Hiring seasonal staff? Here are a few things to consider from the IT
Hiring seasonal staff? Here are a few things to consider from the IT perspective In many industries, there are seasonal spikes in business around specific times. For example, CPAs/Accounting firms, though busy all year, generally see a spike in business around the time of tax planning, IRS return filing, etc., the retail industry sees a boom around the Holiday Season, and so on. During such peak times, it is common practice in the industry to employ part-time staff to meet the immediate resource needs. While this works well in terms of costs and for handling additional work/client inflow, this poses a few challenges from the IT perspective. In this blog, we explore those challenges so you know what to watch out for before bringing part-time staff on board. Security When you are hiring someone part-time, security could be a concern. You or your HR person may have done a background check, but their risk score nevertheless remains much higher than permanent employees who are on your payroll. Trusting a temp worker with customer and business data is a risky choice. Infrastructure Having seasonal employees is a good solution to temporary spike in workload. But, there is still a need to provide your temps with the resources they need to perform their tasks efficiently. Computers, server space, internet and phone connectivity, all need to be made available to your temp workforce as well. Lack of training Your permanent employees will most likely have been trained in IT Security best practices, but what about your temps? When hiring short-term staff, SMBs and even bigger organizations rarely invest any time or resources in general training and induction. Usually brought in during the peak seasons, temps are expected to get going at the earliest. Often IT drills and security trainings have no place in such hurried schedules. Collaboration needs Often businesses hire seasonal staff from across the country or even the globe because it may offer cost savings. In such cases when the seasonal staff is working remotely, there is a need to ensure the work environment is seamless. High quality collaboration tools for file sharing and access and communication needs to be in place.Having part-time or seasonal staff is an excellent solution to time-specific resource needs. However, for it to work as intended–smoothly and in-tandem with the work happening at your office, and without any untoward happenings–such as a security breach, businesses need to consider the aspects discussed above. A MSP will be able to help by managing them for you, in which case hiring temps will be all you need to think of.
3 Things to consider before you sign-up with a cloud services provider
3 Things to consider before you sign-up with a cloud services provider More and more SMBs are migrating to the cloud and that is not a surprise considering the numerous benefits the cloud can offer them. For a SMB, the cloud is a cost efficient and secure answer to their growing data needs and IT security requirements. The cloud grows with them and lets them scale their business without worrying about a corresponding rise in IT costs. Plus, with the cloud, the important aspects of security and backups are mostly taken care of by the cloud service provider. And then, there’s the convenience of any-time-anywhere data access. With all these benefits that the cloud brings, what’s there to think about before signing up with a cloud service provider? While are a lot of benefits of storing your data on the cloud, but your data is still yours, so there are a few things you need to know and be comfortable with before you jump onto the cloud. Data storage location Ask your cloud services provider where, (as in the location of the data center) your data will be stored. Ask them if they have multiple data centers and if yes, then, will they be backing up your data and storing them at different places. It is great if your cloud services provider does that, since that ensures higher safety of your data. How secure will your data be? Yes. When you hire a cloud services provider, a major chunk of your data’s security responsibility is passed onto them. You don’t have to really worry about your data security, but, you still need to know how they plan to keep your data safe. Ask your cloud services provider for details regarding their data security procedure. Have them share all policies, SOPs and data security frameworks that they claim to have in place. Past performance/data loss history Everyone talks about their best projects in a sales meeting. What you really need to know are the worst ones. Ask your cloud services provider to share with you their data loss/downtime trends for the past one year. Observe the trend. How often does their system give way and how long does it last? This is important for you to understand, because this metric translates into loss of business for you. And finally, don’t forget to ask for a client list. Like we said before, everyone highlights the good things about themselves in a sales meeting. If you really want to know how good your cloud service provider is, ask them for a client list–both current and past. Check how many of them are from your industry vertical. Try reaching out to those who are willing to talk. Find out what they like the most about your cloud service provider and what aspects they find negative. Find out why their former customers left them. Usually customers are pretty good indicators of the quality of service a business provides. Hope these tips help you finding a cloud service provider who fits in well with your needs.
Are Macs vulnerable to viruses?
