If you have a smartphone, you no doubt use it for more than just SMS messages and phone calls, and with today’s 24/7 work demands, you’re probably using it for the odd bit of work too. The next step is to then use your smartphone, or other mobile device, while at work, in place of or in addition to your normal desktop or laptop. This last step is becoming known as BYOD, or “Bring Our Own Device”. Is BYOD already happening at your place of work?

When employees use their own device for work, it can be hard for their company to manage what the user is doing, after all it’s a personal item. Add to this the growing number of malware programs aimed at stealing information from devices, and you’ve got an issue that’s not going to go away anytime soon.

What Exactly is BYOD? BYOD came about when businesses began to assign laptops to employees for use at home or on the road. Companies quickly came to realize that the laptops were not as secure as the desktops at the office, and that employees were also using the laptops for personal use. To address this, companies introduced security measures and procedures to keep data on the laptops safe, while limiting personal use. This worked well until the introduction of the smartphone, which has now given employees the ability to access their office data on their personal devices, and has moved them off the machines provided by the company. Because of this trend, companies are being forced to examine or implement a BYOD policy.

Pros of BYOD The most obvious benefit of BYOD is the fact that the cost of the the technology is shifted from your company to the user. Think about it: no more costly hardware upgrades and minimal to nonexistent upkeep costs, thus bringing about significant savings.

The next upside to BYOD is user satisfaction. If your employees are allowed to use their own devices, they’ll generally be more satisfied with the systems they’re using, because they’ve already made the personal choice to buy that particular device.

There are some ancillary advantages to BYOD as well, including having employees on the most up-to-date systems, as many employees will buy newer, or top of the line models. The other advantage is that the usually slow update cycle can be exterminated, employees will be in charge of keeping their devices current, not the company.

Cons of BYOD As with all stories, there are two sides to this one. The biggest disadvantage of BYOD is that you’ll lose control of the hardware, and employees will generally be more reticent in allowing other employees to use their device.

Another major issue to overcome is usage policies. As employees will be using their own device, it’ll be harder to tell them what is considered acceptable use. As opposed to when employees are using company devices you can implement a fair-use policy.

The final negative side of BYOD is of what happens when an employee leaves your company? If they’ve been using their own device it can be a chore to get the data back, let alone establish who owns the data in the first place.

So What Can I do? If you take a step back and observe, you’ll notice that smartphones are becoming more and more mainstream, and while in the short term you could say no to personal devices at work, it won’t work in the long term. It would be beneficial if you developed a BYOD plan that clearly states your expectations, and has a usage policy regarding network and data use. You don’t have to implement it right away, but it’ll help to have the plan ready, for when you do decide to allow employees to use their own devices. You could also set up a trial with some employees, observe how they get on with the devices and reevaluate your position after the trial period.

You should also establish a set point of security measures that are not optional. This is particularly important for companies that operate under set data security mandates, e.g., mandates regulating data storage in relation to point of sale and credit systems. Methods of increasing security include software that must be installed, and basic security measures such as a locked screen, or regular data backup.

It is also important to establish a process for when an employee leaves your company. Set up a policy regarding who owns what data and the steps to be taken at the end of employment. If your employee uses a device with a removable memory card, you could set up a partition - mini non-physical hard-drive within the larger physical hard-drive - on the card where data from the business is to be stored, allowing for easy access and retrieval.

Should your company go BYOD, or abstain? Be aware that this is a major trend and in the near future employees will start to push to use their own devices at work, if they haven’t already. If you’d like help setting up a BYOD plan or more information concerning security measures, please contact us.

Google is a company that excels at change, with the majority of the time producing reinvention that benefits all. The most recent change Google has made is to its Android Marketplace - embracing their motif of multi-platform integration. This latest update is a major one, set to affect a vast amount of users for the better.

