5 Benefits of Windows Virtual Desktop for Businesses

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The days of doing all our work in the office are gone for most businesses. There are clients to meet, conferences to attend, and roadshows to run. Employees are often on the move, and they want to work fully, wherever they are. Windows Virtual Desktops can help.

Windows Virtual Desktop allows staffers to work off-site with continued access to office workstations. All the business data and programs are accessible through the cloud. Plus, the individual can use a laptop, tablet, or other mobile device. They’ll log in to a virtual desktop that looks the same as the one at work. Let’s consider the many benefits Windows Virtual Desktops offer.

#1 Convenience

Allowing users to access desktops from wherever they are makes it easy to keep working. They can do whatever needs to be done, whenever they have the time to do so. Since virtual desktops mirror the office workstation, users are more efficient. They aren’t having to relearn a task when working remotely or off-site. That file they’re looking for is in the same place it would be if they were sitting at their office desk.

#2 Lower costs

Your business could use software that needs more power than users have on mobile devices. Virtual desktops tap into a powerful cloud-based network, which means your business doesn’t need to invest in the infrastructure to support those apps.

You don’t need to upgrade to multiple computers. The virtual desktop in the cloud will do the necessary work, and it’s easily scalable. This also saves time, as your business doesn’t have the long upgrade time of new infrastructure.

You might also lower business costs by hiring the best talent from wherever it is in the world. Everyone is working from a virtual desktop. So, someone logging in from North America has the same access as another employee in India, for example.

#3 Security

Your business may have policies about applications and devices people can use to do work. You’ve tried to limit risky software downloads and prevent staff from connecting on unsecured devices, except your employees are still going to take the path of least resistance. If they think it’s easier to do their work on an unapproved smartphone, they probably will. They’ll also use that prohibited app if it’s easier to access than the business-approved software.

But you don’t need to worry about this with virtual desktops, as you’re streamlining safe access to approved business applications and business data. With Microsoft, patches and updates come from a company investing heavily in cybersecurity.

#4 Business continuity

If you have moved to remote work in 2020, you probably already recognize the value of the cloud. Having virtual desktops hosted in the cloud provides business continuity. Even if you suffer a natural disaster or other disruption, employees can still get online. They’ll keep on working in a consistent computer environment with Windows Virtual Desktops.

The ability to quickly access necessary data and programs helps the business get running again. Regardless of the situation at one geographical location, users can continue working, even while restoration is in progress at the office.

#5 IT’s job is easier

With virtual desktops, IT doesn’t have to handle as much physical technology, as the system exists in the cloud. Plus, IT no longer has to spend its time clearing an old laptop and reconfiguring it for another employee. Instead, a virtual desktop can be saved and transferred to a new user.

IT experts can turn their attention to more value-adding activities. Freed from tedious, time consuming tasks, they can innovate and contribute revenue-driving ideas.

Of course, you can make it even easier on your in-house IT team by partnering with a managed service provider. Our tech experts can set your business up with virtual desktops. We’re also here to help manage and secure the cloud-based systems. Reach out to us today by calling us at (515)422-1995 to learn more!

Keep Your Firmware Safe and Secure

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Most of us can differentiate between hardware and software. But how many know what firmware refers to? More importantly, is your business securing its firmware against security vulnerabilities?

Your business knows it needs to keep its operating systems (OSs) up to date. Installing patches as they are released helps protect your OS and software applications from attack.

Yet firmware can be easily overlooked when setting up cyber protection. You’re opening up Explorer every day, and your business relies on its Excel spreadsheets, but you don’t think about the basic software that runs the hardware as intended – that’s the firmware.

Without firmware, your computer wouldn’t know how to detect its hard drive, and the gears on the business printer wouldn’t spin to pull the paper through the device. There’s firmware in network and sound cards, routers, range extenders, keyboards, and more. Firmware also makes your webcam or surveillance camera work correctly.

