15 Apr 2019

Improve collaboration with G Suite

2019-04-16T12:02:23-07:00

G Suite has made accessing emails, sharing files, and working remotely much easier. This all-in-one computing, productivity, and collaboration tool can revolutionize small- to medium-sized businesses’ (SMBs) work processes. Here are some tips to configure it.

Allow display views inside and outside your business

Activity dashboards typically provide limited details on file activity that one can view. Not so when you enable G Suite’s view history. With this function, you can determine which users have opened the file and the time and date they accessed the file.

What’s more, G Suite can also provide the details of external users who viewed your file, and whether they used a non-office-issued device. To access these data, you have to:
Open Google Slides, Docs, or Sheets.
Select Share.
Type in the email address of the external user.

People outside your organization can access your files only when you authorize them, and at the same time, you can see their viewing history. Note that you won’t have access to external users’ viewing history if you share files using […]

Improve collaboration with G Suite2019-04-16T12:02:23-07:00
12 Apr 2019

Choose the right VoIP solution for your SMB

2019-04-16T12:02:27-07:00

Many small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) turn to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) as their telephony solution. This allows them to make calls either through the traditional desk phones (hardphones) or software-based phones (softphones). Find out the pros and cons of both phone options to help you pick out which is most suitable for your business.

What’s a hardphone?
A hardphone is a desk phone that is connected to your business’s IP network, just like a normal phone. There’s no learning curve associated with VoIP hardphones, and they allow your staff to call anyone worldwide at a more affordable price. The more advanced hardphones have built-in video displays and touch screens to accommodate video calls, eliminating the need for separate equipment for video conferencing.

What’s a softphone?
A softphone is any electronic device that uses a software program that allows users to turn their PCs, laptops, and tablets into high-tech phones to make and receive local and international calls. Softphones let you dial a number on your computer or mobile device […]

Choose the right VoIP solution for your SMB2019-04-16T12:02:27-07:00
11 Apr 2019

Maximize your use of Office 365

2019-04-16T12:01:45-07:00

Microsoft’s Office suite has come a long way since it became cloud-enabled. While you can still opt for the company’s lifetime licenses, subscribing to Office 365 instead is the smarter choice.

Office apps and the files you create with them are accessible wherever there’s an internet connection, but that is actually the bare minimum that O365 offers. If you go for either the Premium or Essentials bundle, you’ll gain access to communications and collaboration apps that you can use to increase your organization’s productivity. Here are some of the specific ways you can do this:

Build an engaging intranet using SharePoint

Unlike the internet, which is a megalithic network spanning the entire world, an intranet is basically a private network built for your employees’ exclusive use. It began as a repository for basic company information, then it evolved into a document management system, an HR portal (where staff can file leaves of absence), a platform for knowledge-sharing and discussion forums, and a social media platform where users are both consumers […]

Maximize your use of Office 3652019-04-16T12:01:45-07:00
10 Apr 2019

Windows 10’s anti-ransomware features

2019-04-10T11:08:40-07:00

The recent global outbreak of ransomware attacks such as WannaCry and Petya has made Microsoft sit up and pay attention to the need for better security features for Windows 10. Here are some of the new ones Microsoft has come up with to help keep PC users safe.

Controlled Folder Access

This feature allows you to list certain documents and folders as “protected.” Only whitelisted programs can access and edit these folders, while any attempts by malicious apps to change the folders are blocked by Windows Defender.

In theory, this should slow down a ransomware’s ability to encrypt critical information. Some reports suggest that this feature can also prevent other threats like malicious file macros and viruses.

You can access the feature by going to Windows Defender Security Center and then enabling “Controlled folder access.” From there, you can choose which folders will be protected and what apps are allowed to access them. To save you time, common Microsoft applications are trusted automatically, but you can remove them from your whitelist […]

Windows 10’s anti-ransomware features2019-04-10T11:08:40-07:00
9 Apr 2019

Monitoring employees online: Is it right?

2019-04-10T11:08:33-07:00

The choice to monitor your employees’ computers or not is a tricky one. While part of you may think it’s unethical, it could end up saving you hours of lost productivity or preventing a data breach. Here are some pros and cons of employee monitoring, and some tips to handle it fairly if you decide it’s right for your business.

The case for monitoring

There are a number of reasons why monitoring your employees’ activities on company devices is a good idea. Doing so can help you:

  • Protect your organization from data theft or harm – because careless or disgruntled employees may leak or steal your data.
  • Ensure you have a harassment-free workplace – because cyberharassment (sexual or otherwise) happens among employees.
  • Ensure staff are complying with policies – such as not downloading illegal programs or spending time on websites with illegal or hostile content.
  • Provide evidence in case of a lawsuit – heaven forbid this happens, but if an employee participates in illegal activities using your business’s computers, […]
Monitoring employees online: Is it right?2019-04-10T11:08:33-07:00
8 Apr 2019

Social media tips for your small business

2019-04-10T11:08:23-07:00

Is your small- or medium-sized business (SMB) using social media and content marketing strategies to boost profitability? If not, it’s about time you do. Your competitors are already doing the same, so you have to find ways to make sure you rise above the crowd. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Create buyer personas

Social media data is a great tool to gather information about your potential customers, and in doing so, create buyer personas. Buyer personas are comprised of generalized characters that help build an ideal picture of your business in the market. Key demographic information includes age, location, and even reasons for buying and product-related concerns.

