by Felicien | Nov 2, 2017 | Education
HIPAA compliance is critically important, but unfortunately not at all simple. Here are 5 deadly sins you might be committing, and the secrets to avoiding them.
Okay, so we’ll admit, we’re pretty biased. We’re all about the strong, secure and streamlined managed IT environment, not only because it’s just so much easier for you … but also because it’s so much more secure. And when it comes to HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), that’s really, really important.
Now, we could spend a lot of time spewing legislative babble at you in an effort to make this point, but you already know what HIPAA is. Besides, all that babble boils down to one outcome: If you’re not careful, HIPAA will bite you in the rear. Big time.
Consider the numbers. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, there have been more than 36,000 HIPAA complaints since 2003. Of those, 69 percent of them resulted in corrective action.
It doesn’t take a genius to know that “corrective action” isn’t in the practice’s favor, and doesn’t typically do much for PR. Quite the opposite, in fact. If you want to ensure this doesn’t happen to your business – and that you avoid the potentially disastrous consequences of being found flouting HIPAA compliance rules – it’s time to get it together.
It’s time to face your sins now because when it comes to HIPAA, deathbed conversions just won’t cut it. Here are the five main sins you might be committing unintentionally … and how to avoid them.
Forgetting About Physical Security … or Cloud Security
Many companies rely more heavily on either paper or electronic records-keeping systems. That’s fine, except for the blind spot it creates regarding the other medium. “Oh, we don’t really use paper anymore,” a tech-savvy physician will say, forgetting about the stockpiled files in the back room. Or, “Oh, we don’t do much in the cloud,” the old-school doctor claims, forgetting that she uses several vendors who store plenty of data there.
When it comes time to perform risk assessments or put safeguards in place, you need to pay attention to both. Otherwise … curtains. And not the lacy, soft lighting kind.
Failing to Unify Vendors, Services, and Platforms
Many businesses, without intending too, end up juggling multiple products and services from multiple vendors. Over time, as you add this and that IT application or hardware to keep your business running smoothly, you build up so many that it’s hard to keep track of them all. Result: Low security. Additional result: Overwhelm. Final result: Head in the sand, mimicking ostrich, hoping it will all go away.
Instead, you need to unify those products and services, bringing them into one complete system that eliminates the need for multiple vendors. Don’t know how? That’s normal; you just need a managed IT specialist at your side. So get one. Now. Before your coffee break.
Relying Too Heavily on General Insurance
Yes, it’s important to ensure you have watertight data security. Yes, it’s critical that you choose the right combination and in-house and cloud-based IT services. Yes, it’s an absolute must to have excellent insurance. And no … that’s not enough.
Why? Because no matter how many safeguards you put in place for both your physical and electronic environments, whether you store your data on-site or in the cloud, it doesn’t do you a lick of good if you break compliance and don’t have the insurance to cover your proverbial behind.
Believe it or not, many practices aren’t aware that most general insurance doesn’t cover electronic data storage. That means if you have a breach, you may not be covered. Whoops. Time to talk to your insurance guy and make sure you’ve got across-the-board coverage, then find an IT provider who will reduce the risk of a breach as much as possible.
Performing Audits Internally
Internal audits! What a money-saver! Why pay others to do what you could do for yourself, right?
Nope to the nope. Not a good idea. Even if you work hard to stay apprised of changes in policy or the evolving abilities of cybercriminals, it’s still unlikely you can stay up-to-date enough to remain fully secure. You need the help of an outside auditor, who can pinpoint your outdated security practices and help you bring them up to speed. Plus, you’re poorly positioned to perform your own audits simply because you become used to a way of doing things, and you’re therefore less likely to change even when you know you have too.
So don’t rely on you. Go on, say it out loud: I shall not handle audits internally. I understand that this might ruin my company and steal my soul. I shall atone for my sins by outsourcing my audits today, and I shall never look back.
Thinking Risk Assessment Is Enough
Risk assessment is not enough. The very nature of the word “assessment” means you’re supposed to do something with that information. So by all means, get assessed … but then take the next step.
