Coleman Technologies Blog

The Word is Proactive

When something bad happens, you might look back to see what you could have done to prevent the issue from happening in the first place. The word to remember here is “proactive.” Being proactive requires risk assessment, which demands that you analyze the greatest possible threat to your continued existence and prepare for it. In the event that your business’ IT is unable to function as intended, your business would stop functioning. All it takes is a single component failing to leave your employees unable to do their jobs. This is why you need to be as proactive as possible--to ensure that you have plans in place for when your systems inevitably fail.

Proactive IT Maintenance

For the past decade, proactive IT maintenance has been making strides in the office environment. When one of the most important parts of running a business--your IT infrastructure--no longer works as intended, you lose out on profits and shell out for repairs more often. Furthermore, downtime can be a major cost that your business suffers from due to technology malfunctions. If you can keep your hardware operating properly, your network safe from threats, and your business productive, you can eliminate potential problems before they have time to escalate into the expensive kind.

Coleman Technologies’s proactive IT services provide your business with monitoring and management software. With our expert technicians behind these tools, you can rest easy knowing that we are monitoring each and every critical component of your technology for any telling inefficiencies. This gives you the opportunity to address them before downtime occurs.

Patch Management

Security troubles such as software vulnerabilities can also lead to problems for your business. If you can’t rely on your software tools to get the job done without issue, then you’re doing yourself a disservice. Furthermore, you will need the latest threat definitions and software patches to keep your solutions secure from threats that could derail productivity. A major part of our proactive maintenance platform is deploying patches as they are released, eliminating the chances of known vulnerabilities affecting operations.

For more information on how your organization can be more proactive with its IT maintenance, give Coleman Technologies a call at (604) 513-9428.

Employee Expectations

Mobility is becoming a critical component for small and medium-sized businesses largely due to the demand brought by employees. Today, where most tasks can be completed with the use of a smartphone, it creates the kind of scenario that gets employees asking, “Why not?” 

For the business, that has more responsibilities, that sentiment can be shared, but only after all elements are considered thoroughly. This mostly has to do with data security. Once data security can be maintained, mobility can certainly become a major asset. 

What You Need to Consider

There are several considerations that a business owner should make before trusting in an enhancement of mobility. Here are three:

Don’t Get Ahead of Yourself

To get the most out of your business’ mobility, you need to set goals; and it will do you good to be as realistic as possible. If you try to implement a whole mobile policy and give people carte blanche with their mobile devices, you could run into problems. The best practice is to look for issues that mobility could help alleviate, and tailor your strategies to them. Most businesses that extend their mobility focus on customer service and collaboration, but with more business tools creating mobile apps than ever before, more is possible today. Start simple so you can ensure that you can maintain control over mobile data flows. 

Maintain Security

When your employees access your network via mobile devices, you need to secure it, preferably with multiple layers. You need to require password authentication, while also placing solutions in place to encrypt the files. More than that, you should find encrypted solutions to protect data from being intercepted as not all mobile networks are as reliable as a business may need.

You will also want to maintain data backup platforms and mobile management systems to ensure that you not only have control over your business’ data, but also to mitigate any negative situations surrounding data mobility you may encounter. 

Make Sure Your Business is Mobile-Ready

It is important that you understand how mobility is being used. Can your staff access locally-hosted data? Do you use cloud systems that need to be set up for multi-factor authentication? Does your IT administrator have the tools in place to address any mobility-related issues? To be able to take advantage of mobility, you need to have a setup that will allow you to. 

The IT professionals at Coleman Technologies can help outfit your business with the tools and expertise you need to allow for expanded mobility. Call our experts today at (604) 513-9428 to learn more.

Technology #1 - Blockchain

You’ve probably heard of blockchain before. It is widely known as the technology that makes cryptocurrency possible. Software developers have been working to use the encrypted distributed ledger system to create applications that can help a business secure its processes and create situational transparency. 

Thus far blockchain’s applications are mostly security-related, but the applications for the technology are limitless. Right now, a business can start using blockchain to boost the security of their accounts-receivable process, for contract transparency, and aid the efficiency of their supply chain. 

Technology #2 - Business Process Automation 

Automation has been the name of the game for some time. Today, however, there are more devices than ever to build automated systems with. The smart-technology boom called the Internet of Things (IoT), coupled with advancements in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), is giving businesses more options in which to enhance efficiency. 

Business Process Automation (BPA) incorporates these technologies into business management systems to help a business be able to accomplish more. This boost in productivity can often be pretty obvious on the bottom line. 

Technology #3 - Powerful Collaboration Tools

With technology making collaboration much easier, businesses have begun to promote collaborative efforts. Today, there are several options for the modern business. Businesses are using complete productivity suites like Microsoft Office 365 and Google’s G Suite for collaborative work. They also have begun instituting new communications tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams that couple useful messaging software with dozens of application integrations.

Moreover, businesses are significantly expanding the technology they use to make their BPA strategy more comprehensive. Bringing in interdepartmental collaboration tools that include customer resource management (CRM) is helping businesses operate smarter and more efficiently. 

2020 could be your business’ year to shine. By integrating some of these emerging tools, you could create the efficient operations boost you are seeking. Give us a call at (604) 513-9428 today to learn more about what Coleman Technologies can do for your company.

