Tag Archive for: IT For Business Owners

Ever been on a video call, and the other person looks and sounds BAD?

Perhaps they’re staring down at a laptop webcam (never a great angle) and they’re so badly lit that they look like a shadow in the dark. Maybe they have a cheap microphone which makes them sound like they’re on a bad phone call?

Video calls are here to stay. If there’s any chance that your team members are video calling like this, it’s time to give them an upgrade.

In our newest guide, we’ve listed our recommendations on how to improve your video calls within any budget size. Download your copy for free here: GUIDE – HOW TO GET THE PERFECT VIDEO CALL SETUP, WHATEVER YOUR BUDGET

Want help improving your team’s setup? Book a 15 minute, no obligation call with us at www.durham-it.ca/book-a-call/.

Here is your July 2022 “Tech Tips For The Boss” newsletter! This month features keeping your business safe across all chat channels, how your devices can affect new hires, and more! Click here to download it: July 2022 Newsletter

Interested in finding out more? Book a 15 minute, no obligation call with us at www.durham-it.ca/book-a-call/.

How many notifications do you reckon you get every day? I bet its hundreds – messages, emails, alerts, and pop-ups on websites.

If you get too many pop-ups, it has a name – ‘notification spam’. I have good news… Google is going to do something about it!

We’ve created a new video all about it. Watch it here:

If you’re interested in finding out more about blocking spam, book a 15 minute, no obligation call with us at www.durham-it.ca/book-a-call/.

It feels like every day we’re being warned about a new threat to our cyber security, doesn’t it? That’s for good reason. Last year, ransomware attacks alone affected 81% of businesses. By 2025, the cost of cyber-crime is estimated to hit $10.5 trillion according to the ‘2022 Cybersecurity Almanac’.

But we’re still seeing far too many businesses that aren’t taking this threat seriously. It’s not only your data that you could lose if your company falls victim to a cyber-attack. The cost of remediation or mitigation can run into tens of thousands of $$$.

At the same time, you’ll suffer an average of 21 days of downtime after a cyber-attack. Imagine… 21 days without being able to use all your business technology as normal. That would be disastrous. That’s not to mention the loss of trust your clients have in you, which could lead to you losing their business.

It’s really important that your business is taking appropriate steps to keep your data safe and secure. That most likely means a layered approach to your security. This is where several solutions are used, which work together to give you a level of protection appropriate to your business. This reduces your risk of being attacked and makes recovery easier should you fall victim.

It’s worth pointing out that you will never be able to keep your business 100% protected from cyber-attacks. Not without totally locking down every system, to the point where it would be very difficult to do business (and your staff would constantly be looking for ways around the enhanced security).

The key to excellent cyber security is striking the right balance between protection and usability. There are three mistakes that are most commonly made by businesses – and they’re also some of the most dangerous mistakes to make.

Is your business making any of these?

 

Mistake 1) Not Restricting Access

Different employees will have different needs when accessing company files and applications. If you allow everyone access to everything, it risks your entire network.

You should also make sure to change access rights when someone changes roles, and revoke them when they leave.

 

Mistake 2) Allowing Lateral Movement

If cyber criminals gain access to a computer used by a member of your admin team, that in itself might not be a disaster, but what if they could move from your admin system to your invoicing system… and from there to your CRM… and then into someone’s email account?

This is known as lateral movement. The criminals gain access to one system and work their way into more sensitive systems. If they can get into the email of someone who has admin rights to other systems or even the company bank account, they can start resetting passwords and locking out other people. Scary stuff!

One strategy against this is called air gapping. It means that there’s no direct access from one part of your network to another.

 

Mistake 3) Not Planning & Protecting

Businesses that work closely with their IT partner to prepare and protect are less likely to be attacked in the first place and will be back on their feet faster if the worst does happen.

You should also have an up-to-date plan in place that details what to do, should an attack happen. This will significantly shorten the amount of time it takes to respond to an attack. That means you’ll limit your data loss and the cost of putting things right again.

 

If you know you’re making any of these mistakes in your business, you need to act quickly. We can help. Book a 15 minute, no obligation call with us at www.durham-it.ca/book-a-call/ and we can do a quick review of your current security set up.

 

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

How to Ensure Your IT Spending is an Investment & Never an Expense

No matter what kind of business you run, technology sits at the heart of it, and it’s going to become more and more important in the future.

Big business thinkers see IT as a long-term investment. They understand the correlation between the short-term impact to cash flow, and the enormous long-term benefits of business growth, increased productivity and highly satisfied staff and customers.

To ensure your Return on Investment (ROI), there are several Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track. Our new guide walks you through them. Read it here: GUIDE – The 7 KPIs For Your IT ROI

If you’re interested in finding out more, book a 15 minute, no obligation call with us at www.durham-it.ca/book-a-call/.

Here is your June 2022 “Tech Tips For The Boss” newsletter! This month features video call etiquette, monitoring remote workers, keyboard shortcuts, and more! Click here to download it: June 2022 Newsletter

Interested in finding out more? Book a 15 minute, no obligation call with us at www.durham-it.ca/book-a-call/.

You know what a ransomware attack is, right? Cyber criminals access your data and encrypt it so you can’t access it. Then they demand a ransom fee to get it back.

A shocking 97% of business leaders who’ve already been hit by ransomware say they would pay up if it happened again, despite experts strongly advising against it.

Why? They understand what a nightmare it is.

The only way to protect is to prepare. Our newest video tells you how. Watch it here:

Want help preparing your business? Book a 15 minute, no obligation call with us at www.durham-it.ca/book-a-call/.

Hybrid working is here to stay, and so are video calls.

Do you want to give your home or office video call setup an upgrade? Maybe make yourself look and sound better? Our newest video gives you three easy ways to improve your video call set up. Watch it here:

Want our help? Book a 15 minute, no obligation call with us at www.durham-it.ca/book-a-call/.

 

 

How many different applications do you have to log into each workday? 5? 10? Maybe more?

So how do you ensure the passwords you’re using for each account are long, strong, and most importantly… unique? The answer is a password manager. But be careful, as not all password managers are equally safe to use.

Microsoft Edge is soon launching a new password management feature BUT… our advice is not to use it. Our latest video explains why. Watch it here:

If you’d like help choosing the right password manager for your business, book a 15 minute, no obligation call with us at www.durham-it.ca/book-a-call/.

Focus more, be interrupted less… and get more done

Business owners and managers ALWAYS have a lot on the go. You are not only having to worry about your own work, but also whatever your people are needing from you at that moment. It’s a lot for your brain to handle.

Fortunately, there are many tools that you can utilize to reduce your interruptions, free up your time and help you focus. Many of them are even included in your Microsoft 365 subscription.

We’ve created this short guide to help you focus more, be interrupted less, and GET MORE DONE! Read it here… BUSINESS OWNER’S BRIEFING: REDUCE THE BURDEN ON YOUR BRAIN

Want help improving productivity in your business? Book a 15 minute, no obligation call with us at www.durham-it.ca/book-a-call/.