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  • Why you need the cloud?

    Why you need the cloud?

    When talking to our clients, we have noticed that SMBs often think the cloud is something for their bigger counterparts to explore. We hear objections like, “But, it’s too complicated.”, “The cloud sounds expensive.”, “We are a small business, we don’t think we need the cloud.”, Hold on!

    In reality, it is the SMBs that benefit the most from the cloud. Here’s how…

    The cloud grows with you

    Yes, you may be a SMB today and perhaps a few desktops and in-house hard-disks are sufficient as of now. However, as you grow, your data storage needs will increase and you will need much more than a few external hard-disks. Servers become expensive and wholly owning one is not very cost-effective.Change the dynamic:he cloud grows with you–you can scale up or down on cloud usage easily and save on costs. Plus, when using cloud storage, you are sharing your server space with others, so you essentially pay for only what you use.

    Security is not your concern

    When you store your data in-house, the headache of security, backups and updates falls on you. However, with the cloud, all of that becomes your cloud service provider’s responsibility. You focus on running your business and your cloud service provider will take care of your data’s security and accessibility. .

    Accessibility

    When you store your data on the cloud, it is accessible from anywhere using the internet. That lends a lot of flexibility to you. You or your employees don’t have to be in the in the office or have immediate access to their computers to be able to work. A quick order can be processed or an invoice can be raised even using an iPad or a smartphone!

    So, don’t you think it may be beneficial to get a little ‘cloudy’? For more, download our whitepaper- Demystifying the cloud in layman’s terms

  • What to consider when investing in cyber insurance

    What to consider when investing in cyber insurance

    As a business, you are probably aware of the term, cyber insurance. With the cybercrime rates rising consistently, cyber insurance is increasingly becoming a necessity for survival. Here are a few things to consider before you sign up with a cyber insurance service provider.

    Risk analysis

    First, perform an internal risk analysis. Research to understand what kind of cybercrimes are most rampant in your industry and ensure your insurance policy covers those for sure. Like we discussed before, the most basic of cyber insurance covers data breach and associated costs, but you definitely want more than just that.

    What is the scope of your policy

    Be clear about the scope of your policy before you sign the dotted line. Remember that cyber insurance functions on the same principles and policies as like any other insurance, which means there will be deductibles, waiting periods and exclusions. Be sure to ask your insurance service provider about them. You don’t want to find out you weren’t covered by insurance until after the attack, at the time of claim. Here are a few things to ask your insurance company in this regard.

    1. Does the policy cover you if a breach happens via your sub-contractor or vendor and makes you liable to your clients? If your cyber insurance doesn’t cover those, then make sure your vendors and sub-contractors have cyber insurance to cover you or sign some kind of an indemnity contract with them so you are covered in the event of such incidents.
    2. In case of an action byyour employee causing the breach, such as clicking on a fraudulent link or sharing data accidentally to a dubious email ID, will you still be covered?
    3. Ask your insurance provider to clearly spell out any deductibles, exclusions and window periods that may exist
    4. Check with your insurance provider on what would be your liabilities as the insured. For example, there may be rules regarding anti-virus measures, data safety and security measures, IT training, timely data backups and IT audits, etc., that you may have to follow in order to be eligible to be covered under the insurance in the event of a breach
    Before you sign up, do your research thoroughly, get proposals from multiple insurance service providers and opt for a policy that covers your needs the most and the best. Sometimes, service providers may be willing to make additions or modifications to an existing policy to meet your exact requirements, which may work best for you.

  • 5 MOST COMMON ISSUES AMONG PHONE SYSTEM FAILURES

    Your system can fail from many different causes. You could have a network failure, have a bad line of code, or even a failing motherboard. To help you understand what is going wrong with your system, we wanted to share the five most common issues we’ve seen with our clients. (more…)

  • Understand How Data Losses Happen – In Order to Prevent Them

     
      
    Small business owners are often worried about data loss. Rightly so, because data loss has the potential to wipe out a business. We have identified the most common forms of data loss so you can see how they fit into your business and assess the risks related to each of these pitfalls.
     
    1. Human Error –  Human error – by way of unintentional data deletion, modification, and overwrites – has become much more prevalent in recent years. Much of this is the result of carelessly managed virtualization technology. While virtualization and cloud computing have enabled improved business continuity planning for many businesses and organizations, humans must still instruct this technology how to perform. The complexity of these systems often presents a learning curve that can involve quite a bit of trial and error. For instance, a support engineer may accidentally overwrite the backup when they forget to power off the replication software prior to formatting volumes on the primary site. They will be sure to never do that ever again, but preventing it from happening in the first place would be more ideal.
     
