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[cz_title id=”cz_86558″ cz_title=””]There’s no way around it, the global Coronavirus pandemic has caught businesses off guard. The time for enabling remote work has come much sooner than expected for many organizations that now don’t have time to plan and weigh their options. We know that many legacy programs, old equipment, and manual processes are holding businesses back from being able to run seamlessly when their employees can’t physically be in the office, but we’re here to help guide you through the process. Here are our recommendations for creating a remote work environment.

Laptops & PCs

It won’t come as a surprise, but laptops are in high demand right now. They may be easier to get your hands on than toilet paper, but probably not for long. The benefit of a laptop is the ability to work from anywhere. We recommend having a docking station in the office, and one at home. This way your employees can seamlessly switch back and forth between two office setups. While businesses are struggling to find inventory, we were able to secure some Dynabook Tecra X40-F Laptops to help businesses supply laptops to their employees. These laptops are equipped with 8th Generation Core Intel Processors, touchscreen displays, and a new magnesium alloy body that makes them incredibly lightweight.

 

Another great option is helping your employees get their home office set up with a PC. Many users are already used to working with a desktop in the office and it may be the easiest way to replicate their at work office experience. We are currently able to offer both Dell OptiPlex Small Form Factor PCs and Dell OptiPlex Micro Form Factor PCs in stock and ready for delivery. A great reason to buy desktops today instead of laptops is their price-performance value. They typically are less expensive than laptops and offer great computing value for the price. They also have a compact footprint that won’t encroach on your employee’s home office space. While they’re small, they don’t compromise on performance. We are also an Authorized HP Partner and still have some availability on our usual lineup of HP Laptops and PCs.

Document Management Software

One of the biggest barriers businesses face now is the inability to access documents outside of their facilities. Whether your documents are still in paper format, or are being digitally saved somewhere you can only access on the network, a good Document Management Solution is a must to get your team on the same page (document pun intended).

 

We offer DocuWare Cloud, which allows you to store business documents digitally and make them securely available to anyone on your team, anywhere they are. We know that so much of your business workflow relies on documents, so having them unavailable through this crisis simply isn’t an option.

Unified Communication

You rely on phones to keep in touch with your customers, so what do you do when no one is there to answer the phones? With Unified Communication, someone can be there to answer the business line, right from their mobile phone, from the safety of their home. We offer solutions that can help you continue to engage with your customers over the phone, from wherever you are. Not only that, you can also help your remote employees stay in touch with each other through integrated phone, meetings, and team messaging.

Remote Work Tools

We are an Office 365 and G Suite Provider. These are both great options to make sure your employees have the productivity tools they need to do their jobs, while also enabling open lines of communication with group chat, meetings, and video conferencing. Office 365 gives you all the latest versions of things like Outlook email, Word, Excel, etc. G Suite gives you Gmail, Sheets, Docs, and more.

Software Security & Remote Access

Our Software Security & Remote Access bundle gives your business a wealth of tools to weather the storm securely, and with as few issues as possible. It includes Webroot for help stopping malware and zero-day threats with a unique next-gen approach. You also get Cisco Umbrella, your first line of defense against threats on the internet, LogMeIn Pro to help provide remote access to your networked devices, Remote Monitoring and Management, and our Client Communicator.

 

We are committed to doing everything in our power to make this process smooth for your business as you navigate your options. Let us work with you to come up with a plan that will set your business up for remote work success.[/cz_title][cz_gap height=”60px”]

[cz_image id=”cz_76415″ image=”11852″][/cz_image][cz_gap height=”25px”][cz_title id=”cz_62931″ cz_title=””]In business, balancing costs with benefits is a big part of the decision-making process. This is especially true when choosing the right technology for your business and employees. When it comes to selecting the right computer workstations, it has become increasingly tricky to ultimately decide between the reliability and performance of a desktop and the versatility and portability of a laptop. Which is right for your business? Let’s explore a few key factors that will help you in your decision.

 

 

COST

Let’s first establish a fact, laptops are generally more expensive than desktop computers. Not only is the hardware itself more expensive, but laptops are also usually more difficult and costly to repair. In addition, desktop workstations can be upgraded more easily and cost-effectively, which allows you to use the same computer for longer, even after your needs outgrow its capabilities. That said, if the cost is your ONLY concern, then your decision should be an easy one. Go with a desktop.

 

 

PORTABILITY

If portability is a priority, then the solution seems obvious. A laptop computer will give your employees the freedom to work from anywhere. Now you just need to decide whether that’s something that would be valuable to your business. For many businesses, portable computing means more flexibility and opportunities for collaboration.

 

Of course, it all comes down to the end-user. If we’re talking about someone who regularly meets with others, travels outside of the office or has the need to work remotely, a laptop would be a great fit. But for an employee that always works from a designated area, it may be hard to justify the additional cost of a laptop. However, you should ask yourself if such an employee could become more productive with the power of a portable workstation. Just because they have a stationary workstation now doesn’t mean it’s the most effective way for them to work.

 

PERFORMANCE

This is where the balancing act gets more intense. Many laptops that offer lightweight portability lack high-performance computing capabilities. On the other hand, many high-powered laptops are large and heavy – which may make you think twice about lugging it around with you. Wasn’t portability what you needed in the first place? And then there’s the ergonomics of using a laptop vs. a desktop computer. Is a 15 or 17″ screen enough for you? Are you comfortable using an integrated keyboard and a trackpad? Some people are comfortable using a laptop for extended periods of time while others never quite get the hang of it.

 

If your work is graphics-intensive, you may want to consider a powerful desktop computer with a nice big screen. But don’t forget that you can also dock a laptop for use with an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers. This allows you to combine the convenience of a laptop with the user-experience of a tower. Another option if portability is a must – pair a desktop computer with a tablet for the best of both worlds.

 

 

Still not sure which is right for you? Les Olson Company offers high-quality laptop and desktop computers for all types of applications. Let us work with you to find the perfect devices for your business. We also offer custom computer build services.[/cz_title][cz_gap]