Usually, when you perform a HIPAA compliance assessment, you’re looking for weak links in your data security. The assessment will point to missing safeguards, both physical and technological. Working with your IT provider, it’s important you manage login information, automatic log-offs, clearance levels, security training and more. Only when you put an ongoing plan in place can you be sure you’ve done your best to remain in compliance.
Another common mistake: thinking a single risk assessment is enough. That’s not the case. Rather, you need to perform them continually, responding to changes as they come.
The takeaway? Remaining in compliance isn’t easy, but it’s absolutely crucial. It’s time to think about it and make a plan that will last well into the future. And it’s time to do it today … before your coffee break, remember?
by Felicien | Nov 2, 2017 | Education
REMINDER: Daylight Saving Time Ends Sunday, November 5th: Make Sure Your Employees are Ready to Fall Back Safely
When talking about Daylight saving time and business productivity, the focus is often placed on when Daylight saving time begins in the Spring. We lose an hour of sleep and an hour of business, and it can throw even the most productive of us for a loop. However, there are safety and productivity concerns surrounding the end of Daylight saving time as well. As it gets darker earlier, you may notice your staff looks a little less productive as the winter blues set in.
Staying Safe as We Lose the Light: How Falling Back Can Impact Health & Safety
The end of daylight saving time undoubtedly brings increased safety risks to the worker of all kinds and in all industries. As we get excited to set our clocks back and gain that precious extra hour, the changes to our internal clocks can leave us feeling off and in turn, we’re more vulnerable to safety risks like sleep deprivation and hindered awareness.
No matter the industry or employee, here are some tips for navigating these increased areas for risk:
Sleep Deprivation
Though the end of daylight saving time can mean more sleep, falling back can still impact workers’ internal sleep patterns–making for more tossing and turning before heading to work Monday morning. Also, many rely on the extra hour to stay up late with other activities, making it harder to focus at work and creating a higher risk for injuries and accidents.
Without a doubt, sleep deprivation can delay employee reaction times, impair decision-making, and negatively impact work performance. Employers can combat these risks by reminding employees to slowly start altering their regular schedules as the end to daylight saving time approaches.
Impacts to Awareness
As the sun sets earlier in the day, safety should be top of mind for employers to ensure employees leave and arrive at work safely even though its darker. Employers can remind their employees of the following tips:
Be alert and pay attention to activity happening around you; avoid talking on your cell phone or texting while walking.
Walk with purpose, and have your keys ready before you exit your building.
If you are biking or walking to work, check your gear to make sure lights and reflectors are bright enough to be seen. Wear highly visible, reflective clothing.
Shift Work Schedules
While many people look forward to their extra hour of sleep, falling back can mean actually mean more hours on the job for shift workers. Employers who have shift-work employees should avoid having employees work back-to-back shifts, particularly the week after daylight saving time ends.
Workplace safety is always important but should be top of mind with the time change. For those workers putting in the extra hours, take extra care to make sure that the workspace is safe by controlling safety hazards and providing bright lighting. Also consider having healthy food options at the worksite, providing a safe place for 20-30 minute naps, and access to safe exercise facilities.
Hits to Productivity
It becomes clear that because of these impacts to sleep, health and safety, business employees can be less focused and in turn less productive at work. As winter sets in and daylight diminishes, people spend more time indoors, get less exercise and socialize less. This can leave employees unfocused, restless and unengaged.
It’s no secret that an unmotivated and unengaged team is no good for business. When your employees are unfocused, tired and dragging their feet, core tasks get done slower and operations start to lag. Even worse, the unproductivity can be contagious, trapping employees in a cycle of getting less and less done as the winter settles in.
Strategies to Get Through the Winter: Keeping Employees Alert and Productive Post-Daylight Saving Time
Luckily, there are practical things employers can do to keep their team engaged and help them keep a spring in their step, even with the dawn of winter. Check out these productivity and morale-boosting tips, organized just in time for the end of daylight saving time:
Make the work environment comfortable and healthy
The best and easiest way to keep employees engaged and motivated as the daylight fades is to create a comfortable and healthy environment for workers to arrive at each day.
Keep the office at a comfortable temperature, make sure employee workspaces are ergonomic, ensure you have designated spaces for employee breaks and meals and keep the environment sanitary to avoid the spreading of winter viruses.