Come up with and implement a media crisis management plan

It’s normal for businesses to go through a crisis or two. Avoid embarrassing public relations nightmares by having a social media crisis management plan in place and ready for implementation.

Track the impact of your content marketing

When it comes to content marketing efforts like blogging and social media, it’s essential to […]

Social media tips for your small business2019-04-10T11:08:23-07:00
5 Apr 2019

How to tell if your Mac has a virus

2019-04-10T11:08:12-07:00

Apple products often come with an air of invincibility, and through the years, they’ve shown resistance to threats in ways Microsoft computers aren’t privy to. This, however, does not mean that Macs aren’t invulnerable.

Viruses that affect Macs

There are four general virus types that hit Apple products, and their effects can range from merely annoying to downright destructive:

Adware

Adware are unwanted programs that bombard users with pop-up advertisements. Some malicious adware piggyback spyware onto their deployment protocols, which can record your typing habits with keyloggers and keyboard sniffers, as well as monitor your browsing behavior.

Sniffers are usually designed to detect certain words in the webpage and a person’s typing pattern; for instance, typing the string password: may induce a sniffer to trigger the keylogger, and the keylogger will proceed to copy the typed string succeeding the trigger string. A keylogger basically copies whatever you type, usually once a keyboard sniffer takes stock of the page you are browsing.

Trojan horses

Trojan horses can infect both Macs and PCs, and they are […]

How to tell if your Mac has a virus2019-04-10T11:08:12-07:00
4 Apr 2019

Small company IT hardware checklist

2019-04-10T11:07:58-07:00

The IT hardware issues your business experienced in previous years should, ideally, be a thing of the past. Although some minor issues may remain, they can be avoided by taking care of your computer hardware. The following checklist can help you better manage your hardware.

Clean up your computer components

Wipe your monitor with clean, static-free fabric; remove excess dirt from your mouse’s exterior; and tidy up your keyboard with compressed air. Don’t forget your computer tower! Dust buildup can block your computer’s air vent and affect its performance. Ensure that your workstation is getting adequate ventilation and isn’t directly exposed to sunlight and other heat sources.

Manage your cables

If you’re not giving your computers’ cables the attention they deserve, now’s a good time to do so. Other than wiping the thick coat of dust off of computer cables, consider using cable management solutions that unclutter and untangle messy wires. These don’t just organize and secure your cables, they also […]

Small company IT hardware checklist2019-04-10T11:07:58-07:00
3 Apr 2019

Get the most of Chrome with these extensions

2021-05-04T08:26:06-07:00

The majority of internet users worldwide has chosen Chrome as the best web browser, and the Chrome Web Store helps enhance the browser’s features by housing thousands of powerful add-ons to enhance its features. But while it’s amazing to have so many choices, it can be quite overwhelming and time-consuming to pick the right extensions for your Chrome browser. This list of powerful extensions can come in handy and save you a lot of time.

StayFocusd

As the name suggests, StayFocusd helps you stay focused. This is a perfect tool for people who work on computers all day to stop themselves from getting distracted by the many wonderful things on the internet. Essentially, it’s an extension that restricts your time on websites that can cause your productivity to dip, particularly social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Once you’ve reached the time limit, StayFocusd blocks access to those sites, reminding you to focus on your work.

AdBlock

AdBlock claims to be the most popular extension for […]

Get the most of Chrome with these extensions2021-05-04T08:26:06-07:00
2 Apr 2019

Automate mundane emails to get more done

2019-04-02T08:29:18-07:00

Everyone wishes we had more time to spend in a day. Between repetitive emails and seemingly endless meetings, it’s hard to find time for important tasks. Thanks to the increasing affordability of enterprise-level IT, however, SMBs can start getting at least half of those problems under control with email automation.

What is email automation?

Usually included in customer relationship management (CRM) software, email automation centers around the idea of integrating your business data into emails to customers and prospects. This allows you to draft templates with placeholders for names, addresses, and other variables that the platform will match with individuals from your email list.

What’s more, you can personalize how and when your emails go out to clients. Automatically inserting customer data into an email is great, but it still requires that you draft the content that surrounds it and hit Send. Email automation grants you the ability to create templated emails that are automatically merged with client data and sent when certain conditions are met.

Examples of email automation

To really […]

Automate mundane emails to get more done2019-04-02T08:29:18-07:00
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