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How To Improve Your Team’s Efficiency By 25%.

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Adapting Automation to Enhance Efficiency- A Need Of the Hour

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[cz_stylish_list id=”cz_73544″ items=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Working%20off-site%3A%22%2C%22subtitle%22%3A%22Before%20the%20pandemic%2C%20people%20and%20organizations%20used%20to%20work%20on-site.%20Working%20from%20the%20comfort%20of%20your%20home%20was%20not%20a%20viable%20option%20until%20the%20pandemic%20struck%20our%20lives%20and%20unfolded%20new%20remote%20work%20concepts%20with%20the%20help%20of%20automated%20tools.%20That%20played%20a%20vital%20role%20in%20enhancing%20productivity%2C%20saved%20loads%20of%20money%20spent%20on%20maintaining%20workspaces%2C%20and%20introduced%20a%20refreshing%20face%20of%20technology%20as%20a%20savior%20in%20these%20hard%20times.%20Since%20then%2C%20people%20have%20accepted%20the%20use%20of%20automated%20tools%20as%20a%20significant%20part%20of%20their%20jobs.%22%2C%22icon_type%22%3A%22icon%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Effective%20collaboration%20through%20Automation%3A%22%2C%22subtitle%22%3A%22Collaborating%20and%20communicating%20have%20always%20been%20necessary%20for%20a%20successful%20business%3B%20advanced%20automated%20systems%20made%20these%20processes%20more%20convenient%20and%20effortless.%20%20Consumption%20of%20advanced%20collaboration%20tools%20such%20as%20live%20video%20calls%2C%20online%20meeting%20setup%2C%20and%20cloud-based%20portals%20of%20google%20have%20reduced%20the%20gap%20between%20an%20organization%20and%20its%20employees%2C%20thus%20providing%20an%20effective%20working%20environment.%20To%20acquire%20successful%20collaborations%2C%20advanced%20automated%20tools%20should%20be%20utilized%20at%20their%20best%20as%20it%20maximizes%20productivity%20and%20efficiency%20of%20a%20business.%22%2C%22icon_type%22%3A%22icon%22%2C%22icon%22%3A%22fa%20czico-103-success%22%2C%22icon_color%22%3A%22%23ba0230%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Organization%20of%20Data%3A%22%2C%22subtitle%22%3A%22Organizing%20data%20has%20always%20been%20a%20very%20critical%20task%20as%20it%20requires%20immense%20effort%20and%20vigilance.%20Technology%20has%20made%20these%20efforts%20much%20easier%20with%20faster%20and%20more%20accurate%20computing%20systems%3B%20%5C%22Docuware%5C%22%20document%20management%20systems%2C%20and%20many%20digital%20operating%20tools%20of%20such%20kind%20have%20enabled%20this%20process%20to%20be%20more%20convenient%20and%20hassle-free.%20Adoption%20of%20these%20tools%20can%20manage%20your%20data%20very%20efficiently%20and%20securely.%22%2C%22icon_type%22%3A%22icon%22%2C%22icon%22%3A%22fa%20czico-103-success%22%2C%22icon_color%22%3A%22%23ba0230%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Elimination%20of%20your%20weaknesses%3A%22%2C%22subtitle%22%3A%22As%20an%20organization%2C%20you%20should%20be%20well%20aware%20of%20your%20weaknesses%20and%20pain%20points%20in%20terms%20of%20communication%20and%20lack%20of%20updated%20internet%20systems%20that%20become%20a%20huge%20reason%20for%20the%20massive%20decline%20of%20your%20growth%20in%20the%20business%20world.%20Figuring%20out%20your%20pain%20points%20and%20working%20on%20them%20to%20increase%20your%20potentials%20has%20become%20pretty%20easy%20with%20these%20advanced%20automated%20tools.%22%2C%22icon_type%22%3A%22icon%22%2C%22icon%22%3A%22fa%20czico-103-success%22%2C%22icon_color%22%3A%22%23ba0230%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Virtualization%20as%20a%20solution%3A%22%2C%22subtitle%22%3A%22Virtualization%20is%20a%20key%20to%20effective%20business%20strategy%20as%20it%20enhances%20the%20possibilities%20of%20successful%20communication%20and%20collaboration.%20Digital%20Automation%20has%20enabled%20organizations%20to%20accept%20and%20utilize%20advanced%20computing%20systems%2C%20digital%20software%2C%20cloud%20computing%2C%20and%20other%20beneficial%20tools%20that%20cater%20to%20their%20business%20needs%20and%20prove%20to%20be%20a%20milestone%20to%20achieve%20their%20targets.%22%2C%22icon_type%22%3A%22icon%22%2C%22icon%22%3A%22fa%20czico-103-success%22%2C%22icon_color%22%3A%22%23ba0230%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Team%20Motivation%3A%22%2C%22subtitle%22%3A%22Motivating%20team%20members%20has%20always%20been%20a%20mandatory%20factor%20when%20it%20comes%20to%20running%20a%20successful%20organization.%20A%20well-organized%2C%20motivated%2C%20and%20focused%20team%20attains%20great%20achievements.%20When%20we’re%20talking%20about%20achieving%20goals%20and%20setting%20up%20targets%2C%20we%20should%20consider%20technology%20and%20advanced%20automated%20systems%20as%20our%20reliable%20partners%20in%20this%20never-ending%20journey%20of%20success.%22%2C%22icon_type%22%3A%22icon%22%2C%22icon%22%3A%22fa%20czico-103-success%22%2C%22icon_color%22%3A%22%23ba0230%22%7D%5D” sk_icons=”font-size:29px;color:#ba0230;” default_icon=”fa czico-103-success” sk_lists=”font-size:18px;color:#ba0230;font-weight:500;” sk_subtitle=”font-size:16px;color:#323232;”]

