All posts by Solve-IT.ca

business computing

4 Considerations in Selecting Business Computer Systems

From time to time I get asked by people who don’t work regularly with me as to why I choose to deploy brands such as IBM and Lenovo. The price tags on these devices are often higher than some of their off-the-shelf counterparts. (Let’s not mention the bad 4-letter word please!)

I’m often surprised by this question because I don’t understand why anyone would want to go with something different for their business. Sure, in your personal life, you can get away with using just about anything. In fact, in my lifetime, I’ve built several thousand clone computers personally.

But as a business owner, I have to ask some critical questions that make my business decisions clear:

  • Do you care if your computers work every day?
  • Do you care about standardized platforms and reduced service costs?
  • Do you care how customer service treats you if something goes wrong?

As wonderful as computers are, the reality is there will always be situations where something can (and as Murphy states often does) go wrong. That’s where having a tried and true brand makes the difference.

Here are some of my real life examples of how these two particular brands made a real difference to my customers:

In-person and onsite support even on holidays

Anyone who knows me knows about the Christmas from hell. If you don’t, just ask me some time. Short story, even at Christmas Eve there was someone we could talk to from IBM who could assist us in bringing the system back. On top of that, they were willing to bring someone either that night or the next morning down from the main Toronto office to be onsite to resolve the issue.

Technical support that knows they don’t know everything

Another company, who I was not supporting at the time but had worked on the architecture of their environment, had a critical application go down because their current support decided to mess with the delicate setup in a vain attempt to optimize their environment. The end result is that the company called in IBM to get them back up and running. The IBM technician was told by this other support to basically wipe the whole server clean and rebuild the system from scratch. Having enough common sense, this technician was wise enough to stop and actually ask more questions. End result was the actual solution was a completely different problem and by not blindly following what he was told to do, he saved the company countless hours and service dollars to get the server data back.

Simple support at the convenience of the customer

A client of mine recently had a Lenovo laptop which had a video screen that started displaying a weird black band. With no fuss, I simply called technical support and reported the issue. Because the computer was a Lenovo T-series, it had a 3 year warranty upgraded to next business day onsite. The client was about to go on an extended business trip and Lenovo was willing to have the computer picked up and dropped off wherever was necessary for him. Fortunately, the issue wasn’t so critical that he had to have such an immediate response. But after he returned (nearly a month later) with the laptop, Lenovo still honored the claim and handled the laptop with ease.

Easy recovery and factory restore

Seems lately I’ve had the luck of dealing with several computer virus attacks. Many of them were on systems without a proper recovery media. A recovery media is important in ensuring the operating system (normally Windows), all drivers, and all default programs are restored properly onto the computer. In comparison, Lenovo offers the friendliest recover mechanism to ensure a clean restore to factory. This means less cost and less time until the computer is fully functioning again.

The above are extreme cases. It’s the hope that you never run into any of these problems. But do you really want to chance something as critical as your business computer systems? Isn’t your business important enough to you to go for the best?

At the end of the day, if you can’t afford a branded platform, can you afford to loss your critical business data instead?

If you’re interested in moving to a more standardized platform and want to know how your business can benefit from using branded products, please drop us an email here at Solve-IT.ca, a leading IT support for Southern Ontario.

Data Protection

Symantec Says: Small Business Not Protecting Data When Virtualizing Servers

The good news about virtualization among small businesses is that it is growing in popularity (though small businesses are still learning how to adopt it in their organizations). The bad news is that as they implement server virtualization, small businesses are putting their data at risk.

In the 2011 Small Business Virtualization Poll conducted among 658 respondents from 28 countries worldwide, Symantec Corp. found out that most small businesses aren’t taking the most basic steps to secure and protect their virtual environments.

The survey also found that financial benefits were the main reasons for businesses to turn to virtualization.  Seventy percent of respondents said their organizations are considering virtualization. 70 percent cited that reduced capital expense would drive their decisions to deploy virtualization while 68 percent said it was reduced operating expense. The ability to use fewer servers for the same number of applications (67 percent) and improved server scalability (65 percent) were found to be other reasons.