The Need to Update Firmware

Cyber-criminals aren’t known for their lazy reliance on just one tactic. Instead, they are constantly finding new ways to exploit business devices and systems, and this includes attacking firmware. Without securing your firmware, you run the risk of bad actors:

  • spying on business activity;
  • stealing business data;
  • taking control of your business computers.

You may think you’re safe because you have antivirus scans in place, but hackers can get around those by embedding their malware in your firmware. In the past, they could guess firmware manufacturers weren’t prioritizing security. That’s changing now that firmware exploits have gained attention.

Manufacturers release firmware updates for at least a few years after initial release. The goal is to ensure the stability of that device your business depends upon.

Find firmware updates online at the manufacturer’s website. You might also look on the device support page. Make it a policy to consistently seek out firmware release updates. That way, the business is up to date with new patches to fix holes or fresh vulnerabilities.

Taking Care of Business Firmware

Too many people aren’t thinking about the firmware threat; it’s a set-it-and-forget-it problem. Once people set up their devices, they don’t think about the possibility of a future compromise.

For example, in last year’s Avast Threat Landscape Report, 60 percent of users had never updated router firmware. Yet router hijackers can inject malicious HTML and gain access to usernames and passwords.

Businesses are growing more reliant on technology, particularly connected technology. (Thank you, Wi-Fi and Internet of Things.) This is also expanding the attack surface available to cyber bad guys. Don’t become complacent. Apply patches when issued to all business connections and technology.

Now you know what firmware is and why it matters, that doesn’t mean you’re any closer to being able to actually update it all. Partner with one of our technicians. We can do an audit of all your firmware and find any holes that need plugging. Give us a call today at (515)422-1995!

How Microsoft Intune Can Benefit Your Business

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The use of mobile devices is becoming standard in business. Smartphones and tablets have taken their place as tools your employees want to use. Whether for communication or collaboration, expect people to have mobile devices at hand. To make this work, your business needs mobile device management, that’s where Microsoft Intune can help.

More work is getting done in the cloud, especially with more people working remotely. Employees want to be able to access the same applications and data they’d get on a desktop or laptop, right there on the device in their hands, wherever they may be.

This presents a security challenge. When all devices connecting to a work environment are on-site, it’s easier to control the connections. The business could put “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) policies in place to control:

  • what devices employees use to connect;
  • how much access they have when connecting;
  • what applications they can use on devices connected to the business network.

Still, mobile device management software can benefit your business. You’ll be able to reduce IT workload, improve user experience, enable greater efficiency, and reduce risk.

Cloud-based Mobile Device Management with Intune

Microsoft Intune offers cloud-based mobile device management (MDM). This enterprise security offering combines MDM and mobile application management (MAM).

In a use case, Accenture used Intune’s MDM to enforce mobile device encryption and use of a PIN. MAM helped secure the Microsoft Office suite, without having to control employee devices.

Intune allows users to access critical business data and applications on any mobile device. Intune provides a unified way to securely manage Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS devices.

Further, Intune streamlines and automates deployment, provisioning, policy management, app delivery, and updates. Plus, the globally distributed cloud service architecture is highly scalable.

This helps your IT team support the diverse mobile ecosystem more efficiently. There’s no need to set up each device individually, as the software deploys across all devices at once. IT can track licenses, rollout updates, and get hardware configuration and software installation information, all in one place and without having to buy any added infrastructure. Meanwhile, employees can move between mobile devices and desktops without jeopardizing company security.

Your business might ask employees to enroll any devices they use to access Office 365 data, yet there may still be devices you don’t know about or that your partners are using to access your important data. Intune provides you with precise control. You can specify what data different users can access. You can also say what they can do with the data within Office and other mobile apps.

Boosting Cybersecurity Protection with Intune

Intune’s integration with Azure directory also allows the business to enforce access policies. You might limit access based on user, location, device state, or app sensitivity. Powerful AI and machine learning also helps to proactively protect the business environment. Integrating Intune and Microsoft Defender helps prevent and limit the impact of a security breach.