    2. File Corruption –  Unintended changes to data can occur during writing, reading, storage, transmission and processing – making the data within the file inaccessible. Software failure is a leading cause of data loss and is typically the result of bugs in the code. Viruses and malware can also lead to individual data files being deleted and hard drive partitions being damaged or erased.
     
    3. Hardware Failure –  Storage devices may be at risk due to age, or they may fall victim to irreparable hard-disk failure. Viruses and hackers can also potentially shut down a hard drive by inserting undeletable malicious code and huge files via open, unprotected ports. If these malicious programs cannot be deleted, the entire hard drive may have to be reformatted, wiping out all the data.
     
    4. Catastrophic Events/Theft –  The threat of catastrophic events such as fire, flooding, lightning and power failure is always a concern. Such events can wipe out data in a millisecond with no warning. Theft is also a data loss risk that companies must address. While advances in technology like anytime/anywhere connectivity, portability and the communication/information sharing capabilities of social media and crowdsourcing have revolutionized business – the risk for theft is even greater due to this increased accessibility. More people are doing daily business on their laptop, iPad and mobile phones. They are also carrying around portable media like thumb drives, USB sticks and CDs. Physical theft of any of these devices can spell big trouble.
     
    Data loss is as unique as the various sources from which it comes. The key is to identify the areas in which your business is weak and work towards a mitigation plan for each one of them. An MSP can act as a trusted partner in such cases, holding your hand through the process of safeguarding your data.

  • IS A VIRTUAL TELEPHONE SYSTEM RIGHT FOR YOU?


    A cloud-based virtual telephone system can be a great tool for any business due to its flexibility, low implementation cost, and scalability. However, there are a number of factors that should be considered before signing a long-term contract with any hosted phone service provider. In many cases, virtual telephone systems can help your business grow without the high overhead of traditional hardware.

    FLEXIBILITY AND SCALABILITY

    One of the biggest benefits of the virtual telephone system is the ability to move and scale it at will. Any time you purchase traditional telephone equipment, you need a reliable place to set it up, and you are subject to the service providers in your immediate area. A cloud-based virtual telephone system can be used with nearly any device of your choice, meaning that your executive team and team members out in the field are equally capable of utilizing the system with their existing phones.

    Your service provider is a virtual host that is not tied to your physical location, so if you have numerous projects happening around the country, all locations will get equal service support. It even expands the possibility for employees to work from home and receive messages in a timely manner no matter where they are. As you add employees or expand to new office locations, you can easily tie new phones into the virtual telephone system without having to purchase and move new equipment at each stage.

    COST SAVINGS

    It is obvious that there is a cost savings up front since you don’t need to purchase new equipment. In addition, maintenance and repairs on the system will not be an ongoing factor since the entire infrastructure of your system is hosted by the service provider. A well-maintained virtual phone system, over a solid Internet connection, can be deployed effectively with minimal downtime and instantaneous results. Proper rollout of your virtual telephone system is imperative lest you risk not having the Internet connection and infrastructure available to actually support the cloud-based host, leading to compatibility issues or missed calls in some cases.

    Secondly, all of the call forwarding, voicemail, and pre-programmed call routing features that used to be a premium for on-site call centers are now digital functions that come at a low additional cost to you. You will automatically receive all applicable hardware and software updates from your vendor. You will also have access to support from your service provider 24/7 if you ever have connectivity issues.

    RELIABILITY

    Reliability is a big question as we head into an era that is entirely dependent on data, and especially mobile data. Virtual telephone systems are often seen as more reliable than traditional equipment because you are not necessarily tied to a wall plate in your office. They utilize a variety of devices connected through the Internet to create an equivalent collection of phones that forms your internal network. The only difficulty is in areas where a steady Internet connection is not available at all times, as this can cause calls to drop out if the phone is constantly trying to search for an Internet signal. These cases require special consideration before making the switch.

    If your company is looking for a way to cut costs and upgrade to an modern phone system that has all the capabilities of an in-house routing board, virtual telephone systems are a great option. Companies that need high-quality phone service across multiple locations or even on a transient basis can benefit from virtual hosting as they will not be relying on heavy equipment that needs to be carried from one place to another for setup.