The Internet is used for a great many things in business nowadays, but some may not realize just how much Internet speeds have changed over time. This week, we thought we would take a brief look at the evolution of Internet speeds and what today’s speeds allow businesses to do. 

Before we get started it’s important to understand how internet speeds are measured. The speeds are measured in megabits. 1,000 kilobits (technically 1,024 KB) is equivalent to 1 megabit and 1,000 megabits (technically 1,024 MB) is equivalent to 1 gigabit. 

Dial Up

It has only been about 25 years since Internet connections have become commonplace in the office and the home. When the Internet was first introduced to the mass market, the main way people would access the web was through their phones. If you were on the Internet in the 1990s, people would often have one telephone line for both home and their computer. As the now antiquated model of telephone long distance was in place, many people would have to pay huge phone bills because their Internet service provider was accessed through a long distance call (even if that call was to the next village over or in the same city). 

The typical modem around the year 2000 was 56 KB/s which means that when the modem is working optimally with an uninterrupted signal, a one megabyte file could be downloaded in about 20 seconds. Obviously, those speeds wouldn’t work in today’s mobile world where people are getting over 10 GB/s in some places. This connection made instant messaging possible, but any media—including all the media we take for granted today—would take days and weeks to transmit over a dial-up connection.

DSL

Around the turn of the century “high-speed” Internet became popular. Using cable connections, ISPs were able to transmit data much more effectively. This is because the bandwidth of a cable wire has substantially more data transmission capabilities than a telephone wire. Called a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) connection, this is, to this day, the lion’s share of the connections that you will find available. A DSL connection delivers internet at speeds up to around 100 MB/s but it’s more known to sit in the 5 MB-to-20 MB range. 

In this range, users can do a lot of more complex tasks. Today’s cloud-hosted email services require these speeds as do music streaming services and solid website browsing. The widespread use of DSL around 2010 began to spur on application development that is a major part of today’s computing ecosystems. While video streaming is relatively new—and resource intensive—standard definition video (think early YouTube) is capable through a DSL connection.

Fiber Optic

Many of today’s high speed connections are run through fiber optic cables. Fiber optics uses light to transmit data, making it much faster than DSL connections. Most DSL cable systems would lose speed and performance the longer a signal would have to travel through wires. With fiber optics, however, Internet speeds and bandwidth grow exponentially. Today, there are fiber connections that are capable of tens of gigabits per second. 

With mobile computing growing in popularity every year, and more and more people relying on Wi-Fi signals to keep from going over mobile data caps, people now rely on these faster internet speeds. Fiber has created an environment of innovation that is driving the on demand computing resources that businesses and individuals rely on. This has made mobile computing more possible and has fueled the work-from-home revolution, online schooling, real-time data collection, telehealth, and communication and collaboration tools including video conferencing. 

If you want to quickly determine what your current internet speed is, you can use any number of speed test applications that are available. A good standard is https://www.speedtest.net/. These will give you an idea of what your current internet speed for downloads and uploads are. If you need help ascertaining what type of speeds you need for your business, you should contact the IT professionals at Coleman Technologies today at (604) 513-9428. 

There are further innovations in the works that will push Internet speeds faster and faster, with less latency. This type of technology can completely revolutionize the way we view the world. In this new digital landscape, expect to see more and more work to be done on this front in the near future.

Software makes business run: that is an undeniable statement. From the operations software that allows your business to manage and pay its people to the CRM that provides a pathway to communicate efficiently with customers, to all of the applications that it takes to conduct business in earnest, software plays a crucial role in your business’ success. 

A lot of software is developed for business purposes, but very few are developed with the small business in mind. This is logical because the more licenses of a software can be sold, the more money the developer will make. More than that, the software developed for use by a large organization will have the features that can help an organization cover more ground. 

Some of the differences between the two include:

• Audience - Obviously, enterprise software is developed for a large organization to be deployed by one. Since most large companies have a hierarchical structure, the software that is developed for them is going to address the needs of the groups involved. 
• Options - The software that is built for enterprise business will need to have more options than a stand-alone application will.
• Storage - Since enterprise software is dealing with a lot of sensitive data, alternative storage considerations have to be made. Today, more and more businesses are utilizing cloud computing because of the flexible amount of storage that is available. Enterprise businesses can scale up and back without having to count every penny, a luxury many small organizations don’t have. 
• Different process - While the creation of software is relatively the same, enterprise software carries with it a lot of customization as it needs to fix specific problems the enterprise has. This whole process includes integration and interoperability that is necessary to be a viable solution for enterprise business. 
• Scalability - Any good business expects some semblance of growth or redirection of company objectives. In software, that means being able to scale to the new reality of a business quickly. It’s the only way for the seamless operations and thorough reporting that enterprise demands. 

Using Enterprise Software for an SMB

This is where the whole thing gets tricky for the small business. Do you purchase an enterprise-level software and parse it down to fit your needs; or, do you make due with the consumer versions of the software needed?

It depends on a few factors:

1. If you plan on deploying software in the cloud, you may be able to get the best version of a software and kind of make it fit your business. Typically, these massive software platforms like Professional Services Automation (PSA) or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) have all the functions that your SMB needs. 
2. You need to consider the cost. What is the cost to purchase the software, the licenses, the underlying hardware needed to run it, and all the other considerations that go into making technology decisions for your business. 
3. The differences between enterprise software and regular software may be noticeable but they are shrinking. Most organizations that use Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms are getting robust software as part of their monthly agreement. 