Your business can review and establish security policy and configuration setting baselines. It’s also easier to meet legal and company cybersecurity requirements. Data protection, encryption, and anti-malware are all done in the admin console.

At the same time, you avoid intruding on users’ personal devices. Contextual controls can distinguish between business and personal use of apps.

Improve cybersecurity resilience and support employee productivity on mobile devices. Intune allows you to track devices, manage policies, ensure updates, and protect data, all from one location.

Intune is included in certain Enterprise Mobility and Security subscriptions. Contact us today at (515)422-1995 to learn more about this solution. Learn how it suits your mobile device management and mobile access management needs.

Facing the Five Top Cloud Computing Fears

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The public cloud service market is growing. Software, infrastructure, desktop, and other service numbers are all on the rise. Yet some businesses are still holding back from migrating to the cloud. This article addresses common resistance to this highly scalable and cost-effective solution.

#1 Fear of Losing Control

“I want full responsibility for my IT.” Moving to the public cloud means partnering with a vendor. Some of your existing technology can move as is, whereas other tools your people rely on may need replacement or redesign.

One solution is to migrate to a private cloud. This allows you to continue to control the data environment but will be a more costly solution than a public alternative. When partnering with a public cloud service provider, establish clear responsibilities. Ensure you’re both on the same page about who is accountable for what.

#2 Fear of Change

“If it ain’t broke, why fix it,” especially when it comes to business computing, right? Transitioning from one data center to another requires preparation and effort.

Yet the resulting greater flexibility makes the work worthwhile. Cloud migration is appealing because the technology offers, among other things:

  • scalability;
  • increased effectiveness;
  • faster implementation;
  • mobility;
  • disaster recovery.

The cloud allows you to store data, run applications, deliver content, and more – all online. Your business doesn’t have to invest in the hardware or networking tech on-site.

#3 Fear for Data Security

Any downtime for a data breach can cost business revenue and brand reputation, and productivity can suffer, too. And that’s only the beginning. So, you don’t want to move to a solution that expands your vulnerability to attack.

There are two ways to get attacked: digital or physical. Working with a cloud provider, you gain a partner focused on security. They know the mitigations and countermeasures for cloud-computing-specific capabilities. They know the frameworks, architectures, and approaches to best protect against digital attack. Microsoft spends $1 billion annually safeguarding Azure, its cloud offering, from cyber-attack. Can your IT budget compete?

As for physical security, cloud data centers are secure facilities: we’re talking guards with key cards, fenced perimeters, power backups, and server redundancy. They have the works. Your office is probably less secure.

#4 Fear for Interoperability Challenges

We’re always told to play nicely with others, but what if existing business technology doesn’t play well with the cloud? Business leaders may fear they’ll be stuck having to reinvent the wheel.

The good news? There have been great strides in interoperability. Many application programming interfaces are available to help. Cloud providers want your business systems to exchange and use information seamlessly.

#5 Fear of Cost Increases

Before giving in to cost concerns, take stock of your current IT operating budget. The time and money you could save may surprise you. For example, the software provider takes charge of updates, patching, and new capabilities, which alone can increase IT’s productivity in other areas.

The scalability of cloud solutions also counterbalances cost concerns. With cloud technology, you know your tools are always evolving. Plus, you can quickly add or reduce licenses or data storage size as needed, because there’s no waiting for hardware to arrive and be provisioned by an overworked IT team.

Conclusion

With cloud migration you also avoid training employees to support the technology. Plus, you’re not paying to use office space, power, and cooling to house the equipment. The cloud also provides end users with immediate access from almost any device.

The one challenge is migrating to the cloud securely. Give us a call at (515)422-1995 to get you migrated swiftly and ensure you’re using cloud computing safely.

Security or Flexibility: Which Matters More?

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Business is all about making tough choices. One such choice is whether to value IT security or business flexibility more. Unfortunately, you can’t have the best of both at once.

While having absolute security or flexibility may sound good, neither is actually for the best. An entirely secure environment is tough on users, a fully flexible IT environment is near impossible to keep safe.