  • The biggest threat to your IT infrastructure: Your own employees

    The biggest threat to your I.T infrastructure: Your own employees

    Did you know that your employees often unwittingly ‘help’ cybercriminals gain access to your system? Often, employees play a part in compromising the security of your IT infrastructure, even without them realizing it. For example-

    When your employees use their own devices for work purposes such as to access emails, to connect to work servers or to work on office files. In the event their device gets infected by a malware or hacked, the virus or the hacker gets access to your data as well. Your employees may put your network at risk by connecting to unauthorized networks, downloading unauthorized software, using outdated antivirus programs etc, on their personal devices and then using it to access work files.Then, there’s the chance of them losing their devices such as smartphones, laptops or tablets putting your data at risk.

    Your employees may also fall victim to phishing messages and scams and expose your network to the biggest risks out there, unintentionally. Plus, there’s always a slim chance that a disgruntled employee looking to make a few quick bucks may actually compromise on confidential business data intentionally.

    So, what can you do to keep your IT safe?

    • Train your employees through drills, workshops and classroom training sessions that help them identify possible IT security threats
    • Establish clear IT usage policies related to password management, use of personal devices, data sharing and internet access
    • Conduct timely audits and have positive and negative reinforcements in place to ensure policy adherence
    • Install physical and virtual security mechanisms like CCTVs, biometric access, software programs to track employee activities when they are accessing your network and data, etc.,
    IT is the lifeblood of your business and when you let your employees access your IT network, you are, in a way, trusting them with your business. Make sure they are trained and trustworthy enough.

  • 4 Reasons call centers are becoming outmoded



    4 R easons call centers are becoming outmoded

    Call centers have been around for decades. Everyone is familiar with how they work and almost everyone has had at least one bad experience with using one. Did you ever put off calling an 800 number because you didn’t want to deal with an annoying phone tree (IVR), waiting on hold, or just the tedium of slowly spelling out your name, address, email, and credit card number? You are not alone. Historically, call centers have had some serious limitations when it comes to customer satisfaction. Of course, that reputation may be unfair. There are many well-run call centers, but the call center model is becoming outmoded. Much of it has to do with the one-dimensional nature of the call center; it is a single channel communication tool. Call centers are primarily, or even solely, places where customers can communicate with a business via voice channel. (At the start, this meant traditional telco lines; now it likely means VoIP.) Below are 4 fundamental reasons the call center isn’t meeting all of the communication needs of your customers.
    1. Waiting. As mentioned in the introduction, the call center model carries a lot of heavy baggage. Decades of consumer experience with wait times, disconnects, wait times, language barriers, wait times–you get the picture–have soured many on this mode of communication. Any opportunity to bypass the phone call can be very attractive.
    2. Call centers often use IVR or phone trees, which demand layers of automated options before you can reach a live person. Too often these IVRs don’t offer the specific option that meets the caller’s needs. More frustration.
    3. In many cases, live voice communication is overkill. Customers may have very simple, quickly answered questions that another communication channel could handle with less tedium for the user. For instance, an order status inquiry. Waiting on hold for this basic piece of data is annoying. Contact centers can send scheduled emails updating the status of shipping. A chat box can receive a quick text request and respond quickly while the customer does other things.
    4. Call centers can’t be easily proactive. If a business wants to respond to a customer inquiry or proactively provide updates of any type, such as new information or marketing materials, the voice channel can be frustrating. The chances that a callback to a customer will be answered aren’t very high. Time zone issues, voicemail, and the tendency of everyone to not answer a call from an unfamiliar number means that outbound contact efforts won’t be very successful. An email or text, however, can be very effective in these scenarios.
    In summary, the call center role is relatively limited because of its one-channel dimension in a world where your customers want to communicate via a wide variety of communication routes. It still has value, but it can no longer be your only channel.

  • How to avoid falling victim to ransomware

     
     
    How to avoid falling victim to ransomware
     
    We hear routinely in the news that a major corporation or government agency has had its data integrity compromised, with millions of pieces of personal data accessed. In these cases the criminals behind the attack hope to get money by selling that data to other criminals. In the case of ransomware, the criminals want your money, and try to get it by holding your data hostage. Plain, old fashioned kidnapping with a hi-tech spin.
     
    What can you do to avoid falling victim?
     
    Prevention is the best cure. Follow standard “data hygiene” principles that you probably hear about all of the time. Update your OS, software, and apps whenever a new release or patch is released. Do this ASAP. Some patches may be released solely as a result of the discovery of a vulnerability. Given the variety of applications needed to run a complex contact center, updates must be given top priority. Also, employee training is essential. Contact centers are labor intensive, and every employee represents an additional risk for human error allowing ransomware to get through. Watch out for phishing scams. If anything looks “off” about an email, don’t open it. And never open links you aren’t totally sure of. If unsure, send an email back to the sender to verify they actually sent you a link.
     
