News & Blog

Proper internet security for a business requires multiple layers of features designed to protect all internet-connected devices associated with the business. While business owners might look to more obvious vulnerabilities like shared public WiFi or office computers, all digital touchpoints should be considered, including Point of Sale systems, websites and any other data collected from customers. Small businesses are regularly targeted by cyber criminals simply because the attacks are so successful. But by deploying managed firewalls, hosting services and managed IT, small business owners can protect their assets and customers. Why Are Small Businesses More Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks? Small...

Read More How To Secure Business Internet

Most employees know to be careful when clicking on emails they receive from unfamiliar senders. But as cybercriminals and their tactics become more sophisticated, recognizing a scam has grown more challenging while the threats and consequences of these tactics have grown exponentially. What Are Cybersecurity Threats? The main cybersecurity threats are phishing scams, social engineering scams, malware, password theft and texting scams. Each tactic poses a threat to businesses through the potential loss of privacy, data, access to tools and even the loss of funds. Just how big are the threats? Consider this: According to a recent report by insurance...

Read More 5 Common Cybersecurity Threats in the Workplace

Even before the global pandemic increased demand for Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, and a host of other top videoconferencing applications, the videoconference was already a staple of the 21st-century office. After all, virtual meetings are the foundation of telecommuting, which was picking up steam before COVID-19 came along. Videoconferences shine when they allow team members in distant locations to collaborate instantly and effectively, but what happens when a videoconference overloads the available bandwidth? What Is a Videoconference? A videoconference is a face-to-face meeting that occurs over the web via interconnected audio and video. But, to understand videoconferencing and how to...

Read More What Is the Best Videoconferencing and How To Have Better Videoconferences

According to the publications Consumer Reports, 75 percent of consumers surveyed said they are highly annoyed when they cannot get a live person on the phone at a business. Further, according to research, about 70 percent of customers will stop working with a business whose customer service they perceive as lacking, and around 60 percent will take their business to rival companies. When customers or even a prospective customers call companies during regular business hours, they generally expect the call will be answered. If the call cannot be answered right away, most consumers expect, at the very least, to be...

Read More The Potential Costs of Missed Business Calls (and 5 Ways To Avoid Them)

Fiber internet keeps businesses on the leading edge of technology by offering the fastest download and upload speeds, along with the most reliable connection. As data demands grow and businesses handle larger files and more customer data, fiber internet exceeds current requirements while leaving room for businesses to expand their digital footprint. Why Do Businesses Need Fiber Internet? The advantages of a fiber connection are extensive for modern businesses. With fiber’s significantly higher bandwidths, businesses can improve efficiency, use newer technologies and stay connected with a remote workforce. But that is not all! The Benefits of Fiber Internet for Businesses...

Read More How Fiber Internet Helps Businesses

PBX, short for Private Branch Exchange, is a private telephone system that combines an internal telephone network with advanced features for making and receiving external calls. Among its many benefits, a PBX system allows users to easily communicate both internally with business colleagues and externally with the outside world by direct-dialing phone numbers and extensions. PBX also enables businesses to have more phones connected to the system than there are phone lines devoted to the system. Because of this versatility, PBX is one of the most popular types of business phone systems in widespread use today. The telephone system’s reliability...

Read More What Are PBX and Hosted PBX Systems?

With little effort, minimal investment and a multitude of benefits for a business, adding fast, secure, and reliable Wi-Fi is the best way to improve the waiting room experience for customers. A speedy Wi-Fi connection allows waiting room guests with a smartphone, laptop or tablet to work remotely, complete online chores like paying bills, check the news or enjoy their favorite online entertainment options. They can even fill out required forms on their own devices while they wait. But as most consumers are aware, not all waiting rooms or business Wi-Fi connections are created equal. Businesses looking to boost the...

Read More Ways To Improve the Wi-Fi in Your Waiting Room

Simply put, a static IP address is a non-changing internet address. Much like a physical street address, a static IP address can tell other computers or servers on the internet exactly where a specific computer is located or connected to the internet. Since the static IP address does not change, external devices and services always know where to find a server. This is useful for many small businesses that have internet-related needs, like in-house or managed web hosting, email and FTP servers, remote access to corporate networks, and videoconferencing. Dynamic vs. Static IP Addresses Most devices’ IP addresses are dynamic,...

Read More What is a static IP address, and why would a business need one?

By installing and maintaining the newest hardware and software, local Information Technology (IT) services can help boost business productivity, including streamlining inventory, increasing efficiency, enhancing security and speeding up the delivery of the final product or service. In today’s modern marketplace, it is hard to think of a business that does not employ some sort of digital-age, computer-powered technology, either to get the job done or to do it more effectively. Of course, not every business can afford an IT staff or has enough work to justify a full-time employee. Fortunately for South Carolina businesses, FTC offers local IT help,...

Read More How Information Technology Improves Business Processes

In the wake of a new rule that became effective on Oct. 1, customer/prospect communications just got a bit more challenging for anyone who makes marketing and/or enrollment calls for Medicare or Medicaid. But fortunately, a highly effective and easy-to-implement solution for compliance is at the ready. CMS Final Rule 2023 The new rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is titled CMS Final Rule 2023. It applies to providers of health insurance and anyone else who markets Medicare or Medicaid plans, as well as to those who enroll beneficiaries in the plans, including Medicare Advantage and/or...

Read More OrecX: A Simple Solution to a Complicated Business Challenge