When weighing security and flexibility, you might think of it on a sliding scale: more of one means sacrificing some of the other. If you amp up your security, you can limit business productivity. Your staff may try to get work done and bump up against security constraints. Or you may decide to give your people full flexibility, but you do so at the risk of leaving your business more vulnerable to attack.

Where you want to land on this sliding scale can depend on your industry. A bank protecting funds or a hospital with private patient data would prioritize security. Alternately, a small widgets business might not worry about data security as much.

Still, it’s a tough choice to make. Security company Balabit asked European IT pros to choose between IT security and business flexibility. In general, 71 percent thought security was equally or more important than flexibility. But when asked whether they’d risk security to clinch a major deal, 69 percent were willing to take their chances.

Finding the Right Balance

Leaders have to find the sweet spot between IT security and business flexibility. Striking the right balance is essential to successful security measures and flexibility aims.

One major consideration is the type of data the IT security is protecting. Credit card or health insurance companies are responsible for securing customer information. A university with many networked computers also needs to think about security; otherwise, criminals might target the school’s processors to power their attacks.

The potential impacts of a security breach are also a factor. Cyberattacks can mean business disruption, and lost productivity and business revenue, plus damage to brand reputation and loss of customer loyalty. A business in a highly regulated industry could also face massive fines and legal fees.

Assessing the risk of attack also helps. For example, a company with a billion-dollar idea, or a utility, face greater risk than a tuna packet labeler. Another consideration would be history of suspicious activity: if your business has already suffered an attack, security should be a priority. Likewise, if your industry is a common target for cybercriminals, you can’t take unnecessary chances.

Then, there’s the demand for business flexibility. How much do you need and in what situations? For instance, allowing employees to use their own devices is a convenience for some, but it’s a necessity in other environments.

The ability to control security and flexibility on a situation-by-situation basis can help. In instances where customers’ identifying information is exchanged, security would trump flexibility. But when work teams collaborate globally, business flexibility is the more important aim.

Get MSP Input into This Equation

A managed services provider (MSP) can provide perspective on the best balance. The MSP examines business processes and goals, and determines appetite for risk. Then, it helps set that slider between IT security and business flexibility.

IT experts recognize the need for adaptable security responding to shifting needs. When that big deal comes up, you don’t want to have to deliberately risk security. Ultimately, you’re looking to achieve flexicurity – just the right combination of both. This lets your technology users do their best, while your business remains secure.

Want to balance security and still be business friendly? Contact our experts for a consultation today! Call us (515)422-1995!

Do More with Microsoft Forms

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There are millions of Microsoft 365 users globally. Businesses rely on the software to power email, drive productivity, and connect to colleagues. Forms is another great tool for users of Microsoft 365.

In April 2020, Office 365 became Microsoft 365. The value of the software suite to communication and collaboration remains intact. A Microsoft 365 subscription provides Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and other useful applications. Those are the familiar options.

But Microsoft is always evolving its cloud-based services. Microsoft Teams is a chat-based workspace integrating people, content, and tools. There’s also a To-Do application, Flow for managing notifications, and Power Bi Pro analytics. That’s to name just a few.

Another good one to get comfortable with? Microsoft Forms.

Microsoft 365 Forms Makes Data Collection Easier

Microsoft Forms allows your business to create surveys, generate quizzes, conduct polls, and capture data.

This easy-to-use application simplifies form creation: you simply select “New Form” or “New Quiz,” input the form details, add images if you want them, and you’re ready to go. You can click and drag to choose your question types from multiple choice, text, rating, or date options.

Ready-made themes allow you to pick different colors or graphics to personalize your survey. Before you go live, you can also preview and test your survey. You can even share with a colleague to collaborate on the survey design.

It’s that easy. In a few minutes you can create the tool you need to:

  • collect employee input;
  • measure customer satisfaction;
  • poll your team about how they feel about returning back to the office;
  • quiz employees doing virtual learning.

