MSPNetworks Blog

In modern businesses, automation can be implemented in a lot of ways, but for small businesses, it may be more difficult to find ways to incorporate time-saving automation. In this week’s blog we’ve decided to point out a few ways even the smallest business can use automation to their advantage and give their employees the freedom to focus on revenue creating processes. 

Use a CRM

The efficiency of creating and sustaining leads can be troublesome for any business, but by utilizing the automated tools presented by a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system your business can improve your sales and marketing efforts quickly by automating some of the minutiae that comes with those efforts. By using a CRM you can improve customer satisfaction and completely manage your sales process. Most CRMs have the capability to handle the process of getting your business the right customers for the right products/services and then building that relationship without having to spend a lot of time and effort to do so. 

Social Media Management

Social media is likely a big part of your business’ ability to attract new customers and interact with your current clientele. By using automated tools to schedule out your social media efforts, you can not only engage more people over more platforms, you can stay organized. Getting your message out over social media can be a fairly easy and repeatable process, a perfect environment for automation to help your business’ efforts in that arena.

Customer Support

The biggest problem for small businesses is typically that the amount of resources they can spend on support is lacking due to budgetary constraints. If the people that are responsible for the production of a business’ products/services are also given the responsibility of being the support system of those products/services, it can significantly reduce the advancement of those products/services. Today, there are many automated tools outfitted with artificial intelligence that can effectively handle a lion’s share of the customer support. Specifically, chatbots are a tool that can allow you to handle a series of customer problems without the need for workers constantly being available to provide support.

Meeting Scheduling

Having to constantly schedule meetings can be a time-intensive task as people have variable schedules that don’t always line up. This typically means meetings are held without people or serially rescheduled, reducing productivity and grinding workflows to a halt. Automating the scheduling of meetings and appointments normalizes scheduling and avoids conflicts while bringing enhanced efficiency to your business. 

Procurement

With supply chains a mess, it can often be hard to get the components or products you need quickly. Today, businesses can use inventory management applications to automate the ordering of certain goods to ensure that goods are there when your business needs them. This can be something as simple as paper goods, but can also work on mission critical components as well. 

Automation is giving small businesses the ability to compete with larger businesses in their markets through end-to-end advanced efficiency. If you would like to talk to one of our IT specialists about the integration of tools that allow you to save time and money, give us a call at (516) 403-9001 today. 

The holidays are some of the best times for technology lovers. Not only do manufacturers deliver the coolest tech for the busiest retail time of the year, there is a good chance that you may be gifted some of it. This week, we thought we would take a look at three popular gadgets that are flying off the shelves this holiday season. 

Wireless Earphones

Headphones have been a popular gift for decades. Today’s technology allows users to get unparalleled sound quality without the messy cords that have been tethering users to devices for years. The wireless headphone market is now split into two main categories: earphones and earbuds. When looking for the right set of wireless headphones for the person on your shopping list you should consider the following features:

• Bluetooth 5.0 compatibility - Newer versions of Bluetooth—which is how the wireless headphones connect to a device—remove the latency found in earlier versions allowing for optimal sound sync with streaming video.
• aptX or SBC (or AAC) - When shopping for wireless headphones you need to understand bitrates. SBC (and Apple’s proprietary AAC) typically function at around 192 Kbps which offers significantly worse sound quality than aptX (352 Kbps) or aptX HD (576 Kbps). Higher bitrates tend to sound better to people who are picky about their music.
• Noise cancelling -  ANC (active noise cancellation) is exactly what it sounds like, you hear less or none of the noise around you with these devices on.
• Battery life - For wireless headphones, battery life and chargeability are major considerations. Over the ear wireless headphones typically need to be plugged into a wall charger for some length of time while most wireless earbuds offer a charging case that makes these devices much more practical. 

Some of the most popular wireless headphones you can find this holiday season include:

Earbuds

• Apple Airpods Pro
• Bose QuietComfort 
• Sony WF-1000XM4
• Jabra Elite 85t

Over the Ear Headphones

• Apple Airpods Max
• Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
• Sony WH-1000XM4
• Microsoft Surface Headphones 2

Autonomous Vacuum Cleaner

For years, robotic vacuums were a bit too pricey for the average person to give them as a gift, and if you purchase the top tier robot-vacuum now you are still looking at over $1,000. However, prices have fallen enough now for it to be a very popular gadget for people to give to one another. 

There are a few things you need to consider before purchasing a robot vacuum. First, you need to ensure that the situation of the floor that is going to be cleaned is right for the vacuum cleaner. How much floor do you have to clean? Are there changes in flooring (hardwood-to-carpet)? If so, how high is the carpet? Are there pets in the house? Answering these simple questions will help you find the right device. 

Here are some of the features today’s robotic vacuum cleaners have:

• Charging dock - All robot vacuum cleaners will have some sort of charging dock. Some docks are smaller and therefore easier to conceal.
• Mapping technology - More expensive models will use lasers, while cheaper models will routinely bump off things.
• Vacuuming prowess - This is a huge consideration as cheaper models will have a tendency to get caught up or need to be dumped very often. Higher-end machines will have an auto-bin feature that will empty itself in the dock before going back out.
• Smart or not - Some models offer Wi-Fi connectivity and application support. This allows users a lot of features they won’t find in less-expensive versions of the device.

Some of the most popular autonomous vacuums this year are:

• iRobot Roomba s9+
• Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL RV1001AE
• Eufy RoboVac 15c

Video Calling Devices

In what seems to many of us like science fiction, we can all now communicate with video chat on many of our computing devices. As a result, some of the largest tech companies in existence have developed devices used distinctly for this purpose. This is great for the elderly members of your family (or the people who aren’t tech-savvy) that may not have a smartphone or would just like a larger screen to video chat with.

As mentioned earlier, most of the devices that are built for this are made available by the largest and most respected technology companies in the world: Amazon, Google, and Facebook. Some of the features you should consider when shopping for a video chat device include:

• Large screen for clarity
• Integrated camera and speakers
• Smart device control center

The main options available this holiday season are:

• Facebook Portal - The portal devices are gaining ground since they offer Amazon’s Alexa built into the device profile. There are currently two offerings available: the 10” Portal Go and the 14” Portal+. 
• Amazon Echo Show - Obviously, the versions of the Echo Show have Alexa built-in. There are currently three versions of the Echo Show: a five-inch, an eight-inch, and a 10-inch.
• Google Nest Hub Max - Google’s largest version is a 10-inch screen with an integrated camera and speakers. It is fueled by Google Home, Google’s smart hub platform. 

What do you think? Are there any other technologies you think should be on this list? What tech are you asking Santa for this Christmas? Leave your comments below and enjoy your holiday shopping!

There is so much technology to choose from for your business that it can be overwhelming to pick the right tools for your specific circumstances. There are communication tools, productivity solutions, and even mobile options that can enhance and enrich your clients’ and employees’ experiences with your company. As a business owner, you must do all that you can to keep the future in mind when implementing innovative new technology solutions to fit the needs of your organization.