Despite the growing interest in virtualization, small businesses have been forced to limit virtualization only to discussions. What could be holding them back? The answer is “Limited IT Skills”. On the other hand, nearly a third of small businesses not planning virtualization blamed it on lack of experience. Out of those surveyed, only 10 percent have deployed virtualized servers and even they are focusing their early-stage efforts on simpler, less critical application areas. Performance (60 percent), backup (56 percent), and security and patch management (56 percent) were cited as top challenges.

The survey also found out a shocking fact; only 15 percent always back up their virtualized servers and 23 percent do it infrequently or not at all. And even worse is the fact that only 40 percent completely secure their data. Budget and staffing issues were cited to be the main hindrances by respondents. Even those who said they are somewhat or completely secure are less secure than they think. The survey found that 78 percent don’t have antivirus on their virtual servers, 48 percent don’t have a firewall, and 74 percent forego endpoint protection.

So, what should small businesses do? Here are a few recommendations for them to make sure they are properly protecting their data and systems:

  • Define a virtualization strategy by working with an IT consultant. By assessing your data protection and security needs, build a strategy complete with guidelines. Also determine if moving to these cloud services are right for you. Once you have a strategy in place, develop a plan and follow it.
  • Secure your virtual environments by considering what security solutions you need to secure your virtual environment; think firewall, antivirus, and endpoint security. Don’t forget to establish security practices.
  • Protect your data with backup solutions for both physical and virtual environments. Want to save space and time? Consider a data deduplication solution.
Talk with us today, Solve-IT specializes in helping business throughout the Niagara region with all their computer and business network support.  We look forward to serving your Niagara computer support needs.
Microsoft

Microsoft Patch Tuesday Tomorrow – Important Patches Due Out

Come Tuesday, Microsoft is shipping five security bulletins to fix flaws in the Microsoft Windows operating system, the Microsoft Office productivity suite and the Microsoft Server Software that could lead to code execution and privilege escalation attacks.

All five upgrades have been rated “important” and the Windows OS updates will apply to all versions of the operating system, which means the newest Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will be able to reap the benefits too. And keep in mind, at least one of the bulletins will require a restart after installation.

Now don’t you even think of downplaying this batch of patches just because it doesn’t have a “critical” bulletin. Yes, “important” vulnerabilities do not give attackers the full root privileges generally associated with “critical” vulnerabilities, but the attackers can still use an “important” rated vulnerability to achieve an initial compromise. Once the compromise has been obtained, there is no doubt that these attackers will escalate privileges by other means.

The not-“critical” but still “important” bulletins are coming. We are sure that by now, you’ve come to understand just how important these “important” bulletins are.

Trust your local Hamilton IT support specialists at Solve-IT to help you with all your business IT support needs.  Our clients never have to worry about security bulletins, we do this for them.  Speak with us today about all your Hamilton computer support needs.

mobility

iPads are not just for play

If you think iPads are just for leisure or for entertainment, think again. With nearly 86 percent of Fortune 500 companies in the US report deploying or testing the iPad, this revolutionary device has become a tool for business too!

Manufactured by Apple, these easy to hold, easy to transport, and easy to use devices use the same operating system as iPod Touch and iPhone. They do not use input devices like the mouse or keyboard and require you to use your fingers to touch and navigate. Thanks to the availability of hundreds and thousands of applications that range from entertainment, media and education to even productivity and business, the iPad can be used as one powerful device in all areas of life and your workplace is definitely no exception.

Here are reasons why you should bring your iPad to work:

Presentations: Presentations are made so much easier by iPads. First off, they are portable and secondly, they contain applications that allow you to import and edit PowerPoint presentations, and even accessories to connect the device to a monitor or projector. You can also do virtual presentations as there are iPad apps that let you stream your presentation via the Internet.

Communication and Collaboration: If it is communication and collaboration you want, the iPad is the name of the game. With the iPad, you get built-in applications for emailing and you also get to add more to support audio and video conferencing. You can manage meetings with the built-in calendar and address book apps and also use the built-in support it has for third-party mail and calendar applications like Microsoft Exchange, Google Mail, and Calendar. If you want, you may also download and use additional applications to help you manage your tasks, monitor projects, share files, post and view your social networks! And the iPad’s larger screen is definitely a plus!

