MSPNetworks Blog

Financial management and accounting are two business needs that apply to all organizations of any size or industry. Fortunately, these organizations have access to tools like Intuit QuickBooks to help them fill these needs in a way that is accessible and convenient.

Let’s review some shortcuts to help you be more productive in managing your business finances via QuickBooks.

Successful businesses need to adjust to changes in the market, what customers want, and new industry trends. This means they have to know their business well and be willing to try new things. Let’s look at six key areas where businesses often make changes to stay successful.

Downtime can be lethal to businesses, not only because too much can lead to failure, but it can easily waste a lot of your team’s time as everyone shifts gears to find a solution. This is why is it best to avoid it as often as possible.

That’s why we’re discussing three of the most prevalent causes of downtime, and what you can do to prevent them.

Efficiency is extremely important for any business to maintain consistent revenue generation. Technology is a big part of that. Today, we’ll discuss two ways that technology can help build a more efficient business. 

Unexpected downtime can wreak havoc on businesses large and small, which is especially bad when so many paths lead to it. Let’s explore some of downtime’s causes, and equally importantly, how it can be avoided.

Information technology—IT—is a necessity for the vast majority of modern businesses to function. For the sake of these businesses and their operations, it pays to optimize this IT by any means available.

Let’s go over the benefits that a relationship with a managed service provider gives businesses, particularly regarding the overall efficiency these businesses see as a result.

One of the most important considerations that a business that relies on technology needs to make is how efficiently its technology works. Let’s discuss some ways to measure this benchmark and ensure that it is optimized to meet your business needs.

Keyboard shortcuts are undeniably useful—to the point that some are almost ubiquitous. However, there are a lot that aren’t, and they are just about as useful. We wanted to introduce you to these shortcuts so you can incorporate them into your workflows.

You might have noticed that some of your younger workers are leaving your business much earlier than you might expect them to. This could be because of a phenomenon called “shift shock,” which examines employee engagement and satisfaction. Let’s consider how shift shock could potentially harm your business.

Change is inevitable, especially in the dynamic world of business, where it is the driving force behind growth and innovation. Yet managing change can be a daunting task. It requires strategic planning, effective communication, and strong leadership.

This is where change management optimization comes into play. It's about refining your approach to change, making it more efficient and successful… particularly when it involves your IT and related processes.

If you want your organization to be efficient, you must increase productivity. However, this is often easier said than done, as plenty of obstacles, communication challenges, and resource allocation issues can stymie even the most well-thought-out plans. Let’s look at how you can improve productivity for your business by considering these common issues.

Today’s businesses have more technology involved in their processes than ever, making it essential to have access to the support that will keep them in operation. Nowadays, that kind of support is best obtained through a relationship with a managed service provider.Now, I feel it is appropriate to acknowledge that all this is coming from a managed service provider… but that’s just because we feel strongly enough about the benefits of managed services to offer them over the traditional approach to business IT support and services.

In mobile operating systems, each fresh iteration tends to bring forth marginal improvements and refinements to enhance the user experience. Apple's newest mobile operating system, iOS 17, follows suit in this tradition. Let's take a brief look at some of its noteworthy additions.

Streamlining Verification Code Messages

Basic multi-factor authentication is commonly employed for secure account access, with codes sent via email and text messages. Dealing with a barrage of these codes piling up in your inboxes is a familiar scenario. iOS 17 introduces a feature allowing automatic deletion of these messages once codes are entered through AutoFill. Navigate to Settings, then Passwords > Password Options, and you'll find the option to Clean Up Automatically under Verification Codes. This ensures that codes inserted via AutoFill are promptly removed from the Messages or Mail applications after use.

Elevated AirPod Capabilities

We've all witnessed or experienced the awkward fumbling with AirPods as a conversation kicks off. Thankfully, users with the second-generation AirPods Pro and iOS 17 can enjoy new features, such as Conversation Awareness. This feature enables AirPods to sense when the wearer speaks, reducing media and background noise volume while enhancing voices in front of you. Combined with Adaptive Audio and Personalized Volume, iOS 17 significantly enhances the capabilities of AirPods.

Siri Receives a Boost

"Hey, Siri." Repeat it three times, right? Not anymore. iOS 17 eliminates the need to say "hey" before Siri's wake word. Moreover, users can seamlessly string together a series of queries without repeating "Hey, Siri" or even "Siri" before each one.