While a smaller business might not want to overspend or get something that is overkill, there are long term benefits in being able to grow and scale into more robust options instead of fumbling along and upgrading when you can’t take it anymore. Software is important so having the perspective of experienced IT professionals can help you get the tools your business needs to be successful. Give us a call today at (604) 513-9428.

It’s no secret that automation is one of the major trends that most businesses have tried to incorporate into their business plans, most with some middling success. The problem becomes that many businesses don’t really have a strategy for building out automated tools for their business, so they may not be able to take advantage of the benefits automation can bring. 

What Do Businesses Automate?

Most businesses operate in a fashion where they assign people to do tasks and expect that they accomplish them for the betterment of the company. For businesses that embrace automation, however, many tasks that would have to be scheduled and carried out by humans, can now be done in a fraction of the time by a computer. The more a business can automate those tasks, the more they can spend their time and money on focusing their workforce on revenue generating tasks and providing clients with better experiences. 

These days, there are more options to automate business processes than ever before. Let’s go through the functions your business can address through automation:

Marketing

Today’s business has to have a plan to get their brand out in front of prospective customers. Here are three ways you can automate some of your marketing tasks:

• Social media posts - Social media has become a major benefit for businesses looking to enhance their reach. There are several platforms available that allow you to automate your posting to social media. One of the best ways is to have a plan on your message and use a content management platform to push out social media posts (to several social media platforms) over time. This way you can plan your message and then let the software handle the release of these messages. 
• Website traffic analysis - If you use Google Analytics, it’s relatively easy to set up reports with specific metrics that are delivered to people that need to know weekly. This tool keeps people from wasting time trying to pore over all the data. 
• E-commerce or event registration - One of the best automated tools a business can use is the tool that sends registered users materials they find useful. If you sell products or have events, customers and attendees can get all the information they need to consider new offerings and get event information without having to take the time to send individual messages to every recipient. 

Finance

Obviously, the financial aspect of any business is crucial to its health. Here are two ways you can set up automations to help with your organization’s finances:

• Payroll - Payroll is one of the costliest and more crucial parts of your business. There are automated tools that take payroll off your HR department’s plate and ensure that everyone that needs to get paid does. 
• Accounts Receivable - Your hope when you run a business is that everyone pays when they are supposed to, this doesn’t always happen, unfortunately. Today, there are tools that handle invoicing automatically to ensure that clients know where they stand, what they owe, and get messages in regular intervals to make it easier to collect revenue. 

Administration

Finally, automation makes it simpler and more efficient to run a business by doing the things that need to be done regularly to effectively run a business. These include:

• Data backup - We often talk about how important it is to have backups of your data available to restore from should something go wrong. Today, tools, like our BDR service, allow for automated backups at predefined intervals to protect your business from data loss. 
• Cut down on email fatigue - Chances are if you are using email as a communication tool for your business, that your staff thinks they get too many emails. Maybe they do. Today’s enterprise email solutions often separate emails into folders that can help people get the information they need without the massive time sink that is involved managing their emails.
• Task management - There are platforms today that help keep everything organized and moving efficiently by sorting tasks by priority and time. This makes scheduling much, much easier. 

Automation is helping small businesses grow. If you would like to talk about how to get the automated tools you should be using to make your business more effective, give the IT professionals at Coleman Technologies a call today at (604) 513-9428.

Business Servers

When you are looking for servers, there is a pretty good chance that you need to centralize application delivery, file storage, or some other core function of your business. A server is a high-powered computer that runs specialized software that is used to support the multiple users that your business has on staff. Some of the multi-user applications that servers are used for include email, some type of messaging, print servers designed to manage company-wide print jobs, and customer relationship management (CRM). If your business already uses one or multiple servers, you need to establish whether you need to upgrade and migrate; or, if you’ve outgrown your hardware and need to set up a new server, and where to host it.

Cloud vs. Onsite

If you are looking to set up your first server, you have an interesting decision to make. Do you set up your new server at your place of business, or do you host it with an established cloud provider? Traditionally, companies would be better served to host their hardware locally, but with cloud services from some of the most reputable companies in the world now available with built-in support and anywhere-anytime access, it stands to reason that looking at how each is priced out is a prudent move by any decision maker. 

With the purchase of a server, a company takes on the costs of the hardware, which are often substantial, they then deploy software and have to pay to have that hardware managed. If the hardware costs aren’t enough, the maintenance costs can be multiple times that. When you add in utility costs, you are looking at a large capital cost with a smaller operational outlay.  With cloud computing, however, you can get a reasonably secure server that can be accessed from any place users have access to a high-speed Internet connection. This provides accessibility that many other servers don’t have, while paying per month rather than up front. The costs don’t add up quite as fast (the capital outlay is virtually zero), but the operational costs spike, often exceeding what you would pay for a server over time. 

Let’s make a list of some pros and cons:

Onsite Server 

Pros:

• Gives you complete control over organizational data.
• Gives you the ability to alter storage types and amount at any time.
• Performing onsite backup is much easier.
• Restoration from onsite backup is much faster.

Cons:

• Upfront costs of hardware.
• Exorbitant costs of continued maintenance.
• Utility costs.
• Upfront and recurring costs of physical security.
• Your hardware is only marginally utilized.

