IT Voice

Author: seth

  • 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.

  • THE CASE FOR A BUSINESS PHONE UPGRADE: ROI


    When it comes to office phone systems, there are several important ways for you to measure your return on investment. You can start by breaking your ROI down into two categories: internal and external. This will allow you to add up the gains that you see for both your employees and your customers.

    INTERNAL ROI

    New office phone systems can cost thousands of dollars to roll out effectively, and there are ongoing maintenance and service fees to be accounted for. However, you may find that the latest technology allows you to immediately streamline your call routing systems, eliminating the need for multiple receptionists answering phones. It is possible that a new phone system could save you $20-30,000 a year in salaries for employees that are no longer needed.

    On the other hand, by improving the efficiency of your routing system and offering other avenues of customer service like chat support, you may also be able to multiply the amount of work that each individual is capable of doing in a single shift. If customer service reps can answer three times as many calls each hour, you will see immediate boosts in your sales figures, but you may also be able to trim down your labor.

    EXTERNAL ROI

    Now it’s time to look at ROI in terms of what your customers can give you. Studies have repeatedly shown that improved customer service experiences translate to more repeat customers and larger transactions per customer. Better customer service also leads to referrals, which can help expand your customer base. If your company has fallen behind in terms of providing multi-channel customer support, you may find that bringing your office phone systems up to speed provides an instantaneous return in your monthly revenue. The key is alerting customers that they now have more options for resolving their problems and making sure that you can provide adequate service across all forms of communication.

    Office phone systems open up a whole world of possibilities for return on investment. You simply need to evaluate how a new phone system will change the way your day-to-day tasks are handled by speeding them up and eliminating extra steps. Furthermore, once customers know they can easily access their accounts via chat support and other methods, you can expect to see a shift in the way you interact with customers and a huge improvement in the way they view your service as convenient and easy to use. This leads to higher ratings and more sales down the road.


  • 5 REASONS A VIRTUAL PHONE SYSTEM IS PERFECT FOR THE MODERN BUSINESS


    The virtual phone system is quickly becoming the number one choice for businesses who are looking to slim down their overhead and better manage their incoming calls. Cloud-based phone systems offer a number of benefits over traditional hardware at a reduced cost and with more functionality than ever before. While there are several different kinds of virtual phone systems on the market today, the growing prevalence of the cloud has changed the way businesses manage their communications around the world. Here are the top five reasons businesses are jumping on board with cloud-based virtual phone systems today:

    • Cost: Absolutely the number one problem businesses face is updating their existing phone systems without making costly purchases of new phones and routing software. A virtual phone system allows you to use existing equipment and mobile devices to achieve a network without a huge up-front investment. In addition, most cloud-based phone systems rely on a set monthly subscription fee and have far less fluctuation than traditional bill-by-the-minute systems do.
    • Functionality: As our mobile phone technologies have advanced, features like call forwarding, video conferencing, voicemail, and other things have become standard fare. While those functions were once relegated to only high-end and expensive devices, many new devices have added these features at a much lower price point that makes them affordable for the average business.
    • Mobility: After years of poor customer service rooted in 1-800 call centers, consumers have become wary of those phone numbers. Fortunately, a virtual phone system allows you to modify your existing phone numbers by location to choose from local area codes and numbers that put your customers at ease.
    • Scalability: In addition to moving phones from one place to another easily, a virtual phone system also allows you to add new lines and numbers instantly with minimal hassle. Instead, you can assign new devices a number on the go and instantly gain access to the network.
    • Reliability: With an increasing need to stay connected even through the most challenging of situations, a virtual phone system provides a boost in reliability over traditional phone systems. You can now stay connected to the virtual phone bank through the cloud anywhere you have a steady internet connection. Power outages and even internet disruptions can be overcome by mobile data connectivity, meaning that you are never out of the loop.

    Businesses around the world are taking advantage of the explosion of virtual phone system technology now. These systems have made it possible for even small and mid-sized businesses to attain the customer service and accessibility level of global corporations. In addition, employees have more flexibility as they move between job sites and as your business adds new office locations spanning multiple cities.


  • WHAT IS BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE?


    Bring Your Own Device has become a major component of phone technology for business, adding a level of flexibility to phone systems that employees have asked for all along. This unique system allows your company to minimize some phone expenses while maximizing the number of devices you can support, all with the help of your team.