Today’s blog is all about how these neat technologies can be utilized to build a better future for your business.

Hushme

Hushme looks like it might be a little intimidating, but it’s actually a very useful tool for businesses that depend on phone calls, yet don’t have much space. The device wraps around the user’s head and covers their mouth, kind of like a muzzle, and it has noise-canceling headphones attached to it. The user can talk into it and no one can hear a sound—very useful for preserving privacy in a busy environment.

Epson Paperlab

If your company uses a lot of paper or handles sensitive information, you might find that your shredder is a common destination for destroying documents. Epson has put together a machine that is an all-in-one paper recycler. A business can both destroy sensitive information and recycle it in-house, making for a convenient way to dispose of documents. It works by defiberizing the paper, removing all information and color, then reforms the fibers under pressure back into sheets of paper. The machine then cuts the paper to specification, and voila, you have recycled paper!

XGIMI Projectors

Some offices have a projector that they use to broadcast information, but thanks to a company called XGIMI, these projectors are more innovative and incredible than ever before. These devices can broadcast 4K video, all while fitting in the palm of your hand, and some even have theater-grade sound built into them.

XEBEC Tri-Screen 2

Many people prefer their laptop over the heavy-duty desktop, but there isn’t always room on the screen to get all of your work done. With XEBEC’s Tri-Screen 2, you can add a couple of additional screens to your laptop, which is super helpful for increasing the amount of work you can do. It’s a great way to make your laptop workspace just as productive as your desktop.

These technologies might vary in cost, but they may be worth the investment. What do you think? Would you use any of these solutions? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to our blog.

When it comes to procuring technology and working on technology projects, budgeting is a key issue that must be ironed out long before project implementation begins. This process can be troublesome and fraught with all sorts of challenges, but you don’t have to do it alone! We’ve got your back. Here’s a crash course on how you can manage your IT budget for maximum value.

First, we must identify what IT budgeting really is. It’s the process of allocating funds and resources towards your business’ technology, including a roadmap for how to approach the procurement and implementation of new solutions. Depending on the way your current infrastructure is set up, you may have funds allocated toward recurring services, staffing, and other expenses. Businesses tend to work out their IT budgets annually, but some may choose to budget for individual projects as necessary.

You can essentially split your organization’s expenses into two distinct categories: ongoing expenses and project expenses.

Ongoing Expenses

Your ongoing expenses may include those that recur every month or so, such as your staffing and payroll, the operational expenses for any hardware or software your organization uses, and support contracts you have with these companies or service providers. We recommend that you take a comprehensive audit of all your ongoing expenses on a routine basis so that you are not shocked by how much you spend on them, and especially so that you are not throwing away capital on goods or services that are no longer used.

You can think of your ongoing expenses as operational costs.

Project Expenses

Project expenses are the up-front costs you utilize when you are trying to implement a new solution, be it hardware or software. In some cases, you might pay for consulting services as well, especially if technology deployment is not your strongest suit.

It is not a perfect comparison, but you can think of project expenses as capital expenditures.

In general, the more operating expenses you have for your business’ IT resources, the more predictable and manageable your technology expenses will be in the long haul. Remember, capital expenses are those that are large, up-front expenses that are often unexpected. Operational expenses, on the other hand, fit easily into any budget as recurring, monthly expenses. A perfect example of this is working with a managed service provider like MSPNetworks for any and all of your business’ technology needs.

Don’t wait to get started! MSPNetworks can help your business implement an IT budget that allows it to flourish both now and in the future. To learn more, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.

Most everyone uses the cloud in some capacity, even if it’s not a professional one. Simply put, the value it provides even on a consumer level is astounding, and this is even more so with business applications. The cloud makes it much easier for organizations to manage their resources compared to hosting them in-house, but a problem has surfaced with some companies suffering due to what’s called “cloud sprawl.”

What is Cloud Sprawl?

Cloud sprawl happens when businesses lose awareness of how much they are truly spending on cloud computing costs, leading them to add up and spiral out of control. Maybe you have a project that requires a specific software application, so you sign up for a cloud solution to make it happen. As the project expands and more people are added to the project, more accounts are created. When the project has been completed, these accounts are not canceled immediately, and you don’t find out until a couple months down the road and you’ve paid for multiple accounts for an extended period of time.

It might seem of little consequence, but these kinds of issues can quickly add up and become major problems, especially as the size and scope of projects grow. It’s simply unnecessary and wasteful; all it takes to avoid these kinds of problems is a little foresight and documentation.

To control your business’ cloud expenses, we recommend that you design and map your computing infrastructure, taking into account all of your current and future infrastructure plans, projects, and investments. Once your infrastructure is mapped, you’ll have an easier time adjusting cloud resources according to need.

What is Cloud Complexity?

While the cloud can be cost-effective, the solutions implemented through the cloud are not always Software-as-a-Service friendly. Some applications that are used to store and process sensitive information must be secured in specific ways according to regulations, something which can quickly complicate your efforts to utilize the cloud in this way. It also isn’t helping your cost-cutting goals.

Other times organizations might migrate away from an on-site infrastructure without first taking into account what types of configurations might be required to make the cloud work in the same way. Some companies find that when they migrate data to a cloud-hosted environment, their legacy infrastructures still exist well beyond what they should, something which complicates security, too.

Cloud options are generally unhindered by compatibility and compliance, however. With enough investment, you can select whichever brands and functionalities you would like based on your organization’s needs. That said, these many moving parts must be monitored and observed for the cloud to become a cost-saving machine rather than a greater investment.

What is Cloud Security?

The biggest problem with cloud implementation has always been the limited control that organizations have over the setup and management of the underlying computing infrastructure. While convenient, the single sign-on used by most cloud platforms is cause for concern for many IT professionals who are responsible for securing their organization’s infrastructures.

The fact of the matter is that cloud security is relatively strong and shouldn’t be a bother for businesses using cloud computing. There are certain things you can do to improve the security of these solutions, however. Try the following:

• Backup and recovery - Hackers do attack cloud systems, this much is true, and if something were to happen in your cloud platforms, having a reliable backup and strong data recovery plan in place would take a lot of the heat off.
• Multi-factor authentication - One of the biggest problems with cloud platforms from a security perspective is the single sign-on. Today, all cloud platforms support multi-factor authentication procedures that work to enhance an organization's ability to keep unwanted entities out of cloud platforms. 
• Use encryption - Data is data regardless of where you store it. To protect any data, you will want to use encryption. Encryption restricts access to data and when looking to build secure practices around data, it is one of the best solutions out there.

It’s not an understatement to say that the cloud is a game-changer for businesses. To find out how you can implement the cloud in the most effective way possible, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still in full swing, and while many companies buckled under the pressure put on them to maintain operations, others have managed to adapt through the use of remote technology solutions. Businesses have put into place policies surrounding this remote technology, many of which are both helpful and harmful.

Let’s take a look at some of these policies, as well as what you can do to make the most out of your remote technology.