It is common knowledge that Windows computers tend to deal with an assortment of viruses and malware, but many people fail to realize that even Macs face similar threats. Virus creators have become adept at finding back doors and other vulnerabilities, that even Macs can be targeted. Viruses that affect Macs There are four general virus types that hit Apple products, and their effects can range from merely annoying to downright destructive: Adware Adware are unwanted programs that bombard users with pop-up advertisements. Some malicious adware piggyback spyware onto their deployment protocols, which can record your typing habits with keyloggers and keyboard sniffers, as well as monitor your browsing behavior. Sniffers are usually designed to detect certain words in the webpage and a person’s typing pattern; for instance, typing the string password: may induce a sniffer to trigger the keylogger, and the keylogger will proceed to copy the typed string succeeding the trigger string. A keylogger basically copies whatever you type, usually once a keyboard sniffer takes stock of the page you are browsing. Trojan horses Trojan horses can infect both Macs and PCs, and they are often deployed through fake software installers or unsecured updates. They’re called “Trojan horses” because they parade as legitimate software that actually contain a nasty surprise once installed. A notorious Trojan horse for Macs is the MacDownloader, which attempts to steal personal data stored in Apple Keychain. Macro viruses Macro viruses attack computers by running an executory code that could perform functions such as taking screengrabs, formatting hard drives, corrupting files, delivering more malware, and even accessing webcams and mics. They are triggered when a user opens an infected macros-enabled file, hence the name. Ransomware Ransomware has been held off for a while for Macs, but nowadays, even they can be vulnerable to it. KeRanger was one of the first big ransomware outbreaks for Macs. After remotely encrypting the computer and hibernating for three days, KeRanger would issue a .txt file containing instructions for decryption in return for one bitcoin. Does your Mac have a virus? Now that we know what kinds of viruses and malware your macOS could be affected with, here are some ways to tell if your Mac is infected with one: Pop-up ads Take note if your computer is experiencing more pop-ups than usual. An unusual amount of banner ads and pop-ups may mean that your computer is due for an update and/or a virus scan. Slowness Mac users fear one thing more than most: the spinning wheel of death. This little rainbow-colored spinning cursor wheel indicates that the computer is having trouble processing at usual speeds, and a common reason behind that would be simultaneous processes, likely of dubious origin, running in the background. Browser issues Viruses sometimes do weird things to Safari or Firefox such as change its homepage or redirect a preset landing page to a site you’ve never seen before. If your browser starts behaving oddly, crashes regularly, or is often unresponsive, you might have a virus. Computer security is a matter of importance no matter what operating system you use. Reach out to our experts for an assessment of your network today! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
An SMB’s IT hardware checklist
Imagine going back to the office after a long vacation, only to be greeted by a messy workstation. Frustrating, isn’t it? If your enterprise wants to start a new year working with clean, organized technology, this IT hardware checklist is just what you need. ✓ Clean up your computer components Wipe your monitor with clean, static-free fabric; remove excess dirt from your mouse’s exterior; and tidy up your keyboard with compressed air. Don’t forget your computer tower! Dust buildup can block your computer’s air vent and affect its performance. Ensure that your workstation is getting adequate ventilation and isn’t directly exposed to sunlight and other heat sources. ✓ Manage your cables If you’re not giving your computers’ cables the attention they deserve, now’s a good time to do so. Other than wiping the thick coat of dust off of computer cables, consider using cable management solutions that unclutter and untangle messy wires. These don’t just organize and secure your cables, they also help ensure your PCs run quieter and are less prone to overheating as a result of blocked air vents. Planning to relocate or upgrade in the near future? Organizing your computers’ cables now makes future relocation and upgrading processes much easier. ✓ Review and update your inventory Keeping an inventory of all your hardware helps you manage hardware life cycles and purchases, identify items that are near their end of life, and ensure you avoid duplicate purchases of items already in stock. Your inventory list should include all owned and leased devices: PCs and laptops, printers and scanners, tablets and smartphones, and modems and other network hardware. Update all your assets’ serial numbers and keep track of their respective users and location. ✓ Printer maintenance Clean the interiors and exteriors of your printers, including paper trays, which are sure to have accumulated dirt from years of use. You should also repair and/or replace parts and accessories such as print heads and cartridges that are no longer in good condition. Should you decide to do a complete printer maintenance, check for the latest software updates for your printers and install them immediately. ✓ Implement a hardware policy This is also a good time to create a technology guideline that your employees can follow to ensure they work efficiently. These guidelines reduce the need to spend on unnecessary repairs, keeping the succeeding year’s checklist shorter. With clear instructions on the proper use, replacement, and storage of your hardware and devices, you’ll be better able to manage your hardware for years to come. With a more organized IT hardware inventory, you have one less thing to worry about. Want to get more in-depth hardware management advice? Call our experts today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Best Chrome extensions to install