Build a culture of employee appreciation and recognition
Everyone needs to be reminded that they’re doing a good job now and then. Use the grim end to Daylight saving time as an opportunity to appreciate and recognize your team for their commitment to business demands and goals.
Also, going further to celebrate employee birthdays or offer acknowledgment for personal accomplishments and life events. These small extra moments of connection and celebration really bring the culture of employee appreciation full circle.
Encourage breaks, get physical and have fun
It’s important to remember that employees get more done when they take regularly scheduled breaks during the workday. As Daylight saving time ends, be especially prudent about encouraging team members to take breaks.
In fact, you could even implement yoga breaks or walking groups to help employees incorporate some fun and physical activity into their workday. This will keep employees from getting bogged down and will break up the workday, ensuring that work periods are more productive.
Keep minds sharp with training and idea sharing exercises
The best way to keep your team members engaged is to actually engage them. Schedule training upgrades and business workshops for these winter months to serve as brain-boosters that break up the dark and gloomy days.
Even better? Implement a weekly ‘check-in’ session where employees can share their experiences from the frontline and offer ideas for streamlined improvement. You can even create an incentive program that encourages employees to keep ideas moving and keep minds sharp all winter long.
The official end of longer, sun-shiny days can leave even the best employees unmotivated and poorly focused. However, businesses can prepare for these negative impacts ahead of time. Understanding the impacts and implementing strategies to keep employees healthy, safe and motivated all winter long will help organizations survive the end of Daylight savings time without issue.
Your IT Technology Team issues a reminder to local businesses: don’t forget to set your home and business clocks back this Sunday, November 5th, 2017. Even more important? Make sure to take care of your internal clock and fall back safely!
by Felicien | Nov 1, 2017 | Education
Internet of Things (IoT) has been dominating conversations in the tech industry for some time now. The interconnectedness of an IoT network offers streamlining capabilities that are attractive to individuals and businesses alike. Using technology to make life easier – at home or in the office – is a huge plus. However, considerations must be made for how an increase of connected devices also increases cyber-risk, making IoT networks more vulnerable to cyber invasions and infections.
What is Internet of Things (IoT)? How Digital Connection and Transformation is Taking Shape in Business
Simply put, the Internet of Things (IoT) is any network of physical devices that contain embedded technology which enable varying degrees of internet access, communication, command and control. Connected physical devices include traditional machines like laptops, and tablets, but goes further to include a variety of other non-traditional devices including vehicles, thermostats, appliances, wrist watches, manufacturing equipment, medical devices and more.
For business owners, IoT offers huge streamlining capacities that pack a productivity punch. By having all business devices and equipment synced with internet access, communication and collaboration is easier and work gets done faster. In turn, business owners reduce overhead costs and can take on new business. Technological transformation like this can truly transform the way organizations do business.
Though it may seem futuristic, the last few years have been huge for the actual implementation of IoT, driven by cost reductions and compelling business case value. There has been a transition from ideas and prototypes to production and implementation. On the market smart-cars and wearable devices with embedded systems are readily available. Business owners in every industry are looking for the ways to best capitalize on IoT technology. However, as IoT explodes onto the scene, many of these networks simply will not have adequate security, leaving businesses more susceptible to cyber invasion.
Anatomy of an Attack: How IoT Devices Put a Cybercrime Target on Businesses
TrapX Labs, a leading Cyber Security company in the US published a 2013 report detailing the specific ways in which IoT devices significantly increase cyber risk for businesses.
“The vast majority of IoT devices provide a wide-open door to advanced attacks, persistent threats and other sophisticated malware,” says TrapX Labs Vice President, Founder and Security General Manager, Moshe Ben Simon. “Cybersecurity must be designed into these products initially. Without this design and implementation, these devices will present a huge potential risk to your organization, your employees, your business partners and your customers.”
Cybercriminals are getting more sophisticated and malicious by the day. The ways in which these seasoned professionals can gain access to your company data are endless, but here are a few of the leading ways IoT hacks and attacks take shape:
Botnets
Botnet attacks, also referred to as ‘thingbot attacks’, specifically target networks of connected computers and smart devices to infect them with malicious software. Once infected, criminals can seize control of the entire network without the owner’s knowledge.
