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How to protect your Mac computer

As a business owner, you work hard to succeed. But that can be difficult when you’re up against stiff competition and notorious cybercriminals. The future may be unpredictable, but that doesn’t mean you should take the security of your Mac device for granted.

The post How to protect your Mac computer appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

How to protect your Mac computer

As a business owner, you work hard to succeed. But that can be difficult when you’re up against stiff competition and notorious cybercriminals. The future may be unpredictable, but that doesn’t mean you should take the security of your Mac device for granted. Protect it with these helpful tips. 

The basics
First, let’s start with the basics and head over to the Security & Privacy pane in System Preferences. Here, you’ll find the General, FileVault, Firewall, and Privacy tabs, which control various aspects of security. To change your security settings, click on the padlock icon on the bottom of the screen and type in your username and password.

Firewall
Enabling the firewall will block unwanted incoming network connections. All you need to do is click Firewall in the System Preferences > Security & Privacy pane, click the padlock icon on the bottom left, enter your username and password, and click Turn On Firewall. Don’t forget to enable Stealth Mode by clicking Firewall Options then clicking Enable Stealth Mode in the dialog box — this makes your computer invisible on public networks.

Passwords
Make sure to set strong passwords for your user accounts if haven’t already. To do this, go back to the General section of the Security & Privacy settings. In this section, you should also consider setting the Require Password field to “immediately.” This will require you to re-enter your login credentials to unlock your Mac when it goes to sleep mode or when a screensaver is on.

Automatic login
It’s best to disable this function, especially if you are using a mobile Mac. If your Mac gets stolen, you don’t want to give thieves a free pass to your private data.

Applications
At the bottom of the General Settings tab, there are three options that authorize which apps can run on your Mac. The safest option is to allow only apps from the App Store to run, and the least secure option is to allow apps downloaded from unauthorized stores. Get the best of both worlds by choosing the option of running apps from the App Store and from developers known to Apple.

FileVault
The FileVault tab enables you to encrypt all the files in your account. To decrypt them, you must enter either your account password or the recovery key you created when you switched FileVault on. It might be tedious to type in a password every time to access a file, but it helps keep your vital data under lock and key.

In this digital age, ensuring the protection of all your devices is crucial to your business’s success. Feel free to give us a call and we’ll help prepare your business for choppy waters.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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How will IoT change the game?

The Internet of Things (IoT) influences network connections in order to facilitate communication between systems and their machines. Enterprises have been using smart devices in new and innovative ways to promote their business. These are four trends you have to look out for.

The post How will IoT change the game? appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

How will IoT change the game?

The Internet of Things (IoT) influences network connections in order to facilitate communication between systems and their machines. Enterprises have been using smart devices in new and innovative ways to promote their business. These are four trends you have to look out for.

Improved logistics
With IoT sensors, supply chain management and order fulfillment processes improve markedly to meet customer demand. For example, sensors on delivery containers and trucks in transit give managers real-time status updates, allowing them to track their items and ensure they reach the right location at the right time.

Streamlined inventory
IoT also presents automation opportunities for businesses that need to manage and replenish their stock. When data recorded from IoT devices are tied to your enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, you can accurately monitor your inventory, analyze purchase and consumption rates of a particular product, and automatically reorder items when IoT sensors detect that supply is running low. This minimizes out-of-stock incidents and prevents excess stock build-up.

Fast payment
Given how most payments are done electronically via point-of-sale systems or the internet, IoT has the potential to revolutionize the way businesses process transactions. For example, ApplePay not only allows users to purchase goods and services using the usual smartphone applications, but through state-of-the-art wearable technology as well.

Soon, IoT devices might even allow restaurants and retailers to register or charge their customers the moment they walk through the door.

Market insight
Businesses that can make sense of IoT-collected data will gain a competitive edge. Marketers, for example, can gather valuable insight into how their products are used and which demographic is utilizing them the most. This information can then inform future marketing efforts and give businesses more focused direction on how to improve their products and services for their customers.

Although businesses will certainly face many challenges in implementing the Internet of Things, those who overcome them will reap all the benefits of this burgeoning technology.

Want to know if an IoT deployment is right for your business? Contact our certified IT consultants today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Keep the cloud affordable with these tips

Small- and medium-sized businesses globally are adopting cloud technologies. However, there are hidden costs that some business owners might not be aware of. They might not seem like much at first, but those costs could eventually snowball. Follow these five tips to keep the cloud from breaking the bank:

No standalones

Cloud services come in various shapes and sizes, many of which are standalone platforms with rates that increase over time.