Google Chrome is fast, clean, and versatile. It delivers a great browsing experience to users, so it’s no surprise that it has the widest user base out of all web browsers. It’s also expandable and customizable, thanks to the thousands of extensions available at the Chrome Web Store. It can be quite taxing to sort out every extension there is, so to help you save time, we’ve compiled a list of the best Chrome extensions you should install. StayFocusd As the name suggests, StayFocusd helps you stay focused. This is a perfect tool for people who work on computers all day to stop themselves from getting distracted by the many wonderful things on the internet. Essentially, it’s an extension that restricts your time on websites that can cause your productivity to dip, particularly social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Once you’ve reached the time limit, StayFocusd blocks access to those sites, reminding you to focus on your work. AdBlock AdBlock claims to be the most popular extension for Chrome. It has over 10 million active users, and for good reason. In a virtual world full of advertisements, AdBlock offers a break by blocking most ads from showing on Chrome. It’s also bound to improve your experience and increase the speed of your browser, since it blocks shady advertisements on the web, some of which are designed to trick people into downloading something that could harm their computers. LastPass Remembering passwords can be quite a headache; good thing there’s LastPass. While Chrome already has a built-in password manager, LastPass is a better option when it comes to password management. Instead of trying to memorize countless passwords for your online accounts, LastPass can generate new and secure passwords every time you log in to a website and sync your passwords whenever you need them. With LastPass, you can easily gain access to your accounts, enter credit card details, and fill out online forms with just a few clicks. Evernote Web Clipper Never lose anything on the internet again by storing web pages on Evernote. While you can mark sites by using Chrome’s built-in bookmarks option, Evernote is a more powerful option. The extension allows you to quickly and easily save web content from Chrome and transfer it straight into your Evernote account. With the press of a button, you can grab an image from the web page, make annotations, create summary links, and save a distraction-free version for later use. Pocket Pocket is another way to keep track of your favorite web content. With Pocket, you can save articles, videos, and any other web pages for later viewing. Simply hit the Pocket extension button when you come across something interesting and that page will automatically be synced to all your devices, so you can view it at any time, even without an internet connection. With Pocket, you can set things aside when you have important work at hand. If you can’t read the content now, Pocket it for later. Momentum Momentum is an alternative new tab page that replaces the default Chrome landing page. Equipped with a personalized dashboard that features a beautiful scenic background, a daily inspirational quote, the weather report, a to-do list, and quick links widgets for your favorite sites, Momentum could just be the dose of inspiration you’re looking for. Learn more about the different productivity apps the Chrome Web Store has to offer. Get in touch with our experts today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Productivity tip: Email automation
If you’ve ever received what looked like a personalized email from a huge corporation, there’s a good chance it was actually written using an email automation platform. This technology saves time and money while strengthening customer relationships, and contrary to popular belief, it is well within most SMB budgets. What is email automation? Usually included in customer relationship management (CRM) software, email automation centers around the idea of integrating your business data into emails to customers and prospects. This allows you to draft templates with placeholders for names, addresses, and other variables that the platform will match with individuals from your email list. What’s more, you can personalize how and when your emails go out to clients. Automatically inserting customer data into an email is great, but it still requires that you draft the content that surrounds it and hit Send. Email automation grants you the ability to create templated emails that are automatically merged with client data and sent when certain conditions are met. Examples of email automation To really get an idea of how valuable this solution is, it’s important to see what it looks like in action. Say you own an e-commerce site that sells complementary goods, such as golf clubs and golf balls. You could create a campaign wherein anytime someone buys a set of clubs, pre-written emails automatically go out one month later on how high-quality golf balls improve your handicap. You’re not limited to two-step workflows either. Take a look at this example: Step 1: Send a personalized email with a special offer on golf balls for existing customers. Step 2: Send a follow-up based on how customers interacted with the offer email: If a customer cashed in on the offer, send a thank you email. Step 3: Follow it up with a similar offer three months later. If a customer visited the promo page but didn’t convert, send a promotional email for another type of product, like golf bags. Step 3: Follow it up with either a thank you email or another promo for golf clothes. If a customer didn’t even open the email, send a survey email asking about their interests. Step 3: Follow it up with email campaigns based on what they selected. Email automation means there’s no need to micromanage your customer relationships. As long as you define the path to purchase for high-volume products, you can program workflows to nurture customers and prospects automatically. For as little as a couple of hundred dollars per month, your customer outreach campaigns can compete on the same level as your corporate counterparts with little effort from your team. Throw an expert IT provider into the mix and you have the ability to blow the competition out of the water. To learn more, contact us today! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