Field assignments: The iPad is the best device for people on the go as it is light weight and portable. You can install and configure VPN clients to securely connect to your office network when in the field, or even use any of the business applications (mainly cloud based ones) you use in the office. Managing your itinerary while on assignment also becomes much easier with the iPad, thanks to the built-in productivity tools.

Travel: With the iPad, you can carry your whole world as you travel. Besides the apps that help you manage your travel itinerary, there are built-in communication and collaboration tools that let you touch base with your office and find out what progress is being made. When you are not using your iPad for work, you can use it as a media viewer or news reader for information and entertainment.

Industry-specific apps: There are many industry specific apps that let you use the iPad for various purposes. You can use it as a point-of-sale display, or even as a point-of-sale device and much more!

You should discuss the best way to deploy your iPad with your trusted Hamilton IT support specialists. Give us a call today and we can help you with all your business mobility needs.

business tips

Spotting A Great Niagara Business Leader

Finding a leader is a difficult thing to do. What qualities should you look for and how do you know if they are there? Read on and find out:

  1. Integrity: Take an individual without integrity and you get a BAD leader. So, how do you know if your candidate has integrity? Just outline several hypothetical situations drawn from business case studies and see if your interviewee can recognize subtle ethical issues like trust and transparency they hold.
  2. Empathy: A leader can’t possibly lead if he doesn’t understand what his followers are feeling. To see if your candidate has empathy, pay particular attention to his listening skills. You can also use crisis simulations to see how empathetic the person is to others under pressure. A discussion of a case study in which empathy plays a role comes in handy too.
  3. Emotional intelligence: A leader should know what his weaknesses are and should thus be able control himself, especially when under the scrutiny his position brings along. Asking candidates about their past experiences might be helpful if you want to find out what they have learned and how honest they are in revealing not so stellar performances. Candidates who are passionately committed to career development should also be on your radar.
  4. Vision: The ability to imagine a better future and the capacity to lead followers to it; this is what you should be looking for in a leader. Innovative thinking is the best way to demonstrate vision, so look for innovative thinking. Also look for candidates who are part realists and part optimists; this healthy blend is what it takes to persuade others to accept change and make something even of the worst of situations.
  5. Judgment: A leader must be able to make good decisions even under pressure and this is something that takes experience and an ability to control the emotional influences that distort decision-making. To find out how good your candidate’s judgment is, use case studies which reflect issues in the candidate’s own organization. The precise answer is not important; it’s how the candidate thinks under pressure.
  6. Courage: Is your candidate capable of withstanding the pressures of leadership? Facing attacks and setbacks with poise? Taking educated risks? Find this out by giving your candidate a hypothetical scenario. The answers should be evaluated according to three key elements of courage: commitment to core values, ability to navigate uncertainty, and patience.
  7. Passion: A passion to succeed and a passion for what he’s doing; you’ve got to look for this in your candidate. If your candidate speaks convincingly about how the organizational mission and his personal passions are intertwined during the interview, you’ve just found your leader!

Keep these 7 points in mind when looking for a leader and you’ll definitely do a great job of finding the perfect candidate.

Looking for great Niagara IT support, look no further than your team at Solve-IT.  We are your local IT team.  We help business across Niagara get the most from their IT investments.

Internet

Do It Yourself SEO Tips and Tricks

Any website owner would want to generate traffic from search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. And why not? After all, traffic generated from search engines are high quality and free! Plus, if you’ve got good ranking, you might as well sit with your hands folded and see the visitors pour in. But of course, you have to put in your fair share of effort first and when it comes to effort in website marketing, SEO (or Search Engine Optimization) is the name of the game. Yes, you’ve heard of the amount of work involved and the internet marketing companies out there that can help you with your SEO. But there are some SEO strategies you can carry out all by yourself thus making the entire process an inexpensive one. So, here are 9 surefire (and DIY!) ways to up your ranking:

  • Choose your keywords wisely: Keywords are the search terms that people use to find websites in search engines and if you want them to find yours, you should choose your keywords wisely. When planning your website’s content, do some research about which keywords to use and consider using tools like the Google AdWords Keyword Tool to help you with this. And do use the “exact match” option when using the Keyword Tool to find out how many people are searching for the exact terms you’re researching. Keyword phrases with 1500 – 5000 monthly searches are fine as they bring along just enough searches to be profitable while keeping out stiff competition. Begin with 5 keywords and add more to the list as you go ahead.
  • Use your keywords in the title tags of your web pages: A title tag that describes the content of the page in a concise and accurate way with the right keywords helps search engines decide how relevant the page is to a particular search term. And remember, the more relevant a page is, the higher it will rank in the results for that search term.
  • Use your keywords in your domain name: Everyone might not agree on this one but there has been clear evidence that websites with exact match domains get top ranking easier than non-keyword domain sites. So, do include your best keyword phrase in your domain name with a .com, .net or .org. You should use a hyphen (-) between your best keywords if none are available.
  • Use Your Keywords in the HTML Heading Tags: This gives search engines more info about how relevant your web page is to certain search terms. So, make it a point to use heading tags containing your keywords at each page of your site. And see to it that every web page has at least one H1 tag that includes the same keywords that are in your title tag.
  • Check the Keyword Density in Your Website Text: Keyword density refers to the several times your keywords appear in the text on your webpage. Some believe that high keyword density is beneficial to search engine rankings, while others argue that ‘keyword stuffing’ is viewed as a form of spam by the search engines. So, if you want to be in the safe zone, you should use the main keyword once in the first paragraph, once in second paragraph, once in the last paragraph, and once somewhere between for a web page that has about 400-600 words.
  • Setup Your Website’s Internal Linking Structure Properly: You should have at least one text link with your best keyword or keyword phrase on every page that links to your main URL. This increases the popularity ofyour main page because the number of web pages that point to your main page will grow along with your website. And don’t forget to hyperlink to other posts on your blog when adding blog posts to your blog! Remember to put your best foot err..keywords forward!
  • Grow the Number of Incoming Links from a Wide Variety of External Sites: You’ve got to have a lot of webpages and popular sites linking to your site if you want to improve its PR (stands for Page Rank). This is quite a time demanding task, though, so you might consider outsourcing it.
  • Grow the Number of Incoming Links From External Sites Slowly and Consistently: Getting a few dozen links a week or even 10 a day is fine but hundreds of them is not! Unless you want your site to move down the serpsthe next time Google updates their database, you should consider taking it slow.
  • Use Your Keywords in as Many Incoming Links as Possible: Focus on using your best keyword or keyword phrase for most of your links and use it as much as possible.

Use these DIY SEO strategies and see your Page Rank improve right in front of your eyes!

Need help with SEO? Speak to our team of Hamilton IT specialists today about how we can help you.

business tips

Cash Flow: The Lifeblood of Every Niagara Small Business

Guest Blogger:  Connie Certusi, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Sage Small Business Accounting Solutions

Cash flow is the lifeblood of any small business and how it’s managed can mean the difference between your company’s success or failure. Having ample cash on hand will ensure that your suppliers, employees and other vendors can be paid on time. It also allows companies to invest cash back into the business in order to generate additional revenue and profit and, most importantly, improve their bottom line.

Let’s take a closer look at how cash flow management can affect small businesses and review how your business can take control of and better manage its cash flow immediately.

Setting up for Proper Cash Flow Management

Preparing accurate cash flow projections on a regular basis is one of the most important things a small business owner can do, as it can raise red flags to potential problems before they arise. Small business owners can start their cash flow projection by adding cash on hand at the beginning of the period with other cash to be received from various sources. However, it is crucial that other factors are also accounted for, including upcoming cash outlays like rent, inventory, salaries, benefits, taxes, office supplies, advertising, etc.

Better Manage Your Small Business Cash Flow

There are two key areas to analyze for better management of cash flow: receivables and payables.

Improving Receivables

If small business owners got paid immediately following a sale, cash flow would never be a problem. Unfortunately, this rarely happens, but small business owners can still improve their cash flow by better managing their receivables.

