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The Modern Office and Connectivity: Why Access to IT Drives Today’s Businesses

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As we discuss what makes the modern office function fluidly, we cannot overlook the importance of connectivity. While the end user sees only a portion of internet technology (IT) that actually exists, the fact of the matter is that IT is the driving force behind today’s modern business. Not only does connectivity allow employees the access they need for top productivity, but it provides clients, customers, and business partners the doorway to the information they require as well.

Connectivity is all about how every one of us gets the information we need every day from email to secure remote access. When it comes to getting your end users access to corporate information securely and consistently, connectivity is key. It is connectivity that allows us to perform the normal, day-to-day operations of our business effectively and efficiently.

Email Access & Connectivity

Email access is a necessity in the modern business world whether you are working on your desktop at the office, your iPad on the subway, or your laptop at home. Connectivity allows businesses to provide every employee unified email access. With the latest IT, your business can provide fully synchronized connectivity across all devices at all times with all employee contacts, calendars, and email.

In today’s modern office, your workforce can access email from their smartphones, smart watches, tablets, laptops, and desktops with certainty. This means higher levels of productivity, ease of use for the end user (i.e. every employee), and flexibility, all protected with the level of security your business requires.

Not only is email access important for your employees but consider your business partners, subcontractors, and consumers. There are many people clamoring to communicate with your business on a daily basis and email is the lifeline of much of that communication. Without the right connectivity, your business partners may not be able to close the deal without immediate access to all team players; service providers won’t be able to access what they need to get your job done; and consumers may become so frustrated that they seek out other businesses that are connected to fulfill their needs.

File Access

Connectivity allows the modern office to have secure access to a variety of systems. For example, you can provide your employees with secure access through a virtual private network (VPN). Connectivity also gives them access to files through cloud-based systems such as OneDrive, SharePoint, Box.com, or Dropbox to name a few.

In many industries, businesses also require the ability to share access to information with organizational partners. When you need to share proprietary information securely with subcontractors and other business partners, which is the case in many industries, connectivity is there to achieve your goal. The right connectivity also allows this to be done so securely.

Meeting Customer Expectations

The modern consumer is incredibly tech savvy and they expect businesses to be the same. This means every business from the small mom and pop to the multinational corporation are expected to provide the same level of connectivity. No longer does the work day run 9 to 5. Customers want access to businesses around the clock and they have the voice to demand it.

The 2018 Deloitte GLOBAL Human Capital Trends report shows important changes facing business leaders worldwide. One of those is in the strength consumers now have, making business connectivity more important than ever. Deloitte’s global survey of more than 11,000 business and human resource leaders shows the “shift in power to the individual is being propelled by today’s hyper-connected world, which enables people to track information about companies and their products, express their opinions to a wide audience, and sign onto social movements, globally and in real time.”

Today’s consumers want to be able to connect with businesses instantly, get answers quickly, shop, and more, both day and night. Customers want to connect with your business on all levels. What’s more, they expect your business to provide that connectivity for them on any device they choose to use.

In order to retain clients and customers, connectivity is an absolute necessity, especially in industries such as retail, education, and finance. Not only will you need the right hardware and software to meet customer demands, you’ll also need business processes and the network infrastructure in place to implement connectivity.  Connectivity can be achieved affordably allowing every business to draw in new customers, meet their expectations, and retain them.

The Future is Now

There was a time when businesses simply needed a website, telephone number, and/or email address for people to reach out to them. That is no longer the case. Mobile technology has exploded which has led to the need for businesses to be available 24 hours a day. With the “always on” mentality of the modern business world and the drive to meet customer expectations, connectivity has become the right hand of business. Now is the time to ensure your connectivity is up to par as the future has arrived.

What You’ll Need

In order to meet the connectivity expectations of employees, business partners, and consumers, you will need to implement several elements of connectivity. Begin by looking at your hardware. Are your computers, servers, modems, printers and other hardware up to date? If not, or if they are nearing their end of life, don’t wait to upgrade otherwise you may find your business falling behind the times and that can lead to a loss of customers and revenue.

You’ll also need to look at your software. This is a banner year for software changes. Several companies such as Microsoft will be allowing software programs to pass into their end of life cycle over the next few months. This means companies will be issuing new software programs to replace the old. Be ready in advance for changes because if not, your business could be at risk for breaches since updates to old software will stop being issued. Up-to-date software is a prime element of strong connectivity.