Google have killed off the existing Android Marketplace and replaced it with Google Play. Android Marketplace was an Android only marketplace, and this did not mesh well with Google’s current goal of integration across platforms. What Google has done with Google Play is integrate movies, books, apps and music into one central hub. Any movies, music or books users have previously bought through their respective services have also been moved to Google Play.

The Marketplace, Music, Movies and Books apps have also been renamed: Google Play, Google Play Music, Google Play Movies and Google Play Books. This has been done to promote integration across the Google platform. You can buy a book from your tablet, start reading, switch to your phone and pick up where you left off. When you get to work, you can continue reading on your browser.

What does this mean for my business? If your company uses Android devices it means that the Android apps and other related software can be purchased all from the same place. It will also make it easier to roll out and install apps from one browser. Other than that, there aren’t that many major changes aside from the name changes - Google Play looks and acts exactly the same as the Android Marketplace.

This change seems to be for the good, and will give Android users a centralized place for their entertainment and apps. For more information on Android, or Google, please give us an email. We’re here to help.

Most businesses have started to take social media seriously. They are spending time and effort developing their profiles and reaching out to customers. It makes sense for a business to have an online presence beyond their website. Are you taking advantage of all the available options the Internet has to offer? If not, it may be time to start.

Social media, once called a fad, has become the norm and is going to be with us for some time. A large number of companies already have an online presence, and are taking advantage of the benefits that social media can bring. Here are a number of things you can do to get your social media adventures underway.

Be Clear on Social Media It’s important that before you start looking into the different forms of social media that are out there, you are clear on what social media is, and what it isn’t. Social media is a way to meet people, and share content and ideas with them. For companies it’s a form of non-traditional marketing - think of it as soft marketing - it’s not meant to be the place where you flog your products, rather a place to develop interest in your company, so people will want to do business with you. By using social media you can show people who your company is, and connect with them on a more personal level. If you are clear on what social media is from the beginning, there’s a higher chance that you’ll be successful when you develop your online presence.

Before You Launch Into Social Media There are a number of things that your company needs to have either already done, or considered, before you jump in:

• Have a website: It’s a good idea to have a solid website with information about your company, contact information, products and services. Most potential customers will look at your website after looking searching for you online, and before they choose to do business with you, so your website needs to provide the relevant information they are looking for. If you don’t have a website, or feel yours is lacking, it’s easier than ever to get a professional looking site. With a quick search you will be able to find some competent designers.
• Get educated: It will be beneficial to educate yourself on current trends regarding social media. This can be done by simply going to social media websites, taking the free introduction tours and reading blogs related to the sites. Beyond that you should also research your competitors’ websites and Internet presence. Observe what content they have online, and more importantly: what they don’t have. It will also help to connect with and observe industry experts, see what they post online, and note the style and tone they use. This will help provide you with a sound knowledge base from which you can then create a more effective online presence.
• Set goals: As with any step in business, you should have a plan with realistic goals. Aim for results that are achievable for your company. If you’re a small, local IT company that focuses on providing support for banks, don’t expect to have the same massive hype that Microsoft and Apple do. Clearly set objectives and review periodically.
• Develop a focus: In real life, you can’t be all things to all people. The same goes for social media. You need to develop a focus on what type of online content you would like to share. You should aim to create content that your customers will want to share with people.
• Stake a claim: You should to go to the main social media websites - Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube - and reserve your personal and business usernames. This is important because it will make you look more professional by having the same username across all sites, and users will be able to find you easier.
• Ask for help if you need it: While some companies make social media sound easy, it can be deceptively hard to master. If you feel lost, or are having a tough time with it, there are knowledgeable consultants out there who are happy to help.

Time to Get Social When you feel you know what direction you will take, it’s time to start developing your online profiles. It can be tough to decide which social media tools to utilize. Unfortunately there is no right answer. Most small businesses follow the crowd, and this means having pages on Facebook and Linkedin. This does not mean that you should join these networks simply because they have the most users. It is recommended that you follow what similar businesses or direct competitors are doing. If they are on one service but not another, do the same to begin with, but be on the lookout for new social media sites, or features being added to existing sites.