Because cash is such a vital asset to all businesses, there are a number of things that small business owners can do to help facilitate getting customers to pay in a more timely fashion:

  • issue invoices promptly and follow up immediately if payments are slow in materializing
  • offer discounts to customers who pay their bills quickly
  • offer several different ways for your customers to pay you
  • track accounts receivable to identify and avoid slow-paying customers

Managing Payables

Expenses must be carefully watched when managing a growing company, as strong sales growth can conceal underlying problems. If expenses are growing faster than sales – or even if they are not –payables should be examined carefully and methods to better control them should be identified:

  • make payments on the last day they are due to retain the use of funds as long as possible
  • keep an eye on sales and expenditure patterns and selling and billing cycles
  • maintain good knowledge of suppliers and understand who offers the best terms and pricing
  • manage and track inventory levels

What is the Best Way to Take Control of Your Cash Flow Management?

Accounting software solutions, such as Sage Simply Accounting or Sage Peachtree, for managing all financial records and cash flow on a daily basis can be beneficial to small business owners.

Even if the business is profitable, a company can close down because of a cash shortage. With the right accounting system, small businesses can:

  • quickly issue professional invoices with detailed and accurate information
  • reduce delinquent payments by offering ways to electronically send and receive money
  • accept credit card payments online for easy, on-time payment
  • access cash projection and customer aged summary reports to understand what monies are owed to you and what your cash position looks like at any one time
  • easily track inventory to reduce waste and keep tabs on your inventory levels
  • establish a preferred suppliers list that identifies previous pricing for materials or goods purchased
  • forecast sales so you can plan ahead and be aware of customer buying patterns
  • pull information directly from most banks and quickly cross-reference every transaction

However you track it, cash flow is the key to your business’ success, and having the right system in place will help improve your cash flow and boost your bottom line!

Connie Certusi is the general manager of Sage’s Small Business AccountinSolutions (SBAS) business unit, which includes the Sage Peachtree and Sage Simply Accounting businesses, as well as the Sage Accountants Network.
Ms. Certusi’s efforts are focused heavily on ensuring that all aspects of the accounting solutions business unit deliver a premium customer experience to small businesses as well as to key recommenders, such as accountants.

Prior to joining Sage, Ms. Certusi gained comprehensive experience in the financial software industry at MSA/Dun & Bradstreet Software, SQL Financials and Ross Systems. She spent 10 years with MSA/Dun & Bradstreet Software in various areas of product development, marketing and management.

Ms. Certusi holds a B.B.A. degree in management science from the University of Georgia.

Microsoft

Windows 8 to debut in 2012

Are you ready for another version of Windows?

Windows 8 is coming soon; according to Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer. Recently the Microsoft leader was speaking to an audience of software developers in Tokyo where he announced that Microsoft’s next version of the Windows operating system, Windows 8, is all set to debut in 2012. Since this announcement, the blogs have heated up with many opinions on what Microsoft will change from Windows 7 to Windows 8.

Many of our peers and industry pundits have been speculating about the release of Windows 8 for the past while, this is the first time an actual date has been somewhat officially confirmed.

Ballmer further added that, as Microsoft approaches the release date, there will be a lot of noise around Windows 8, Windows 8 slates, tablets, PCs, and a variety of different form factors who all running Windows.

The upcoming version of Windows is likely to have an updated user interface and will support low-power ARM chip. This change is expected to give Microsoft a benefit in the blooming tablet market which is now dominated by Apple and an affluence of others, including Research in Motion’s BlackBerry PlayBook.

Windows 8 being released in 2012 puts it three years behind the earlier version, Windows 7, which was released in July 2009. As the tradition remains, Microsoft is relying on this new version to spur sales. Microsoft still expects to sell more than 350 million copies of Windows 7 this year even with new versions of the Apple MacIntosh Operating System LION now being announced.

As for the upcoming version, we will be hearing more about it at the recent All Things Digital conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

Still have questions about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft solutions in your small business? Talk to your Hamilton Microsoft partner today. Solve-IT works with a number of businesses in and around the Hamilton area. We can help you make informed decisions about any of Microsoft’s product offerings.

Microsoft

Sneak Peak at Windows 8

After so much speculation, we were glad to hear that Windows 8 is finally scheduled to hit the market within the next year. According to all the product demos we have seen, it appears that the next generation of Windows is equipped with new user interface that is going to sweep us off our feet, as seen in Windows’ demonstration of the upcoming version at the D9 conference.