Hosted Server

Pros: 

• Eliminate capital costs of buying and maintaining hardware. 
• Mitigate server-based utility costs.
• Cloud server is scalable.
• Data and application redundancy built in.

Cons:

• The need for stable and reliable bandwidth rises.
• Costs of bandwidth rise.
• Security can become an issue.
• Lose physical control over the management of the servers.

It all comes down to system control. If you want (or need to have) control over your hardware in order to meet federal, state, or industry regulations, hosting your servers onsite is suggested. If you don’t have these regulations to meet, there’s no reason hosting your servers in a public cloud interface can’t be a viable alternative for your company. 

One option that many businesses are using today is the establishment of a private cloud server. A private cloud server is hosted either onsite or in its own dedicated cloud space, and delivers a business a lot of the pros listed above, albeit at substantial cost. The establishment of the private cloud allows companies that need to have control over the management of their organizations data and applications to have it, while providing the ability for users to access the data and applications outside of the confines of its physical network. 

Regardless of what kind of server you are looking for the experts at Coleman Technologies can help. Find out more about your server options by calling us today at (604) 513-9428.

While it’s true that technology has become essential for businesses, organizations still often grapple with various technology issues that can impact how they do business. Many times organizations get turned around and it can cause some aspect of their IT to be problematic for them. Today, we look at five common technology issues that businesses frequently face.

Not Actively Confronting Cybersecurity Threats

Businesses must contend with the constant threat of cyberattacks. They are everywhere, and are a massive threat to any business. Malware, ransomware, phishing, and other forms of cyber threats keep businesses on their toes. Protecting sensitive data and ensuring the security of digital assets is a critical concern.

Keeping Data Private and Meeting Compliance

As regulations governing data privacy become stronger and more specific, businesses need to ensure that they remain compliant. Managing and securing customer data in accordance with legal requirements is a significant challenge.

Managing Legacy Systems and Integration

Many businesses operate with legacy systems that may be outdated and incompatible with newer technologies. This presents a problem, but it’s manageable by integrating these systems with modern solutions, or simply upgrading to new platforms. This can be expensive, and can lead to challenges in achieving seamless workflow and data integration if not handled properly.

Digital Transformation Challenges

Adopting new technologies and undergoing digital transformation can be disruptive. Companies may face resistance from employees, encounter skill gaps, and deal with the need to restructure processes. Managing this transformation effectively is crucial to being able to improve your customer’s experience.

Scaling and Agility

As businesses grow, their IT infrastructure needs to scale accordingly. Scalability challenges may arise when outdated or inadequate systems cannot handle increased workloads, leading to significant performance issues. Using cloud-based solutions do quite a bit to address scalability concerns that pop up, specifically those that tend to rear their head during short-term projects. 

Addressing these technology issues requires a proactive approach, strategic planning, and ongoing investment in both cybersecurity measures and employee training. It's important for businesses to stay on top of technological developments, and we can help. Our team of IT professionals have a lot of experience getting businesses the technology that works for them. Give us a call today at (604) 513-9428 to learn more.

With organizations running on technology, it is important that it is reliably managed. It’s also important that your organization has the technology in place that will help your team be the most productive and that will keep your data secure. The best way to accomplish this is with help from certified and knowledgeable IT technicians. 

Understanding of Business Technology

There are people who know technology, and then there are those that work with it day in and day out. You can’t operate a business without having the right technology in place, complete with those who help to keep it in proper working order. Your IT technicians should be knowledgeable about how to set up and configure computer systems, troubleshoot hardware and software, and secure a network from both internal and external threats. With this expertise, your IT technicians should be fully capable of managing and maintaining small business technology with minimal incident.

Keeping an Eye Out for Potential Issues

Certified IT technicians can work to proactively monitor your systems for a variety of issues that could lead to more frustrating problems. The idea behind proactive monitoring is that these issues can be addressed before they become worse, allowing organizations to dodge the expensive frustrating downtime and data loss that comes from a halt in operations.

Responding as Quickly as Possible (and Necessary)

If you experience technology problems during the course of everyday operations, time is of the essence. You need technicians who can respond quickly and appropriately to minimize the amount of time and money lost during the downtime. With the right combination of expertise and knowledge, a certified IT technician can get your business back in proper running order as soon as possible.

Improving Data Security

Data security is an issue that plagues all businesses, especially small businesses that don’t have the same access to enterprise-grade security tools and solutions as larger organizations do. They also struggle to take advantage of the same level of IT security expertise due to limited budgets. Thankfully, certified IT technicians and managed service providers offer small businesses the same opportunities offered to larger companies, from security solution configuration to remote backups to ensure data security and integrity on all levels.

Scaling According to Need

Small businesses can grow rapidly, and so too do their technology needs and expectations. A certified IT technician can help SMBs adapt to their constantly changing technology needs to ensure it aligns with their goals every step of the way. This involves planning for future growth, too, and ensuring that changing technological requirements do not get in the way of further innovation.

Coleman Technologies can give your business access to the certified IT technicians it needs to be successful. To learn more, call us today at (604) 513-9428.

Small businesses have a lot to worry about in terms of technology, but one of the things that often gets overlooked is network security. Some small businesses feel that they are too small to be considered a viable target for hackers, but they are wrong; all businesses have data valuable for hackers in some form.

