Nonprofit organizations face many challenges when it comes to technology including restricted budgets and limited in-house IT resources. This makes it difficult to own, implement, manage and leverage mission-critical technology. Gartner Group reports that businesses spend an average of 2.3% of annual revenues on IT. Regardless of whether your tech budget is higher or lower than 2.3%, it’s important to …
Recently, an area manufacturer came to us because it seemed like there was always something disrupting access to their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software which meant everyone from frontline production and logistics to accounting and administration was unable to get the job done. This manufacturer was repeatedly calling their IT provider to come and fix something. Since they were using …
“Penny wise, pound foolish.” This British saying has endured through time because its wisdom holds true even today – particularly when it comes to technology. Nothing kills the bottom line like downtime. Often, downtime is easily prevented but, someone along the way decided to “save money” instead. Like the business owner who hired his brother-in-law to manage the IT department …
Whether you run a startup or a well-established corporation, there are always ways to improve how the business is managed. For some, introducing new corporate policies can streamline business processes, but if you want to see significant improvement, consider enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. What is ERP? Simply put, ERP software integrates various aspects of your business — from accounting …
In late August 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused widespread power outages and floods across Texas and certain parts of Louisiana. Weeks later, Hurricane Irma hit the coast, affecting Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina businesses. Disasters can be unexpected and cause a great deal of damage, regardless of where in the world you are. Which is why you need a good disaster …
As machine learning, digital storage, and analytics software get more advanced, data is becoming more valuable than ever. Even businesses that don’t rely on data to operate are starting to find ways to get more value out of their information. Microsoft’s newest platform is an excellent example of that — and it’s free! What is Power BI? Released in the …
Power outages caused by utility failure, accidents, and natural disasters such as storms, flooding, or earthquakes are inevitable. There’s very little you can do to prevent any of these from happening, but you can avoid the consequences to your business by using an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). What is an uninterruptible power supply? An uninterruptible power supply is an essential …
When your employees seek your IT security staff’s help to fix their personal computer (PC) problems, it’s often perceived as a productive use of everyone’s time. After all, employees must have working computers and IT professionals are expected to resolve any technology issues. What doesn’t get acknowledged, however, is that instead of troubleshooting technical problems, your technology support staff could …
For businesses, the security of sensitive data is critical. If this information is lost or stolen, it could lead to crippling financial losses, legal disputes, and more importantly, loss of customer trust. And while those of you with Microsoft Office 365 installed have some security and compliance tools, there are still some data protection best practices you need to consider. …
Both businesses and individuals across dozens of countries were scrambling to fix their computer systems after a ransomware, named WannaCry, caused major disruptions last year. Like most ransomware, WannaCry encrypts files and demands a Bitcoin payment for their release. What’s worse, more WannaCry variants will likely be developed in the near future, according to security researchers. Fortunately, there are some …
With so much technology moving to the cloud, onsite servers aren’t getting as much attention as they used to. Optimising this critical piece of business technology is no small task, but there are a few simple server management things you can do to ensure the success of your in-house servers. Mount your servers properly Small businesses are usually forced to …
Does your business have a social media policy? If so, when was the last time you updated it? If you’re taking too long to answer these questions, that isn’t a good sign. Because you should be conducting regular reviews, at least annually. You’d enjoy innumerable benefits, and deter your employees from obsessing over Snapchat filters in the process. Avoid legal …