[cz_title id=”cz_87358″]Sign up for a free consultation with one of our software solutions experts and explore the ways you could make incremental improvements and increase productivity and ultimately revenue.[/cz_title][cz_gap height=”15px”][cz_button title=”Get a Free Consultation” btn_position=”cz_btn_block” btn_effect=”cz_btn_fill_right” sk_button=”font-size:17px;color:#ffffff;font-family:Assistant;background-color:#ba0230;border-style:solid;” id=”cz_103373″ link=”url:%23consult|||” sk_hover=”color:#ffffff;background-color:#e9283b;”][cz_gap height=”35px”]

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Introducing

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One of many solutions that Les Olson Company offers to improve your organizations efficiency.

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Click To Learn more about Docuware

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Get a Free Consultation

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[cz_image id=”cz_84795″ image=”15153″][/cz_image][cz_gap height=”25px”][cz_title id=”cz_98779″ cz_title=””]Expect the best but prepare for the worst. This old phrase is actually a great motto to run your business by. Disasters can come to your business in many forms, but being prepared with a plan can mean the difference between recovering or shuttering. Here are some potential disastrous scenarios and our tips for protecting your business from disaster.

 

Human Error

People make mistakes. That’s simply a fact of life, and expecting perfection from your employees at all times isn’t practical. When it comes to your important business data, human error can be a natural disaster of its own. Whether they accidentally (or purposely) delete files or click on a malicious link, your critical data can be permanently compromised if you don’t have a plan. It might be a single file that contains important information, or a complete shutdown of your business.

 

Did you know that 70% of data center problems are a result of human error? That’s according to The Uptime Institute. The great news for us humans is we haven’t been completely replaced with Artificial Intelligence and robots. The bad news is, any business that isn’t purely robot-run is at risk. When and if human error afflicts your business, there will be no advanced notice or warning signs, so you’d better have a plan now.

 

What can you do?

• Have a backup that will allow you to quickly restore data and systems the moment BEFORE the issue happens
• Your plan only works if everyone understands it and is on board. Train your employees on how to avoid errors and what to do in the event of an error
• Make sure you have the IT failover you need to ensure process continuity after a disaster

Building Fire

Even a small fire incident can have a huge impact on your business. A large fire can disrupt your business permanently, but it doesn’t have to. Whatever the fire doesn’t damage can be damaged by the efforts to extinguish the fire, such as flooding from overhead sprinklers. This can affect your paper files, computers, telephone systems, and much more. Did you know there are approximately 100,000 commercial building fires in the US per year according to the National Fire Protection Association? Manufacturing facilities and offices located near restaurants can be at the highest risk; however any building can experience an unexpected fire.

 

What can you do?

• Maintain a continuous off-site backup
• Have a plan for re-routing calls
• Think about where you could temporarily move your operations, or create a remote work plan
• Determine how you would communicate internally to update your employees
• Make sure your business is properly insured in case of fire
• Make sure smoke detectors are installed and working so employees can be warned to evacuate the building

Flooding

Floods in your office can be the result of extreme rains, flash floods, and even issues with plumbing. No matter what the cause, they can cause significant interruption to your business processes. They typically have the worse impact on ground-floor offices. Flooding can cause power outages, loss of communications, damaged paper files, and blocked access to your facility.