This can result in a variety of damaging impacts to business networks including the wiping of data, the sending of inappropriate spam messages as well as identity and data theft. IoT networks are at increased risk simply because botnets are able to access and control more than just computers and laptops. They can get their hands on every device connected to the network, leaving endless opportunities to disrupt or rob a business.
Data/Identity Theft
As with all forms of cybercrime, a leading motivation is the accumulation and theft of useful data. This could be business data, but often cyber criminals seek out identity details to steal individual identities for financial fraud. The risks are even higher with the implementation of IoT, because obtaining these details becomes easier.
Between a little online research into social media accounts, general Google inquiries and the ability to hack into non-traditional, less-monitored devices like office thermostats and smart-watches, becoming someone else is made much easier thanks to IoT networking.
‘Man-in-the-Middle’ Attacks
The man-in-the-middle concept occurs when cybercriminals hack a network with the intention of intercepting communications between two systems. This can be incredibly damaging as it gives criminals the opportunity to trick parties into thinking they are having a legitimate communication exchange when they aren’t.
This means clients could think they are communicating with your company, when really, they’re giving valuable information directly to criminals, without your knowledge. This is even more dangerous with IoT networks, as it leaves an open door for cybercriminals to intercept communications with company smart devices like manufacturing machines, connected vehicles or smart TV’s.
Social Engineering
Anyone with even a base-line understanding of cybercrime trends knows a little bit about social engineering scams like phishing emails. Criminals send convincing looking communications to clients and team members, often posing as a high-level company representative. The communications request details from recipients that could include anything from banking info to confidential company data.
Social engineering scams are even scarier when it comes to IoT networks because of the varied ways criminals can stay connected once they gain access. Even with phishing protections in place, if a single, unmonitored connected device is missed, criminals can hold onto network access. This means even if an office has protected all their computers, tablets and cellphones to prevent phishing scams, but forget about the smart TV’s and thermostats that are also connected, cyber criminals can keep hold on their network access to attack again.
Denial of Service
A Denial of Service or DoS attack occurs when regularly functional services are rendered unavailable. Using a botnet, cybercriminals use a variety of programs to attack one specific target, often by overloading the service target with requests. This results in capacity overload and the service becomes unavailable to those who regularly rely on it.
Unlike phishing scams, the goal of DoS attacks is not to steal data or identities, but rather, it is to completely disable businesses from operating. With IoT networks, more devices are connected meaning more services are open targets for criminals looking to shut down functionality. While businesses may not experience material data or financial losses, the hits to business continuity and reputation can be catastrophic.
Staying Protected: Strategies for Mitigating IoT Risks
So, the challenge for business owners becomes clear: how does an organization take advantage of the benefits of IoT network devices without putting their data and continuity at significant risk?
Thinking about deploying IoT technology to streamline operations at your organization? Be sure to consider the follow security strategies before you build your network:
“Security by design” – choose your devices wisely:
Like with all areas of IT, proactivity with IoT security is absolutely critical. The first thing that business owners/operators can do to build strong IoT security is to choose connected devices that have been designed with security in mind.
Professionals should do their research to choose products that have incorporated security considerations in all stages of design and production, from prototype to production. Addressing security concerns only at the end of the development cycle is risky and doesn’t provide the same protection as devices that have been developed with deliberate and proactive security considerations from the first step.
Rethink operational realities:
Implementing an entirely new way of networking, that connects a variety of newly connected equipment means business operators need to rethink the operational reality of their organization. Continuously monitoring the IoT’s operational health as well as its security health becomes crucial.
Implementing IoT proves to be a big data challenge that will require big data security. Don’t rely on haphazard monitoring and security protocols to take on this challenge. Deliberately designing failure-survival plans to ensure resiliency is key. New operational tools should include anomaly detection capabilities, enabled by machine learning and the implementation of effective and efficient responses.