    WHAT IS BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE?

    The term BYOD is used for many industries, but for telecommunications, Bring Your Own Device is a type of phone technology for business that allows users to connect to your network using any device of their choosing. From the business side of things, this means that you need to have a system in place to at the minimum support both Android devices (51% of the market) and Apple devices (44% of the market). However, it also means that you will either: 1) not have to purchase a full set of phones for your employees and thus saving money, or 2) create a more connected environment with the increased number of devices in use.

    WHY EMPLOYEES PREFER BYOD

    The debate between Apple and Android users has raged on for years, and with each new release, there is plenty of fresh material. As a result, companies have had a tough time pacifying advocates for one side or the other when they make their phone purchases. No matter what you do, somebody will be upset that they have to learn a new technology or that they can’t just use their old phone. In addition, as phones have started getting larger again instead of smaller, many employees are simply tired of carrying both a personal device and a company phone on their hips at all times. The ability to combine the two is a nice touch. With BYOD, employees can stick with a device and OS they are already comfortable with and save you the hassle of trying to juggle everyone’s preferences.

    COST OF IMPLEMENTATION

    As mentioned, there is some extra cost associated with developing a back end system that is cross-compatible with the wide range of devices on the market today. This requires regular updating and maintenance as new devices are released annually. On the other hand, in place of purchasing individual phones for each employee, you will offer a small stipend toward their existing phone bill instead. This small monthly payout to the employee helps offset additional data costs or the cost of a newer phone that is supported by the system.

    SECURITY AND RELIABILITY CONCERNS

    Naturally, since the company does not own the users’ phones in a traditional sense, it is far more difficult to control how the devices are used. Security analysts warn that BYOD is not for the faint of heart in the IT department, as they will be expected to keep everyone’s devices working properly without the same level of access. Most companies address this challenge by properly training their employees (easier said than done) about security risks on their devices and implementing a strong encryption system to keep data safe in-house.

    Bring Your Own Device is changing the ways phone technology for business works. It provides you and your employees with more device options while also reducing the cost of new phones. Your employees can enjoy the convenience offered by using their favorite device while your team can spend time focusing on internal network controls.

  • Stay Secure My Friend More Hackers Targeting SMBs

     
     
    Stay Secure My Friend… More Hackers Targeting SMBs
     
    Many SMBs don’t realize it, but the path to some grand cybercrime score of a lifetime may go right through their backdoor.  SMBs are commonly vendors, suppliers, or service providers who work with much larger enterprises. Unfortunately, they may be unaware that this makes them a prime target for hackers. Worse yet, this may be costing them new business.
     
    Larger companies likely have their security game in check, making it difficult for hackers to crack their data. They have both the financial resources and staffing power to stay on top of security practices. But smaller firms continue to lag when it comes to security. In many cases, the gateway to accessing a large company’s info and data is through the smaller company working with them. Exposed vulnerabilities in security can lead cybercriminals right to the larger corporation they’ve been after.
     
    Cybercriminals Target Companies with 250 or Fewer Employees
     
    Research is continuing to show that cybercriminals are increasingly targeting smaller businesses with 250 or fewer employees. Attacks aimed at this demographic practically doubled from the previous year. This news has made larger enterprises particularly careful about whom they do business with. This means that any SMB targeting high-end B2B clientele, or those seeking partnerships with large public or government entities, must be prepared to accurately answer questions pertaining to security. This requires an honest assessment of the processes taken to limit security risks.
     
    View Security Measures as Investments
     
    CEOs must start viewing any extra investment to enhance security as a competitive differentiator in attracting new business. Adopting the kind of security measures that large enterprises seek from third-party partners they agree to work with will inevitably pay off. The payoff will come by way of new revenue-generating business contracts that will likely surpass whatever was spent to improve security.
     
    Would-be business partners have likely already asked for specifics about protecting the integrity of their data.  Some larger entities require that SMBs complete a questionnaire addressing their security concerns. This kind of documentation can be legally binding so it’s important that answers aren’t fudged just to land new business. If you can’t answer “yes” to any question about security, find out what it takes to address that particular security concern.
     
    Where a Managed Service Provider Comes In
     
    Anyone who isn’t yet working with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) should consider it. First, a manual network and security assessment offers a third-party perspective that will uncover any potential business-killing security risks. A good MSP will produce a branded risk report to help you gain the confidence of prospects to win new business.
     
