Business Solutions & Software Group Blog

When you see the words “artificial intelligence,” what runs through your mind? Some imagine warehouses full of machines pulling items from shelves for order fulfillment, whereas others imagine server rooms operating at maximum capacity. The truth of the matter is that both of these scenarios are correct, depending on the type of organization and industry you’re talking about. Let’s take a look at how artificial intelligence can cut costs, improve operations, and eliminate unnecessary or repetitive tasks for the small business.

The recent hack of Colonial Pipeline has led to no shortage of problems, chief among them gasoline shortages all across the east coast of the United States. The pipeline’s operations may have been restored, but the question still remains: what could have been done to stop it, what can we learn from this incident, and what changes can we expect to see as a result?

COVID-19 forced many businesses to adapt to the new normal, and many of those who simply refused or were unable to do so fell by the wayside. As you can imagine, technology played a pivotal role in helping many businesses adjust to these changes. Let’s take a look at some of the more notable examples of how digital technology has helped businesses adapt to these circumstances.

The modern business is heavily reliant on technology, perhaps more so today than ever before. In the wake of a pandemic that forced millions of employees to adapt to remote work, the need for technology and support has never been greater. Even as we transition back into business, as usual, it’s safe to say that remote technology is not going anywhere. Today, we would like to discuss how our organization was (and still is) helping businesses just like yours maintain operations through comprehensive IT support, even during the most difficult circumstances imaginable.

No matter how new a device is, the unfortunate truth is that it will not last forever. Eventually, you will need to replace your device; the question then becomes what you do with your old technology. While you could just throw it in the trash, this is not only wasteful but also a security risk. In order to protect both your personal data and the environment, you must go through the proper channels to make sure that e-waste gets properly disposed of.

While most people may be most familiar with the concept of the blockchain thanks to cryptocurrencies—particularly with the recent behaviors of some coins—this first application of the blockchain has blossomed into many others with great potential. Let’s go over what blockchain technology is, how it works, and how it can benefit businesses of all kinds.

Of all the small inconveniences that plague modern life, a dying smartphone battery is among the worst of them—which explains how the tendency so many have to constantly keep their phone plugged in came about. However, it’s been said that this is actively bad for the device. Is this still the case? For this week’s tip, we’re diving into the factors that drain your device’s battery, and what the best way to handle this power reserve is.

For years, people have been increasingly worried about the potential onslaught of automation on human jobs. As computer systems and artificial intelligence have improved, there are some legitimate concerns for unskilled workers or those that work in industries where automation is featured. Today, we’ll dive into what concerns workers should have on account of automation and why no one should be panicking quite yet. 

Business technology can be a complicated topic, and with it appearing in more and more aspects of daily operations, it is important for organizations of all sizes to be sure that they have a complete understanding and awareness of how they put their IT to use. These considerations make it imperative that certain best practices are made part of your standard operating procedures… and for this to be accomplished, company leadership will need to lead by example.

Remote work is a lot harder than it sounds, which took many workers by surprise when lockdowns suddenly made working from home the safest way for many companies to operate. As weeks and months have passed, there has been a growing tendency for these newly-remote workers to (putting it mildly) explore their other employment options… something that doesn’t bode well for your operations.

Everyday life relies on software to keep going, a phenomenon that is perhaps most visible in the business environment. Unfortunately, it is this software that can prove to be the point of egress that attackers need to your network. Let’s consider a commonly overlooked aspect of IT maintenance—patch management—and why it is so crucial to a business’ operational success.

It’s not a secret that we spend too much time on our phones, sitting in front of the computer or television, or just looking at screens in general. You don’t have to go out of your way to find commentary on the subject. What you might find interesting is that there have been an increasing number of studies that have consistently shown that the amount of notifications a person receives is directly related to their productivity; or, lack thereof. 

Here’s the thing: even if your password policy is airtight and perfectly followed, relying on passwords alone isn’t enough anymore to secure your business. Some of today’s threats are just too capable of cracking them. In order to really preserve your business’ security, most security professionals (like us) recommend implementing two-factor authentication—however, it pays off to consider your options, and how much (if any) added security each has to offer.

Data is one of—if not the—most essential resources a business has, which means it is essential that you take the steps to protect it in every way possible from every potential threat. This includes those that could originate from within your own organization. Let’s consider the case of Xiaorong You, who was recently convicted of conspiracy to commit trade secret theft by a federal jury.

One of the most terrifying situations your business can encounter is when it’s clear that you’ve been hacked. It can cause extreme anxiety regardless of what size of a business you run. The most important thing is to know how to react to mitigate the damage to your business’ network and reputation. Let’s go through a few steps you need to take if you’ve been hacked.

While it may not seem so at first glance, the concept of “productivity” has evolved significantly in the last few centuries—the amount of time it has been seen as a priority. Beginning once technology enabled the focus of life to be less day-to-day survival and more centered around industry and scale, the first whispers of our modern view of productivity started in the late 1700s. Let’s briefly examine how our view of productivity developed, and how many are looking at it today.

When so many shifted over to remote operations during the pandemic, it threw a sizable number of them for a loop. It has taken about a year for the shift to settle in, in fact, and so people everywhere are finally starting to feel the impacts of prolonged remote work. One considerable impact: the fatigue that the digital communications required have brought about, and how overwhelmed your team may feel as a result.

Running a business of any size comes with more than its fair share of risks, particularly if that business is on the smaller side. One major risk factor is the prospect of cybercrime and the impact it can have on a business. Let’s look at how this particular risk can influence the challenges that businesses must now contend with.

Email is a hugely useful business tool, which is what makes solutions like Microsoft Outlook so popular in today’s organizations. Having said that, it can become far too simple for the inbox to be overstuffed with outdated and unnecessary messages that ultimately serve little more than to hide the ones you need to review.

Did you know that there’s a capability built into Outlook that can help you keep track of your important messages? Let’s go over how you can use it.

Ransomware attacks are notorious for their expense to the victim—largely because of the various costs that come along with successful ransomware infections, including many that might not be expected at first. Let’s review some of these costs, if only to reinforce the importance of avoiding ransomware as a rule.