One Thing to Not Forget There is one really important thing we can share with businesses thinking of pursuing social media: it isn’t a turnkey operation. You can’t just, “set it and forget it.” To be successful, you need to be active by posting updates, news, and above all interacting with the people who reach out to you. After all, they are your customers. If you do establish your social presence but forget to keep it up to date, you will be the company that’s forgotten.

If you would like help with your social media strategy, please get in touch with us. We’d love to hear from you.

No matter what industry you are in, the size or location of your company, chances are high that you spend the majority of your day in front of the computer. The one major downside to this is that you could injure yourself, resulting in lost time and the need for physical therapy. Do you know what the most common computer work related injuries are and how to minimize them?

The majority of injuries sustained while working with computers are not instantaneous, they happen over time. The most common form of computer related injury is the Repetitive Strain Injury, also known as RSI. Soft tissue, muscles, tendons, nerves and ligaments are all susceptible to RSI. With proper maintenance and knowledge, almost all RSIs can be prevented. If left unchecked, an RSI could lead to lost time and possibly irreparable damage.

Eye Strain Eye strain happens when you have overexerted your eyes. The most common symptoms include:

• pain around the eyes,
• dry eyes,
• fatigue,
• photophobia (sensitivity to light) and
• blurred vision.

Often, severe eye strain will also cause pain or tension in the neck and shoulders. The most common causes of eye strain are poor workspace layout and sub-par lighting conditions.

The good news is that in most cases, eye strain won’t lead to permanent vision complaints, but if left unchecked it could cause productivity problems. The easiest way to prevent eye strain is to work in a space with lighting that is neither too strong or weak, and have a light source that does not create glare. It is equally important to take short breaks from the monitor. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something (not another monitor) 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Posture Related There are a number of related injuries to your posture, including: back pain, neck pain and headaches. These injuries typically come from bad posture, combined with sitting for an extended amount of time. It may not seem like you can injure yourself by sitting in a chair all day, but your muscles are not designed to stay in the same position for such a long period of time, and doing so can result in muscle pain. Poor posture at work can also lead to an increased chance of a herniated disc, commonly called a “slipped disc”.

There are a number of things you can do to minimize posture related injuries.

• Adopt a proper posture. Have a chair that pushes the small of your back (bottom) out, as this will promote a more natural spinal position. Try not to cross your feet, as comfortable as it is, as doing so puts pressure on your lower back.
• Get up and move around every 20 minutes to half hour.
• Stretch. Move your joints through their normal range of motion.
• If you have kinks or muscle pain, gently massage the area with a kneading motion.
• Get up. There is a rising trend of using a standing workstation - this could be another option.

Arm Related The most common type of injury to the arm is the well-known Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). This mainly happens in two places: the wrist and the elbow. CTS occurs when the median nerve (one of the main nerves) is compressed. CTS in the wrist is the most common RSI, and can be a costly injury. The median nerve also passes through the elbow. If compression occurs there, it can result in an injury commonly called “tennis elbow”. Symptoms include: numbness of the hand and arm, pain and weakness in grasping.

There are a number of things you can do to prevent CTS:

• Keep your mouse and keyboard close together.
• Type and hold the mouse gently.
• Remove your hands from the mouse and keyboard when not using them.
• Take frequent breaks to move your wrists and elbows through their natural range of motion. Be careful to not over extend.

With a combination of breaks, ergonomic workplaces, and other preventative measures you and your staff will see fewer injuries and higher productivity. If you would like to learn more ways to prevent injuries, or increase productivity please contact us.

Keys, wallet, smartphone...These days, it’s fairly common for people to be seen using mobile devices for their work-related tasks. But with this welcome flexibility comes the daunting task of making sure that usage is properly managed and regulated.