Learn from the past:
When thinking about technological evolution, there is a linear progression that professionals can learn from. When mobile and cloud computing came crashing onto the scene, business professionals had to adapt their security protocols and many learned hard lessons during the transitions. Furthermore, the lessons learned from cyber-physical system (CPS) attacks in the past, serve as important precursors for understanding IoT security.
Implement threat models and attack drills:
Just like fire or military drills, implementing threat models and attack drills for IoT security is one of the best ways to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Setting up training programs for employees that implement attack drills is one of the best ways for users to understand how attacks work and best apply strategies for prevention, detection and protection.
Stay in the know – monitor trending threats and security standards:
It may sound cliché, but there is no denying that when it comes to IoT security, knowledge is power. Staying in touch with the trending cyber threats that are wreaking havoc on business owners is a critical aspect of staying one step ahead of cyber criminals.
Additionally, staying in tune with professional security standards organizations is a fundamental part of being proactive in the face of increased risk. In fact, some business owners go a step further to join these security standards organizations in some capacity to ensure they are informed and can take advantage of the very latest tech security strategies on the market.
Continually educate system users:
A business owner’s employees and system users can either be the biggest line of defense against cyber invasion or they can be the biggest vulnerability. It’s up to business leaders to ensure that system users are informed and trained on how to navigate daily IoT operations in a way that safeguards the network and company data.
Implementing regular training protocols and keeping system users up to date on the latest threats and strategies helps to ensure that IoT security efforts are brought full circle and remain consistent through a business’s life cycle.
IoT – it’s a lot to take in. If you’re thinking about taking advantage of the streamlining and productive power that IoT networking offers businesses, that’s great! However, as outlined, it’s critical that you make deliberate and informed considerations about security. IoT isn’t your grandfathers network and it needs more than your grandfather’s security strategies.
Do your research and seek out consultation from local IT experts. Implementing IoT is all fun and games until you realize that security was vulnerable from day one. Don’t wait for a devastating attack to happen. By 2020, there will be over 30 billion devices connected to the internet. Step into the future safely and make IoT work for you.
by Felicien | Oct 31, 2017 | Education
Companies can combat a lack of employee awareness about cyber-attacks by offering regular, consistent training, communication, and awareness
A recent study by Wombat Security Technologies reveals some startlingly alarming insights about workers’ awareness of cyber threats.
The study indicated that there are large sections of employees who are not aware of the threats from bad actors and what they can do to prevent attacks that can cripple companies’ credibility, brand, and bottom line. Fortunately, there are a number of steps companies can take to better educate the workforce and prevent inside threats from unwittingly inviting potential catastrophe.
The study of 2000 working adults, evenly split between the United States and the United Kingdom, provided interesting results about some of the core threats companies face today. Among the findings:
39 percent of U.S. employees and 22 percent of U.K. workers did not know that malware is a type of software that can harm files, devices, and systems.
30 percent could not define phishing correctly as fake emails sent to prompt someone to open a file or visit a website that creates a security vulnerability.
Only 37 percent of U.S. workers and 42 percent of U.K. employees correctly defined ransomware as software that blocks access to files and disables operating systems unless payment is provided to unlock the systems. Twenty-one percent of U.S. workers and 39 percent of U.K. employees did not even hazard a guess.
Fifty-eight percent of U.S. respondents and 37 percent of U.K. respondents falsely believed anti-virus software can stop a cyber-attack.
Thirty-five percent of survey takers use 4- or 6-digit pins to unlock mobile devices, while 11 percent use no lock at all.
Far more U.S. employees (71 percent) than U.K. workers (39 percent) have corporate-issued smartphones or laptops, which are most frequently used for checking email, online shopping, streaming media and reading news.
One notable difference: 45 percent of U.K. employees do not allow family members or friends to use corporate devices to check email, view social media, shop, read the news, complete homework or play games. For U.S. employees, anywhere from 39 percent to 50 percent allow others to use such devices for one or more of those tasks.
Managing Risk
The lack of awareness is borne out in some of the statistics regarding ransomware and other cyber intrusions. The Justice Department’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) tracked 7,700 complaints of ransomware from 2005 to 2016, resulting in an estimated $58 million in damage to affected companies, government agencies, and nonprofits. The costs include ransoms paid (between $200 and $10,000) to regain system control and costs related to lost data, repairs, and communication about the incidents.