Cloud applications are also imperative for effective connectivity. A cloud application is a type of software program where local components such as your existing hardware and software function cohesively with cloud-based programs. This means your business will have to rely, at least to some extent, on remote servers and the internet. This piece of connectivity can make file sharing like that mentioned above simple.

Mobile apps are also becoming mainstream for modern businesses as well. Whether you are a retailer hoping to capture consumers online and allow them to shop anytime or you are a financial institution that wants to promote e-trading directly through your clients’ mobile devices, you can have an app constructed for your business. Whatever your need is to reach your target customer and keep them engaged, there’s an app for that. Many third-party service providers such as ORAM offer mobile app development for businesses at surprisingly affordable rates.

Social media is another piece of the connectivity puzzle that many businesses fail to recognize or utilize to its full potential. Modern businesses introduce their brand, express their values, and cultivate higher sales through the use of social media from Facebook to Twitter and LinkedIn to YouTube. Such social media platforms offer businesses the opportunity to connect with consumers, praise hard-working employees, tout their products and services, boost their brand recognition, and so much more.

Changing Connectivity

Just as your business plan is a living document, your connectivity will need to grow and adapt to the demands of your business and the outside world. Connectivity is never static and your business will have to be ready to change with the times. For example, even small businesses are realizing that they have substantial bandwidth requirements to meet their connectivity needs. Standard broadband is becoming a limitation with today’s high-speed world.

You may also find that you need to revisit your software licensing or usable hardware to facilitate the growth and speed your business requires. After all, the plan is to grow your business which means more hardware, software, and connectivity. The expectation is that the demands of connectivity will only continue to grow and morph as technology changes and continues to expand.

Competing in a Competitive Marketplace

When it comes to business, competition can be fierce whether you are aiming to garner more clients, increase sales, or hire an effective workforce. You need to ensure your connectivity is in top condition to achieve your business goals regardless of what they may be. The truth is that all businesses require connectivity to gain and maintain a competitive advantage in today’s marketplace. Furthermore, it will allow you to raise awareness of your brand, provide you further reach, and allow your employees to achieve more.

If you want to learn more about how to improve your business connectivity, modernize your office, or talk about your business IT needs, contact ORAM at (617) 933-5060. You can also connect with us online.

Budgeting for Technology in the New Year

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How to squeeze the most out of your IT and save your business money

With the New Year in full swing you’re probably preparing to implement your updated information technology (IT) plan. As a business owner or leader, you probably have many questions such as, “How much should my business budget?” You may also be wondering if you’re making the most of the IT you already have in place. In this blog, we break down what every business should be budgeting at the very least as well steps for ensuring your business has the technology it needs and that your network is as secure as possible.

Cloud Computing
If your business has not yet migrated to the cloud for your email and other services, now is the time to do so. There are several reasons it is best for businesses to move to the cloud. From saving money to better data security, cloud computing offers a ton of benefits to modern businesses.

To begin, establishing and maintaining your own data storage is expensive. Not only do you need to purchase the right hardware and software, but you have to hire people to install it and set it up. Cloud computing allows you to pay for just the services you use and can reduce your IT costs. It is so affordable that is was estimated in research by McAfee that nearly one-third of worldwide enterprises would be using software-as-a-service (SaaS) by the end of 2018. Cloud providers typically charge based on the features you choose, storage used, and number of users. Most also charge for time and memory space. This means you get to select the package that best suits your IT budget.

Cloud computing also allows you both flexibility and scalability. Cloud computing lets your employees work from anywhere they have internet access through virtualization. Giving employees the option to work remotely means you can cut the number of workspaces at the office further reducing your costs. In addition, scaling Cloud computing services is a cinch. You don’t have to spend a ton of money on new servers, storage, and licenses as your business grows. With the cloud, you just sign up for additional storage space or features as your business needs them.

If you store your own data, a breach or disaster such as a fire could devastate your business’s valuable information. With the cloud, your data will always be available as long as users have internet access. Many businesses use the cloud specifically for backup and disaster recovery for this very reason.

Data security is also a top priority in this day and age of hacks, breaches, and ransomware. Email is the lifeblood of most businesses to ensuring it is secure should be a top priority. Storing data and using email on the cloud is often more secure than storing it or hosting on physical servers and data centers in your office. Laptops and desktops can be stolen as can other hardware. Data on the cloud can be deleted remotely or moved to a different account and hackers face a greater challenge in breaching cloud platforms so your data is simply more secure. As a matter of fact, 85 percent of enterprises keep sensitive data in the cloud according to Vormetric.