Once you have your finished link, you can paste it into an email, post it on social media, or put it on your website. You can also generate a QR code for mobile device use.

Get Results with Microsoft Forms

OK, you’ve shared your new survey, and the responses are raining down on you! There’s a dashboard for that. You can track the number of responses and average completion time. Plus, you can drill down into particular question data.

For any question, you can display your results in charts or graphs for that PowerPoint.

Since this is part of the Microsoft suite, Forms integrates with Excel, too. You can import the data there to leverage the full power of Excel’s analysis tools.

If you want to get even more advanced, upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Voice. Formerly Microsoft Forms Pro, this application helps you gather real-time customer feedback.

There are plenty of survey tools available online today. SoGoSurvey, SurveyMonkey, or TypeForm are top examples, but free versions can limit the number of questions or respondents surveyed.

Microsoft Forms integrates with other Microsoft 365 tools in your subscription. For quick intake or call center satisfaction, Forms is an intuitive application. It’s easy to keep in touch with customers and employees.

You can do more with Microsoft 365. We can help. Our IT experts get to know your technology and business needs, then we’ll identify the Microsoft 365 tools that can simplify the work you do. Contact us today at (515)422-1995!

6 Never Dos for Your Work Computer

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Nobody likes to be told what they can’t do. Still, there are certain never dos that you should keep in mind when it comes to your work computer. This article captures the top six things you should avoid doing on your work computer.

#1 Don’t login to personal sites and services

Sure, we’re all guilty of wanting to check our personal email or take a quick peek at social media while at work, but you do not want to login to your personal accounts on a work computer, especially not a shared one!

Browsers that remember our passwords to sites such as Facebook or your bank can be useful. How many different passwords can one human be expected to remember after all? But letting the browser save your personal access credentials risks your security. The next person to use that computer could access your private data.

#2 Don’t allow remote access

Maybe your computer isn’t working the way you want it to: it’s too slow. Something is up with an app. You’re worried you’ve inadvertently downloaded malware onto your work device. Then there’s that friend you have that “knows computers.” With remote support software being so easy to use these days, you figure it’s easier to ask your friend for help. Work doesn’t even need to know.

But would you let that friend walk into the office and start working on your computer? Probably not. Your business has its own people it trusts to do work on its computers. If you were on-site, you’d tell your supervisor, or at least IT, if you had a computer concern. Even when working virtually, you want to do the same thing.

Allowing remote access is both a security and productivity risk. Plus, your computer could be set in a specific way by your company. Your tech-savvy friend isn’t going to know why and how those particular configurations were established.

#3 Don’t store personal data

We’re all in favor of having more than one backup. Still, you don’t want to make your work computer a storage solution for your personal data, because you can’t be sure that other people at work can’t look through your files.

You also run the risk of losing access to that data if the business goes out of business or lays staff off. Employee accounts can be wiped out by businesses when they sever relationships with staff.

#4 Don’t connect personal storage devices

USB or thumb drives are convenient, as such drives help move data around easily. But the drive can be installed in many different computers and networks along the way. Connecting that USB to a work computer could transfer malware.

You really don’t want to connect someone else’s storage device to your work computer. Criminals actually target organizations by leaving infected thumb drives in the parking lot. All they need is one person to pick up the drive and plug it in to a work computer. Trying to reunite the drive with its user didn’t go over so well for that Good Samaritan!

#5 Don’t do your side business or job search

You don’t want to do these on a work computer unless you want to risk getting caught, because your computer activity can be tracked. Some businesses do full-blown screen recording. Others will maintain an overview of sites you visit.

There are different laws in various states and countries regarding employee monitoring, but you are using a work device on a business network. Doing your own side project during work hours on the business computer won’t go over well.

#6 Don’t log on to public Wi-Fi

Don’t log in to business applications or sensitive data connected to public Wi-Fi. There are many risks. You could end up:

  • opening yourself up to “man-in-the-middle” hackers;
  • connecting to a malicious hotspot;
  • transmitting data on an unencrypted network.