Imagine for a moment just how much sensitive data your business stores on its network. You have payroll records, including bank account numbers and routing numbers, personally identifiable information, contact information, and all of the details about your relations with your clients, as well. It doesn’t really matter what industry your business is in. All businesses should take security seriously. Here are some reasons why your organization should prioritize security.

Security is Proactive, Not Reactive

Imagine that your workday is disrupted by a security discrepancy that puts your entire infrastructure at risk, all because someone clicked on the wrong link in an email and downloaded an infected attachment. You now have to contend with the countless issues related to that threat. You can dodge these issues by protecting your business ahead of time so that they don’t affect you in the slightest. Imagine that same scenario, but with an adequate spam or phishing blocker. All of a sudden, that security solution paid for itself simply by preventing the downtime that clicking on such a link would cause.

Security Protects Your Business’ Future

If you were in the market for a new good or service, would you want to work with a company that doesn’t take your security and privacy seriously? This is one big reason why you need to protect your infrastructure; it protects the longevity of your organization. Businesses that let security fall to the wayside often lose clients because they don’t want to work with a business that is unreliable. When a business cannot obtain new clients due to word of mouth and online reviews soiling their reputation, that business is doomed to fail.

Security Keeps Your Bottom Line in Check

Businesses that fall victim to security threats or data breaches might become subject to fines as a result of exposing the wrong data to hackers. These fines, put in place by regulatory bodies, are preventative measures to encourage businesses to do the right thing and protect their infrastructures in a way that is consumer-friendly. These fines can be quite expensive, too, depending on the industry and the infraction. Cover all your bases now so you don’t have to pay up later down the road.

Coleman Technologies can help your business implement security solutions that work for you. We can help you implement the strategies and tools you can use to keep your business safe both now and well into the future. To learn more, call us today at (604) 513-9428.

Did you know that a lot of technology investments go over budget or don’t necessarily provide the return that was intended? With technology playing such an important role in business, getting the right technology to fit your business is critical to your efficiency efforts. It’s not always as easy as identifying features in a huge software profile or using the cloud for everything. In today’s blog, we offer five useful tips to help you make informed decisions about your business’ technology.

Assess Your Needs

Before you start shopping for technology, conduct a thorough assessment of your business requirements. You’ll want to identify the specific problems or inefficiencies you want to address, and then consider how implementing certain technologies can help. Create a list of must-have features and functionalities, as well a budget that you need to come in under.

Research and Stay Informed

Technology evolves rapidly, so it's important to stay informed about the latest trends and advancements. Subscribe to industry publications, attend trade shows, and follow tech blogs to keep up with the latest developments. Make sure you understand how emerging technologies could benefit your business.

Seek Expert Advice

Don't hesitate to consult with experts or hire a technology consultant if needed. They can provide valuable insights and guidance on the best solutions for your business. Professionals can help you navigate complex decisions and ensure you make the right technology choices.

Test Before You Invest

Whenever possible, try out different technologies through pilot programs or trial promotions. This allows you to assess how well a particular technology aligns with your business needs and how your team adapts to it. It's a wise approach before making large financial commitments.

Futurization

Think about the long-term impact of your technology choices. Consider whether the technology can scale as your business grows. Additionally, ensure that the chosen technology can integrate with your existing systems and software. Seamless integration can save time, reduce errors, and improve overall efficiency.

At Coleman Technologies, we work with British Columbia businesses every day to help them be their very best and we hope that you make great technology choices. If you need assistance doing so, however, don’t hesitate to give our technology experts a call today at (604) 513-9428.

While extremely useful, there are plenty of potential frustrations when using technology for your business. From extended downtime from broken technology to hackers trying to steal your data to tools that don’t really fit the specific needs of your business: managing a lot of technology can be difficult. In this blog, we are set to discuss three things you should focus on to get out in front of potential technology problems.

Choose the Right Tools

This can extend to hardware, but let’s focus on software for the time being. There are quite literally dozens of different applications to choose from for all different parts of your business. This can make it a little difficult to know exactly what to look for in the applications you ultimately will roll out for your employees. It is crucial that you choose the right software, and the right type of deployment, for your business’ specific needs. 

The thing that makes choosing software difficult is that there is no clear pathway to a rapid ROI based on the marketing materials put forth by the developers. Every piece of software developed for business use will claim to make your business more efficient, effective, and extensively better. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case and a business can waste a lot of money on software that doesn’t do what it needs it to do. 

The key to finding the right software (and the right deployment method) for your business is to look at what needs to be done. What are your pain points? Can you find organizations that have similar pain points? This will help you identify whether or not the software you plan on rolling out will actually set you up for a solid return, or just months of headaches before you spend more money moving off of that platform. 

Patch and Update Systems

I don’t know how many times in our initial assessment with a prospective client that we’ve found blatant vulnerabilities in their computing systems because their software is not patched and updated. Remember, these systems run your business and with so much data being pushed through them, they need to have the proper security patches and updates in place so as to not become a major problem.

Nowadays, zero-day threats are pretty commonplace. That’s scary enough. By utilizing software that hasn’t been updated regularly you are just opening up your business to attack. A data breach is a complete nightmare for any organization, but if you are an SMB, it could be a situation that you can’t rebound from. Besides, a lot of times you may get some useful new features by updating away from old versions of software. Keeping software updated is a win-win.