Effortless Message Retrieval

If you're like most people, your Messages application likely harbors hundreds, if not thousands, of accumulated messages. Locating a specific message amid this digital haystack was a daunting task—until iOS 17. The updated system introduces a Search function in Messages, allowing users to pinpoint messages based on the sender's contact, the presence of a link, the inclusion of a photo, and more.

This is just a glimpse into the array of offerings in the latest iOS version. While we advocate for regular software updates for security, the added features are a delightful bonus. May your device find renewed utility with these enhancements.

Running a business may never be totally smooth sailing, but it doesn’t have to be a complete grind all the time either. Managing complexities with your business’ technology is a good way to ensure that things move ahead with some efficiency. Today, we look at four ways to effectively handle complexities in the realm of business technology.

Strategic Planning and Alignment

The first thing that has to happen is that you need to assess your business’ goals then work to align technology initiatives with these goals to ensure that any IT investments contribute directly to the success of the business. You’ll want to create a comprehensive technology roadmap that outlines how different systems and technologies will evolve over time. This roadmap should account for strategic changes inside of a business and allow for the integration of emerging technologies that can bring better efficiency.

Integration and Interoperability

If possible, you’ll want to select technology that is scalable and can grow with the business. Scalable systems are better equipped to handle increased complexity and the quickly growing data volumes that businesses have today. Another thing that has to be considered is how to improve data flow. One of the best ways to do this is through integration, as it ensures that data flows efficiently across the organization, reducing the complexity of structuring data. 

Cybersecurity and Risk Management

Cybersecurity is one of the most pressing issues any organization has. One of the best ways to thwart risk is to monitor your systems. By implementing a robust cybersecurity framework and regularly monitoring endpoints for potential vulnerabilities, you can better detect and respond to security threats in real-time, minimizing the risk of data breaches and other cyberattacks.

You’ll also want to educate employees on cybersecurity best practices. Establish clear policies and procedures for data protection and ensure that employees are well-informed and trained to follow them.

Agile Project Management

The last point is about building business agility. You’ll need to embrace agile project management methodologies to increase flexibility and be able to respond to your changing needs. Additionally, your business can become more agile with a comprehensive cross-platform training program. The more people that know how to do a job, the more apt that you’ll be able to complete a project efficiently and effectively. 

By adopting these strategies, organizations can navigate the complexities of technology and position themselves inside their market. It’s best to regularly reassess and refine your business’ approach to stay ahead of emerging challenges and opportunities. If you need help getting started, give IT experts at MSPNetworks a call today at (516) 403-9001.

As much as we try to structure our productivity throughout the day, there are always those moments that seem to slip by—both at work and in our personal lives. It can be tough to find time to commit to projects whether your goal is personal or professional.

So, let’s go over some tips that help make this time easier to find. 

The Truth is, the Time is There… You Just Need to Be Ready for It

Most people underestimate the amount of time they actually have available to them—although, to be fair, this time is often hiding in plain sight. Do you find yourself sitting through a long bus trip to get to work, or relegated to the back seat in an uncomfortably silent carpool arrangement? When working from home, how much time do you spend in the morning waiting for your coffee maker of choice to produce your preferred cup (or pot, no judgment from me) of joe? 

The fact of the matter is that in these little moments we chalk up to time wasted, there’s the opportunity for productivity. Small as these moments may seem, nobody said that productive work has to be of a certain duration. By taking advantage of the spare moments before a meeting starts, or when your usual breakfast is cooking, or any other time that would otherwise be lost to the ether, you can accomplish that much more.

How often do you find yourself having some of your best ideas during these moments?

You Just Need to Be Ready for When These Moments Arise

By having the right tools and strategies prepared, you’ll be in a good position to take advantage of every spare moment. Chances are good that you regularly have access to a mobile device with some form of a note-taking app. Get in the habit of quickly typing up your ideas.

If you’d rather rely on a low-tech option, make sure you’re always carrying a pen with you. Everything from a receipt to a napkin can be used to quickly store a thought until you have the opportunity to more permanently record it.

Furthermore, it is important that you manage your expectations. It’s very unlikely that your quick notes will be an earth-shaking idea. Much more likely, it’ll just be the first draft of many ideas that eventually become a real strategy or initiative.

While We Can’t Give You the Inspiration You Need, We Can Give You the Tools You’ll Need to Act Upon It

Reach out to us to learn more about our IT services and support options, and how we can help you and your team accomplish more. Give us a call at (516) 403-9001 to get started.

Your business only has so many resources, from its budget to its time to its employees’ capabilities. This is what makes it so crucial to properly manage all of them.

Let’s run through some basic practices that can help you make the most of what your business has at its disposal.