Team Management Tools > Heavy Management Practices

Look, we understand that you want to make sure that your staff is as productive as possible throughout the workday, and there is something to be said for operational efficiency, but nobody likes working with someone else breathing down their neck. If your employees feel like they are constantly being monitored, they may start to feel stressed or, even worse, violated. If employees are not happy with the way that your organization utilizes remote monitoring tools, they might decide to try their luck elsewhere—and when there are more remote jobs now than ever before, trust us when we say that they won’t have a problem finding work that is more accommodating to their preferred management style.

Instead of monitoring everything that your employees are doing, you can use a project management platform to help keep each other accountable for the tasks that must be completed. You can see at a glance who is doing what, and when they are not meeting expectations, you can have a conversation about what the problem is and what can be done to resolve it.

Remote Work Communication Tools Are Still Great for In-House Work

Those remote communication tools you implemented for when your employees are out of the office, like your unified communications platform, are still incredible for when your employees return to the office. Just because it is designed for teams to collaborate in real time without being physically present does not mean that they are not just as effective, or even perfectly fine alternatives, for when they are.

Imagine being able to hold a meeting without the need to corral your entire workforce into the conference room, or the ability to swiftly get in touch with someone through the use of an instant message. There is considerable value in a communications platform like Slack, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams, even for in-house workforces. These are particularly valuable if you plan to continue remote operations post-pandemic in at least some capacity, a la a hybrid model.

Zero-Trust Policies Create More Comprehensive Security

The remote office made it abundantly clear that security should become an absolute priority, and with so many devices accessing company data at any given time, it becomes critical that employers know who is accessing data and why. This is where the zero-trust policy comes into play.

A zero-trust security policy means that each individual device accessing data must be verified and confirmed with the organization before being allowed to access that data. You can see how this is helpful not just for remote operations, but for in-house as well. It never hurts to have an abundance of caution, especially in today’s age of ransomware and other dangerous threats.

MSPNetworks can help your business with any aspect of its remote or hybrid workplace setup, from technology procurement to monitoring and maintenance of that technology. To learn more about how we can help your organization not just survive during these difficult times, but thrive, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.

There’s no denying that the smartphone has completely changed the way in which we live. Today’s world is much more connected—for better or worse—and the majority of content is viewed using a smartphone. Let’s take a look at three of the very best smartphones available in the early stages of 2022.

Google Pixel 6 Pro

Google re-enters the conversation in 2021 with the Pixel 6 Pro. Google has always produced solid phones, but the Pixel 6 Pro is it’s first real “flagship” phone for a couple of years. This time around the latest Pixel flagship features a 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED display situated on a polished aluminum body, and these features are just the beginning for the Pixel 6 Pro. 

This iteration of Google’s flagship also runs on an all-new processor. The Tensor chip, a collaboration between Google and Samsung made specifically for the Pixel series phones represents a shift; trying to build a device-specific melding of software and hardware much in the way that Apple operates. With this Tensor chip, software and hardware optimization makes the stock Android 12 experience a marvel. 

Pixel phones have been known for being some of the best for content creators, with great cameras and software optimization that can take your pictures and videos to the next level. The Pixel 6 pro doesn’t disappoint here. It features three main cameras on an innovative shelf: a 50 MP wide angle lens with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 48 MP telephoto lens with OIS, and a fixed 12 MP ultrawide angle lens. 

The 5,003 mAh battery is rated at 84 hours and comes with an under-display fingerprint sensor, and features 23W fast-charging. Available in Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, and Stormy Black, the Google Pixel 6 Pro is available for $899 at the Google store and most wireless carriers.

Google Pixel 6 Pro
Body: Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus front and back
Display: 6.71-inch LTPO AMOLED; 1440 x 3120 (~512 ppi); 120 Hz
OS: Android 12
Chipset: Google Tensor
Memory: 12 GB RAM; 128, 256, 512 GB of onboard storage
Expandable Memory: None
Cameras: Rear - 50 MP 25mm; 48MP 104mm telephoto with 4x optical zoom; 12 MP 17mm. Front - 11.1 MP 20mm 
Sounds: Stereo speakers, no headphone jack
Battery (battery endurance rating): 5,003 mAh (84 hours)
Security: In-display fingerprint sensor
Miscellaneous: IP68 water and dust resistant
Other versions: Google Pixel 6

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

Apple is back with another version of their popular iPhone, and to many users, it is the best one yet. Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max is the tippy top of the line Apple phone. Built on a stainless steel frame with Gorilla Glass front and back, the build quality of the newest flagship iPhone doesn’t disappoint. The 1284 x 2778 resolution, 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display is the best found on any Apple product.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max runs iOS 15.2 on Apple's proprietary a15 Bionic chipset. With only six gigs of RAM, it has much less than many of the other top-rated phones, but Apple is always known for accelerated software optimization to get more out of less. 

The 13 Pro Max features three rear-facing cameras, including a 12MP wide angle lens with sensor-shift (a technology used in many high-end cameras that stabilizes the sensor rather than the lens), a 12 MP 77 telephoto lens with traditional OIS, and a 12 MP ultra wide angle lens. With the addition of sensor-shift technology and the software optimization through iOS 15.2, the 13 Pro Max is probably the best commercial phone for content creation available today.

Another place you see optimization is with the battery. Despite the 13 Pro Max having an average 4,352 mAh battery, it excels in keeping the device running for a long time. The 121 hour endurance rating of the device testifies to that. The 13 Pro Max also amps up their charging capabilities now supporting 27W fast-charging. The device eschews a fingerprint reader for Apple’s Face ID software for security, but does feature IP68 protection against dust and water. 

Available in Graphite, Gold, SIlver, and Sierra Blue, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is available for $1,099 from the Apple store and most wireless carriers.

iPhone 13 Pro Max
Body: Stainless Steel frame, Gorilla Glass front and back
Display: 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 1284 x 2778 (~458 ppi); 120 Hz
OS: iOS 15.2
Chipset: A15 Bionic
Memory: 6 GB RAM; 128, 256, 512 GB, 1 TB of onboard storage
Expandable Memory: None
Cameras: Rear - 12 MP 26 mm; 12 MP 77mm telephoto with 3x optical zoom; 12 MP 13mm; Front - 12 MP 23 mm
Sounds: Stereo speakers, no headphone jack
Battery (battery endurance rating): 4,352 mAh (121 hours)
Security: Face ID
Miscellaneous: IP68 water dust resistant
Other versions: iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 mini

Samsung Galaxy s21 Ultra

If you were to look back over the past decade in smartphones, you’d have to admit that Samsung has produced some of the very best devices available during that time (if you look past the exploding Galaxy Note 7 from a few years ago). Samsung has always been known for having industry-best specs and the Galaxy s21 Ultra is no different. Let’s start with the display:

The Galaxy s21 Ultra has a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 1,440 x 3,200 resolution. Built on an aluminum frame, the s21 Ultra features Gorilla Glass Victus front and back. As if these weren’t impressive enough, the device runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip and comes with 12 GB or 16 GB of RAM depending on the model. The device is fueled by Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI 3.1. Rumor has it that Samsung’s newest UI, One UI 4.0, that will run on Android 12 will be available soon.