Get Knowledge from Professionals

IT can be confusing. It is not only difficult to completely manage, but it can also be a giant headache if it isn’t deployed correctly. That’s why it is essential to get the proper perspective when looking to set up new technology, or just get the right technology for your business’ needs. Unfortunately, many SMBs simply don’t have the resources to have the in-house expertise needed to properly deploy the technology, maintain it, and manage all the things that go into keeping it running effectively. 

At Coleman Technologies, our knowledgeable technicians have years of expertise, training, and experience integrating new technology into a business, effectively managing it, and keeping it maintained. If you would like to pick our experts’ brains about your business’ technology, give us a call at (604) 513-9428.

The Manufacturer’s Puzzle

Making products can be a bit of a puzzle. You have to fit the right parts together to create the product. Each of those parts comes from somewhere. Some you need to create yourself, but most of the time there are companies that manufacturers acquire the resources from. The process is called procurement.

Procurement is the first of many puzzles that a manufacturer has to solve. Essentially, the products they create have a purpose. Many small and medium-sized manufacturers tend to make the products that make up larger products (that other manufacturers build). As a result, their revenue typically comes from supplying other manufacturers with pieces that will make up the products they are manufacturing. To streamline the procurement process, many companies have started relying on automated systems to tell them when they need to re-up.

Once the resources have been acquired, now it’s time to make the products. Of course, the costliest part of any manufacturing company is the actual manufacturing of the products. This is mainly because the capital costs of purchasing the machinery needed to manufacture goods, coupled with the operational costs of payroll and downtime caused by machinery malfunction (and the subsequent maintenance required), adds up to a significant investment. Companies today are searching for new ways around these costs. Enhancements in automation have made it possible for the smaller manufacturer to trim their production costs, while keeping their output static.

The last piece of the puzzle for the manufacturer is the distribution of the products to consumers. In many cases the consumers in this scenario are retail businesses. They need the costs to be low enough to be able to offer them to their customers with a markup.  Problems with distribution, like problems in the procurement stages, can be devastating to the manufacturer’s ability to create a positive revenue stream.

Where IT Fits

The entire process can be aided by information technology, but manufacturers tend to look at things in stages...like their workflow. Typically, organizations that have leveraged automation through the use of software systems, find that they are able to have more transparency and less overall inefficiency than organizations that don’t. Some software platforms that modern manufacturers are using include:

• Customer Relationship Management - This software helps a company streamline their customer service. It’s used to manage leads, opportunities, and customers.
• Supply Chain Management - This software helps a company control their entire supply chain from procurement to distribution.
• Inventory Management - Manages stock and standardizes and automates replenishment.
• Asset Tracking - Using sensors, every product and resource can be tracked to provide efficiency.

These solutions and more can be found in what is called an Enterprise Resource Planning software. While ERP software is comprehensive and offers organizations a lot of benefits, smaller manufacturers may not need the immersive control that many ERP systems provide. Finding the right software to meet your needs is important to ensure that your business can be as effective as it can be.

The IT professionals at Coleman Technologies can help you find the software you need to gain full control over all of your business’ processes. Call us today to learn more at (604) 513-9428.

Smarter Machines?
The first thing you have to understand about machine learning is that it is just a branch of A.I. As such, it basically describes a method of analyzing huge amounts of data in which prospective models of problem solving are automated. In layman’s terms, the computer solves basic problems without human intervention. This is significant for a few reasons, but the most glaring is that businesses today, and even small businesses, take in a lot of data. Traditionally, humans were paid to go through all this data, or it was archived and disregarded until there was a major question.

This shift is in the manner in which these machine learning systems analyze data, identify patterns, and make decisions from the analysis of those patterns.This seemingly advanced technology is being deployed at a dizzying rate and is beginning to surround us all, in our phones, on search engines, and in the systems that we manage our business data. For the small business, there are opportunities to utilize this technology to help carve out a larger market share.

Small Business Machine Learning
The philosophy behind utilizing machine learning for a business is just an extension of the overarching strategy of deploying automated systems to cut down on personnel and human resources costs. This strategy has worked in several sectors, albeit with automated systems that were more pre-programmed than “smart” like the machine learning systems.

An issue many small businesses will run into when deciding whether or not to try and innovate to the point where machine learning is an option, is where exactly it fits. Other questions persist as well. They include:

• What is the capital and operational investment of deploying this technology?
• How it will have to be utilized to provide a competitive advantage?
• What systems can be improved through the use of machine learning?
• How much time do you have until you would be at a competitive disadvantage if you didn’t invest in the technology?

Once you’ve ascertained how exactly to deploy machine learning, you can go ahead implementing it where you feel it is warranted.

Benefits of Machine Learning
A.I. and machine learning carry with it specific benefits. Some of them include:

• Forecasting business - What might be the most popular use of machine learning, the technology can be used to replace data and service analysis while being used to replace processes that were done manually or not done at all.
• Customer service - Chatbot technology essentially automates the customer service experience by directing customers to certain solutions based on query.
• E-commerce - Rolling out machine learning for your e-commerce site helps customers by adapting to customer behavior. Giving prospects and customers easy access to obtain the the products and services they are most interested in is sure to improve revenue generation.
• Reputation management - Machine learning can be set up to analyze internal and external data sources to monitor brand popularity. When it finds negative sentiment, you can use the information provided to smooth the situation over, fast.