These attacks are growing more frequent, too. In 2015 alone, the center logged 2,500 cases costing $24 million to affected organizations.
Security software company Symantec reported some alarming statistics in April 2017 about the growth in number and size of attacks:
In 2016, there were 15 breaches affecting more than 10 million exposed identities, up from 13 in 2015 and 11 in 2014.
Nearly 1.1 billion identities were exposed last year, about the same as in 2014 (1.2 billion) and nearly twice those exposed in 2015 (564 million).
Of the 1,200 breaches Symantec reviewed in 2016, the average breach exposed 927,000 identities.
Attacks on mobile devices are growing, with 606 identified vulnerabilities on iOS and Android mobile systems in 2016, up from 552 a year prior and just 200 in 2014 (which included 10 BlackBerry exposures).
Symantec identified 463,000 ransomware attempts from 101 different families of infection, with the average ransom amount paid at $1,077. Those numbers skyrocketed in one year, with 2015 having seen 340,000 attempts from 30 families and an average paid ransom of $294.
As technologies have evolved, so too have the risks of a cyber attack. The growing use of cloud computing and the Internet of Things means there are more devices and more locations that need to be protected.
Employees at the Front Lines
Employees are an essential first line of defense in the battle to protect systems, devices, and data from potential harm. With the right education and training, bolstered by rigorous operational monitoring of systems, the organization can stay secure. Here are a few tips for helping employees learn about and prevent harm.
Communicate Frequently. Employees need to be made aware of the importance of cybersecurity. Lay out the impact of an attack on the organization and its operations. Spell out employee obligations when it comes to vigilance. This communication needs to be direct and frequent, not relegated to an annual signature acknowledging understanding of IT policy.
It Starts at the Top. Senior leadership can be particularly vulnerable to attack, partly because IT staff often are lenient, partly due to the amount of travel and access to unsecured networks, and partly due to the potentially greater damage that can be done by accessing executive files.
Impress on Employees Their Impact. Employees should understand the ease with which a hacker can gain access to a system. Encourage cooperation and close eyes. Encourage employees to question suspect emails and files and report them to IT staff. Recognize that workers are only human and that mistakes will be made.
Create Deliberate Training. Consider making cybersecurity a part of new-employee onboarding. Hold regular conversations with employees over meals or at their staff meetings. Reference recent news stories about large attacks and the impact of those intrusions on the companies affected.
It’s Not Just Email. Employees should be aware of the multichannel approach to infiltration that hackers use today. Some have resorted to calling employees, posing as a customer or colleague, in order to gather useful information. Social media invites, blogs, and suspect links can all lead to an attack, too.
Know How to Recognize. Employees need help with identifying when something is suspicious. Train and communicate the step-by-step instructions employees should take if they suspect they’ve been attacked or see something curious. These steps include disconnecting the device from the corporate network and notifying a manager and IT staff immediately. False alarms are OK. It’s better to err on the side of caution and employees should never be criticized for raising a flag.
There are many things the organization can do as well to ensure safe computing, including:
Create and review a business continuity plan in the case of a ransomware attack.
Use strict access controls, especially for administrative access.
Monitor usage patterns, logs, and other employee activity, looking for patterns of irregular behavior that could indicate an employee is intentionally causing damage or setting up for an infiltration.
Use multiple and overlapping defensive systems to protect against failures in any one technology.
Develop a data security policy that determines whether data is encrypted when transmitted and at rest
Have strong password requirements and require users to change passwords often.
Keep operating systems and software programs updated on all devices for all users.
Vigilance, commitment, and sound policy will help companies and their employees keep data and systems secure. With each new successful attack, hackers become emboldened to try to do more damage. Protection is the key to keeping the bad guys out.
by Felicien | Oct 31, 2017 | Education
Which Version of Microsoft Office 365 for Businesses or Enterprises is Best for You?
It’s easy for most businesses to justify a switch to MS Office 365. Microsoft keeps their apps updated and has a good reputation for providing robust, industry-standard software. Many companies rely upon Microsoft products because they provide them with the right features and help them remain compatible with their outside business partners and customers.
