SMART Blog

Productivity is always going to be a big issue in the workplace. While you want to encourage your employees to get work done, you don’t want to be too overbearing, as it could have the exact opposite of your desired effect. How can you make sure that your employees are staying on-task and focused on their goals? You can take the first step by understanding their motivations and long-term goals.

Technology has forever changed the culture of some office environments, for better or worse. While we tend to err on the side of implementing IT as being worth the risk, it’s always best to go into implementing a new technology solution with the thought of not just how it will affect operations, but how it might influence your organization’s company culture. We’ll go into detail about ways that implementing a new IT solution might affect the way your staff interact with each other, as well as what you should look out for when implementing such solutions.

It’s not unusual for people to try and predict what the future will look like, but too many times when people try and predict what will happen in the future, the reality of what is happening today isn’t taken into account. Imagining the workplace (and workforce) of the future requires we look at where we are today, the pace of change, and what changes are expected. It may not go the way you envision, but the more empirical data you use to model what the future looks like, the less disappointed you’ll be when your imaginary benchmarks aren’t met.

The average business relies on several technology solutions that make maintaining a network infrastructure more challenging. Eventually, it gets to the point where technology becomes difficult to maintain without the help of an on-site IT department. Unfortunately, small businesses often have trouble supporting their infrastructures, as they don’t have the funds to hire and maintain an internal IT department. What’s the best way for a smaller organization to keep their technology in working order?

Everyone by now has heard of cloud computing. But what does “the cloud” actually refer to, and what must a business owner consider as they select a solution for their needs?

Internet companies are always seeking ways to improve and ease the experience of their customers and clients. Take, for example, eBay. The famous reselling site has been taking steps to install an assortment of new features to improve its customers’ experience.

One of the most common threats to sensitive corporate data comes from within your organization in the form of user error. It is, in fact, the leading cause of data loss and security-related problems for business.

When money is tight and you start feeling down about your financial situation, it’s important to keep the big picture in mind. This can be done by reviewing your net worth. Having this big picture will help you to worry less and allow you to better focus on your goals.

Most modern businesses need access to crucial parts of their infrastructure in order to keep operations moving forward. For example, your building’s electricity is necessary to power your technology, and without an Internet connection, you could be losing out on hours of potential productivity. What can you do to minimize downtime and make the best out of a bad situation?

Your agency’s data is its lifeline. Without it, you can’t hope to continue functioning, especially if you’re unable to recover it following a data loss disaster. Businesses that experience a devastating data loss and are unable to recover, are likely to go out of business within one calendar year following the incident. Is your business prepared to tackle a data loss disaster?

When was the last time you provided your business with improved technology that offers a great return on investment? If your business is using software and hardware that hasn’t been updated in several years, the same technology that’s necessary for your operations could be holding you back from achieving optimal efficiency.

Seasoned business owners understand the value of working with professionally-trained teams. Due to the complexities and time constraints of running a business, there’s no way that one person can do everything, much less doing everything well. Therefore, it’s ideal to have a professional team dedicated to every aspect of your business, especially when it comes to IT.

In a world where brief emails and instant messages inundate our day-to-day lives, there’s something to be said about taking the time to pick up the phone and talk to your customers. As your business grows and your client base expands, this can become increasingly expensive. VoIP is the perfect communications solution for your growing business.

If you’re the owner of a successful and fast-growing business, you know what it’s like to have your time spread thin. With all of your responsibilities pulling you every which way, thinking about your company’s IT network tends to get pushed to the bottom of your list. We feel like you shouldn’t have to divert energy from money making ventures to worry about your IT.

How involved in your operations is your IT department? Does your SMB even have an IT department? Many organizations tend to consider IT an afterthought because they don’t believe themselves to be targets for hackers, or don’t anticipate costly technology issues. However, these business owners underestimate the power of complete transparency between an organization and IT.