Resource Management Practices for Business Success

Focus More on High-Demand Resources, and Prioritize Appropriately

As we’ve established, you’re only going to have so much of any given business resource at your disposal. Your circumstances will dictate where you have feast and where there is famine.

As such, it is important that you are aware of where your resources are needed the most for your operations, and where they will be able to contribute the most to your success. The 80/20 principle is helpful to keep in mind.

Think about it this way: 80% or so of your resource shortages are going to refer to just 20% of your resources—the people, materials, time, or what have you that are in highest demand. Carefully planning how these resources should be allocated, based on which processes and outcomes are most important, will ultimately help your business accomplish more.

Apply Strategic Planning

Different tasks will need different levels of investment, in terms of your resources, and organizing them based on the aforementioned priorities we discussed earlier will help you to adjust your processes accordingly.

It’s important that this process takes the different levels of your tasks into consideration, with more resources spent where they are needed. 

Track Time

Tracking your time greatly helps define how resources are being used, giving you the data that you need to better plan for the future. 

Evaluate and Adjust

Finally, it’s important that you take the time periodically to take account of your progress and make improvements. Where did conflicts appear in workflows, specifically where your priorities and goals are impacted? Take note of these conflicts and address them in future repetitions of your given process.

We Can Help Equip Your Business with the Tools for Success

From the IT support to keep you in operation to the strategic investments to improve your technology as a means to further grow, you can turn to MSPNetworks. Give us a call at (516) 403-9001 to learn more.

When it comes to your business’ continuity, you should know that even small issues pose a great threat—especially when they involve your business’ data. Let’s examine two situations where even small mistakes could lead to a cascade of problems that could leave your organization strapped for cash and struggling to stay alive.

Situation 1: Security Breaches

As far as security goes, it’s easy for something as simple as a phishing email to escalate into a serious problem. Imagine that someone clicks on a link in a phishing email and provides the website with their access credentials. The hacker then uses that information to log into your network and install something nefarious on your infrastructure, like ransomware. All of a sudden, you’re in a bind that asks you to either spend a ridiculous amount of money on the decryption key, or else your data will be leaked online.

Let’s say you do pay the ransom, but the hacker doesn’t provide the decryption key. Worse yet, they decide to sell the data anyway, offering other criminals access to it on the black market. And since your data is now effectively leaked online, you’re subject to compliance-related fines that are costing your business thousands of dollars.

Of course, this is all without getting into your business’ operations. During this entire process, your team cannot do their jobs, either because the data is locked down or unavailable. Worse yet, your clients find out about this, and you’re facing lawsuits and lost clientele. Good luck getting back into the game following a disaster like this when nobody trusts you with their sensitive data.

Situation 2: Disasters of Any Kind

Another example of a minor inconvenience turning into a massive problem is just about any disaster that involves your physical infrastructure. Imagine that one of the pipes in your office bathroom starts to leak. You don’t think anything of it and just place a bucket of water under the sink until you can get someone to take a look at it. Days, then weeks, then months go by. Eventually that leak develops into a serious problem, maybe during the winter when the pipes freeze.

Now imagine that your server room is directly underneath your now-broken pipes. How much water do you think a server unit can withstand?

A small problem turns into many larger (and preventable) ones. You have to fix up your physical infrastructure and potentially close your office during repairs. You have to replace technology that would otherwise be perfectly fine. You have to pay people for the time they spend waiting around for you to address the problem. And that’s not even mentioning the data lost as a result of the incident. Data backup and disaster recovery that can handle disasters both natural and manmade is vital to the continued success of any business.

Don’t Take Any Chances with Your Business’ Data

It doesn’t take a massive problem like a data breach or a natural disaster to threaten your organization’s continuity; if anything, small issues could escalate into large-scale problems when left unchecked. Make sure you’re taking precautionary measures with a managed service provider like MSPNetworks. We can ensure your network is protected and backed up, safe and ready to go for whenever life throws a wrench into your plans. Learn more by calling us today at (516) 403-9001.

Operational problems can not only stymie growth, they can trigger a lot of other issues that can be detrimental to the long term success and sustainability of a business. Unfortunately, it’s often a little difficult to see while you are in the heat of battle. Let’s take a look at some of the solutions that can solve some of the common operational problems that small businesses run into.

Communication and Collaboration

With businesses using remote work more often, it requires efficient communication and collaboration tools. Technologies like video conferencing, project management software, and cloud-based document sharing enhance teamwork and communication.

Inventory Management

Inventory management software and systems can help organizations optimize a lot of different things such as managing stock levels, reducing carrying costs, and preventing overstock through real-time tracking and demand forecasting.

