Author: Steve Haviland

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What to look for in a Great IT Provider

Written by Steve Haviland on November 8, 2022. Posted in Business, IT Management.

So here you are, shopping for a new IT provider. Maybe you aren’t getting the value for your dollar, or maybe you recently got hacked. Regardless of the reason, now you need to figure out who to choose for a new IT company. My goal today is to show you things to look for in a great IT company. Look for these things for your next provider. Emergency protocols. When your IT person is sick, it shouldn’t put your business in jeopardy. There should be contingency plans in place...

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9 Urgent Security Tips for Online Holiday Shopping

Written by Steve Haviland on November 1, 2022. Posted in Cybersecurity.

The holiday shopping season is taking off. This means that scammers have also revved up their engines. They’re primed and ready to take advantage of all those online transactions. Don’t forget to stay safe online during the buying frenzy that occurs this time of year. An ounce of cybersecurity prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure. It can also save you from a financial or privacy nightmare. Here are some of the most critical safety tips to improve your online holiday shopping. Check...

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Checklist for Better Digital Offboarding of Employees

Written by Steve Haviland on November 1, 2022. Posted in Cybersecurity, IT Management.

Digital footprints cover today’s modern workplace. Employees begin making these the moment they’re hired. They get a company email address and application logins. They may even update their LinkedIn page to connect to your company. When an employee leaves a company, there is a process that needs to happen. This is the process of “decoupling” the employee from the company’s technology assets. This digital offboarding is vital to cybersecurity. You don’t want a former employee...

Everything You Need to Know About Microsoft Viva Sales

Written by Steve Haviland on November 1, 2022. Posted in Business, Microsoft.

Data entry can be a real drag for salespeople. The time they spend on administrative tasks is time away from customer interactions. But that data is vital. It’s important to capture customer orders, quotes, needs, and more. Lead and sales reporting help sales managers know where to direct their attention. Analytics also help drive more efficient ways of closing the deal. Microsoft has taken up the mantle of this challenge. It is about to launch a new digital experience for sales teams....

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Insider Threats Are Getting More Dangerous! Here’s How to Stop Them

Written by Steve Haviland on November 1, 2022. Posted in Cybersecurity.

One of the most difficult types of attacks to detect are those performed by insiders. An “insider” would be anyone that has legitimate access to your company network and data. This would be via a login or other authorized connection. Because insiders have authorized system access, they bypass certain security defenses. Such as those designed to keep intruders out. Since a logged-in user isn’t seen as an intruder, those security protections aren’t triggered. There are three troubling...

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Simple Guide to Follow for Better Endpoint Protection

Written by Steve Haviland on November 1, 2022. Posted in Cybersecurity.

Endpoints make up much of a company’s network and IT infrastructure. This is a collection of computers, mobile devices, servers, and smart gadgets. As well as other IoT devices that all connect to the company network. The number of endpoints a company has will vary by business size. Companies with less than 50 employees have about 22 endpoints. Small businesses with 50-100 employees have roughly 114. Enterprise organizations with 1,000+ employees average 1,920 endpoints. Each of those devices...

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What Are the Most Helpful VoIP Features for Small Businesses?

Written by Steve Haviland on November 1, 2022. Posted in Business.

Just five or six years ago, VoIP was still considered a “different” type of business phone system. One that wasn’t the norm. But the pandemic changed that way of thinking. Now internet-based phone systems aren’t simply the norm. They’re mandatory for business continuity. During the pandemic, VoIP and video conferencing have skyrocketed by over 210%. This is largely due to the move to remote work and hybrid offices. Sixty-seven percent of surveyed companies say switching to VoIP helps improve...

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What Is Microsoft Defender for Individuals & What Does It Do?

Written by Steve Haviland on October 25, 2022. Posted in Cybersecurity, Microsoft.

When you hear about Microsoft adding security apps to M365, it’s often the business versions. But the pandemic has changed the way that we see the workplace. It’s now a hybrid world. One made up of several connected “mini-offices” located in employee homes.The outsourcing market has also contributed to the change in company networks. Freelancers are often contracted to work the same hours as employees. This means less overhead and taxes to pay. Approximately 68% of large consumer products companies...

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7 Pro Tips for Microsoft 365

Written by Steve Haviland on October 11, 2022. Posted in Microsoft.

Microsoft 365 is the most popular of all major office productivity software. It has 48.8% of the global market share, just edging out Google’s apps, by a couple of percentage points. It’s used by individuals, small & mid-sized businesses, and larger enterprise organizations. It does everything a modern office needs. Including from word processing and spreadsheet work to cloud storage and video conferencing. Because Microsoft 365 is such a vast platform, with over 20 apps in total, it...

What Is Microsoft Defender for Individuals & What Does It Do?

Written by Steve Haviland on October 11, 2022. Posted in Cybersecurity, Microsoft.

When you hear about Microsoft adding security apps to M365, it’s often the business versions. But the pandemic has changed the way that we see the workplace. It’s now a hybrid world. One made up of several connected “mini-offices” located in employee homes. The outsourcing market has also contributed to the change in company networks. Freelancers are often contracted to work the same hours as employees. This means less overhead and taxes to pay. Approximately 68% of large consumer products...