Finally, cloud computing is one of the most effective ways to promote collaboration and it gives you a wide variety of service options to choose from. Your employees will be able to easily share data, collaborate on projects, and provide updates in real time from the field. Time wasted on repetitive tasks such as data entry are no longer an issue and you get to choose the services your business really needs whether it is abundant storage or software from a wide range of providers.

Leveraging Your Existing IT
Hardware and software can be hugely expensive investments for many businesses. Your business needs to get the most out of every bit of IT it has invested in. For example, you may already be using Office 365 for email but is your business using it for file sharing or collaboration between teams? A network assessment and IT audit can tell you where you have room for improvement, opportunities for growth, and options for cost savings.

A study by Bank of America in 2017 revealed small business owners found the greatest barrier to achieving a balance between work and their personal life involved administrative tasks. Perhaps you have software that can help you automate administrative tasks to help your business free up time. For example, Intuit’s QuickBooks Self-Employed software has an expense management system built right into it. An independent IT auditor can show you how to best use what you already have to meet your organization’s needs without spending more money unnecessarily.

Hardware Replacement
Most businesses cannot afford to replace their desktops and laptops all at once. This is especially true when the average lifespan of a desktop today is between three and five years according to a piece by Chron, an online news source.

“Of course, this number is just a generalization and a number of factors play into lifespan, ranging from the computer’s quality, care, and room for upgrades,” according to the blog, “What is the Life Span of the Average PC?” “For small business owners, every new computer is an expense and an investment, one whose worth over time largely depends on how you use it and care for it.”

Laptops are also a typical expense for most businesses. According to a blog by TechGuided, the lifespan of a laptop will depend on the quality of the product you purchase, how often it is used, and how it is maintained. “A mid-range laptop should probably last around four to five years, though, give or take a year or two depending on how you use it,” advises the piece.

To make such updating of your IT more affordable, we recommend making replacements in quarterly cycles rather than all at once. Your IT personnel or your IT auditor can make recommendations as to which hardware needs to be replaced immediately, which can hold off for a few months, and which pieces still have a good life ahead of them. Based on these recommendations, you can schedule a plan for cycling out old hardware each quarter on a regular basis. This serves to level out your IT spending rather than investing a ton of money all at once.

According to an article by Business.org, businesses should “expect to pay between $400 for a basic model with limited storage space to $3,500 for a top of the line desktop with a large hard drive. Desktops also range in price based on operating system as well. For example, models that run Windows may be less expensive than Apple models. Apple desktops vary in cost from $1,500-$3,500, depending on which features you need.”

The same piece also stated that laptops “range from $300 for the most basic models to $3,000 for high-speed models with large storage capacity. Similar to desktops, laptops also vary in cost depending on which operating system you prefer. Apple laptops tend to fall towards the middle of the price scale, ranging in cost from $1,000 to $2,500. Laptops that run Windows have a wider price range, and cost depends mostly on features and brand.”

The Latest Software
In addition to hardware, businesses will also need to consider the software they are using. When you purchase software, it is licensed to your business and may have an end date to your user agreement. Additionally, software changes over time and there may be upgrades that could benefit your company or even new software that is better than what you have.

This is where the IT audit can once again assist your business with saving money. Your IT auditor can evaluate your existing needs versus the software you have in place. They can determine if you have the latest software or if the software you have simply needs to be patched or updated. A real IT expert can educate you about software to help you achieve your business goals while saving you money. Based on their recommendations, you can choose to either use what you already have or purchase better software to save your business money over the long term.

Email Security
As we mentioned before, email is as critical to business continuity as breathing is to life. That means you need to have quality security for your email. Software such as Microsoft Office 365 and other programs can scan for threats, identify phishing attempts, and filter spam. Programs such as Mimecast offer many of the same advantages and can also aid employees when it comes to identifying websites as safe or unsafe to visit based on URL reputation. Anti-virus, anti-spam, and firewall software are also good to include in your IT plan.

The cost of software will vary by brand and product. For example, a one-year subscription to Office 365 Unlimited Professional is just $99.00 online. That cost covers up to five desktops, five tablets, and five mobile devices such as smartphones. There are also monthly subscriptions to Office 365 Business for as little as $8.25 a month. What you spend will ultimately depend on what software you purchase or subscribe to, how many devices you need to cover, and for what length of time.

Technology Awareness Program
All of the hardware and software in the world won’t protect your business if your employees are not technology savvy. Any IT expert will tell you that regularly-scheduled, ongoing employee education is the cornerstone of securing your business data. This is something that every business should budget for because it’s your employees that can make or break your business.