The camera setup on the Galaxy s21 Ultra is as impressive as the rest of its hardware. It features four different camera experiences: a 108 MP wide angle lens with OIS, a 10 MP telephoto lens with 10x optical zoom with OIS, another 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and OIS, and a 12 MP ultrawide lens. The front-facing camera is a whopping 40 MP. 

For security it comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor. A large 5,000 mAH battery clocks an endurance rating of 114 hours and features 25W fast-charging to boot. The s21 Ultra is IP68 water and dust resistant and comes with s-pen capabilities for the first time. Available in a number of matte finishes: Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, and Phantom Brown, the Galaxy s21 Ultra starts at $1199.99 and can be purchased from Samsung or at one of the major carriers. 

Samsung Galaxy s21 Ultra 5G
Body:  Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus front and back
Display: 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 1440 x 3200 (~515 ppi); 120 Hz
OS: Android 11; One UI 3.1
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Memory: 12 or 16 GB of RAM; 256 or 512 GB of storage
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 108 MP 24mm; 10 MP 240mm periscope telephoto; 10 MP 72mm telephoto; 12 MP 13mm; Front - 40 MP 26mm
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery endurance rating): 5,000 mAh (114 hours)
Security: In-display fingerprint sensor
Miscellaneous: IP68 water and dust resistant; s-pen compatible
Other versions: Samsung Galaxy s21, Samsung Galaxy s21+, Samsung Galaxy FE

These three smartphones will be dominating the U.S. smartphone market until 2022’s devices are launched later this year. There are some other options that are on the market today that compare to these three devices. The OnePlus 9 Pro, Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, and Sony’s Xperia PRO-I are all strong contenders for best phone of the year. 

 Check back next week when we look at some of the best value smartphones on the market right now.  

Business has changed, so the tools your organization uses must evolve as well. One element of your business that has not only got more affordable, but also offers robust integrated features is your telephone system. Today, you can get some pretty impressive features as a part of a hosted VoIP implementation. With collaboration being more important than ever to keep costs down, having the tools you need at the ready is more crucial than ever.

What Exactly is Hosted VoIP?

Voice over Internet Protocol is a powerful business telephone system that uses the Internet to do everything (and more) that a traditional telephone system can do. Not only do you get the crystal clear calling that you demand, you can also gain a load of features designed to provide value and help spur collaboration. Additionally, since a hosted VoIP system is hosted in the cloud, you basically eliminate the need to purchase expensive hardware and time-consuming setup. Let’s take a look at some of the most useful features you can get with the modern cloud-hosted VoIP system.

Automated Attendant

One of the most useful features for any business is to have an automated answering system attached to your phone system. This not only eliminates the cost of having a live receptionist (or worse yet, interrupting your production team with phone calls), it also provides reliable call routing so that people get connected to the department or individual. Some VoIP providers feature interactive voice response which provides a certain customization to the auto attendant feature that can come in handy if your business has high call volumes. 

Call Recording

With so much of today’s business being done remotely, collaboration can be a little bit harder. With call recording accessibility, individuals can choose to record calls for use in project management, team collaboration, and quality assurance. The system works great as a tool to enrich the employee review process as well. Many hosted VoIP platforms will provide cloud storage space (often for an additional cost) so no additional setup will be required.

Caller ID and Screening

One of the best attributes of a hosted VoIP system is the ability to see who is calling and have options on what to do with incoming calls. Not only can you see the number (and if the number is saved in the account’s contacts, the name), you also have control over what to do with the call. You can choose to answer it, send it to voicemail, or decline it altogether. These features really cut down the time spent in unwanted or unnecessary calls. 

Call Forwarding and Flipping

Another set of great tools that you get with most VoIP platforms is the ability to simply forward a call to another user or transfer calls to a separate device on the same number. The former can help immensely as often calls are made that need to touch multiple points of your business. With call forwarding, this is as simple as transferring to a defined employee line. Call flipping is a feature that enhances your employees’ ability to take important calls on the go when they need to. In this process, the user will just flip from their workstation-based VoIP phone to their mobile device without dropping the call. 

SMS Text Messaging

Hosted VoIP provides the means to communicate through SMS. It’s proven that for small issues that text messaging is an important part of the business communications process and with hosted VoIP, your team will gain the ability to send text messages from their work accounts.

Video Conferencing and Bridging

Since your hosted VoIP platform is hosted in the cloud, you can get some seriously dynamic features. One of the most important is the addition of conferencing. Today, more people use Internet-capable solutions to meet than ever before, and the hosted VoIP platform can play an integral role. VoIP providers now offer video conferencing systems integrated with conference bridging that can help keep the people that need to meet on the line without having to waste time and effort. 

Analytics

Like most cloud-based platforms, hosted VoIP provides administrators the ability to see all the metrics (and assign their own) to analyze the phone system, user profiles, and more. Being able to have metrics at your disposal can help you modify your VoIP platform to the needs of your business and help you control communications costs. 

Go Mobile 

In what could be the most money-saving feature that a hosted VoIP platform provides, each account can be accessed from a dedicated mobile app. This means the days of paying for service plans for employee devices are over. Since each user can access their work phone from their individual mobile device, less calls will be missed and more can be done than ever before, for a fraction of the cost. 

Hosted VoIP is one of the technologies that we’d label “a no-brainer”. It cuts your organizational communications costs and provides you with loads of features that can help promote better business. If you would like to talk to one of our IT professionals about getting a VoIP system for your business, give us a call at (516) 403-9001. 

Over the past couple of years, more and more people are using smart speakers to help them manage their day-to-day lives. Some people use them as their personal assistants, some just use them to help them remember things they would tend to forget otherwise, others just use them as extremely complex thermometers. Regardless what the use is, one question will always be near the surface about these devices: Are they secure? Let’s take a look at the many issues surrounding smart speaker security.

Are They Listening?

Whatever you use your smart speaker for, you have had to have the notion that at some point they are spying on you. Whether it be the curious placement of ads of things you’ve just been discussing around your smart speaker, or the random answers they will give you to questions you didn’t ask out of the blue, you might be curious whether these devices listen when they aren’t supposed to. Well, the answer is yes, but it isn’t as bad as you may think.

Sure, the smart speaker is always listening, but it isn’t always recording. Humans record information when people talk to them, but the smart speaker is really only listening for the wake words and this is a very important distinction to make. In fact, these devices wouldn’t get very far if they recorded everything that is said when they aren’t supposed to. It has class-action lawsuits all over it. Think of a smart speaker as someone who’s there, but isn’t paying attention to you. You have to get their attention by saying their name, just like the smart speaker. 

Since these devices are always listening, you can accidentally trigger the smart speaker, at which time it will start recording. This is why your smart speaker will seemingly randomly answer a phantom question. You will want to review the privacy settings which can typically be found on the corresponding app you use to control the device. Since many smart speakers don’t have a physical interface to them, many users neglect to change the default settings leaving the manufacturer to decide what information is captured. They will always choose more information, so if you are concerned about what they are getting from you, you’ll want to alter the settings.

