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VoIP on-the-goBusinesses can benefit a lot from implementing a VoIP solution. However, without proper management and IT support for VoIP, you may see a negative impact on your productivity. You’ll experience limited communication from both customers and employees, especially when it comes to mobile or remote workers. The challenge is how you can expand your VoIP […]

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VoIP on-the-go

Businesses can benefit a lot from implementing a VoIP solution. However, without proper management and IT support for VoIP, you may see a negative impact on your productivity. You’ll experience limited communication from both customers and employees, especially when it comes to mobile or remote workers. The challenge is how you can expand your VoIP capabilities to become effective on-the-go.

To cater to your out-of-office workers, there are a variety of ways you can expand the mobility of your VoIP services.

1. Look into Unified Communications (UC)

If your employees are able to bring their own personal devices to work, your IT administrators will insist that all of them comply with your company’s policies. You will need to establish good security and compliance measures in order to meet the needs of both your customers and employees.

A solid solution is to look into UC, which integrates real-time communication services such as instant messaging, telephony, data sharing, and video conferencing. UC bridges the gap between VoIP and other computer-related communication technologies. It makes communication more convenient and manageable by providing a single number to reach as well as a status indicator that conveys whether employees are available or if they don't want to be disturbed.

2. Employ easy to use apps

Most top-rated business apps began as user-focused tools to help people find data more independently. Some of these apps have transformed into more customized tools focusing on specific business needs. The problem with this is that satisfying these needs often sacrifices overall usability. If your employees are struggling to use the mobile version of your VoIP solution, then they likely will dump it.

This can lead to employees using unauthorized apps, which also increases security risks. To avoid this, try implementing an app or tool that is easy to use, easy to navigate, and easy to manage. Ask VoIP providers for a free demo to evaluate the intuitiveness of the software yourself.

3. Work with an experienced solution manager

It can be tough to manage your VoIP solutions as you’re expanding them. That’s why it’s best to work with an IT partner like us; we have the expertise and experience to pull it off. When you outsource the management of your solution to us, we can get your apps and solution up and running, then administer them for you.

4. Cloud support

Having on-premise equipment and support for your VoIP solution is a good idea. However, your existing IT team may not be ready for the challenges of providing a cloud-based mobile app or voice support. We recommend you go for a hosted VoIP solution, which delivers the same cost-effective, network-based service, but the equipment is based at a provider’s site rather than in your data center. This eliminates the cost of on-premise gear, maintenance costs, and overall management, while increasing the overall effectiveness of your mobile solution.

If you need to expand your VoIP mobile capabilities to enhance your efficiency and productivity, or if you’re interested to learn more about VoIP solutions, don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Get more engagement — use Google AnalyticsHaving a Google Analytics account is a no-brainer if you want to track your business’s website traffic. But how do you know if those visitors are engaged with your website content or just bouncing the second they hit your homepage? A key metric is engagement, which is as important as traffic. Here’s how to track […]

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Get more engagement — use Google Analytics

Having a Google Analytics account is a no-brainer if you want to track your business’s website traffic. But how do you know if those visitors are engaged with your website content or just bouncing the second they hit your homepage? A key metric is engagement, which is as important as traffic. Here’s how to track website engagement.

How do you measure engagement?

Just because a page receives a large amount of traffic doesn’t mean it has quality content. Half of the visitors to your most trafficked blog post or service page can easily bounce within seconds. Find out which pages your customers like by measuring engagement. And the easiest way to do that is by looking at the amount of time a visitor spends on a page.

Generally speaking, if a visitor is on a page for five minutes or more, they’re likely reading, watching, or listening to some form of content you posted. Of course, it’s also possible that they took a bathroom break after landing on your page or forgot to close it and continued surfing the web in another window. But if a consistent number of visitors are spending several minutes on a given page, it’s likely that most of them are engaging with the content.

Why does engagement matter?

Simple: The more your visitors engage with your content, the more likely they’ll visit your website again or — even better — become a loyal customer.

You can measure engagement by following these four steps in Google Analytics:

1. Track engagement over a long period of time

We’re not just talking a month or two, but years. This will show you which pages are performing best in the long run. To do this, open Google Analytics. In the top right corner of the screen, input your date range then click Apply.

2. Measure all pages

You need to look at time spent on all your pages to see what’s performing best. In the navigation bar to the left of your screen, click on Behavior > Site Content > All Pages.

3. Compare the average time visitors spend on a page

To do this, click on Behavior > Site Content > Content Drilldown. Under the main graph that displays visitor numbers to your site, you’ll see a search box with the word “advanced” next to it. To its right, you’ll see five buttons. Click on the second button from the right — the Comparison button. To be sure you’re clicking on the correct one, hover your mouse over it to see if the word “comparison” will pop up.

Slightly below the Comparison button and to the left, choose “Average time on page” as your secondary metric.

4. Mind the green bars

After you’ve followed the above steps, green bars will appear to the right of some of the pages displayed. The higher the bar, the greater amount of time a visitor is spending on a page. With this data at your disposal, you can now understand what content your customers find valuable — and then focus on enhancing or creating more of it.

Want to know more about how to gain valuable insights from your business data? Give us a call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Comparing Microsoft Office 2019 and Office 365If you want to use Microsoft Office in your company, you can either purchase Microsoft Office 2019 or sign up for the cloud-based version, Office 365. Both versions contain many of the same standard features, but how are they different from each other and which one is more suitable to your needs? What is Microsoft […]

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Comparing Microsoft Office 2019 and Office 365

If you want to use Microsoft Office in your company, you can either purchase Microsoft Office 2019 or sign up for the cloud-based version, Office 365. Both versions contain many of the same standard features, but how are they different from each other and which one is more suitable to your needs?

