508-909-5961 [email protected]

How to enable VoIP for your remote workersWith business trends like bring your own device policies and remote work, companies using VoIP in their office have had to expand their remote communication capabilities to hold their own against competitors. However, they may still struggle to extend VoIP to off-site or mobile employees. To cater to your out-of-office workers, there are a variety […]

The post How to enable VoIP for your remote workers appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

14 Jun, 2021 / by Complete Technology Resources / in 2021june14voip_b, expand voip services, mobile voip, unified communications, VoIP, voip expansion, voip on-the-go category
How to enable VoIP for your remote workers

With business trends like bring your own device policies and remote work, companies using VoIP in their office have had to expand their remote communication capabilities to hold their own against competitors. However, they may still struggle to extend VoIP to off-site or mobile employees.

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

1. Look into unified communications (UC)

If your employees are able to bring their 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 to meet the needs of both your customers and employees.

A solid solution is 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 increases security risks. To avoid this, implement an app or a tool that is easy to use, navigate, and manage. Ask VoIP providers for a free demo to evaluate how user-friendly the software is.

3. Cloud support

Having on-premises 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 housed based at a provider’s site rather than in your data center. This eliminates the cost of on-premises gear, maintenance costs, and overall management while increasing the overall effectiveness of your mobile solution.

4. 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.

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.

The post How to enable VoIP for your remote workers appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More

PowerPoint Presenter Coach: New platforms, more feedbackPresenter Coach was one of the artificial intelligence-based features introduced in PowerPoint’s 2019 software update. It helps you give more effective in-person and virtual presentations by providing you with feedback on your word choice, and speed, among many others. This year, Presenter Coach is finally available on all platforms and is packed with new types […]

The post PowerPoint Presenter Coach: New platforms, more feedback appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

11 Jun, 2021 / by Complete Technology Resources / in 2021june11office_b, microsoft, microsoft powerpoint, Office, powerpoint presenter coach, presenter coach category
PowerPoint Presenter Coach: New platforms, more feedback

Presenter Coach was one of the artificial intelligence-based features introduced in PowerPoint’s 2019 software update. It helps you give more effective in-person and virtual presentations by providing you with feedback on your word choice, and speed, among many others. This year, Presenter Coach is finally available on all platforms and is packed with new types of feedback.

Availability on all platforms

Presenter Coach is now accessible on all platforms: web, Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. This means you can utilize this feature whenever you need it and wherever you are — at home, in the office, or even on the go.

Three new types of feedbacks

Aside from expanding the availability of Presenter Coach, Microsoft also added three new kinds of feedback:

1. Body language

Great presenters rehearse not only what they say, but also their gestures, stance, and facial expressions to ensure that these support their message. For example, they can use hand gestures to emphasize a point, instead of keeping their hands in their pockets or behind their back. They also utilize their eyes, mouth, and facial muscles to convey emotion. By projecting the right body language, they can establish their credibility and connect with the audience.

This is why Microsoft introduced a new capability that uses your video camera to provide feedback on your body language. After your rehearsal, the Presenter Coach will give you a summary report using the following metrics:

  • Clear view – Evaluates how well your audience will be able to see you
  • Eye contact – Tells you whether you are able to maintain your gaze toward the camera
  • Distance – Analyzes whether you are too close or too far away from the camera

2. Repetitive language

During presentations, repeating certain words and phrases can help you emphasize particular points and ensure that your audience recalls them. However, if this technique is done incorrectly, your listeners may find it distracting. On other occasions, you may not even realize that you are using the same words and phrases over and over again, but your audience will most likely catch on.

To help prevent you from overusing the same words and phrases, Presenter Coach will identify them after listening to your rehearsal. Not only that, but it will also give you a list of synonyms that you can use instead so you can switch it up and keep your audience more engaged throughout your presentation.

3. Pronunciation

Presenter Coach can help ensure that you correctly pronounce all of the words that you will say during your presentation. It will display the words you mispronounced during rehearsal and offer a recorded pronunciation guide of that word. You can listen to the correct pronunciation as many times as you want while practicing your presentation.

Currently, Presenter Coach is optimized for the General American English pronunciation, but it can take into account variations in accent. In case you don’t agree with the suggestions provided or you don’t find them useful, you can disable the pronunciation feedback.

Note on privacy concerns

While Presenter Coach uses your camera and microphone to be able to evaluate your rehearsal, it will only do so when you click on Rehearse with Coach and then Start Rehearsing. It does not save any video or audio when you rehearse. It was purposely designed to respect your privacy while still being able to provide clear and actionable feedback that will help you improve your presentation skills.

Want to learn more powerful features in PowerPoint and other Microsoft 365 apps? Contact us today and we’ll help you make the most out of your M365 subscription.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post PowerPoint Presenter Coach: New platforms, more feedback appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More

The benefits of a cloud-based ERPBusinesses seeking to integrate their various systems may be intrigued by a cloud solution. An increasingly popular cloud solution for small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) is enterprise resource planning (ERP). In this post, you’ll learn what a cloud-based ERP system is and how your business can benefit from it. Define: Cloud-based ERP ERP is management […]

The post The benefits of a cloud-based ERP appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

09 Jun, 2021 / by Complete Technology Resources / in 2021june11office_b, cloud, cloud erp, enterprise resource planning, erp, Web & Cloud category
The benefits of a cloud-based ERP

Businesses seeking to integrate their various systems may be intrigued by a cloud solution. An increasingly popular cloud solution for small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) is enterprise resource planning (ERP). In this post, you’ll learn what a cloud-based ERP system is and how your business can benefit from it.