How to Limit Your Risks

There are some things you can do to protect your privacy while using IoT devices like smart speakers. Let’s look at a few:

• Watch what you say - The first tip is to just be conscious of what you say in a room with a smart speaker in it. Any similar phrase to their keywords can awaken the device and record your words. Everything that is said to Google is processed locally and sent to the cloud, so if your device is triggered to record, you may end up giving over data if you aren’t cognizant. 
• Regularly delete command history - These devices use past commands to understand your voice more effectively, but it can also be a security risk to just keep all the data in the app. Usually, commands can be deleted individually or in full.
• Opt-out of data sharing - you can opt-out of helping an organization “improve” voice services with very little trade-off. 
• Consider keeping all IoT devices on their own partitioned network - Most routers can be set up to create multiple networks. By keeping IoT devices away from other technology, you mitigate the risk presented by devices that, by and large, don’t have strong security in place. 
• Update software - The best way to keep any piece of technology secure is by keeping the device updated with the latest patches and updates.

Smart speakers can be really useful, but they can also be the weak link in the network security chain. If your business needs help securing its network from IoT devices, give us a call today at (516) 403-9001.

Network security can be tough; there’s a lot to know, and you often need to have trained professionals on your side to ensure your systems are as secure as possible. With the right solutions on your side, however, it can be made much more manageable. Let’s discuss some of the most important security features your organization should implement and why.

Unified Threat Management

A UTM is an umbrella term that describes a comprehensive security appliance. A UTM typically includes a content filter, spam blocker, and antivirus software, among other solutions. It’s designed to protect you from the plethora of threats out there through the implementation of a singular hardware-based tool. It’s one security measure that your organization definitely does not want to be without.

Mobile Device Management

With so many people still working remotely or from a hybrid setting, managing your team’s mobile devices and their access to important data is an incredibly important thing to work toward. Mobile device management tools can be used to control user permissions and access to data, as well as whitelisting and blacklisting applications.

Permissions, Access Control, and Monitoring

It’s important that your company understand how permissions, access control, and monitoring work in tandem to protect your company’s assets. In essence, your team should have permissions for only the data they need to fulfill their day-to-day duties, and you should actively monitor who is accessing which parts of your infrastructure.

Virtual Private Networks

VPNs create encrypted tunnels between your network and devices that want to access its data. This protects data from being intercepted or observed while it’s traveling to and from your device. They are particularly valuable for any worker who spends time working outside the protections of your in-house network, and in today’s world of remote and hybrid workflows, they are extremely important.

MSPNetworks wants to be your business’ go-to security resource. We can help you implement any of the above solutions and monitor your systems for any security threats you can imagine. To learn more about what we can do to keep your business safe, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.

Regular computer maintenance is part of maintaining healthy IT infrastructure, but one aspect that can often go by the wayside is keeping your computer physically clean. By this, we mean keeping it dust-free, clean and tidy. We’ve put together a shortlist of everyday actions that employees of any caliber can use to keep their workstations clean. This will help your organization take preventative measures over time and (hopefully) prolong the lifespan of your business’ technology.

Before you begin cleaning up your device, we recommend that you power it down and unplug it from its power source. The last thing you want to do is give yourself a jolt on accident!

Keep the Fans Free of Dust

You may have noticed that dust tends to gather around vents and fans on your computer’s casing. If left unchecked, this dust could affect airflow and become a major problem in the long term. This is why it’s so beneficial to keep things clear; the last thing you want is your computer to overheat due to an easily preventable thing like the accumulation of dust. Use a can of compressed air to blow the dust away from the vent (Note: NOT into the computer--this does the exact opposite of what you want).

Wipe Down Screens and Surfaces

No matter how frequently a device is used, chances are it will accumulate some sort of dust on its surface. This is especially the case with your monitors. If you plan to wipe the dust off of them, we recommend that you use a microfiber cloth specifically for this purpose, and whatever you do, don’t spray anything directly onto your monitor’s screen. The same can be said for your keyboard. If you use a can of compressed air to blow away dust, combined with a microfiber cloth, you should be able to get your device reasonably clean.

That doesn’t mean you can’t use a cleaning agent to clean your screens, we find that good eyeglass cleaner works great, but harsh chemicals could cause damage. This works great for smartphones and tablets as well, but spray a clean microfiber cloth, don’t spray the device.

Keep Food and Drink Away

This is more of a preventative measure rather than an actual cleaning tip, but if you can keep your workstation tidy in the first place, the less cleaning you will have to do in the long run. Crumbs and other gunk can easily find their way into your keyboard, especially if you are the type of employee who often finds themselves working through their lunch break. The same can be said for liquids; even water can create problems if it gets under your keys or into your computer’s components, and you better hope that you never spill something sugary on your keyboard. While it isn’t necessarily a death sentence for your keyboard, the effort it takes to clean up after such a spill will make you want to just buy a new one instead. Better to just eliminate the possibility and keep your workplace clear of anything of the sort.

Perform More Thorough Cleaning

Every so often it helps to perform a cleaning that is more than just at the surface level. By this, we mean going into your case and making sure that there is minimal dust clogging up your PC’s components. Obviously this is something that you should only attempt if you are familiar with the innards of a computer, so if you are not adequately trained or experienced in this prospect, we recommend working with MSPNetworks to make sure your workstation gets the deep cleaning it needs to promote longevity. To learn more, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.

In today’s competitive business environment, you need every edge you can get to one-up your competition and make waves in your chosen industry. One of the best ways you can do so is by strategically implementing technology solutions that can enhance or transform the way your business operates both internally and externally.

Let’s take a look at how technology can enhance your business’ operations and inform your business model. With the right approach, you might be surprised to see such significant changes!

Enhanced Business Productivity

It stands to reason that any technology you implement for your business should have an impact on your productivity, and if it doesn’t, then perhaps there is no need to implement that particular solution. Technology solutions to implement will vary by industry, but the right ones can dramatically increase productivity. Start by considering where your company falls short and then look into services or products that might help.

Greater Customer Satisfaction

Technology can help on the customer satisfaction side of things, too, ranging from the customer services experience all the way to providing adequate methods for them to receive continued support. Sometimes businesses will implement chatbots on their service portals to help direct customers where they need to go, or they may implement automated phone systems that can connect customers to their desired department with ease.

Better Communication

Better communication tools for your business can have profound impacts on the way that you go about your day-to-day operations. Whether technology is changing the way that your teams communicate with each other or the way that they communicate with customers, vendors, or other external parties, you can bet that technology can help provide more ways for people to get ahold of your employees and company as a whole—all of which translates to a better experience for everyone.

Lower Operational and Capital Costs

All in all, technology can eventually get your business to a point where it is spending less on capital costs and instead investing in operational costs. Essentially, what this means is that you are not dropping massive amounts of cash on solutions all at the same time; instead, you are paying smaller monthly fees for services that allow you to be more flexible and efficient with your budget, effectively transforming these traditionally expensive capital investments into lower operational costs.