3 Things to consider before you sign-up with a cloud services provider
3 Things to consider before you sign-up with a cloud services provider More and more SMBs are migrating to the cloud and that is not a surprise considering the numerous benefits the cloud can offer them. For a SMB, the cloud is a cost efficient and secure answer to their growing data needs and IT security requirements. The cloud grows with them and lets them scale their business without worrying about a corresponding rise in IT costs. Plus, with the cloud, the important aspects of security and backups are mostly taken care of by the cloud service provider. And then, there’s the convenience of any-time-anywhere data access. With all these benefits that the cloud brings, what’s there to think about before signing up with a cloud service provider? While are a lot of benefits of storing your data on the cloud, but your data is still yours, so there are a few things you need to know and be comfortable with before you jump onto the cloud. Data storage location Ask your cloud services provider where, (as in the location of the data center) your data will be stored. Ask them if they have multiple data centers and if yes, then, will they be backing up your data and storing them at different places. It is great if your cloud services provider does that, since that ensures higher safety of your data. How secure will your data be? Yes. When you hire a cloud services provider, a major chunk of your data’s security responsibility is passed onto them. You don’t have to really worry about your data security, but, you still need to know how they plan to keep your data safe. Ask your cloud services provider for details regarding their data security procedure. Have them share all policies, SOPs and data security frameworks that they claim to have in place. Past performance/data loss history Everyone talks about their best projects in a sales meeting. What you really need to know are the worst ones. Ask your cloud services provider to share with you their data loss/downtime trends for the past one year. Observe the trend. How often does their system give way and how long does it last? This is important for you to understand, because this metric translates into loss of business for you. And finally, don’t forget to ask for a client list. Like we said before, everyone highlights the good things about themselves in a sales meeting. If you really want to know how good your cloud service provider is, ask them for a client list–both current and past. Check how many of them are from your industry vertical. Try reaching out to those who are willing to talk. Find out what they like the most about your cloud service provider and what aspects they find negative. Find out why their former customers left them. Usually customers are pretty good indicators of the quality of service a business provides. Hope these tips help you finding a cloud service provider who fits in well with your needs.
Tracking data use on Android devices
Android devices are among the most feature-rich gadgets currently available. The vast majority can connect to mobile networks, but unfortunately, many service plans limit the amount of data you can use each month. If you want to avoid paying overage fees or suffering from slow connection speeds, you need to monitor how much data you’re using. Here are three things you can do to track and subsequently optimize the amount of data you are using on your Android device. Tip #1: Turn off or limit your mobile data consumption Wi-Fi is one of the easiest ways to reduce data consumption and networks are everywhere nowadays. Even malls and shopping centers often offer free Wi-Fi. Android devices can automatically switch between cellular and Wi-Fi connections, there is always the chance that you may lose connection and switch to a data network without knowing. Consider preempting this issue by disabling mobile data entirely. You can often accomplish this by pressing your finger along the top of the screen and dragging downward to reveal important phone settings, including enabling or disabling mobile data. Another option is to open your Android’s Settings app and search for the menu that contains your mobile data configurations. From there you can turn off data entirely or set data limitations based on your service plan’s allowance. Tip #2: Limit background data Even if you don’t realize it, many of your apps use data while your Android device is locked. They keep running in the background and their data usage can take significant chunks out of your monthly allowance. To limit the use of background data: Open your Android’s Settings app. Select the Apps menu (the name varies based on the device manufacturer; look for the menu that lists all your apps). Tap on an app that you don’t want to use background data. Select Restrict app background data. The apps menu provides lots of information about how much data various apps are using, both in the foreground and background. Even if you don’t use this menu to configure background data allowances, it’s a great place to learn about data hogs. Tip #3: Use Chrome’s data compression All Android devices have the Google Chrome web browser installed right out of the box. Before you consider trying another browser, keep in mind that Chrome has some of the best data-saving features. For example, when data compression is enabled, the websites you visit are sent to Google’s servers to ensure they are optimized for mobile devices and unnecessary information is removed. To turn this feature on, open the Chrome app, tap the button with three horizontal dots in the upper right corner, then select Settings, followed by Data Saver, and toggle the On switch. Google claims this can save up to 60% of data usage in the browser and that it detects malicious websites and harmful content. There are dozens of other ways you can protect yourself and save data when using your Android device. If you’d like additional help, contact us today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Best practices for virtualization first-timers