The post Keep the cloud affordable with these tips appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Keep the cloud affordable with these tips

Small- and medium-sized businesses globally are adopting cloud technologies. However, there are hidden costs that some business owners might not be aware of. They might not seem like much at first, but those costs could eventually snowball. Follow these five tips to keep the cloud from breaking the bank:

No standalones

Cloud services come in various shapes and sizes, many of which are standalone platforms with rates that increase over time. Opt for a service provider that offers a suite of products that all work together. They are often less expensive than a group of standalone products. Another benefit of working with a cloud provider is that you receive a single point of contact to resolve your issues quickly and effectively.

Experience matters

If you plan on integrating a standalone cloud service into your system, make sure you hire an experienced integration consultant to facilitate a smooth transition. Integration mishaps can cause serious downtime and cost a lot of money.

Backups are important

Unnecessary or inefficient backups will waste cloud storage space. Examine your cloud storage data by asking the following questions:

  • How many versions of this data do I need to store long-term? The more versions you store, the more it costs.
  • What regulatory demands do I need to meet? Some data may need to be accessible for up to three years, whereas other data can be deleted after 30 days.
  • How quickly do I need to access my backups? If it can wait for a day or two, archive that data to a less expensive service or offline at the provider's data center.

Remove users

Many cloud service providers charge by the number of users in your system. By neglecting to manage the list of users, you could end up paying for people who no longer work for you. Implement processes that remove users when they are terminated and consider scheduling a regular audit. Ideally, this should be once every six months to a year, to ensure your cloud user list is up-to-date.

Monitor proactively

Ask your cloud provider whether they can proactively monitor your account and notify you of potential issues before they cause problems. This is especially important if you have a pay-as-you-go license that charges based on resource or storage consumption.

Utilizing the right technology resources is vital to your business’s success, and so is knowing how to prevent them from racking up an overwhelming monthly bill. If you wish to enjoy all the benefits of cloud computing without breaking the bank, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Is CRM software essential to your business?

The right technology investment can lead to business success. With customer relationship management (CRM) software at the helm of your sales and marketing efforts, you can nurture long-lasting business relationships and improve your bottom line.

The post Is CRM software essential to your business? appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Is CRM software essential to your business?

The right technology investment can lead to business success. With customer relationship management (CRM) software at the helm of your sales and marketing efforts, you can nurture long-lasting business relationships and improve your bottom line. If you need more convincing, we’ve compiled five more reasons why your business needs CRM.

Grows with your business

The ol’ Rolodex may have been useful for managing a few clients, but you’ll need a much better solution if you plan to maintain relationships with hundreds, possibly thousands, more. CRM scales with your business, meaning it can handle larger data sets and more clients as you expand your sales operation.

Organizes your data

CRM software acts as a central database for all your sales records and transactions. This means important customer information can be retrieved in just a few clicks rather than by rifling through thousands of documents, sticky notes, and disorganized cabinets. And since CRM is hosted in the cloud, sales data, customer interactions, and other actionable information are available for the entire company.

Improves customer service

Your sales team could be the most persuasive individuals in the world, but this means nothing if they can’t recall anything about their clients and their preferences. When your sales staff follows up on leads or existing customers, CRM will automatically retrieve contact history, past purchases, and customer preferences from your client database and display them on a single page during the call.

Armed with detailed customer information, sales representatives will be able to recommend products and services that meet the client’s needs. So instead of struggling through a sales call, marketing employees can focus on delivering a professional sales pitch.

Streamlines your sales funnel

CRM comes equipped with workflow management functions, supporting your sales pipeline in a number of ways. For example, you can configure your CRM to send instant follow-up emails when a lead visits a particular product page. You can even use automation to track where certain leads are in the sales pipeline and delegate the task to one of your sales closers.

Analyzes sales data

With real-time sales information, business managers can track marketing campaigns and adjust their strategy accordingly. For instance, you might notice that click-through-rates for promotional emails and company newsletters are higher during Tuesday afternoon than Friday night. Having this information can help you focus your marketing efforts and message to generate more leads.

In addition, you can use CRM to analyze customer calling activity, market demographics, lead conversion rates, and key performance indicators to influence future business decisions.

Understanding your customers can put you several steps ahead of the competition. If you need to manage contacts, eliminate time-consuming procedures, and improve your sales performance, CRM is the perfect business solution.

Contact us today to find out whether CRM is the right fit for your business.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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