What is Microsoft Office 2019?

Microsoft Office 2019 is the latest version of Microsoft’s popular Office suite. With apps like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and more, it is mostly similar to all previous versions of Office. Upon purchase, you receive a license that lets you install and use the version on one computer. This license also covers all security updates, although it does not cover the upgrade to follow-up or future versions of Office.

Microsoft Office 2019 is sometimes known as a “perpetual” version. This is because after making a one-time payment, the license to use the program is yours for life. You may even keep using Office well beyond its natural life cycle, although at this point, you will no longer receive any security updates. To regain patches and support, you need to upgrade to a new version or buy a new product.

What is Office 365 for business?

Office 365 gives you the same apps offered by Microsoft Office 2019, but with other tools, features, and benefits mixed in. Unlike the latter, which is available only on the lone computer it's installed on, Office 365 is cloud-based and can be used by up to six people at any given time.

Additionally, Office 365 is available only via monthly or yearly subscription services. You can also choose from several plans, all of which are optimized for varying user needs. For instance, the “Office 365 Personal” plan, which gives you access to all the apps in the suite, 1 TB of storage space on OneDrive, and Skype minutes, is great for single users.

Office 365 is also available to teachers and students as a free service, as long as you can provide a valid school email address. For your business, you may choose between Office 365 Business and Office 365 Enterprise plans.

Which is better for business?

Most businesses will benefit more from Office 365 because of its extra features and its superior level of security. Furthermore, the monthly per-user cost is usually lower when compared to the cost of licensing the same version of Office 2019 for each individual.

The other benefits Office 365 for Business include:

  • All users are on the same version of Office – Because Office 365 for Business is based in the cloud and is managed via a central admin panel, you can ensure that all users have exactly the same version of Office, which in turn ensures that your files will be compatible with any user.
  • Reduced licensing costs – If you purchase individual versions of Office 2019 for your employees, you could end up paying over USD $440 for the Professional version, which can only be installed on one computer. Compare this with Office 365 Business Premium, which costs USD $12.50 per user, per month, and offers the same version of Office, along with more features.
  • Enhanced security and uptime – Microsoft guarantees that Office 365 software will be up and running 99.9% of the time, which means the programs you rely on will be available when you need them.
  • It’s more mobile – With Office Web Apps and Office 2019 mobile apps you can take your work anywhere. Combine this with solutions like SharePoint that allow you to store documents in a central location, making it easier to access your files while out of the office. Furthermore, if you would like to use the Office mobile apps, you will need an Office 365 subscription.

Understanding your business’s unique needs will help you choose the best Microsoft Office version for your company. In any case, never hesitate to ask for assistance from IT experts in identifying the applications and software plans that will truly empower your company.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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What is the right cloud service for you?Businesses around the globe have been moving toward the cloud and are reaping the benefits of continuity, data security, and process efficiency. However, with more data comes more responsibility. This means that you’ll need to find the right kind of service that’s suitable to the infrastructure you have. Fortunately, various cloud management tools and solutions […]

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What is the right cloud service for you?

Businesses around the globe have been moving toward the cloud and are reaping the benefits of continuity, data security, and process efficiency. However, with more data comes more responsibility. This means that you’ll need to find the right kind of service that’s suitable to the infrastructure you have. Fortunately, various cloud management tools and solutions are available in the market. Let’s take a closer look.

1. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

Easily the largest and most well known cloud-based service, SaaS uses the cloud to deliver apps to users, and these apps are then usually accessed via a web browser. This means users who have access to the internet can access the software from any device, at any time. Unlike physical software that you install on your computer, SaaS solutions are hosted on a provider’s servers. In a nutshell, SaaS is:

  • Available over the internet
  • Hosted on a remote server by a third-party provider
  • Scalable, with different tiers for small, medium, and enterprise-level businesses
  • Inclusive, offering security, compliance, and maintenance as part of the cost

With SaaS, your provider is responsible for software maintenance and updates, which means users will all be using the same version of software and get updates at the same time. As a business owner, this means that managing the software on all of your computers is not only easier, but more affordable.

SaaS software solutions include office document creation suites, accounting software, email, HR solutions, content management, customer relationship management (CRM), and more.

2. Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

PaaS is primarily used by developers who need a virtual environment for developing and testing their own custom software or applications. This means developers don’t need to build and maintain their own infrastructure (which is comprised of networking devices, storage, servers, an operating system, and other necessary hardware and software) from scratch when developing applications, saving the firm time and money. Most companies who utilize PaaS do so to either host or develop their own software solutions, or to provide support for software used by employees. PaaS platforms are:

  • Accessible by multiple users
  • Scalable — you can choose from various tiers of resources to suit the size of your business
  • Built on virtualization technology
  • Easy to run without extensive system administration knowledge

While PaaS is gaining in popularity with many small businesses, most won’t have firsthand interaction with this type of cloud because they won't need to build their own software or app.

3. Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

IaaS offers services such as pay-as-you-go storage, networking, and virtualization. The most popular and well-known type of IaaS is the virtual machine — a digital version of a computer or server that is accessed over an internet connection. IaaS gives users cloud-based alternatives to expensive on-premises infrastructure so businesses can use their funds to invest in other things.

In other words, if you are looking to virtualize your systems via the cloud, IaaS is a good place to start, as it allows you to move existing support systems into the cloud. Other solutions can then be migrated or introduced as needed. IaaS is essentially:

  • Highly flexible and scalable
  • Accessible by multiple users
  • Cost-effective

While the cloud offers a wide variety of benefits and solutions, choosing the service which is best for your company’s needs can be tedious. To ease this burden, get in touch with us today. We’ll help you find the best solution your business needs and ensure proper migration and implementation so you can focus on running your business.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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