News & Blog

For today’s on-the-go workers, travel time no longer has to mean idle time. Whether they are sitting in an airport, on a plane, in a train, in the passenger seat of a car or nearly anywhere else with an internet connection, productivity is entirely possible. With the help of today’s mobility-focused technology, these traveling employees can be completing timely assignments, carrying on conversations with colleagues or clients and otherwise getting tasks done. Of course, portable tech devices such as laptops and smartphones are the standard tools of the trade for 21st century traveling workers. But these tools do not work...

Read More Great Apps for Today’s On-the-Go Workers

More than 85% of Americans own a smartphone, research shows. And every day observations tell us that, when out and about, large numbers of U.S. smartphone owners spend considerable amounts of time using their mobile devices. In fact, surveys show that nearly half of Americans spend 5 to 6 hours on their smartphones each day. American consumers also love the fast and reliable connections that Wi-Fi delivers, leading ever-growing numbers of businesses to offer free Wi-Fi hotspots to their customers and employees. The data exhibits why this trend among today’s businesses is so pronounced. Research shows that 96% of consumers...

Read More Hot Commodity: The Reasons to Set Up a Business Wi-Fi Hotspot and How to Do It

In the 21st century business world, there is certainly no shortage of ways for businesses to communicate with their customers. The old standbys of phone and mail communications are, of course, always reliable options. With smartphones in most consumers’ hands or pockets during all waking hours, texting is another way to reach consumers quickly. And thanks to the internet, a range of new digital options have joined the scene, including email, videoconferencing, online chat, and social media posting and/or direct messaging. Of course, for businesses, the abundance of communications channels can present a quandary: Which option do I use and...

Read More What’s the Best Way to Communicate With Customers? : When Phone, Email and Text Are Best for Customer Communications

Due to a recent Follina cybersecurity threat targeting systems operating on Microsoft Windows, FTC is advising that all of its customers using Windows to install the most recent updates as soon as possible. The latest updates can be found at windowsupdate.microsoft.com, or installed by following these steps: In Windows 11, select Start > Settings > Windows Update In Windows 10, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update The Follina Threat In mid-June, Microsoft confirmed that Microsoft Office had been impacted by a “zero-day vulnerability” — meaning that a patch had not been created yet to address...

Read More Security alert: Microsoft Follina vulnerability requires Windows updates ASAP

Many business owners have likely heard of “the metaverse” or at least became aware of it when Facebook changed its name to Meta in late 2021. But vast numbers of business owners, workers and consumers alike are far from clear on just what it is and how it could impact the future of both business and everyday life. So just what is this metaverse and how should the average business owner prepare for its arrival? Interested business decision-makers can read on for a quick rundown on what some call the future of the internet along with some facts they should...

Read More 5 Steps Businesses Can Take to Prepare for the Upcoming Metaverse Movement

In today’s quickly evolving business world, more employees than ever before are working from home — especially in the wake of a global pandemic that accelerated an already-growing trend toward hybrid work. And unfortunately for IT professionals everywhere, the need to maintain security protocols is by no means lessened when employees work from locations outside the office’s four walls. In fact, remote work often presents even more security challenges than traditional, in-the-office work does. But by implementing sensible steps to protect themselves, businesses and their remote workers can take big strides toward thwarting cyberattacks and other unwanted intrusions into a...

Read More 7 cybersecurity tips for businesses with work-from-home employees

Statistics show that more than 70% of internet users employ the same password across some, most or all of their online accounts. Unfortunately, this means that when a cybercriminal can steal a user’s password for one account, he or she can often gain access to a range of the user’s accounts. Along with them, the user’s personal and financial details, as well as his or her actual money and assets, could be compromised. Of course, the stakes can get even higher when a hacker gains access to a business’s passwords and online accounts or, perhaps even worse, to the business’s...

Read More 4 of the most common ways hackers steal users’ passwords

For businesses looking to reach new audiences, social media marketing offers an extremely powerful opportunity. Today’s top social media platforms boast a vast audience of consumers with wide-ranging interests and millions of potential customers visiting daily. Further, some even offer advertising options with audience-segmentation capabilities that can help businesses reach the consumers they are seeking, often at a minimal cost compared to other advertising channels. But with such a broad range of social platforms available, the marketing decision-makers for many businesses might be left wondering which platform is the best for their particular brand. The answer often lies in the...

Read More 5 top social platforms for business-building

Unfortunately, any business can fall victim to burglary, theft and/or cybercrime. But when a small business is targeted by criminals, the impacts can feel especially consequential and, for the business owner, even personal. This is because, of course, most small business owners pour their hearts and souls into their business ventures. And to further amplify the impacts of any criminal activity, most simply do not have the financial resources that larger regional or national enterprises do, making it harder to quickly recover from theft-related losses such as stolen merchandise and property damage. When it comes to protecting themselves, though, small...

Read More 6 Simple and Inexpensive Ways to Step Up Security at a Small Business

For women who are starting up and/or working to grow their own business, being able to get insights and guidance from other successful women entrepreneurs can deliver invaluable advantages. And in today’s digitally connected business world, such mentors do not necessarily have to be close by geographically as connections can be made and conversations can be conducted with ease via the internet. Women business owners who are looking for online support, connections and other helpful guidance can consider the following six groups and resources. All of them are free and easily accessible with an internet connection: The U.S. Small Business...

Read More 6 Great Online Groups and Resources for Women Entrepreneurs