What do you get with MS Office 365 plans? Besides core software like Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Excel, some plans also bundle in apps for productivity, communication, business intelligence, security, and more. Plans also come with generous allotments for cloud storage. In addition, Microsoft has kept their monthly and yearly pricing fairly modest, and they offer various plans that can suit the needs of everybody from home business owners to global enterprises.
Choosing the Best MS Office 365 Plan for Your Needs
You can drill down to all of the prices and features for every MS Office 365 plan on the official website. While you won’t lack for choices when you view all of the different plans, the variety may seem overwhelming at first. These summaries of popular MS Office plans should help you narrow down your choices.
Small- to-Medium-Sized Businesses
Microsoft tailored these three plans for SMBs:
Business Essentials: This low-priced plan only costs $5 a month per user with an annual subscription. You can also pay $6 a month if you don’t want to pay upfront for an entire year. You get online access to core software like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote. Microsoft also gives you cloud storage for email and documents, but you don’t get Outlook. In addition, you can use productivity and communication software like Flow, SharePoint, Sway, Skype for Business, and more. While some of the software may function fine on mobile devices, you don’t have access to the mobile versions.
Business: This plan costs slightly more, but it isn’t exactly an upgrade over Business Essentials. Instead of only getting online access to the core software, you can download the software to your PC. This plan does include Outlook, and Business Essentials does not. You also get OneDrive storage and mobile applications, but you can only access two of the extra productivity apps. You will pay $8.25 a month for each user with an annual commitment.
Business Premium: This plan offers you a combination of the features you get with Business and Business Essentials. You get all of the productivity, communication, and mobile software. You get Outlook for email management, and you can also download the core software to your PC. The annual prepaid price is $12.50 for each user.
Enterprise MS Office 360 Plans
If you have a larger company or more sophisticated requirements, you may find that one of the MS Office 360 plans satisfies you the most. These plans may cost slightly more than their comparable plans in the section for smaller companies.
This is a quick overview of the Enterprise plans:
Office 365 ProPlus: ProPlus closely resembles Business Premium. It also comes with more sophisticated business intelligence tools that you can use with MS Excel. It should cost approximately $12.50 per user per month.
Enteprise E1: You can think of this plan as an upgraded version of Business Essentials. It offers online-only access to core programs. However, you also get a portal for corporate videos and the ability to broadcast meetings to large groups. You pay $8.00 a month for each user for Enterprise E1.
Enterprise E3:This plan offers you a combination of features from ProPlus and E1. In other words, you get the downloadable software and access to the video and meeting software. Expect to pay about $20 a month for each user.
Enterprise E5: This high-end version of MS Office 365 will offer you the features of Enterprise E3. Plus, you can use Office PBX, a cloud solution for managing your phone calls. Your estimated cost should run about $35 a month per user.
Education and Home
If you just want a version of core software and cloud storage for home use, you might consider Microsoft Office 365 Home. For instance, your kids can use Word for homework. You can use Outlook for emails or Excel to manage your budget. You can install this version on up to five devices, and you will pay $99.95 a year if you prepay. If you pay monthly, it costs $9.99 a month.
Microsoft also offers a few different plans to students, educators, and educational staff. They even provide the most basic version of their educational plan for free. They charge for plans that also include features like advanced analytics and security.
How to Pick the Best Microsoft Office 365 Plan for Your Company
Microsoft certainly provides their customers with plenty of choices. Besides the types of plans listed above, the company also has plans for nonprofits, government agencies, and first line workers. You should be able to choose an option that offers you what you need the most for a budget-friendly price.
At the same time, Microsoft won’t let you substitute one feature for another on any plan. If you require a feature that doesn’t appear on your plan, you may have to upgrade to get it. For example, you might want Access to manage databases, and you can’t get Access with the Business Essentials plan. If you want downloadable software, Outlook, and Sharepoint, you need to choose the Business Premium plan over the Business plan. This means that you could find yourself paying for some features you won’t use in order to get everything that you want.