The cost of security awareness and end-user training will, again, vary from business to business. This is because most companies that handle Technology Awareness Training programs, such as Oram Corporate Advisors, base their rate on how many people are being trained, how in depth the training will be, and how frequently you host trainings. Ideally though, businesses should train every new employee as part of their onboarding process with all-staff training every six months to keep employees updated on the latest threats and how to avoid or combat them. This investment in training will pay off in dividends as each employee becomes more aware of the threats they face and their role in protecting your business.

At the end of the day, how much your business should budget for technology this year will depend on a variety of factors from how you store your data to what hardware and software you have as well as your business goals. If you would like more information about IT asset management, network assessments and IT auditing, or other IT support services, please contact Oram at (617) 933-5060 or visit us online. We can even schedule a free technology assessment to get your business started off on the right foot in 2019.

Major components of a solid cybersecurity plan for businesses

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It happens every day. Businesses of all sizes experience data breaches which can lead to the loss of proprietary or private client data, damage a company’s reputation, or even unleash lawsuits. The consequences can be so damaging, in fact, that an organization may face closure as a result.

In addition to the aforementioned concerns, small to medium-sized businesses face additional challenges that larger businesses often don’t; a lack of IT personnel, funding for strong IT, and knowledge for developing a cybersecurity plan, for example. With that said, there are several major components every business owner and leader should consider when creating a solid cybersecurity plan that will serve to best protect their organization.

IT Audit
The first step in creating a cybersecurity plan for your business is to conduct an IT audit. An IT audit is when your company’s information technology (IT) infrastructure, policies, and operations are examined and evaluated for security purposes and to see if they measure up to best practices. This will help determine where your security is strong and where it needs improvement.

Information technology audits allow businesses of all sizes to determine if the controls (hardware, software, practices, and policies) they have in place protect the company’s assets, ensure the integrity of data, and align with the organization’s overall goals. These audits are typically conducted by IT auditors who examine the physical security of your business in addition to the security of your information systems ranging from financial controls to your company’s overall business policies.

Some IT organizations such as Oram Corporate Advisors offer free technology assessments to get you started. These free technology assessments can assist in strategically evaluating whether your IT infrastructure is ready to grow, identify areas of opportunity for improvement, and can “red flag” areas that require deeper analysis and adjustments. Just remember that all technology assessments are not created equal and you often get what you pay for.

When it comes to IT audits, they can be expensive, but businesses need to have them to secure their organizational data, assure clients that their information is safe, and to protect their reputation. Additionally, many industries are now required by their state and/or federal government to participate in regular audits among other IT regulations. Be sure to check with your state and federal government to determine if your business is affected by such IT regulations. Your IT auditor should be able to answer these questions for you as well and assist your business with regulatory compliance requirements.

The cost of an IT audit can be prohibitive for many small to medium businesses. As a matter of fact, they can run into the thousands depending on how much work has to be completed to conduct the audit. Fees are typically charged on an hourly basis and can range from IT company to IT company. Most IT auditors should be willing to give you a free estimate, however, so you know what your investment will be.

Employee Training
The next step in developing a solid cybersecurity plan for your business is to train your employees. After all, your employees can be your strongest line of defense or your weakest link. Information technology best practices require regular IT training for all employees.

Every employee should know certain IT rules such as not opening emails or attachments from unknown or untrusted sources. Phishing scams are one of the most common ways hackers attempt to infiltrate business networks using email. Other items employees should be trained on include spear-phishing, executive whaling, and malware. Training should also include specific company IT policies and procedures that support better data security. Employees should also be trained in a myriad of other topics such as the proper disposal of confidential data (both digital and hard copy), how to handle requests for information, and how to report a suspected breach.

A blog by Forbes magazine online offers small and medium businesses five tips on how to train employees. While these are general training guidelines for any type of employee education, they can also be applied to IT training. In addition to hosting your own educational meetings, most IT companies offer employee training for best IT practices as well. The cost for such training will depend on which company you hire, how frequently you wish to schedule training, and how many employees you have.

Your WISP
The third component of your business cybersecurity plan should be your written information security plan or WISP. This encompasses many items and includes several steps in and of itself. You will need to sit down with an IT specialist and outline a WISP that is specific to your business and the information it holds. Your WISP will need to include the following at a minimum:

Objective– Outlines your WISP including the creation of effective administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for the protection of personal and proprietary information.