Using smartphones for business purposes can indeed lead to increased efficiency and improved productivity, but if left mismanaged and unregulated, smartphone usage can cause more trouble than it’s worth. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of mobile devices:

1. Formulate a Specific Policy For IT: One common mistake many businesses make is that they lack a policy specifically for the use of mobile devices. This is where you determine whether employees can use their own personal devices for work or not, indicate reimbursable expenses and other costs, and control networks where business-purpose devices can connect to.
2. Have a Security Action Plan: Data security is a major issue for any IT device, especially one that employees can take outside of the office. It is then imperative that any device used for business has the proper security to protect it from online attacks, and remote access features that allow it to be completely wiped, or “bricked” if said device is stolen.
3. Consider Developing Your Own Applications: Customized applications that employees can use for their business needs can prove to be much more secure, and more efficient than other third-party apps. As they’re made specifically for you, you can be sure that tasks done through mobile devices and the corresponding output are better tailored to fit into your organization’s work flow.

If you would like to know more about how to better manage the use of mobile devices for your business, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We’d love to sit down with you and discuss a possible blueprint that addresses your business’s specific needs.

It is more or less the end of the first quarter of 2012, many companies have released their annual figures and people are looking to move jobs. Heading into Q2, the quarter in which companies are most likely to hire, chances are you will be doing some hiring in the not so distant future. These days, many companies use VoIP software like Skype or Microsoft Lync to conduct interviews. Do you?

Let’s face it, there are very few people out there who love conducting interviews. The ones that do, are journalists, the rest of us see it as a means to the end. But that doesn’t mean that you should put interviews on the back burner. Remember, the purpose of the interview is to find an employee that meets your needs and is a good fit for your business. Many of us have watched or conducted interviews over VoIP, and have walked away unimpressed, or unsure of the results. Here are some tips to ensure you get the most out of VoIP while interviewing.

Remember the Rules Many of us have another identity or personality when we are online, it’s common to see people who are usually quiet and reserved in real life become very vocal when placed in front of a computer. This also happens when people conduct interviews online, another personality often comes out during the interview. Remember: even though you are conducting an interview over VoIP, it is still an interview, and as such, you need to follow the same rules and guidelines you would when conducting a face-to-face interview. One of the biggest things interviewers forget when they conduct interviews via VoIP is that you are a representative of your company and its brand, the interviewee will form their own opinion based on what you say and how you act. Adopt your face-to-face interview persona, not the online persona.

Lights, Camera, Office? When conducting the interview it is best to pick a well-lit spot, with minimal to no distractions. Your office may be the one with Nirvana posters on the wall - which is cool - but they’re probably not the best thing to have as your background during the interview. The best spot to conduct face-to-face interviews is in a conference room, so why not conduct the online interview there? If you don’t have a conference room, pick a quiet spot in the office. Wherever you settle, be sure you are comfortable there, as chances are you will be conducting more than one interview.

When you have found a good spot, be sure to turn off your cellphone, or at least put it on silent. Also be sure to turn the various sound alerts on your computer off. Nothing is more annoying to interviewees than being interrupted mid-sentence by a telephone call, or the ubiquitous IM alert.

Test the Tech Before you conduct the interview, ensure you are familiar with the program you are using. You don’t want to accidentally mute the interviewee, or even worse, hang up on them. It is a good idea to set up in the place you are going to be conducting the interview, and check that the internet connection is stable, or if you are using WiFi, that the signal is strong. Conduct a test call with a colleague or another person to ensure that your webcam is working correctly, and you can hear the other person. It is best to do this a few days in advance, so you can iron out any glitches or problems with lots of time to spare.

If a technological mishap occurs during the interview, or you lose your connection, don’t give up and walk away, simply call the interviewee back, apologize and carry on. Better still, establish at the outset that if there is a problem, you will definitely call back. This will ensure that the interviewee isn’t calling you when you are calling them.

The Interview Remember that you are using technology for the interview, and this technology has many useful features, the most pertinent being the ability to record. Being able to play the interview back later if you feel you have missed something, or want to know other employees’ opinions, is an excellent perk to using VoIP. Be sure to let the interviewee know that their interview will be recorded, as it could be illegal to record the person without their consent.