At the same time, Microsoft keeps their monthly and annual subscription rates fairly modest. If you tried to buy different kinds of software to handle all of these tasks on your own, you would certainly spend more money. Most subscribers probably don’t use every feature they have in their plans. At the same time, many subscribers do rely upon the features that they do need every day. Microsoft offers their customers free upgrades, state-of-the-art software, cloud storage, and many other features. No matter which plan you choose, you will probably find that you got a reasonable deal.
by Felicien | Oct 31, 2017 | Education
Use Google My Business to update your Google Maps and Google Search Listings at any time and for free.
Have you ever wished you had a quick way to update your Google listings with new or timely news about your business? Google has rolled out a useful feature for all business users that can help grant your wish. You can create Google Posts from within your free Google My Business account to offer various kinds of updates that will automatically show up on your listings in Google Maps and Google Search.
According to Search Engine Land, political accounts have had this feature since early in 2016. Back then, they called this feature Candidate Cards. After that, Google rolled it out to a few business accounts. Every business now has a chance to let customers know about upcoming events, special promotions, and other timely news. Take a moment to learn to create Google Posts and how they can benefit your company.
How to Add Updated Google Posts to Google Maps and Google Search
Adding live updates to your Google Maps and search results is pretty simple:
Create a Google My Business Account
If you don’t already have an account with Google My Business, you need to create one for your company. Google does not charge for this tool, and it allows you to manage your business presence all across the network. In addition to managing your listings, you can also use My Business to interact with customers and gain insights about your digital presence. Even if you’re not interested in creating live updates with Google Posts, you should consider signing up and exploring various features of Google My Business.
Create Google Posts From Within My Business
From within your account, you can find “Posts” on the left-side menu. Alternatively, you can click the link to go directly to the Google Posts section inside of your account.
This list highlights some of the different features that you can use to create your post:
Text: You can add a maximum of 300 words to describe your update.
Events: If you want to update customers about a limited-time event, you can add an event title with start and end times.
Images: Google allows you to add an image to make your post stand out more.
Add a Call to Action
Besides the basic options for your Google Post, Google also lets you choose a call-to-action button to add to your post. Some of your options for button text will include Reserve, Buy, Sign Up, and Get Offer. You link this button to pages on your website that could allow customers to make reservations, get more information, join your email newsletter, obtain a promotional code or coupon, or even make a purchase.
Keep Track of Post Expiration Dates
Remember, Google means for these posts to emphasize short-term updates and not to serve as permanent parts of your listing. Your posts will expire after seven days. The system helpfully alerts you on the sixth day that your current post is about ready to expire. Right now, there doesn’t seem to be any way to renew the same post.
If your previous post performed well for you, you can simply create a similar one. If you didn’t enjoy much response, you might test some different approaches. Either way, keep in mind that these are meant to help offer updated information and not to last forever.
How Can Your Business Use Google Posts to Enhance Your Listings?
Most of you can probably think of several ways that Google Posts could enhance your search or Google Maps listings. You might even experiment with a few different formats until you learn what works best for your unique kind of business.
These are some examples:
Post events: If you run a local restaurant, you may run a special menu for Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, or another holiday. Your bar might feature live shows that you schedule on certain nights. Either way, you could use your post to highlight your special events and allow customers to book reservations with a couple of clicks.
Gain subscribers: If you hope to build your email list, you might offer a subscribers-only giveaway or discount. Offer news about this promotion and then let searchers directly signup and take advantage of the offer. Even if some people aren’t ready to buy, you can still add them to your list of prospects this way.
New products: Your retail store may have fielded a number of requests for a hard-to-find or specialized item. Let searchers know that you have it in stock. You can link your call-to-action button to an informational page with text, graphics, or videos that will help you close more sales. Alternatively, you might route searchers directly to a buy-it-now page for online sales.
Why Keep Your Listings Updated With Google Posts?
Most marketers would be happy to find ways to add more content to their listings and to keep potential customers informed about upcoming events and other news. Since Google also lets you add a call-to-action button, Google Posts can serve as a powerful marketing tool that you may begin to rely upon frequently. Even if you don’t decide to make use of Google Posts, it’s a good idea to learn about other helpful features you can access within your Google My Business Account.