Purpose– Outlines what your WISP will do such as ensuring the security and confidentiality of personal information, protect against any anticipated security threats, and protect against unauthorized access or use of information.

Scope– In formulation and implementing your WISP, outline the scope of the plan including reasonably foreseeable internal and external risks, the potential and likelihood of damage caused by such risks, evaluate the sufficiency of your existing IT policies, and design and implement a WISP that puts safeguards into place to protect data. In addition, regular monitoring of the effectiveness of those safeguards should also be included.

Data Security Coordinator– Designate a data security coordinator in your WISP that will implement, supervise, and maintain your written plan. They will head the initial implementation of your plan, train employees, and regularly test the safeguards outlined in the WISP. The security coordinator will also evaluate the ability of each third-party service provider to supply appropriate security measures for information to which they have access. They will also review the scope of the security measures in the WISP and conduct annual training for all employees including the owners, managers, and independent contractors as well as temporary employees who have access to personal information.

Internal Risks– Identify probable internal risks to security, confidentiality, and/or integrity of electronic, paper, or other records containing personal or proprietary information. Also evaluate how to limit such risks and implement necessary measures for reducing them.

External Risks– Identify probable external risks to security, confidentiality, and/or integrity of electronic, paper, or other records containing personal or proprietary information. Also evaluate how to limit such risks and implement necessary measures for reducing them.

Implement Your Plan
Implementing your business’s cybersecurity plan is the next step. This includes adding data security features you have opted to employ in addition to making employee training a reality, integrating new software such as updated anti-virus and/or firewall programs on your network, and updating patches to existing software.
Other layers of your cybersecurity plan should include:

Social Media Education– Hackers can find personal information online from social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn that they can use to manipulate employees of companies, getting them to disclose personal or sensitive information. Train employees about social media best practices as well as the use of different passwords for each site, software, or application they use. Emphasize your company’s security protocols as well as IT best practices such as the use of least privilege.

Let’s Get Physical, Security– While you may think your building is secure enough to protect your sensitive data, good hackers know how to penetrate this type of security. Be sure not to leave computers exposed and destroy all hard drives using professional services. Physical security breaches can be avoided by encrypting hard drives, leveraging cloud backups, and enclosing hardware ports exposed to the public. Employing theft recovery software, checking door locks and cameras, and properly disposing of shredded paper also help.

Wi-Fi Protection– Wireless internet can also pose a threat. Wi-Fi signals can extend beyond office walls. A bad actor can connect to your signal from far away and infiltrate your network where they can steal files containing proprietary or personal information. Businesses should employ WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) protocols as they are safer than the old WEP (Wired Equivalency Privacy) or WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) protocols. Ensure your router has a strong, unique password that is not easily guessed.

Password Protocols– Passwords should be changed often and kept private. Train employees on this and teach them that the strongest passwords include uppercase and lowercase letters, numerals, and special characters. Additionally, passwords need to be different across all accounts. The best way to remember passwords is to use a password manager. There are some free password managers available but the most secure ones typically charge a small annual or monthly fee. Most also allow businesses to sign up for a membership that covers all employees.

Two-Factor Authentication– Even with difficult, unique passwords on every account, seasoned hackers can often penetrate security. As a backup, it’s best to employ multifactor authentication wherever possible. Most large companies use it including Apple, Google, and Dropbox. Using a mobile number and/or email account, multi-factor authentication provides an added level of security. Your business can also implement it with other applications and services as well. New technology such as facial recognition, fingerprints, and/or ultrasonic sounds are on the near horizon and companies should prepare to employ more secure technologies as soon as they are commercially available.

Email Security– This is the most necessary asset for your business to protect. Once in your email, hackers can reset passwords and wreak all types of havoc so be sure to prioritize protecting company email. Never click links in emails or attachments from untrusted or unknown sources as these could take you to a phishing site that looks like a real website. Using Google Gmail and Google Apps is recommended given they have the best spam, virus, and phishing protections available in addition to multifactor authentication already built in.

Anti-Virus– Keep your anti-virus updated at all times. While this helps protect your email and other sensitive information, new malicious viruses are always being created. That means anti-virus companies are always updating their software to address the threats on their “blacklists.” Consider using a service that employs a “whitelist,” which only allows software and programs that are pre-approved to be downloaded adding extra security to your network.

If you need assistance with conducting an IT audit, crafting an IT plan or WISP, or implementing your plan, contact Oram Corporate Advisors today at (617) 933-5060. You can also reach out to us online. Our professionals are always here to support your business with superior IT and IT services.