One common oversight by both the interviewer and interviewee is time. It may happen that you need to conduct an interview with someone in another timezone. It’s important to be aware of the time difference and ensure that both parties are on the same page. Also, if you’re in an area that has Daylight Savings Time, be aware that some places don’t observe it, and adjust accordingly. If you know the interviewee is in another timezone, clearly state when you are setting up the interview time, if you mean your time or the interviewee’s time.

Finally, when conducting the interview: be aware of where you are looking. Most programs will have the other person in a large image with you in a smaller image. Look at the image of the person when they are speaking, and at the camera when you are speaking. This is the best way to replicate eye-contact in a face-to-face interview.

When you remain professional and can execute a good interview using VoIP software, you can be sure that the interviewee will be impressed and will want to join your company. Good luck! If you would like to know more about using VoIP for interviews, or other business operations give us a call - we are more than happy to hear from you.

In this modern age, many businesses have become reliant on technological networks, with businesses big and small using some form of network in their day-to-day operations. But what happens when one of those networks goes down? Larger businesses will normally lose some profit, but will be able to recover. However, a network outage could be the death of a smaller business. 24/7 networking can help prevent this.

How can 24/7 network monitoring help your business, you ask? Through preventative operations. The main idea of network monitoring is to act as an “Early Warning System” to let managers and owners know of potential problems before they strike.

What Does Network Monitoring Monitor? There are a number of things you can monitor with Network Monitoring. The most popular areas include application and system performance, bandwidth usage, and server status. You can also set up monitoring of additional areas, for instance: server load, ink levels in printers, time left on software license agreements, which devices are connected to the network, their data usage, and more. This is all done 24/7.

The one thing Network Monitoring does not normally monitor is unauthorized access to networks. It can be set up to look for unauthorized access, but this is normally taken care of by another system.  

How Does Network Monitoring Help Me? Network Monitoring is a preventative system, intended to warn you about potential network problems so you can proactively seek solutions before a vital network goes down. This makes it, in a round-about way, a justifiable addition to business value since, when implemented right, there will be less network crashes—which means less or no profit loss.

What Should I Monitor? In an ideal world, you would monitor each and every network. Over time, you can get there, but if you’re like most Small Business owners or managers, you have neither the time nor the budget to implement a full system. As with most projects, it’s suggested that you implement a system like this in stages. The most common areas to start with are:

• Local Area Network (LAN) Data
• Internet data usage
• server status
• alerts to existing networks

If you’re unsure of where to start, try contacting a local Network Monitoring service, or hire a consultant to establish a system. If you would like to know more about 24/7 Network Monitoring, or other ways to improve business value, please contact us.

One of the most popular technical trends in the past few years is the increasing amount of tablet computers on the market. With the development and application of mobile OSs like Android for tablets, they have been able to fill the mobile phone - PC gap. The Android OS has its own app market, with a ton of great apps for all users including businesses. Some of the most useful apps are the notes programs.

There are many ways businesses can use the tablet, one of the best is as a platform to record notes. This goes even further in that many notes programs do much more than just record notes. A quick search of the Android Marketplace for “Notes” returns over 1000 apps, but which are the best? Here are a few popular programs:

Evernote Evernote is one of the most comprehensive note programs out there. You can sync between your computers, phones, even your browser. This app allows and encourages you to go beyond just taking simple notes. You can tag locations, attach pictures and lists, and even post notes on Facebook. The simple layout and integration with other platforms makes this app one of the best choices for your Android Tablet.

Catch Notes With similar features to Evernote, Catch Notes is another great note program. There are a number of features that are great for businesses that set this app apart:

• You can record voice memos.
• You can share notes for collaboration with other employees.
• Notes can be separated, so you can have both personal and business notes on the same program.

This is a good program for businesses that like to have a collaborative environment and the ability to add voice recordings to your notes.