These are only four of the many processes that can really help improve your business. As the technology improves, more A.I. and machine learning applications will be used to manage, maintain, and streamline a lot of your business’ slow-moving manual processes.

Machine Stupidity
These technologies are extremely advanced and are programmed to learn for themselves, so oversight of them may be difficult. If you are one of the many business owners that have a difficult time trusting technology, machine learning may not be for you. These constructs tend to be less predictable than typical analysis, because it is so thorough. Also, you may run into problems getting all of the data that needs to be analyzed into the system, providing results that may not be accurate for your entire business.

One could see how a small business owner can be in ‘wait and see” mode, but the problem with that strategy, however, is that your competitors may be using it now to improve their business. If you are interested in learning more about how this emerging technology can be used to make your business better, contact the professionals at Coleman Technologies today at (604) 513-9428.

As conditions within your business change, it’s likely that your plans might need to change before their end results come to fruition. The decisions you made last fiscal year, or even last quarter, might no longer be relevant due to the rapid pace of evolution that happens with business technology. Let’s go over how you can get the appropriate technology solutions for your business without falling behind.

Considering Your Options

It can be overwhelming at times to run a business, as you have so many choices and options at your disposal that it can almost paralyze you into inaction. While it’s important to know what technology you need and when to implement the solutions, it’s not always clear how to proceed. Of course, the technology you choose to implement will shape the trajectory of your company and its operations, so weighing all of your options carefully will be of vital importance.

Transforming with Technology

Modern businesses have their hands full with digital transformation and the struggles that come with moving analog operations to more technologically advanced ones. Technology offers more opportunities for businesses to streamline operations, improve the customer experience, and optimize for efficiency. Small businesses can leverage powerful tools that were once previously exclusive to enterprises, and with options like high-quality customer relationship management software, project management tools, and online collaboration suites, SMBs can compete, in a sense, with large organizations. Automation in particular can be transformative and free up lots of time for your team to spend on more important parts of your business.

Adopting the Cloud

The cloud is an amazing opportunity for small businesses that want to gain access to more dynamic solutions for data storage and application hosting. Essentially, your business can host all of this in the cloud rather than on your local servers, allowing for greater flexibility, scalability, and cost savings. All you have to do is pay for the resources you use, and you can adjust your services in accordance with your needs. You save time, energy, and resources by foregoing the traditional on-site infrastructure.

Your business has many chances to improve the way it functions in the new year, so get started today by contacting Coleman Technologies. You can reach us at (604) 513-9428 to learn more.

The Internet of Things, or IoT, has grown to over 14 billion connected devices as of this year, and this number is expected to exceed 20 billion devices by the end of 2026. With such a shocking number of devices, you might wonder what types of devices are out there and what they mean for your business. Let’s look at the IoT and what you need to know to keep it at the top of your mind this upcoming year.

You Use the IoT More Than You Think

Even if you don’t have a specific plan in place to handle IoT devices, you already use them in some capacity for your operations. Employee smartphones are perhaps the most well-known IoT devices. Whether your employees use their personal devices or company-issued phones, they use these devices to perform work-related tasks both in and out of the office.

Just think about how you use your own smartphone. You might perform research into a product before buying it. Most people use their smartphones for this same purpose, looking into products before committing to them. Other uses include business communications, administration of business, and even productivity.

Other IoT devices might use your business’ network, even if you are unaware of them, like employee-owned wearable devices, smart utilities solutions for controlling HVAC systems, smart lights, and so on.

Growing Your IoT Usage

Many businesses understand that the IoT is something that can yield great benefits with a little smart investment. Some of these benefits can come from smarter systems, like inventory management, which can document additions or subtractions from your systems to ensure that you always keep an adequate supply of resources. Specialized IoT devices can do this automatically without the need to dedicate human resources to them, reducing costs.

Improvements to the Customer Experience

The IoT can bolster the customer experience, giving you more ways to represent your business in the realm of ecommerce. If you can make your customer experience operations as transparent and user-friendly as possible, you can provide a better experience as a whole, making customers more likely to stay and for new customers to jump on board.

Data Sharing

Sharing data is important to businesses of all kinds, whether they are trying to integrate IoT devices into an existing infrastructure or building an infrastructure with IoT devices in mind. Furthermore, the real-time data collection offered by IoT devices can be invaluable in making both long-term and short-term decisions regarding your operations.

The Internet of Things can be a helpful way of making meaningful changes to your operations and infrastructure. To learn more about how we can help your business use the latest and greatest technologies to your advantage, reach out to Coleman Technologies at (604) 513-9428.

Before we discuss what the last decade brought us, I wanted to remind everyone just how limitless innovations are. Many years ago, many of these inventions or technologies seemed unrealistic for the times.

Let’s go through the past decade’s biggest hits, as well as what we might see in years to come.

2010: When Innovation Thrived

While many technologies were introduced in the 2000s, the 2010s saw these technologies used in bigger, more innovative ways. Let’s take a brief look at the past ten years and what improvements we saw.