Windows 8 basically revolves around touch-centric hardware although it will still work equally well with a mouse and a keyboard. The new interface also has several other aspects that we think are absolutely amazing. Check this out:

  • A tile-based Start screen with a customizable, scalable full screen view of fast launching apps.
  • Live tiles with notifications to give you up-to-date information from your apps.
  • Fast, fluid and natural switching between running apps.
  • Apps can be snapped and resized to the side of the screen. Could multitasking with Windows get any better?
  • Apps built using HTML5 and JavaScript that are web-connected and web-powered!
  • Hardware accelerated Internet Explorer 10 that gives you fully touch-optimized browsing.

And it does not end here! The demo also showed effortless movement between existing Windows programs and new Windows 8 apps.

The new reimagined interface is also expected to fuel a whole new generation of apps. Apps in Windows 8 itself can use a broad set of new libraries and controls that enable fluid interaction and seamless connectivity. This entirely new user experience is not limited to just touch PCs. We are also going to see the user interface and new apps working with or without a keyboard or a mouse on all kinds of screen sizes and pixel densities. The product is just being prepared for early testing though which means we will have to wait for a while to experience this brand new interface.

As soon as we get a chance, Solve-IT will be testing Windows 8 in our own test labs. We want to make sure we can figure everything out throughout the beta process so when it is available through our PC partners, we are properly prepared. We are your Hamilton Microsoft partner and want to ensure you have an IT firm you can trust with all your business technology needs.

business tips

Best Well-known Tactics For Finding a $100 Million Idea

So you want to go into business, but are not sure what business to get into? How do you think the pros do it? Successful entrepreneurs don’t just happen on a good idea, you know. As a matter of fact, in a recent article I read, a survey was done of 45 company founds. Each one of them started their company, grew it into an unbelievable empire, and then sold it for more than $100 million or more or took that empire public for $300 million or more. Did they reveal any secrets during the survey which a Small to Medium-sized Business (SMB) could use? Let’s take a look:

You need to satisfy their need — not your dream.

You might be surprised to know that most successful businesses don’t necessarily follow the road of passion; more than likely they became successful because they were smart enough to look into a niche where people needed help.

Example: Dick Costolo, founder of Feedburner, responded to publishers that had content but didn’t have any way to distribute it to clients.

Listen to what your customer’s biggest problem is.

Established Information Technology (IT) specialists are very good at doing this. They listen to the client and then go into action to resolve the issue — whether it be with data backup and disaster recovery or keeping a client’s equipment and data secure.

Example: Cardiologist Donald C. Harrison was successful with his idea for his medical device company AtriCure because he thought long and hard about how he could develop a medical device that would help his heart patients in a way that provide them with a much better life.

Work from the bottom and use your experiences — not your head.

How many times have you started from the bottom of a company and worked up through the ranks? You didn’t think you knew everything right off the bat, did you? You had to learn from your experiences. Use your experiences as a one of the best well-known tactics for finding a $100 Million idea.

Example: Billionaire Tim Krauskopf of FreightZone had his idea that he gained when he started driving a semi in the trucking industry.

Great ideas come from collaboration.

Brainstorming can be one of the most effective ways for creating great ideas.

Example: Rock Mackie knew Tomotherapy was a feasible idea only after three of his graduate students collaborated with him sharing their own separate and important discoveries with him that combined resulted in a new and remarkably better CT scanning technology for treating disease.

Think you have a good idea? Sell it.

How many times have you thought you had a wonderful idea that might work for a solution. Oftentimes, if you don’t try it, you’ll never know. Bounce your idea off of someone else. What do they think? Sell your idea to them as only you can do.

Example: Jim Dolan of the Dolan Company found out early that selling is the fastest way to uncover issues with a product so you can come up with a solution and get on with other things.

Get help when you need it.

Don’t think you have to market your idea by yourself. There are plenty of Hamilton IT support companies in your area that would only be too willing to listen, offer feedback, and work right alongside of you to help you find a $100 million idea on how to make your SMB business be the success it can be.

Example: Mahendra Vora, a launcher of multiple highly successful technology companies didn’t just rely on himself or colleagues; he even put his ideas into the hands of his customers.

Do you need help with your idea? Contact your Hamilton IT Support team at Solve-IT today and let’s get started.