 

What can you do?

• Pay attention to National Weather Service alerts. This can give your business 24 or more hours to prepare
• Ground-floor offices should take care not to place computers and filing cabinets directly on the floor
• Maintain a continuous off-site backup
• Have a plan for an alternate work site in the event that your building is temporarily unusable
• Discourage employees from traveling to work after a flood alert has been given
• Flooding is not covered in insurance policies by default. Consider adding flood coverage to your policy

Extreme Storms

Your business doesn’t have to be located in a tornado or hurricane-prone area to be affected by extreme storms. In fact, in 2020 Utah experienced a wind storm with gusts as high as 100mph. Thousands of trees were toppled, structures were damaged, and more than 100,000 people and businesses were left without power, some for several days. Extreme weather can happen anywhere, so it’s important to prepare for that possibility.

 

What can you do?

• Pay attention to National Weather Service storm warnings so you can prepare in advance
• Maintain a continuous off-site backup of data
• Have failover IT infrastructure available either in the cloud, or an alternate facility
• Make sure you have the ability to re-route calls as needed
• Discourage employees from traveling to or from the office in extreme weather conditions
• Make sure your business is properly insured

Of course there are many worst-case scenarios to consider when making your business continuity plan; but following the advice outlined in this article can help protect your business from many types of disasters. Les Olson Company can help you create a plan and get the right technology in place to gracefully deal with disasters.[/cz_title]

[cz_image id=”cz_61567″ image=”15127″][/cz_image][cz_gap height=”25px”][cz_title id=”cz_76489″ cz_title=””]It’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and we want you to know these 5 ways to improve your Cybersecurity. Cybersecurity should be a priority for every business because an unmitigated attack can cost your business valuable time and money. Think it won’t happen to you? Think again. Businesses will be hit every 11 seconds by ransomware by 2021, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. Luckily there are steps you can take to strengthen your defenses, and we’re here to help.

#1 Require Strong Passwords

No doubt you’ve heard this advice before. While it’s simple advice, it really is one of the most important things you can do to protect your organization. Your passwords are the first line of defense against would-be attackers, yet many organizations overlook lax password practices. Just like you’re good at what you do, hackers are great at their jobs. They have a lot of knowledge and tools at their disposal to gain access to your network by exploiting weak passwords. Check out our guide to creating strong passwords and make sure your employees follow our advice.

 

Whenever possible, you should enable multi-factor authentication. 2-step verification is easy to set up and provides an extra layer of protection. In the event that a password is compromised, there would still be an additional hurdle to jump in order to gain access to your data. Many websites and applications allow you require 2-step verification when logging in. At the very least, utilize it in applications that contain sensitive information.

 

#2 Perform Regular Updates

Your operating systems and programs are constantly making updates to fix gaps in security, and address the latest cyber threats. It may be inconvenient at times, but you should never ignore a prompt to perform an update. Even if the update doesn’t enhance your security, it will likely improve compatibility with your other applications and hardware.

 

#3 Create Cybersecurity Awareness

It’s up to you to create a culture of Cybersecurity at the office. Employees who don’t know potential risks and how to avoid them can leave your business vulnerable. Hackers rely on there being a weak link in your office, and usually it’s a person falling for a carefully engineered attack. Providing cybersecurity training to your employees is a great way to make sure everyone is on the same page about threats and their role in protecting the organization. We have also compiled this detailed guide to ensuring cybersecurity in the workplace to help you with this initiative.

 

#4 Don’t Forget the Backup

Your business should be creating regular backups and testing them frequently. Store backups offsite and offline and make sure you’re protecting your data in the cloud. According to the 2020 Sophos State of Ransomware report, 56% of organizations whose data was encrypted were able to restore it via backups, rather than paying a ransom. Having reliable backups will considerably lower the cost and downtime associated with a cyber attack.

 

#5 Get a Good Endpoint Security Solution

Endpoint Security involves securing all points of entry to your network, including end-user devices. A good Endpoint Security Solution is much more than traditional antivirus, it will provide comprehensive network security to stop even the most sophisticated attacks. Hackers constantly evolve their strategies, so having a solution that keeps up with their efforts is a must. We recommend InterceptX from Sophos, which utilizes a combination of deep learning malware detection, exploit prevention, anti-ransomware, and more to protect your network from a wide range of attacks.