Define: Cloud-based ERP

ERP is management software, usually offered as a bundle of applications, that aims to help businesses automate the collection, storage, management, and interpretation of data from disparate sources like accounting, inventory, marketing, service delivery, etc. With ERP, business owners and managers can get an integrated real-time view of business processes, resources, and commitments.

Cloud-based ERP solutions are simply a suite of ERP apps delivered to users over the internet, usually accessed via a browser. The software usually does not need to be installed on computers and is offered on a per-user, per-month, flat-rate fee.

Companies using a cloud-based integrated ERP solution have experienced the following five benefits:

1. Decreased operating costs

An in-house ERP solution requires purchasing software and hardware to support it. Once you’ve built the solution’s infrastructure, you need to hire staff to install and maintain it. All of these will drive up the overall IT budget, something most SMBs cannot immediately afford.

But with a cloud-based ERP system, you normally only have to pay a flat-rate monthly fee, so the total cost of implementation will likely be far lower. Many providers can also manage the solution for you (i.e., they’ll take care of maintenance, upgrades, etc.). This will even out your operating costs, and if implemented correctly, will result in an overall decrease in expenses.

2. Increased ERP performance over in-house solutions

In-house ERP solutions require correctly configured hosting and proper maintenance to function at their most efficient. Your IT staff will be responsible for both, but if these are done poorly, then performance suffers.

With cloud-based solutions, the provider takes care of hosting the solution. You know that system maintenance is being done by experts, so you’re assured that your ERP software will be at peak performance.

3. Enhanced access to information

Companies that don’t have any ERP system will likely struggle to find the information they need, when they need it. ERP programs can help consolidate the relevant information in a more effective manner than, say, spreadsheets.

And since cloud-based ERP solutions are accessible via the internet, you now have access to the information you need from anywhere with an internet connection.

4. Continued support

Providers of cloud-based ERP solutions offer 24/7 support and can fix problems faster than if you leave them to your employees. They also make sure to keep their solutions updated. Hackers have been known to attack businesses that use outdated versions of popular ERP programs.

5. Increased security

ERP systems process critical business information, so you will want to keep your data secure from outside sources and unauthorized users within your organization.

In this regard, cloud-based ERP solutions have enhanced security measures that protect your data in storage and when it moves from your systems to the host servers.

And for internal data security, users will need an assigned account to access your ERP system. This gives you control over who is given an account or not. Furthermore, you can also limit who can access your system via central admin panels. All of these features make cloud-based ERP solutions more secure than in-house ones.

If you want to learn more about cloud-based ERP solutions, contact us. We’ll be glad to assist you.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post The benefits of a cloud-based ERP appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More

How a cloud-based OMS can help eCommerce businessesCloud-based order management systems (OMS) have plenty of useful features that can help any eCommerce business boost their sales. But this is just one of the many advantages these tools offer. Read on to learn more about the business benefits of deploying an OMS. First off, we need to clarify that an inventory management system […]

The post How a cloud-based OMS can help eCommerce businesses appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

07 Jun, 2021 / by Complete Technology Resources / in 2021june07business_b, business, cloud, cloud-based oms, ecommerce, inventory, oms, online sales, operational efficiency, order fulfillment, order management system, workflows category
How a cloud-based OMS can help eCommerce businesses

Cloud-based order management systems (OMS) have plenty of useful features that can help any eCommerce business boost their sales. But this is just one of the many advantages these tools offer. Read on to learn more about the business benefits of deploying an OMS.

First off, we need to clarify that an inventory management system is not the same as an order management system. The former is a solution for analyzing sales history and forecasting demand for product and raw materials. On the other hand, the latter is all about the here and now, as it tackles transactions as they happen.

What does an OMS do?

A cloud-based OMS enables eCommerce businesses to track orders for goods and services via a centralized dashboard, which your staff can access anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected device. In general, it can help you organize orders into a coherent and manageable workflow by:

  • Updating your website to reflect when certain items are out of stock
  • Automating payment authorizations and integrating these with your shipping services
  • Providing reports to customers about their order’s shipping status
  • Automatically restocking products and materials once they dip below a certain level
  • Automatically processing refunds and returns
  • Monitoring your business on mobile/on the go
  • Storing data in a more efficient and less costly manner
  • Ensuring your data is protected in the event of a disaster

There are dozens of OMS platforms with niche functionalities that may be better for specific business models regardless of the industry. The important thing is that you find a solution that reduces the most tedious organizational tasks for tracking your store’s orders.

What are the benefits of an OMS?

Below are five key advantages of using an OMS:

Fewer errors
Since an OMS allows you to automate various stages of order processing, it eliminates the need to manually enter and update order details. This reduces the risk of error, increasing your eCommerce business’s operational efficiency.

Lower costs
With fewer errors, you can avoid having to rework inaccurate order information, saving you time and effort. This means your business also saves on labor. And because a cloud-based OMS requires virtually no hardware, you can eliminate installation, maintenance, repair, and other associated costs as well.

Better visibility
A cloud-based OMS offers a consolidated view of your orders and inventory in real time, which allows you to stay on top of the entire fulfillment process so you never miss a sale. This also enables you to optimize inventory levels while minimizing surplus.

Not only that, but an OMS gives you better visibility into your business’s processes, so you can easily identify issues and make the necessary adjustments to achieve operational efficiency.

Faster delivery
When a customer places an order, your OMS will choose the warehouse or fulfillment center closest to them as well as the method of fulfillment. A fulfillment request will then be sent automatically to the warehouse so the item can be prepared and shipped out immediately.

Enhanced decision-making
With an OMS, you have all the information you need to make smarter business decisions at the tip of your fingers, from consumer behavior to market trends to product performance.

Improve your eCommerce business’s workflows and profitability with an OMS. If you need help choosing the right OMS platform for your company, give our experts a call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post How a cloud-based OMS can help eCommerce businesses appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More