Virtualization’s benefits are numerous: centralized IT management, faster hardware resources, improved business continuity, and reduced overhead costs. It makes perfect sense for everyone to jump on board. But to maximize virtualization’s benefits, beginners should start doing the following best practices. Conduct an assessment Evaluating your IT environment is an important step in the implementation process. After all, you can’t just go around virtualizing everything without a plan. An IT assessment performed by an impartial managed services provider (MSP) like us helps you understand what type of virtualization solution you need. For example, if the report shows that your computers don’t have enough processing power to run certain apps, desktop virtualization — which consolidates operating systems and apps into a single powerful server — is an ideal solution. From there, you should be able to estimate costs and set realistic timelines for its implementation. Don’t forget about hardware Just because virtualization frees up space in your server room, does not mean hardware is no longer an issue. No matter what type of solution you opt for, the servers you use must be strong enough to support the entire company’s computing demands. This means you must take stock of your apps and their hardware requirements and make sure your server has all the processing power, RAM, network capacity, and storage necessary to run them. Underutilized servers are excellent candidates for virtualization, but purchasing new equipment may pay dividends in the long run. If you choose the latter option, ask your provider for recommendations. Chances are they’re partnered with virtualization-optimized hardware vendors that offer top-of-the-line servers. Prevent VM sprawl Virtualization allows you to deliver computing resources to workstations in your network via virtual machines (VMs), which can be created on a server in just a few minutes. While this lets you scale and provision resources quickly, there are risks if you don’t have someone regularly reviewing which VMs are worthwhile and which are outdated. You could be losing out on cost savings and efficiency benefits. When too many VMs are created, they can quickly consume server resources and complicate licensing and asset management. To prevent sprawl, you must establish policies and restrictions for VM creation. For instance, users must have a solid justification for creating a VM (e.g., testing software or provisioning apps for new users). Prioritize business continuity You must also protect the hardware running your virtual servers. Make sure to lock up server rooms and have secondary servers available in case the first one breaks down. While you’re at it, take advantage of automated backup solutions that make copies of your VMs and their files regularly. Work with experts Building and maintaining a virtual infrastructure is no simple task. That’s why you’ll want to work with a virtualization specialist who can guarantee a seamless implementation and provide continuous management services. For more tips on virtualization, call our experts today! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
How to choose the best VoIP system for your SMB
Many industries now utilize Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) for better communication quality with lower costs. And with the many options on digital communications, taking your pick could be overwhelming. This guide will help you decide which VoIP system suits you best. What are “proprietary” systems? When most companies release VoIP software, such as Microsoft’s Skype, they often package it in a way that makes it almost impossible for users to view or alter the programming code. By keeping it locked down, they retain control over which hardware and software systems it is compatible with and prevent hackers from uncovering vulnerabilities. Pros and cons One of the biggest benefits of a proprietary VoIP system is a consistent user experience across compatible hardware devices and software integrations. Brand-name handsets and third-party software must be programmed by the VoIP system’s developer to be compatible, so you know everything will be optimized for a uniform and reliable user experience. But keep in mind that, in the majority of cases, the added security and polished integrations of these systems cost more than open-source alternatives. What are “open-source” systems? The programming code that enables open-source VoIP solutions to work is free and accessible to anyone. Open-source systems are made to be more of a starting point than a finished solution, which means they’re usually pretty rough around the edges until you customize them. Pros and cons The two best things about an open-source system are the cost and the flexibility. The core system will be totally free, but tailoring it to your desktops, handsets, and servers will require a fair amount of time and technical expertise. This usually requires a larger upfront investment when compared to proprietary systems, but will pay off with lower operational costs as time goes on. The tradeoffs between open-source and proprietary systems are fairly even. The former is often better for business owners who prioritize keeping costs low, while the latter is usually better for those who prefer refined solutions. Choosing between the two comes down to your customer service model, IT resources, and business priorities. Small businesses like yours can enjoy personalized, high-end IT solutions, they just need support from experienced technicians. With years of experience in VoIP, we’re the answer to all your problems. To learn about what we think is best for your business, call today! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.