These never dos could endanger your personal data, business network, or your very job. Steer clear of these common mistakes made on work computers. Be smart, be safe.

Need help setting up a personal or work computer? We can help. Our IT experts can also install virtual private networks or other tools to protect your work computers. Contact us today at (515)422-1995!

5 Reasons to Choose Managed Print Services

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This is the digital age, and no matter your industry, it’s safe to say there has been digital transformation. Yet there’s still a need for printers and paper copies, and it might be time for you to partner with a managed print services (MPS) provider.

An MPS provider is a third-party that handles document printing with more efficiency. They manage printing services to find savings, maximize productivity, and ensure security. You get expert help with your business printer technology and usage. Let’s consider the benefits of partnering with an MPS provider.

#1 Matches your printer equipment to your business needs

You might have a highly capable printer, with the operating costs to match, that your business doesn’t need. An accounting firm needs a different printer from a graphic design outfit. The numbers folks might get away with a desktop office printer, whereas those working with fuchsia, salmon, and coral pinks need a high-quality color printer. The MPS provider can identify the best copier for every budget and different needs.

#2 Identifies cost-saving opportunities

You know your business, and you know it well. An MPS has insight into the value of different printer features for your environment. They make recommendations to increase productivity and reduce costs related to printers.

As an example, you might have two printers on each floor of your business. One is in constant use, while the other is seldom touched and in great condition. Instead of overworking a costly printer, the MPS knows when to rotate your equipment. This can avoid downtime and extend the equipment lifecycle.

Or you may be overburdening your office printer. Some jobs are less expensive and faster using an off-site business printing company.

An MPS provider can also negotiate printing supply contracts to reduce operating costs.

#3 Positions you for greater printer efficiency

This involves replacing legacy equipment, upgrading printers, or moving them within the office. An MPS provider starts out by getting to know your business and taking a careful look at your printing output.

Using the tools in printer technology today, the MPS will be able to customize reports for you to review:

  • what printers are used most;
  • who is using printers most;
  • what departments are using more paper;
  • which teams often send in print jobs at the same time;
  • which teams are printing in color, not black and white;
  • who needs high-quality printing for external audiences;
  • who needs fast, high-quantity printing;
  • which high-traffic machines are at risk of maintenance issues;
  • Which printer/copiers are underutilized.

Armed with this data, they can streamline printer placement and make workflow recommendations.

#4 Frees up your team’s time and energy

With an MPS provider involved, you have one point of contact for all printer/copier concerns:

  • If you’re an office with more than one brand of printer, you don’t have to deal with different manufacturers.
  • The MPS provider makes sure toner, paper, and other supplies are available.
  • The IT team no longer has to spend time dealing with printer devices the MPS provider manages.

#5 Optimizes your printer technology

When printing, you know how to navigate the print screen and push the button to start your job. An MPS also manages print issues and introduces preventative maintenance to avoid costly downtime. The MPS provider knows so much more about printer capabilities, plus, they can configure remote printers for staff mobile devices or off-site.

You want a healthy business. An MPS provider can help keep your printers healthy, and productivity high.

Save your employees from wasting time on printing-related tasks. We can help. Contact us today!

Get Your IT Ready for Holiday Shopping

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Holiday shopping will have a new look this year. Many retailers are closing their brick-and-mortar doors for Black Friday, and the big “doorbuster” sales are moving online. With the busiest shopping period of the year going virtual, there’s going to be greater load on the business IT.

If your business wants to be part of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, prepare for a sudden surge in traffic volume. If your technology can’t handle the traffic, you’re going to lose revenue. A crashed system could be catastrophic for your bottom line, plus, it’ll hurt brand reputation and customer satisfaction long term.

Consider these strategies to get ready for the online crush of shoppers.

  • Latency
  • Error rates
  • Number of time-outs
  • Length of response time
  • Availability

Performing OK may not be enough to match the need of holiday sales. Based on the Salesforce findings above, it’s safe to say you could be facing 15–35% increased traffic.

