always be there for them to come to when they feel like it. You can’t afford to be kept waiting each and every time you need something from your IT provider, and you can’t afford to leave your technology in the hands of someone who isn’t interested in helping you get the most out of your IT. Technology is evolving fast, and having someone there to help you take advantage of innovative solutions can make all the difference to your business’ future success.
Like any good relationship, your IT provider shouldn’t only pay you attention when there is something broken that needs to be fixed. They should want to spend time with you and work on building a solid, trusting rapport with you and your staff. They should want to take the time to learn what your business’ goals and values are, and connect with you without you always needing to be the one who makes the first move.
No relationship should ever be one-sided. If you’re doing all the work, then what’s the point of keeping that IT company in your life? If they’re not giving you everything you need and more, it’s time to let go, move on, and find someone who deserves your business.
Here’s our number: {phone}. Whenever you’re ready to chat with us, give us a call. We’d love to sit down with you, get to know your business better, and find out what we can do to help you get the most out of your current technology and future technology investments. We want to help you reach your business goals, and offer the best possible service to your customers.
And of course, you’re welcome to ask us anything you’d like to know about who we are, what our values are, and what we have to offer. We’re an open book.
Ready to set up that first date and talk technology with a team of professionals who truly care about your business? Give {company} a call at {phone} or email us at {email} today.
by Felicien | Feb 13, 2018 | Education
Collaboration isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a mindset. Team-based environments are key to the success of most major global organizations today, and Microsoft Teams wants to be the foundation of their successful future.
More and more, Fortune 500 organizations are making the leap to a distributed workforce and giving up the keys to their dedicated office space – and all the overhead and costs that go with it!
Real estate prices, utility costs, taxes, physical security, and insurance are just a handful of the financial concerns associated with ownership and operation of a brick-and-mortar enterprise. These costs only rise, never loosening their grip on the bottom line. Alternately, the increasing number of platforms catering to organizations with the goal of enhancing productivity, and thus profit, offer an attractive solution. The worst-kept secret is that the vast majority of these programs facilitate workflow for staff, regardless of their physical location. Increasing efficiency and output while decreasing cost and downtime is a no-brainer, with the greatest obstacle often being the fear of taking that first (giant) step.
What’s a modern company to do? Obviously, a remote workforce may not be the best solution for every operation, but we want to help make sure that this hesitancy isn’t preventing profitability or productivity. Given that you’re reading this article, you already have a wealth of technology at your fingertips that aids in your professional path. For those same reasons, you’re researching how to make the most of your tools – allow us to present a deeper look at Microsoft Teams and its features.
Microsoft has been an innovative mainstay in the professional arena for more than 30 years. Never allowing a product to become stale, Microsoft likes to release something completely new to its line-up every few years. When a program might otherwise start to lag in functionality behind more technologically-advanced competitors, Microsoft releases a newer-and-improved version, designed to be somewhat customizable to cater to its user base. The team mentality was nothing new when the Microsoft Teams product launched last year and took what everyone loved about Skype for Business, as well as competing products like Slack, and combined their features into one product with fanfare and promise.
With the ability to integrate with other platforms, Microsoft Teams has become a popular and stable product. As the professional environment evolves, so do Microsoft products. Microsoft Teams users are a happy bunch lately, with the latest updates to the platform. Team Owners have been happily adding Guest Users since the feature launched, allowing for a deeper level of collaboration with “external” resources being included in team Channels.
Workflows are progressing and evolving, and often it’s more cost-efficient to hire independent contractors, consultants, and other extraneous resources to support permanent staff. Microsoft Teams allows for Guest User access so that these “guests” can collaborate in a team-based environment and maintain transparency, communication, and quality. Guest Access can be granted so long as users have an email address already in an Azure Active Directory or an Office 365 work or school account. As simple as this process is, it’s important to keep a few points
in mind to avoid confusion:
By default, Guest Access is turned off. The global admin can log in to adjust this setting:
Access the portal’s dashboard: https://portal.office.com/adminportal/home
Find the left navigation menu, and expand Settings.
Select “Service and Admin” and scroll to select Office 365 Group settings.
In the menu that pops up, toggle the second option to “On,” giving Group Owners ability to add Guests, and then click “Save”.
Next, scroll through the list to find and select Microsoft Teams.
In the left navigation menu, find the “Settings by user/license type” and select “Guest” in the drop-down menu, and toggle setting to “On”, then click “Save”.
After changing these settings, Team Owners can add and manage Guest Access within their Team. The next step will be customizing the display names of Guest Users. A Guest User’s display name can be adjusted by following these steps:
In the Manage Teams section, find the Guest Permissions sub-menu.
There are two options that Team Owners can control, and both are set to “false” by default:
You can allow Guest Users to create or update existing channels.
You can allow Guest Users to delete channels.
When you add Guest Users that are not already a part of the tenant, the option will immediately appear asking if you wish to add the user as a Guest User.