Data Management

Data overload and disorganized information can be overwhelming for users to deal with. Technology, including databases, data analytics, and data visualization tools, can help manage and make sense of large volumes of data for better decision-making.

Supply Chain Management

Technology can improve supply chain visibility, traceability, and coordination. IoT sensors, blockchain, and supply chain management software can help reduce delays and improve overall efficiency.

Customer Service

Chatbots, AI-driven virtual assistants, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems enable businesses to provide better and more efficient customer service, including self-service options for customers.

Risk Management

Risk assessment and management tools, including predictive analytics and cybersecurity solutions, help organizations identify and mitigate risks more effectively.

Asset Management

Tracking and maintaining physical assets and equipment can be challenging. IoT-based asset tracking and maintenance systems provide real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance.

Project Management

Project management software and collaboration tools help plan, execute, and monitor projects more efficiently, keeping teams organized and on track.

Running a business can be difficult, but with technology, you can accomplish more and do it more efficiently. If you are searching for help in your efforts to improve efficiency, give the IT professionals at MSPNetworks a call today at (516) 403-9001.

Businesses struggle with a lot of different issues, but when a problem hits you hard in the pocketbook, it can be disastrous for the whole organization. Let’s take a look at some technology that can help you make the most out of your time and effort.

Streamlined Operations

Efficiency is the cornerstone of a successful business. Implementing technology can help streamline various operational processes, reducing manual errors, saving time, and lowering operational costs. Here are a couple examples:

• Automation - Businesses can automate repetitive tasks such as data entry, invoicing, and inventory management. This not only reduces the risk of errors but also allows employees to focus on more value-added tasks.
• Data Analytics - Advanced analytics tools can provide valuable insights into customer behavior, market trends, and operational inefficiencies. This data-driven approach enables businesses to make informed decisions and optimize their strategies.

Improved Customer Engagement

Technology enables businesses to connect with customers more effectively, resulting in increased revenue opportunities. Here\'s how:

• Personalization - With the help of AI and machine learning algorithms, businesses can analyze customer data to deliver personalized experiences. This can boost customer satisfaction and lead to higher conversion rates.
• Chatbots and AI-driven Customer Support - Implementing chatbots and AI-driven customer support systems can improve response times and provide 24/7 assistance, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction.

Enhanced Decision-Making

Informed decisions are pivotal to revenue generation. Technology empowers businesses with access to real-time data and analytics that can guide strategic choices.

• Predictive Analytics - Predictive models can forecast future trends and customer behavior, allowing businesses to proactively adapt to changing market conditions.
• Risk Management - Technology aids in identifying and mitigating risks, ensuring that businesses can protect their revenue and assets effectively.

Are you Ready to Get More Done Through the Use of Modern Technology?

MSPNetworks is here to help. Give us a call today at (516) 403-9001.

Every business is trying to do what they do with fewer interruptions and reduced costs. The more you can do with less, the more profitable your business can become. Building efficient processes is essential for the growing business, so this week will explore various strategies and practical tips to help you build more efficient processes.

Identify Bottlenecks

The first step towards building efficient processes is to identify bottlenecks. These are areas inside your business where there is a slowdown or obstruction that hinders productivity. By analyzing your processes and identifying bottlenecks, you can focus on improving those specific areas to enhance overall efficiency.

Streamline Workflow

Building a highly efficient workflow is crucial for building efficient processes. Start by mapping out your current workflow and identifying any unnecessary steps or redundancies. Look for ways to automate or eliminate these inefficiencies to streamline your processes. Utilizing technology and digital tools can significantly contribute to streamlining your workflow.

Communication is Key

Efficient processes rely on effective communication across all levels of an organization. Establish clear channels of communication and encourage transparency. Regular team meetings, status updates, and feedback sessions are essential to keep everyone informed and aligned. Effective communication reduces misunderstandings, minimizes delays, and enhances overall efficiency.

Invest in Employee Training and Development

Investing in the training and development of your employees can greatly contribute to building more efficient processes. Offer training programs that enhance their skills and knowledge, enabling them to perform tasks more effectively. Providing opportunities for personal and professional growth not only boosts employee morale but also empowers them to contribute to the organization's efficiency.

Keep Improving with Help from MSPNetworks

Our consultants work with all types of companies that are looking to use technology to create a more efficient business. If you have a good idea about how our experts can help you improve your workflow, or if you would like to have a conversation about how you can improve your business, give us a call today at (516) 403-9001.