Business Solutions & Software Group Blog

Listen up, nerds. We’re here to talk about desk and device hygiene. Yes, not only do you have to keep your devices digitally clean, but you also have to keep your devices physically clean so as to keep them working effectively. Let’s take a look at why it’s so important and what you can do to keep your devices in pristine condition.

Google is a staple in pretty much any office, even if only as a search engine. How can you make sure you’re getting the results you want to see? One way you can do so is by adjusting your Google searches in various ways to refine the results you get. Here’s how you can do it without sifting through dozens of returned results that are useless or irrelevant.

Your business data holds vital information, but it needs to be organized and presented in a way that makes this information accessible. Visual representations will be immensely helpful as you translate this data into a form that is more comprehensible to everyone. Let’s go over five ways that data visualizations and interactive dashboards can help you express your information to those invested in your success, whether it's your team or your external stakeholders.

One of the most frustrating parts of operating today’s technology is how easy it is to grow disorganized from your day-to-day file management. The good news is that your digital workspace practices can be tidied up easily with just a couple of simple tips. Today, we want to go over how you can become more productive by taking better care of your digital workspace.

As a business owner, you’re always plotting out that next big project, as well as what technology you need to implement to make it happen. Today, we want to give you some pointers on what you should strive for with your project management, as well as discuss how you can make it easier by working with a managed service provider like us. We’ll go over how you can improve the odds of your project’s success, implement tools that will make the process easier, and common-sense practices that will help your team carry out the project in record time.

Have you ever been met with resistance when you implement a new IT policy or solution? You’re not alone; countless CIOs and business owners experience this issue any time they go to implement an innovative new tool that can have a significant impact on operations. Here’s how you can have a rock-solid approach to taking the friction out of new IT initiatives for your organization.

So you want to implement an innovative new IT solution for your business. That’s great, and we’re happy to hear that you’re investing in the transformative power of technology… but what do your employees think about the change, and how can you communicate with them in a way that encourages them to embrace the new technology rather than disregard it?

Securely protecting your organization’s data and network has never been more important. Our primary line of defense for doing this, especially as companies start to really lean on cloud solutions to bring a level of cost control they hadn’t established before, is the password. The less secure the password, the less secure your data. If you are going to rely on passwords as the priority safeguard for your business accounts, you need to be using two-factor authentication (2FA).

Downtime is a serious issue for businesses, sometimes to the point of it being a business killer when it’s left unchecked. But what is downtime, and why is it such a problem? Today, we want to help you understand just that, and we’re doing it by calling on the exact opposite of downtime: uptime.

Network security is complicated, especially for small businesses who might not have a top-down security professional on staff to keep tabs on everything. You can make security a lot easier for your business with a modern firewall. The firewall is a crucial tool that all businesses, whether big or small, should implement. Here are the four key security features of the modern cybersecurity strategy and why they are essential for the ongoing digital security of your business.

It’s been said several ways, but it’s true that small businesses are the lifeblood of our community. They are the local diner serving up comfort food and the hardware store that has everything you need. Unfortunately, there's a growing, insidious threat looming over these vital enterprises, a digital assailant that's becoming increasingly sophisticated: ransomware.

Ransomware, for those unfamiliar with this digital menace, is a type of malicious software that blocks access to your computer systems or encrypts your files, demanding a ransom payment—often in cryptocurrency—to restore access. It’s something the iconic character Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers movies would unleash; with a pinky-up “Riiiiight” in tow.

Data is, in its most pure form, knowledge that has been collected for use by your business. It’s not unlike a library in this way..but even libraries can crumble into dust, given enough time, as is evidenced by the Library of Alexandria. Despite its every attempt to overcome cultural prejudices and collect information on ancient civilizations, it still fell—and all its information along with it.

Your IT infrastructure is just like your car; it’s easy to put off maintenance when everything is going well, but the second your dashboard lights up, you know your wallet is in for a hurtin’. You don’t need this kind of stress in your life—for both your car and your IT—and the solution is simpler than you might think.

At a time when artificial intelligence is the biggest technology-based trend going, and while more and more people are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet, there is a question on how the two fit together for workers in different industries. The impact of AI could go many different ways, with many wondering if it will be a solution for businesses that are looking to reduce their expenses (by replacing workers).

When you hear about the dark web, you might picture extremely shadowy figures and illicit dealings going down. While that's part of it, for businesses, the dark web is a real threat: it's where your stolen data is shared and sold. In cybersecurity, this means understanding the hidden currents of the Internet, not just what's visible on the surface. Today, we will take a look at the dark web and why monitoring it is a good idea.

It sure seems that, very suddenly, artificial intelligence is everywhere you look… including many of the tools that are available for your business to use and—most likely—the ones you are already using. It can certainly be intimidating, to say the least. Have these kinds of feelings prevented you from incorporating these tools and capabilities into your workflows?

That would be a very fair reaction to the influx of promises that AI seems to come with, which is why we wanted to hit the reset button, so to speak. Let’s get back to basics and talk about some simple benefits that AI-empowered tools can bring to your small or medium-sized business right now.

How often do you think about the amount of downtime your business suffers and how much it’s costing you in lost profits and productivity? Estimates show that SMBs lose somewhere between $427 and $8,000 PER HOUR of downtime. Instead of dealing with downtime, we recommend an approach called proactive maintenance.

We’re continuing our series for Mac users who are new to the world of Windows, whatever the reason you’ve decided to branch out. This time, let's talk about a scenario every computer user faces: a frozen application. On your Mac, you’d hit Command+Option+Escape to force quit. On Windows, your new best friend for this job is the Task Manager.

We've all been there. One minute your business is cruising along, spreadsheets humming, emails flying, and the next, your screen freezes, things start buffering, or your entire network decides to take a nap. Since technology is the backbone of business, when it stumbles, it can feel like your whole operation is grinding to a halt.

Social media is a potent tool for use in business, but it also offers cybercriminals countless opportunities to steal data and exploit your organization. Today, we want to highlight some of the ways your business can practice safe social media. These practices also transfer well to other types of security, so you’re sure to leave this blog with more than a few takeaways.