Microsoft Teams doesn’t know if the Guest User is a part of the domain that can be added.
A few additional key items to remember include:
When adding a Guest User to the tenant for the first time, you can change the display name by clicking on the “edit” icon next to the Guest User’s suggested display name, at which point a drop-down editor will appear.
Only when you click “Add” can the platform verify if the Guest User can be added to a Team:
Guest Users cannot be added as a Team Owner.
Regardless of what you change the Guest User’s display name to, the word “Guest” will be added as a suffix.
If you happen to be adding a Guest User that is already a registered Guest User, their existing display name will show the suggestion:
The only way to modify this display name is to request the tenant admin modify the display name in your admin portal.
When a Guest User is added to a Team, there is a notification posted to the Team about the change. As noted above, the built-in transparency of features like this is designed to help all users in Microsoft Teams communicate more effectively, stay informed about any changes, and enable immediate collaboration. Integrating people, content, and tools are the driving force in this productivity platform, reinforcing connectivity and a team-based environment as the name states.
Is Microsoft Teams the right solution for you? There’s only one way to find out. Let us help you make 2018 your very best year yet with a deeper look at what solutions like Microsoft Teams can do for you, and how to maximize its features for your benefit – and profit!
by Felicien | Feb 13, 2018 | Education
Addressing cyberattack threats, breach points, policies, company readiness, and recovery.
When we asked businesses about cybersecurity threats, breach points, policies, company readiness, and recovery, we were surprised at the responses that we received. The most frightening response of all was the following:
“We have no formal process for assessing readiness to deal with a cyber attack of any sort.”
Hindsight is always 20/20 – how many times has something happened that you could have and should have prevented? There are five questions every company should ask themselves, at least twice a year:
What are our current cybersecurity threats?
What are common breach points within our company?
What are our current cybersecurity policies?
What is our company’s readiness for a cyber attack?
What are our recovery policies in response to a cyber attack?
Cybersecurity Threats
It’s easy to sit back and think that threats and attacks only happen to other people and other businesses, but not to ourselves. Living in a state of paranoia can be beneficial to the security of your company. Former Intel CEO, Andrew Grove, once stated that “Only the paranoid survive”. Knowing all you can about current and possible future attacks helps you to understand why and how you need to be prepared.
With 2 million new malware attacks launching every day, we need to be constantly alert. Recent examples of extremely dangerous cyber threats are the Meltdown and Spectre bugs, which allow potential attackers to access to private data. Forbes magazine reports that the five cyber threats to look out for in 2018 are ransomware attacks, crypto jacking, education and healthcare cybercriminals, and malware attacks.
Cyberattack Sources Of Breaches
Cyber attacks could threaten your business through a few different sources. For example, employee mobile devices make up for 51% of all cybersecurity breaches, which is extremely troubling, given that there are nearly as many employee cell phones as there are employees themselves. Another possible source of a breach is Internet of Things devices. Together they make up 87% of all the cybersecurity breaches.
Cybersecurity Policies
Cybersecurity policies should be in place to ensure that the company as a whole is all in agreement on what the threats are, how to avoid them, and how to respond to one. Employees should be trained to know how to report a possible cyber attack, as well as how to prevent one.
For example, employees should be taught to always look for e-mails that are suspicious, such as those that include simple grammar mistakes or excessive punctuation. Employees should have policies in place such as how to flag or report a suspicious e-mail. Additionally, employees should all be trained on the importance of avoiding opening or clicking on suspicious e-mails or links. Spectre and Meltdown use these emails as vehicles to reach your prized data. If you limit their transportation, you’ll better protect your data.
Cyber Security Attack Readiness
To check your business for its readiness to handle a cyber attack you should see which of the four main categories your company falls into. Is your organization’s readiness passive, reactive, proactive, or progressive? Passive means that your business is not prepared for a cyber attack – you just hope that it won’t happen. Reactive means that while you aren’t ready to protect against a cyber attack, your business is prepared to react to one. Thirdly, your business is proactive if you are prepared to respond, while also seeking to avoid future attacks. Lastly, your company is progressive if it has deep cyber attack prevention, protection, and reactive capabilities in place.
Recovery From Cyberattacks
Once a cyber attack has occurred, you need to have a policy in place to immediately begin recovery. Cyber attacks have four main effects. In the aftermath, most businesses will see a reduction in their operational abilities, downtime, reputation, and revenue. After a cyber attack, 39% of companies reported a decrease in operational capability as their leading complaint. Downtime came in second with 37% of businesses reporting it as the primary effect on their company. Effects on the operation, and downtime, ultimately result in lost profits. It’s reported that 44% of companies estimate that they could lose over $10,000 within just one hour of downtime.
To protect your business, you need to look at the problem from all sides. Ensure that you and your staff are well trained, and remain vigilant against any cyber attack that could affect your company. Have policies in place, to ensure that staff is proactively working to protect the business’ data, staff, and clients. Should a cyber attack occur, your business should be ready to not only combat it but also recover from it?