Don’t let something as simple as falling behind the times in technology hold your business back from achieving its full potential. With the right support and implementation, you too can leverage the latest and greatest technology solutions to your organization’s benefit. That’s where we come in.

MSPNetworks can help your organization implement and maintain any technology. As managed service providers, it is our goal to make technology management as accessible as possible. Our services are a great alternative to hiring a full-blown IT department for your business, so why not give us a call and find out more? All you have to do is call (516) 403-9001.

Historically there have been several methods to transfer data from one system to the next, and while the cloud has rendered many of them irrelevant and unnecessary, that doesn’t mean they aren’t used by people looking to move data quickly. Many professionals still opt to use USB flash drives to keep certain data close at hand, but how at risk does this put the data on these drives?

Quite a bit, actually. Let’s discuss some of the many challenges that businesses face when dealing with USB flash storage and how it pertains to network and information security.

Device Size

Consider how small many of these flash drives are. This makes them compact and easy to carry around, and they can store a surprisingly large amount of data for their size. Unfortunately, when a business owner heavily uses a USB flash drive for any reason, they are constantly putting that data at risk of being lost or stolen. What would happen if the user accidentally dropped it while out and about? While some USB flash drives allow for encryption and passcodes to lock access as needed, this is not always the case. For this reason, many users prefer alternative methods of data transfer.

Information Security

When USB devices are used to transfer data and take it away from the workplace or off of the company network, tracking where, why, and how it is used can become quite problematic, especially when it comes to sensitive data that is governed by the various data privacy guidelines in specific industries. In particular, you should be wary of employees taking information such as customer data, financial information, intellectual property, source code, and other important assets out of the office; just imagine the fallout that could happen if employees were to lose their drive, or worse, sell the information themselves to make a quick buck. It’s just one other reason to not use USB flash drives, or at least partitioning off data based on user roles within your organization.

Threat Vulnerability

Just because USB drives are pretty low-tech compared to more modern solutions does not mean that they are any less immune to security threats. In fact, infected USB flash drives can become vehicles for security threats to access networks. Consider the fact that these devices are used to transfer or copy files from one location to another. The more endpoints a flash drive connects to, the more likely it is to become infected. The possibility of these types of threats becoming problematic has been detailed in the past through tactics such as the BadUSB firmware hack, so they must be taken seriously.

 Ultimately, it is much easier to secure a cloud-based data storage system and the devices used to access it, but you know what they say: old habits die hard. Do you still use a USB storage device, and if so, did you learn a thing or two about how to keep them secure? If you don’t want to worry about USB technology being used in such a controversial way, we recommend that you implement a cloud-based data storage system that eliminates the need to use physical hardware that could be corrupted or damaged in transit.

Do you routinely use USBs to transfer data from one place to another? If so, the knowledgeable professionals at MSPNetworks can help you move past antiquated hardware and provide the means to keep your data safe. Give our consultants a call today at (516) 403-9001. 

For the average business, upgrading technology comes with some risks. Will you get the return on your investment back fast enough to make your investment worthwhile? Will the technology solve the operational problems you are trying to confront? Do you have the available capital to make significant upgrades? These questions and more can keep a business from taking advantage of the amazing benefits many new technologies can bring. Today, we thought we’d outline four signs that will tell you when it’s time to upgrade your business’ technology.

Falling Productivity

The first sign that you need to do something about your technology is when you have the human resources in place to efficiently do the work, but the technology you have them working on hinders their ability to do it effectively. This has a negative effect on operations, sure, but it also has a negative effect on your team’s morale, which any business owner worth his/her salt knows is an important, albeit unquantifiable metric to running a profitable business.

Newer technology can bring a lot of productivity benefits. It can enhance workers’ productivity individually. It can provide the base for better collaboration. It can even take pressure off of your entire staff by working to automate tasks that are chewing up your business’ profitability. The fact is that if your business is constantly dealing with failing and antiquated technology, it’s probably going to be felt by your workers first, before it even shows up on the bottom line. 

Security Issues

Today’s threat landscape is arduous to say the least. Even the smallest business is now directly in the crosshairs of scammers and hackers looking to systematically scrape data and inject themselves into their process. This isn’t going to get better anytime soon. With a large chunk of the information services still being handled remotely, there are more opportunities than ever for hackers to get their greedy hands on your business’ information, or worse yet, saddle your business with malware that is sure to cause expensive downtime. 

If your business isn’t doing everything it can to keep these thieves off of your network, you will eventually have one come-a-knockin’. That’s just the reality of being a business in the 21st century. New technology typically comes with better security platforms, and ones that are constantly being updated and improved upon. Today, you can’t just ignore the security aspect of your business’ technology deployment. You need to upgrade your systems and keep everything monitored around the clock to give your business the best chance to succeed. 

Business Growth

The first two line items of this article are all doom and gloom, that’s true, and we do it because there are a lot of threats out there and if your tech isn’t good enough to keep your people productive, then you will fall behind. The last item, however, is sunshine and roses: You’ve found success. If your business is doing well and you are starting to consider new ideas to enhance your business’ profitability, one of the first places you should look is to technology.

It’s true that a successful business may not want to change what works, but today there are technologies that can take a thriving business to a whole new level. From building efficiency, to managing multiple revenue streams, to simply ensuring that the technology you have in place has the support it needs so you can continue to grow, making an investment in your business’ future through the integration of new technology is a responsible decision that, more often than not, will pay dividends. 

There are a lot of reasons why you may want to hold off on your new technology plans, but the more that you commit to your company’s future and its ability to support collaboration, efficiency, and dynamic productivity, the better off your business will be. If you would like to learn more about getting the custom technology solutions you need to solve your business’ most pressing problems, give the technology experts at MSPNetworks a call today at (516) 403-9001.

Modern businesses rely on a lot of technology to stay operational, much of which can be considered hardware, or the physical computing systems that contribute to your infrastructure, like workstations, routers, switches, and servers. Unfortunately, no technology lasts forever, and this is true for hardware as well. One of the most devastating problems that a business can face is hardware failure, and no matter how well you maintain your technology, you must be ready to face down this threat at any given moment.

Imagine going about your day-to-day business when your computer starts making some new noises. You think nothing of it, and it eventually goes away or fades into the background. It becomes the new normal for you to work with a fan buzzing incessantly in your ear. Several months go by and your computer is still working just fine… until one day, it isn’t.

PCMag defines hardware failure as the following: “A malfunction within the electronic circuits or electromechanical components (disks, tapes) of a computer system. Recovery from a hardware failure requires repair or replacement of the offending part.” In other words, hardware failure happens when something within your computer is not working the way it is supposed to. Hardware failure is something that occurs naturally over time. Due to the nature of technology, the components might start to erode or degrade with repeated heavy use, like in an office environment. It is an inevitable byproduct of running a business, and one that must be planned for, even under the best circumstances.

Thankfully, there is one thing that you can do about hardware failure that we have not mentioned yet, and that is to use proactive monitoring and maintenance to stave it off for as long as possible. Hardware failure comes with warning signs that should be acted on prior to its eventual failure. Doing so can prolong the life of your technology and give you time to respond before the failure actually occurs.