    The most important thing you can do to make sure your data cannot be held ransom is strictly adhering to a regimen of backups. Routine backup your data. However, even backups may not be foolproof. If your data has been infected and you are unaware of it, or the backup is not segregated from your network, your backups may also be corrupted. Given the severe consequences of a ransomware attack to a contact center, consider having a security evaluation done by a managed service provider who will have the security expertise to advise you on the best backup protocols for your situation.

  • 4 Lesser-known benefits of hiring an MSP

    4 Lesser-known benefits of hiring an MSP

    You are probably aware of the most common benefits of signing up with an MSP such as

    • On-demand IT support: Having an MSP ensures that you get priority IT support when you need it.
    • Scalable IT infrastructure: With an MSP by your side, you can scale your staff structure up or down without worrying about the IT aspect of it. Need to add 20 people to your workforce? You focus on the hiring, while your MSP will work out the IT logistics
    • Lower IT costs: Overall, having an MSP gives you a lot of cost savings vis-a-vis having an IT team in-house. Even if you have an IT team in-house, you can have them work in tandem with your MSP for the best results. Or, have them focus on research and optimization of your IT environment instead of focusing on mundane tasks like backups or software updates.
    But, here are a few more benefits that are often overlooked.

    IT analysis

    An MSP has the expertise needed to analyze your IT infrastructure and identify problems that impact your workforce’s productivity negatively. Whether you sign up with an MSP or not, you should definitely hire one to analyze your existing IT infrastructure. They will be able to identify possible IT glitches, security lapses and hardware or software problems that can trigger a breakdown of your IT architecture.

    Better deals on IT purchases

    MSPs often have agreements with software or hardware vendors and will be able to get you a better quote on your IT purchases. Plus, with their knowledge and expertise, they are in a good position to help you choose the hardware or software that will work best for you.

    Hassle-free compliance

    As a business, you have certain IT rules and regulations to adhere to. An MSP can help you meet these effectively. With an MSP on board, you can focus on running your business without worrying about meeting regulatory requirements.

    Staying ahead of the curve

    An MSP is an expert at what they do. They are in the industry, working closely with hi-tech companies, analysts and vendors. They are more likely than your internal IT team to be aware of newer technology and tech-related market trends. By making them a part of your business, you benefit from their knowledge and your business stays ahead of the curve from the technological point of view.

    Working with an MSP offers numerous benefits to an organization, especially, to an SMB as it allows them to divert their resource investments to more productive assignments.

  • YOU NEED A LOCAL PHONE PROVIDER THAT IS ALWAYS PREPARED


    Your phone system needs to be a major priority for your local provider. Regardless the amount of time that your phone system is down, your provider needs to make your situation a priority. Your problem is their problem. You can’t afford to have a provider that doesn’t place a high urgency on resolving your issue. You have an emergency, and they need to dispatch a solution. Urgency is one of most undervalued areas in the customer experience when shopping for a new phone system. It shouldn’t be treated as a, “I’ll get to it when I get to it” situation. Your sales are at risk every minute a solution isn’t put into place.
    Creativity is also another skill most large providers can’t provide. They just aren’t thinking creatively about your scenario. You don’t want a sales person to hear you talk about your phone system failure and then sell you a product. They need to provide a solution. We aren’t talking about your provider having an art background. We mean implementing a temporary solution to keep your business up and running while the troubleshooting phase is in progress.  
    What’s different with this provider is that they’re your support team. We want you to understand the difference in the intentions of these providers. That’s why we created this checklist, to help you have a leg in a conversation with a new provider. If they can’t accommodate your business needs and create a unique solution, then they aren’t valuing you as a person. At that point, you’re just a transaction not a partner. When you call them for assistance, you need to be treated with care as you would your own clients. Having this type of care will point you down a straighter path in getting the right new phone system. When you speak on the phone with an expert that actually cares for your needs, you can report back to your team in confidence that this new solution is better than your previous system.

    Your phone provider should be asking questions like:
    • How do your customers currently interact with your company?
    • How do you communicate between offices?
    • How many employees work in/out of office?
    Ultimately, you care about getting your system back up and running. It’s not about the technology. You just want to resume business. You need a provider that can commit to a process that allows them to understand your business and customers.
    To know what additional questions you need to ask your provider to get your system back up and running, download the Service Recovery Checklist.