Classic Notes Lite This app is, at first glance, very simple. Your notes are listed in chronological order, with the last edited at the top. But delve a little deeper and you will come across a ton of features ranging from the ability to sketch, quickly look up conversions, and even send to Google Docs. This app is good for users who want both a simple notes app, and an app with many extra features.

OneNote OneNote is Microsoft’s mobile note app. Developed as part of the Microsoft Office suite, and to sync with SkyDrive, this app is for those avid Microsoft users looking for integration across multiple platforms. The app was released at the end of February with the major features most other note apps have, as well as Microsoft flair.

InkPad InkPad is the notes app for users who want just a notes app, with no extra features. With a clean, simple layout this app is perfect for users who want to keep things simple.

With the incredible number of notes apps on the Android Market, there is a program that will meet any of your needs. If you would like to know more about Android Apps or tablets, please contact us.

The thing about the social media boom is that so many people are thinking of ways to make it better and to put a unique twist on an otherwise used and reused concept. Pinterest is one of the few that have been successful at this – which means, like in any other social media platform, businesses stand to benefit provided they use it the right way.

What is Pinterest? In a nutshell, it's something like a social media scrapbook, album, and bulletin board combined. Each interest / theme has its own 'Pinboard' where you put photos, videos, or other media that interest you.

What makes Pinterest unique is its concept, which has been consistently growing in popularity, especially with female audiences. And while Facebook and Twitter are more open to overt advertising, Pinterest takes a more conservative stance. While advertising isn't exactly prohibited, the marketing should definitely be more subtle and more consistent with a personal Pinterest profile. Here are some basic tips that will help you utilize Pinterest to your advantage.

1. Understand your market. The first question you should ask yourself is if Pinterest is something worth your time investment. Since the majority of Pinterest users are female, ask yourself if your products and services appeal to them directly.

2. Invest time. As in many other social networking sites, you need to put a personal and human touch to your Pinterest profile and in the way you interact with your audience. Log in often, update regularly, and respond quickly to any kind of feedback. Let your audience know that you're there.

3. Use other social media to augment Pinterest. Since Pinterest is less known, use your other social media accounts to point people your way in Pinterest, such as Tweeting or updating your Facebook status with your most recent Pinterest profile update.

4. Talk about what you represent. As mentioned earlier, since Pinterest isn't big on overt advertising, you need to market yourself in a different way. Talk about what your brand is all about. What do you represent? What content can you provide that would inspire your audience to share on their own Pinboards? If you're a furniture company, for example, you can try giving some tips on basic interior design and picking the right furniture pieces for spaces, with pictures or videos. What's good about Pinterest is that it challenges you to be more creative, and thus, more appealing to potential clients.

If Pinterest interests you, give us a call so we can discuss how you can maximize this new social media platform for your business.

It’s an understatement to say that email is a necessity in business. In the exchange of data and information, email is simply a staple in any business operation. Which is why Google has made it easier for Gmail users to set it as their default email client.

You have to give it to the guys at Google to always think of something new — some innovative way to better integrate their apps.

Before, sending an email through Gmail was a bit long-winded. You had to copy the email address, open Gmail manually, and then paste it onto the ‘To:” bar. Now, this is a lot easier. With the new upgrade to Gmail that allows it to be used in tandem with most Internet browsers, it’s much easier to make Gmail your default email client.

For Google Chrome Open Chrome, log into your Gmail account, and click on ‘Yes’ when asked if you want Gmail to become your default email client. Now, whenever you click on an email link when using Chrome, it will automatically open the “Compose” page of your Gmail account.

For Firefox Open Firefox, go to the ‘Tools’ menu (or click on the Firefox button) and select ‘Options’. Under ‘Applications’, and then select ‘mailto’ under ‘Content Type’. Next, under ‘Actions’, select Gmail as the default email client.

For Internet Explorer If you are a user of Internet Explorer, you’ll have to download the Gmail Notifier, a toolbar from Google. Install the toolbar and have it select Gmail as your default email client.