The biggest benefit to this is that it reduces downtime and costs associated with it, as well as the costs associated with hardware replacement. While you might have to find an alternative to your current hardware eventually, as nothing lasts forever, remotely monitoring your systems for signs of hardware failure and addressing them as they occur will put the power back in your hands, right where it belongs.

All that said, it is critical that you also regularly back up and save any data on your infrastructure. Imagine what could happen if a server were to crash or experience a critical failure. What would you do if that data were lost completely? The thought should make you nervous.

MSPNetworks can help your business remotely monitor and maintain its infrastructure to prevent hardware failure from throwing a wrench in your plans. Furthermore, we can help you implement and deploy a data backup and disaster recovery plan—yes, hardware failures count as disasters—to ensure that even if something does go wrong, your organization will experience minimal downtime. To learn more, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.

When it comes to implementing new technology solutions for your business, there is always a desire to solve some sort of problem. Maybe you are not as productive as you would like to be, or perhaps there is an operational inefficiency that you hope to address or streamline through the use of the technology. Either way, the end result is the same; you are trying to make progress and move forward, not over-complicate your infrastructure.

Believe it or not, businesses of all types have to grapple with issues that implementing new technology comes with, regardless of how much IT support or resources are available. It all boils down to the central question of, “What problem am I aiming to solve with this technology?” If you understand the problem, you can start taking steps toward finding the appropriate solution. Unfortunately for businesses, however, the solution to the problem is not always clear-cut.

For example, let’s say that two companies are looking to increase the accessibility of network resources for remote employees. The obvious solution is to host these resources in the cloud so that they can be accessed from any location, provided the device is familiar and is properly secured. In this case, the problem is the same, but the solution will vary depending on a variety of factors.

For one, in the above scenario, the business’s pre-existing resources will dramatically change the way that this cloud solution is implemented. If the company has the technology infrastructure to host its own cloud server, then that becomes an option, provided that the organization has enough technical know-how to deploy, manage, and maintain said infrastructure. On the other hand, if the company does not have these kinds of resources, then perhaps the best solution for their cloud needs might be to outsource this responsibility to a managed service provider. The provider would then be able to host, manage, and maintain the cloud solution for the company.

Notice how in both scenarios, the companies are examining their problems and potential solutions, as well as the resources that will determine the initiative’s success. This is the key to making progress toward resolving problems with your IT infrastructure; if you can accurately gauge what must be done and what allows you to get it done, you will have a much greater chance of overcoming the issues associated with implementing new technology.

MSPNetworks understands the many pitfalls that organizations can face when implementing new technology solutions, and avoiding these starts with understanding your business’ current needs and the problems that must be solved. We can help you make these difficult decisions through a comprehensive network assessment and infrastructure audit that can identify potential areas of improvement. From here, you can use the information to make informed and educated decisions for your company’s technology needs.

You can count on MSPNetworks to be there for every step of the process, from identifying problems to recommending solutions, as well as implementing said solutions and training your team on how to use them effectively. To get started, give us a call today at (516) 403-9001.

With the ongoing fascination with cryptoassets that started with the cryptocurrency boom, the term “NFT'' has popped up again and again in the headlines. We wanted to help provide some clarity into what an NFT actually is, and why they have been such a big deal as of late.

Let’s begin with a hypothetical situation.

Let’s Say You Attended an Art Auction...

… and, as you were sitting in the bidder’s gallery, the original Nyan Cat GIF was put up for sale. You know, the cat with the toaster pastry body that travels the night sky propelled by a rainbow. You know, the image that can easily be obtained through a simple image search, by anybody, whenever they want.

Now, let’s say that Nyan Cat was ultimately sold for about $561,000 USD… because that’s precisely what happened.

NFTs Have Allowed for the Sale of Digital Assets

This sale, and countless others like it, have been made possible by use of NFTs (short for non-fungible token), which are a cryptoasset much like cryptocurrencies are. The big difference is that, while cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are fungible in that there is effectively no difference between Bitcoins, there are differences between NFTs… as their name would suggest.

Think of it this way: comparing Bitcoins (or other fungible tokens) is an apples-to-apples comparison. Comparing NFTs is more of an apples-to-ocean liners kind of situation.

Like cryptocurrencies, NFTs are powered by the blockchain, which means that each has its own record that effectively can’t be changed once it is created.

But What Is an NFT?

An NFT is effectively a seal of ownership, a token that stakes a claim to any digital asset. These tokens can be linked to anything digital—from images to articles to music to virtual real estate and beyond—to state that an individual owns that digital asset. Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, sold his first tweet “just setting up my twttr" for almost three million dollars. 

NFTs can have different impacts, based on who you are in the transaction. For instance, a digital artist can set up a piece of their artwork with an NFT so they can more effectively sell their work (and potentially get a cut of all future transactions). Casual buyers get the bragging rights of owning an original work and some basic usage rights, while also supporting artists in the financial sense. Collectors can also buy NFTs on speculation, hoping that the value will rise so they can make a profit.

NFTs technically originated when the Ethereum blockchain added support for them, leading to the development of a game/online community called Cryptokitties. Basically, each Cryptokitty is its own NFT, and can be used with another kitty (and a payment to a miner) to breed another unique Cryptokitty. Similarly, another platform rose up that allowed participants to collect virtual rocks.

Are NFTs Going to Be “A Thing?”

Honestly, only time will tell at this point. While the technology is only peeking into the mainstream right now, there has been some support for NFTs exhibited. The band Kings of Leon’s latest (as of this writing) album was sold in the form of an NFT, with different tiers adding different bonuses. Groups of athletes have teamed up to provide fans with digital collections of memorabilia, and numerous brands (including Marvel, DC, and Star Trek) have taken to releasing digital statues of their popular characters.

However, it is also important to mention that NFTs contribute to the environmental stress that other power-hungry blockchain processes do, so this will need to be addressed before many will help to convert the NFT craze into a more sustainable marketplace.

In Short, Technology Can Be Really Confusing…

...and, while your business may not need to worry too much about digital art being sold for $69 million dollars, there’s plenty that you do need to concern yourself with. That’s where we can step in to help. Give us a call today at (516) 403-9001 to find out how we would, and can, help make your business’ technology a better investment than ownership of someone else’s tweet.

Artificial intelligence has always been an intriguing concept, from the works of Isaac Asimov to the initial work at Dartmouth College in the 1950s. Nowadays, many of the technologies that we rely on each day incorporate some version of artificial intelligence… and more progress is made each day. Of course, for all its benefits, artificial intelligence can also create some problems for businesses.

Let’s explore these advantages and disadvantages, shall we?

A Brief Definition of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is more or less what it sounds like. Rather than having a computer system that relies on human input and foresight, artificially intelligent systems are trained to recognize patterns and potential outcomes in data and are given the prerogative to act on the insights it gleans, improving its success record over time as it does so. If you’ve heard of machine learning or witnessed image recognition processes taking place, that’s AI at work. 