    A MSP can properly manage key elements of a small company’s security plan. This includes administrative controls like documentation, security awareness training, and audits as well as technical controls like antivirus software, firewalls, patches, and intrusion prevention. Good management alone can eliminate most security vulnerabilities and improve security.
     
    Contact us at Slappey Communications

  • Run your Business, not an IT Company

     
     
    Run your Business, not an IT Company
     
    You went into business because you have an interest and expertise in some particular product or service. You began the firm to offer that product or service, but a dirty little problem came along with that new company. IT requirements. You need equipment, and you need networks, and printers, and data storage to keep the company up and running. As a consequence, you’ve become responsible for managing something you probably don’t care very much about or even understand especially well.
     
    Managed Service Providers can be a solution. A small business can off load a variety of IT tasks that are becoming a distraction to everyday business operations and strategy.Here are just two examples.
     
    Software updates and security audits: Your present in-house staff may be spending most of its time fixing everyday problems. As a result, they may have to delay vital security measures, such as applying tested security patches or updating virus software programs. Working with a MSP will eliminate much of the work overload that leads to system or security vulnerabilities.
     
    An end user help desk: If you have any in-house staff, they are probably well-trained and very qualified. Are their skills being wasted on all the little daily issues of cranky printers and broken keyboards? MSPs can offer an end user help desk that can handle all those calls that pull your own staff away from larger efforts that can enhance productivity and move the business forward.

  • Is your Business Safe from Virtual Threats?

     
     
    Did you know that 50% of small business owners think their businesses are too small to be targeted by the thieves of the virtual world? Contrary to popular belief, 72% of hacker attacks often happen to smaller firms – firms with less than 100 employees! So how prepared is your SMB? Here’s a checklist to help you find out how vulnerable you are to these attacks.
     
    1. Do you have Antivirus protection? –  An antivirus software program can protect you from threats that originate from emails such as phishing and virus attacks. However, the most striking fact is that 61% of small businesses don’t install any antivirus software! If you are one of them, then it’s time to change!
     
    2. How sturdy is your Firewall? –  A good firewall system protects your computers from the variety of threats that exist in the virtual world. Examples include harmful cookies, viruses, worms and other such malicious programs used by hackers.
     
    3. Do you use a Spam filter? –  Using a simple spam filter for your emails keeps junk out of your inbox. The bonus to having a good spam filter is that your employees save time, as they are not distracted by irrelevant emails, but the major perk here is that the potential virus and phishing threats are lessened as spam emails are unlikely to be opened.
     
    4. Do you do backup your data regularly? –  Agreed – backups don’t really protect your data, but they are the only way to recover it if data loss does happen. So, be sure you have a regular and reliable backup plan in place – and it is actually being deployed.
     
    Data loss can prove very costly—especially to SMBs, sometimes even resulting in them having to close down. Prevention is certainly better than a cure in such cases.

  • What is Ransomware and How Can it Affect Your Business?



    This cyberattack scheme hasn’t garnered nearly as much attention as the usual “break-in-and-steal-data-to-sell-on-the-Internet version,” but it can be even more debilitating. Ransomware attacks have begun appearing in the last few years and its practitioners are so polished that in few cases they even have mini­call centers to handle your payments and questions.

    So what is ransomware? Ransomware stops you from using your PC, files or programs. The business model is as old as the earliest kidnapping. They hold your data, software, or entire PC hostage until you pay them a ransom to get it back. What happens is that you suddenly have no access to a program or file and a screen appears announcing your files are encrypted and that you need to pay (usually in bitcoins) to regain access. There may even be a Doomsday-style clock counting down the time you have to pay or lose everything.

    Interestingly, one of the more common “market segments” being targeted in the US has been public safety. Police department data is held hostage, and in many cases, they have given up and paid the ransom. They had little choice. They aren’t the only ones. A hospital in Southern california also fell prey, as did one in Texas.

    Ransomware can be especially insidious because backups may not offer complete protection against these criminals. Such new schemes illustrate why you need to have a professional security service that can keep you up to date on the latest criminal activities in the cyber world. Talk to an MSP about possible protections against ransomware.