 

These 5 tips are a great place to start. When it comes to Cybersecurity, it’s best to work on the assumption that your business will be affected by a cyber attack at some point. With strategic protections in place, it doesn’t have to be a disaster. Our Managed IT Services experts can help your business fortify your network and implement a plan. With our free network analysis we can provide insight into your network security and any potential weak spots.[/cz_title]

[cz_image id=”cz_94781″ image=”15116″][/cz_image][cz_gap height=”25px”][cz_title id=”cz_44529″ cz_title=””]Whether you have an in-house IT technician, or outsource your IT services to an external provider, you may find yourself lacking the support you require. There are a number of reasons you can outgrow your current IT solutions, here are 5 signs you’ve outgrown your IT support. If any of this sounds familiar to you, it’s time to look for a new provider.

 

#1 There always seems to be a problem

Does it seem like every day brings a new IT challenge? When things aren’t working correctly it can bring your business operations to a grinding halt. If your IT resources are spread too thin, you’re likely wasting valuable time and resources addressing the issues that arise, rather than focusing on your core business.

 

If you have someone in-house managing your IT infrastructure and there are constant issues, this is a sign that they aren’t up to the task. They may simply not have the knowledge required to set up your network in a secure and reliable way, or to deal with more complex technical issues. Even if they do have the knowledge, they may not have the time, particularly if they manage your network in addition to other duties.

 

If you outsource your IT services and you have constant issues, this is a very clear sign that your provider is either out of their depth, or not interested in providing adequate service to your business. Either way, it’s time to find a provider that will handle your needs with proficiency.

 

#2 Your provider is reactive, only responds to problems

If you only hear from your IT services provider when there’s an issue, consider it a red flag. Your IT provider should be preforming regular updates, management, and monitoring of your network, not simply appear when there’s a fire to extinguish. The fact is, when your IT provider is doing their job correctly and proactively managing your network, you will have fewer issues to address. If your provider isn’t constantly looking for ways to improve your network, or addressing potential issues before they cost your business time and money, you need to move on. A proactive provider can be a true partner to your business.

 

#3 They don’t keep up with changes in technology

Your IT service provider can only provide support based on their knowledge. Technology and the threat landscape are changing constantly. It is extremely important to have a provider that stays knowledgeable about changes in technology and keeps up with certifications. If your IT support staff are only fixing issues, they probably don’t have time to understand new potential issues. Understanding changes in technology is an ongoing process that will never end.

 

An IT support provider that doesn’t keep up can be one of the biggest threats your business faces as new threats surface daily. Of course you need the right technology in place, but you also need to understand and be able to address changes in cybersecurity. Not being prepared for new threats can cost your business money, time, the trust of your clients and employees, and the loss of your valuable data. If there is a breach, it won’t help your reputation to blame your service provider. The only way to avoid catastrophe is to make sure a capable IT support team is in place. In addition, your business cannot remain competitive without investing in new technologies, which is impossible if your provider doesn’t have a grasp on what’s available to your business.

 

#4 Their solutions don’t meet your needs anymore

It’s not an exaggeration to say that there is no business without technology. You rely on technology and your employees and customers expect it to work well. Having outdated technology puts your business at a huge disadvantage, while leveraging new technologies can be an invaluable growth strategy. If your IT support provider doesn’t seem to have access to the technologies you need moving forward, or it’s clear they aren’t interested in facilitating upgrades, you’ve outgrown them. Does your organization have a business continuity solution? Are you interested in cloud services? Do you need to implement a document management solution? There are many technologies that can be a complete game changer for your business, so it’s important to find an IT services provider that understands the importance of these solutions and can help you implement and configure all of them.

 

#5 You’ve outgrown their abilities

This is a biggie. If your needs grow, but your IT service provider’s abilities stay the same, they will hold your business back. Your business is growing and that’s great news! Now it’s time to find an IT service provider that has the skills and staff to expand with you. Larger organizations require more complex IT support. Having an IT provider with limitations can mean slow service and a risk to your network security. If your staff consistently complains about network issues that aren’t being addressed efficiently, or it takes too long to implement new solutions, it’s a clear sign that you’ve grown but your IT provider hasn’t.

 

If any of this sounds familiar to you, we’re here to help. Les Olson Company is an expert IT Services Provider. Through our Managed IT Services program and our state-of-the-art NOC (Network Operations Center), our team helps businesses of all sizes manage their networks and devices. Get your free network analysis and our experts will provide you with a detailed report about the health and performance of your network.

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