TaylorWorks, Inc. Blog

If Windows 7 is still at work on some (or all) of your business’ workstations, you have about a month to upgrade or face dealing with major cybersecurity problems. This month we will look at the options a business would have if they need to upgrade from Windows 7 quickly.

To build anything great on a budget or a timeline, you need to have good coordination. At the helm of these projects is the project manager. A job that is extraordinarily stressful and often equally thankless. After all, most customers take the positive resolution to any order for granted. This month, we will take a look at project management and the tools that are used by them to produce the best results possible. 

The cloud is the new standard for businesses to handle their data storage and software distribution needs. We have a lot of experience in assisting our clients with the services they use via the cloud, and beyond that, most people are somehow connected to “the cloud” in some shape or form. However, this does raise a few questions about how secure our data actually is.

When many businesses look to add to their roster, they typically have a series of qualifications they need each applicant to meet before they grant interviews. They make their selection, do their entrance training, and then expect that the new hire will settle in and be as productive as possible as soon as possible.

Data privacy is a huge issue right now, and with so many organizations possessing individual information, the issue isn’t going to be going away. Some of the biggest and most reputable organizations in business today have been breached in the past several years and it has put a new onus on individual data protection. Let's take a look at individual data privacy and what can be done to protect yourself online. 

Ever feel so frustrated by your IT that you just want to get rid of every computer in your office altogether? I have to tell you, as much as I love technology and what it can do, even I can feel that way sometimes. If you feel like your technology has let you down, I have a story for you.

With technology trending up, it’s not hard to believe that there are solutions out there that can give your business a leg up on the competition. Being a decision maker at a small or medium-sized business, it can sometimes be difficult to find technology solutions created with your business in mind. Most software developers understand that the more options their software has, the more valuable it is, but if you are a small business, enterprise software can sometimes be overkill. Let’s look at three technology trends that have small businesses in mind from the get-go.

When you start looking at your company’s communications costs, you may not always like what you see. If you think you are paying far too much for far too little, you aren’t alone. Many businesses just like yours are making the switch to communications tools that can be leveraged through the Internet. This month, we will take a look at some of these solutions. 

A lot of business owners kick the tires on mobility before moving onto committing capital to other facets of their IT. When we write about mobility typically what we mean is a commitment to technology that allows staff to work on company projects, access company resources, and do it all from remote locations. This month we’ll talk a little bit about what it means to enhance your operational and staff mobility and provide you some solutions that will facilitate that change for your company. 

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and we thought we’d share some of our very best tips and tricks to help you and your business keep your data and network safe in the modern ever-changing threat landscape. Cyberattacks can happen anytime, so being aware is crucial. That’s why cybersecurity in the modern business starts with you. It is your job to keep information safe. Sure, you can improve the tools you use to keep your infrastructure free from threats, but ultimately, to protect this data, you will need to stay vigilant.

We are constantly advocating the usefulness of having a comprehensive data backup and disaster recovery system in place. This is because you never know when some detrimental situation is going to negatively affect your information systems, and being prepared for that eventuality is a prudent business decision. In the modern office, the need for BDR grows rapidly. Today, we’ll take a look at our BDR solution and how every office absolutely needs one. 

Working in an office can often be a grind. People that have never experienced it may not realize just how much coordination is needed to perform successful service delivery and support. One way the modern office functions is with the help of integrated technology. This month we will take a look at the modern office, the technology used by the office staff, and how the managed IT service provider can help build operational efficiency.

Most businesses think about Microsoft Office when the topic of Microsoft comes up, or at least Microsoft Windows. One of the services that has flown somewhat under the radar is Microsoft Azure, the tech giant’s cloud computing platform. What are some of the biggest selling points for Microsoft’s proprietary cloud computing solution, and what does it mean for your business?

Chances are, during your time running a business, you’ve thought at least a little bit about how best to distribute Microsoft Office software to your employees. Of course, the answer is never the same, so we recommend taking a look at what some of the options are before making your choice. In particular, we think the decision between Microsoft Office 2019 and Microsoft Office 365 will be an important one to address.

Many businesses struggle with the reality of everyday IT issues, one of which is receiving the right kind of support and maintenance to ensure everything goes according to plan. When considering your business’ IT maintenance and management, you need to consider the service provider, the distance they travel to and from your office, and ease of support. How can you make sure that your business finds the right solution or service?

Twenty years ago, the term “Internet of Things” was coined by a marketer named Kevin Ashton. Working for multinational consumer goods corporation Proctor & Gamble, his idea to use RFID to help manage P&G’s supply chain led to a partnership with MIT. For his efforts, Ashton became a high-tech entrepreneur and best-selling author, but his lasting legacy will likely be tied to the actual Internet of Things (IoT).

Windows might be the most popular operating system out there, but it’s not perfect. This is why your systems receive patches and security updates as they are released. The problem, however, is that these updates don’t last forever, and one of the most popular Windows systems out there will lose access to support on January 14th, 2020. Are you going to update now, or are you going to risk your systems going without critical updates?

Telephones have been in the office for so long that it would be weird if they weren’t in the office in some way, shape or form. With the advent of cloud-based options, however, telephone communications have become much more sophisticated and accessible. A voice over IP system that uses the Internet is one way that you can take advantage of modern technology to reduce costs and optimize your network.

Karma is a pretty powerful force. If you do enough good, good will become of you. At least, that’s the idea. The same idea applies to the people around you; if you cultivate a positive environment and offer everything your staff needs to do a good job, they will perform better than the alternative.

We talk a lot about managed services for small and medium-sized businesses, but unless you’re familiar with the business model, you won’t be able to learn much about who we are and what we provide to organizations like yours. Today we are hoping to clear up some definitions of managed service providers, or MSPs, as well as what kind of services we can provide for businesses with limited budgets.