  • VoIP: A New Dimension in Communication for SMBs


    VoIP: A New Dimension in Communication for SMBs

    Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP is about a decade old technology that is gaining popularity among individual subscribers and businesses. In conventional systems, phone calls are made using telephones or handsets that are connected by phone cables. These calls are routed using the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) carrying a signal from one telephone to the other. But instead of connecting telephones to the phone cables through phone jacks in the walls, VoIP uses the internet where phones can be connected to broadband devices, adapters or PCs using broadband. With this system, voice is converted into a digital signal and carried over the Internet. Let’s take a look at all the options that are available to make calls using VoIP.

    Make Calls from a PC: Using this platform a call can be placed from your PC. Your computer is connected to the Internet via broadband. A specially designed software app allows you to place and receive phone calls right from your PC. When deployed, this software displays a dial pad. You can dial a number using a mouse or keyboard. You will need a headphone or speaker to hear and a microphone to speak. When your PC is connected to a phone or another PC on the other end, you can talk like you would on a regular phone. The software with video capabilities will let you see each other (you and the recipient of your call) if it is a PC to PC call and both computers are equipped with cameras. In this case you don’t even need a telephone handset.

    Make Calls using a regular phone: You can make phone calls with a regular phone using VoIP technology, but for this you will have to have a service, such as Vonage, that provides VoIP access. You can subscribe to their service for a monthly flat fee or a per-minute rate. Your regular phone can be plugged into an adapter which is then connected to a broadband device. Some services will allow you to make calls within their service network only. But there are other services that will let you make calls anywhere. That means you can call local, long distance, international and through mobile devices.

    VoIP telephones: There are VoIP service providers that provide special phones. To use these phones you don’t need an adapter. Their telephones are designed to work with your broadband device. You can connect this phone directly into your broadband modem using an Ethernet cable and use the phone like any regular phone.

    Companies providing VoIP services are focusing on providing unified communication platforms that will include phone, emails, faxes, videos and voice mail capabilities. Their goal is to deliver these capabilities that can be used by all means of communication including handheld devices.

    The Role of MSPs: Managed Service Providers or MSPs can help businesses with the installation of hardware and software, enabling VoIP technology. This will also organize their communication networks by integrating those networks into their IT infrastructure. Now SMBs can eliminate another worry (management of their communication systems) by outsourcing their IT services.

  • 4 QUESTIONS YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO ASK ABOUT CLOUD-BASED SERVICES


    For the last few years, “cloud” has been a major buzzword in the IT community. If you’re new to cloud-based computing, you may be wondering what it means, and more importantly, how it impacts you and your business. The good news is that the cloud is fairly simple to understand, and it has provided a great way to expand your capabilities at a reasonable price. Here are some of the top questions we get from customers about cloud phone system services:

    • What is the Cloud? More or less, the cloud is simply a data storage medium that exists outside of your site. A few investors got together and set up huge banks of servers to use as versatile storage. Your computers connect to their servers and transmit data back and forth. Your company pays a set rate for access to the servers based on your actual usage, allowing you to scale up or down as needed without waste.
    • Is My Data Secure? Obviously, the thought of transmitting data off site to somebody else’s server creates security concerns. The good news is that cloud service providers are experts in their field, and they have gone to great lengths to secure their servers against intrusion. In addition, you will continue to use standard security software and features on your own computers, ensuring that the data remains safe on your end as well.
    • How Much Does it Cost? The cost of cloud-based service is designed to be fluid but predictable. The idea is that you can store more data in the cloud for less money because your company does not need to purchase additional equipment, store it or maintain it on site. Instead, you will be billed monthly for access to the service, and your IT team doesn’t have to worry about all that extra hardware. Of course, rates vary from one provider to the next, so you will have to check out service packages and get quotes to determine which provider will be best for your cloud phone system.
    • Will I Be In Control? Many users are concerned that when they hand over storage of their data to a third party, they will lose control over the programs and quality of their data. The good news is that the cloud-based servers are flexible and can generally be adapted to whatever software you already have in place. They are also highly reliable and can actually improve the quality of your calls rather than hurting quality. Your cloud phone system will be supported by specialists who are invested in keeping things running smoothly.
    The cloud is a long-term solution to today’s storage problems. It provides open-ended capabilities to take on more and more data as your company grows or as you add more phone lines. Moving your business phone system completely into the cloud often serves to save you money and increase the functionality of your system with CRM software, online customer service options and more.