#3 Optimize Your Site and Services Beforehand

In e-commerce, every second, even millisecond, counts. There are several things you can do in advance to make sure you’re putting your best e-foot forward:

  • Make sure that every page of your site and all your images are rendering quickly.
  • Identify where you are seeing shopping cart abandonment, and do what you can now to stem that drop off.
  • Revise site navigation to ensure it is as simple as possible for shoppers.
  • Allow users to buy without registering and to use as many different payment options as possible.
  • Remove unnecessary forms, sidebars, headers, and footers.
  • Make your site as mobile friendly as you can.

You also want to be sure that your order and inventory systems are in sync. Promoting Black Friday items and then selling out will sour customer experience.

#4 Prepare Your Troops, Too

Along with readying your technology, prep your people, too. Need more hands-on deck to handle order fulfillment and customer service? Get on that hiring and training now. Having IT support on call can help respond to any unexpected issues.

Need IT support preparing for the e-commerce influx? Our technology experts can prepare your business for more traffic and transactions. Contact us today at (515)422-1995!

Build Better Meetings

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Business meetings can be a double-edged sword. Often they are as likely to rally staff and build momentum as they are to halt progress and kill productivity.

Productive meetings are key to keeping team members on track and everyone on the same page. A poor meeting is as harmful to the progress of a project as losing multiple members of staff.

Finding the balance is important for good business. There are tools and techniques to make sure that your meetings are not standing in the way of your business.

Streamlined Scheduling

One of the biggest hurdles to planning a meeting can be simply booking a space. Finding an available room, with the right equipment, in a time and place which everyone can agree on can be a logistical nightmare. Repeated emails back and forth to agree on the venue alone can consume hours out of the day.

There are technical tools available to help. Outlook’s scheduling assistant can be a great place to start. The office package is designed to help you find a time and place convenient for everyone.

The software is a key, but underused, component within Office 365. Simply adopting a scheduling assistant can cut down meeting planning from hours to minutes.

With everyone fully connected and on the same page, every meeting is improved from the first minute. The scheduling assistant can be found under New Items > Meeting in the Outlook home tab.

Bringing in Outside Help

Of course, not all meetings are internal affairs. Often, a successful meeting involves staff members from third-party organizations, clients, and consultants too.

This is a prime area for technology tools to help. Tools such as FindTime and Doodle.com both serve as scheduling assistants to arrange suitable times and locations to coordinate meetings with multiple parties.

The process is simple, each party selects available or desired times to meet. This process is done independently and based on priorities for each user. When everyone has added their input a mutually convenient slot can be found for everyone.

With modern technology there’s no reason to spend hours, or even many minutes, wrestling over when and where to meet. Using the tools as they are designed cuts out a huge amount of overhead cost from meeting planning.

Idea Capture

The most common complaint staff have about business meetings is the lack of available participation. Many show up, yet just feel like audience members.

When staff members feel their contribution or input to projects isn’t valued, it can lead to a dramatic drop in morale and much deeper issues within the firm.

Tools such as GoWall.com are changing meetings for the better and giving staff members a bigger voice. The site provides attendees with the resources they need to contribute to meetings without disrupting the flow.

The idea behind GoWall is very simple and highly effective. While concepts are communicated as part of a presentation or ongoing conversation, participants are free to contribute to an “idea wall” in real time. This shared wall contains ideas, contributions, and notes from all participants that add to the conversation.

Since ideas are shared between all participants, everyone can be inspired to contribute. This deceptively simple idea helps all members to feel they have a chance to have their voices heard and their contributions valued.

Worthwhile Meetings

Meetings can be a difficult topic in some workplaces. Some firms have had historic failures and huge losses in productivity as a result of too many meetings running far too long. In some environments, formal meetings have all but been banned already.

Using modern technology solutions, we can put the productivity back into meetings. Cut out the wasted time and get to the points that matter. With these simple yet highly effective tools, we can build meetings that create productivity instead of hampering it.

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