As you might imagine, the term “AI” covers a variety of technologies and has an equally wide variety of applications to business processes. This is primarily where AI shows its benefits.

Advantages of Business AI

Let’s review some of the primary advantages that AI can offer a business.

• Business Pattern Optimization - When you consider all the data that your business generates in even a day, the thought of analyzing this data to find patterns, opportunities, or inefficiencies to resolve is understandably daunting. AI can handle this analysis, delivering predictions that can help improve a pretty comprehensive list of business concerns, like maximizing revenue growths, condensing sales cycles, and generating improved returns-on-investment.
• Cost Reduction - Artificial intelligence lends itself to automation, which means that the cost and/or labor-intensive tasks that your team currently performs might be able to be completed automatically. Not only can this help reduce costs, it can help you generate revenues by freeing your team to work on other tasks. Speaking of which...
• Revenue Increases - In addition to allowing you to improve your processes in terms of your human resources, AI can help you identify new opportunities to bring in capital by gleaning additional insights from your collected data. Furthermore, AI can be used to optimize many external processes, helping make your marketing activities that much more effective.

Of course, there are a few drawbacks to AI that need to be addressed and mitigated. 

Disadvantages of Business AI

Let’s break down some of these drawbacks:

• Fear and Misunderstanding - We’re all too familiar with the reputation that AI has been given by pop culture. Heck, even Asimov wrote about the potential dangers that AI could present. It is either something to be feared or the deus ex machina that can solve any and all problems. Neither is the case. In reality, AI has definitive limits that prevent it from solving all of our problems or accomplishing world subjugation.
• The Data Required - Any automated system is only going to perform as well as the data it is referencing allows it to… and AI needs a lot of data before it can accomplish anything. On top of that, it needs to be the right data, organized properly. This alone can be a big hurdle for a business.
• How to Explain It - Some artificially intelligent systems don’t exactly give the user a full picture of how it came to its conclusions. While this might be fine if all goes as planned, it can create a real calamity when the system makes a mistake and there’s no way to figure out why.

So, Is AI a Good Tool for Businesses?

In a lot of ways, yes… so long as you understand its limits and put forth the effort needed to set it (and by extension, yourself) up for success.

MSPNetworks can help you manage the technology your business’ processes rely on, automating what we can (and properly) so that your team can accomplish as much as they can. Find out more by calling (516) 403-9001 today.

A lot has been made about 5G and the way that it is going to significantly alter what is possible, without much mention about the other technology that will fuel this complete digital transformation. We thought that we would talk a little bit about smart technology, how your business can use it to your advantage, and what this technology needs to do to be ready for the world to come. 

What Technologies Are We Talking About?

There are literally millions of different technologies that claim to be “smart”, but the smart technologies that can help the small business be more efficient and build revenue aren’t usually the things that you would go out and buy from the shelves of a big box store. Like any other technology, getting the most out of it requires a strategic approach. Some of the key smart technologies that are being used to improve efficiency, boost the speed of business, and control costs include:

• Artificial Intelligence - AI is having a profound impact on the way that technologically-savvy businesses operate. There are many applications AI is used for, but many small businesses have incorporated it into their supply chain and support strategies.
• Internet of Things - IoT devices have been around for a while now and as wireless capabilities continue to improve, you will see more small businesses looking to smart IoT devices like RFID chips to improve inventory control and make supply chains more efficient.
• Big Data - Larger enterprises are already using big data initiatives and other data technologies to get insights into their business. Smaller companies are just now scratching the surface of what is possible in this arena.
• Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality - AR and VR applications are just now being developed targeting costly employee training as well as for use in the retail industry to provide online shoppers a more interactive experience. 

How Your Business Can Use These Technologies

These four smart technologies are being implemented in all types of businesses. For the small business, who is often forced to do more with less, these technologies can initiate automated strategies that can give a business the flexibility to use their capital to build revenue streams and not use it to pay for people to do jobs that don’t really bring in any revenue. Businesses that choose to implement smart technologies will likely see visible changes almost immediately. 

The Future of Smart Technology

Interestingly enough, the future of smart technologies don’t just come in the form of wholesale IT changes. Many of these technologies will be integrated into solutions that small businesses already utilize, making them more apt to help businesses cut costs and manage their business much more effectively. 

These technologies (and others) will present a massive opportunity for businesses going forward, as the more streamlined a business can be, the more productive it can be with fewer operational investments needed to create the same amount of revenue. That’s good news for any business, especially the small business that has to cut corners to compete with the larger organizations that function in their market. 

Smart technology is the future of business, and getting on board now, before the monumental shift in wireless technology takes hold, is a really good idea. If you would like to learn more about how smart technology can help you run your business more efficiently, give the IT professionals at MSPNetworks a call at (516) 403-9001 today.

We believe that at the end of the day, employees want to do the right thing and accomplish their daily tasks without incident. However, technology can often break these plans with unexpected issues that prevent them from doing so. If you don’t take the time to provide the proper IT support when it is needed, you force your employees to either be unproductive or find unconventional (and often unsecure) solutions.

Employees Using Unsecured Devices

Generally speaking, your employees will use their work technology to fulfill their obligations, including their desktops or perhaps a work-issued laptop or mobile device. Unfortunately, depending on how well these devices are maintained, they may be slower than the technology employees use when they are out of the office. This may lead them to using technology that is not governed by your security solutions, such as their personal devices, simply because they work better than their work-issued devices.

Therefore, it is crucial that you manage and maintain your organization’s devices in a way that makes sure they are working optimally. You should follow this up with a comprehensive Bring Your Own Device policy that outlines how employees are allowed to utilize their mobile devices for work purposes. Doing so will save you a lot of grief in the long term.

Unauthorized Software Downloads

There are times when your staff will require specific tools in order to perform a function of their job. If they do not have the appropriate tools to accomplish the task, they may choose to download applications from the Internet that allow them to do so. These applications are often dangerous to utilize, as they are outside the scope of your company’s software infrastructure, and who can really tell if the application used is secure or not?

This is especially problematic for software that requires a software license. Imagine for a moment that one of your employees is going about their daily tasks without any disruptions, only to be brutally severed from the tools needed to perform these duties by an expired software license. In their desperation to keep working and meet required deadlines, they might download some free software or perhaps one with a counterfeit software license. While this solves the short-term problem of getting work done, it could come at a steep cost should your organization become subject to network audits or otherwise.

In the end, being proactive about technology support is the only way you can prevent these issues from breaking your business and budget. While your employees might feel like they are being proactive in finding a solution, you shouldn’t have to rely on them finding the solution for themselves; instead, provide them with a protocol to follow so that you know they will seek the help of experts when it is needed.

MSPNetworks can be those experts. We want to help your employees do their jobs in the most effective way possible, be it through implementing new and innovative solutions or assisting them with their daily duties through comprehensive IT support. Let your team focus on what they know best: their own jobs, not keeping their computers and other technology in proper working order.

To learn more about how we can help your employees stay productive throughout the workday, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.