4G

While 4G was actually first developed in 2009, but primarily spreading in the early 2010s, 4G wireless changed the capabilities of wireless data transmission. As a result, further innovations were made, encouraging (and sometimes forcing) technologies to improve. The companies that worked in real-time and heavily depended on application deployment were suddenly given the tools they needed to really take root. Furthermore, 4G was responsible for the viability of many of today’s biggest players, including Spotify, Instagram, Uber, and Snapchat - among many others.

Apple iPad

Can you believe that the iPad has only been around for about a decade? It was the first of many mass-produced consumer tablets, and it took other companies a few years to catch up as they followed Apple’s lead. Powered by iOS, and featuring a large screen, the explosive initial sales of the iPad cemented the tablet’s reputation as a useful device, both at home and in the workplace.

IPv6

In June of 2012, the longstanding wireless networking standard was upgraded for the first time in years. This sixth standard allowed a new age of connectivity, permitting a far larger number of devices to be connected to the Internet.

Chromecast

As we suggested in the section on 4G, streaming was growing in popularity, and it is safe to say that the first Chromecast was partially responsible for that. While it may seem practically ubiquitous today, integrated casting was revolutionary upon its release… and in many ways, it changed how businesses could communicate ideas. Conference rooms everywhere are now equipped to work with this (or similar) technologies.

Virtual Assistants

Today, every major technology brand has its own take on the virtual assistant. Apple has the OG - Siri - while Microsoft has Cortana, Google has its Google Assistant, Amazon has Alexa, and Samsung has Bixby. As such, the development of this technology spurred a new competitive spirit among these rivals, to the benefit of the user. With all of these companies working to create advanced, better assistants to sway consumers, machine learning has improved exponentially through these efforts.

USB-C

Despite largely flying under the radar, one of the most impactful advancements of the decade is the development of the USB Type C connector. With the exception of Apple, it has been accepted as the industry’s standard connection for power and data transmission, and can therefore be found on most post-2015 devices.

Windows 10

As they attempted to put together a mobile OS, and their redesigned Windows 8.1 OS failing to replace the aging Windows 7, Windows 10 was developed to standardize the Windows experience and modernize it for longevity. Now, Windows 10 has been established as the standard, running on 64 percent of all PCs in existence, a number that will grow even higher as Windows 7 is finally put out to pasture.

2020: When Things Will Thrive

While there is an argument that, technically speaking, the Internet of Things is more of a 2010s development, the 2020s are poised to be the decade that Internet-connected devices are truly viable tools, with the necessary integrations, functionality, and (most critically) security finally in place. This is predicted much for the same reason that mobile technology took off last decade - the fact that wireless networks improved. 

Frankly, there’s so much more we have yet to accomplish, as the near future is poised to turn what was very recently science fiction into fact. For instance, the next 10 years will likely see the following technologies come more into the mainstream:

5G Connectivity

With certain areas currently rolling out the 5G wireless standard, and more guaranteed to follow, there is hope of a fundamental shift in how people can use their technology. As if today’s networks weren’t already burdened by our data demands, we are only increasing these demands as time passes. However, 5G potentially promises a variety of benefits - including ubiquitous access, powered by broadcast sites that focus on delivering performance to each user rather than to a given neighborhood. Today’s 5G users have experienced speeds measured in gigabits, so just imagine this capability spreading.

Artificial Intelligence

While the phrase “artificial intelligence” has been somewhat inflated by popular culture, the more practical use of artificial intelligence is slated to increase by a significant amount in the 2020s. Today, neural networks are already in use as a means to recognize data patterns, assisting in automation processes. With the amount of data increasing exponentially, these neural networks are bound to see exponential benefits, and we will be able to put AI to use in more complex and dynamic applications.

The IoT

Like we said, the Internet of Things is only going to grow as time passes, and the many technologies and solutions that are included under this umbrella term will finally have the wireless capabilities needed to make a real impact. Cities will be made smart, using AI to increase the efficiency of crucial services and eliminate waste. Driverless cars will make commuting and traveling safer, and crucial systems in finance, healthcare, and infrastructure will be improved.

Mixed Reality

There has been a notable trend toward increasing how immersive our technology is, and that will culminate in something known as mixed reality. As the predicted replacement to today’s mobile platforms, MR would provide interactive overlays in real-time for all kinds of applications, ultimately reducing data strains. As a result, we could see a variety of applications be completely revolutionized, including education, entertainment, and social interaction.

Just as it did throughout the last decade, technology is sure to transform throughout the coming one. What innovations do you hope to see? Let us know in the comments!

Businesses create and need to handle more data than ever before. In the past, this would mean that there would be a lot of wasted data. Today’s document management system can completely revolutionize your business. Let’s take a look at the steps that go into creating a comprehensive digital document management system. 

Document Capture and Creation

The first step to creating a comprehensive document management system is to get the documents into your new system.

Create New Documents

This step involves the creation of new documents, which could be anything from reports and memos to spreadsheets and presentations.

Capture Existing Documents

Capture physical documents by scanning them or collect digital documents from various sources like email, cloud storage, or file servers.

Document Classification and Indexing

Getting started classifying the data can be one of the biggest speed bumps to the creation of a comprehensive document management system.

Categorize Documents

Assign categories or metadata tags to each document to make it easy to classify and retrieve them later.

Index Documents

Create an index or catalog of documents based on metadata, keywords, or other identifiers to facilitate quick searches.

Storage and Organization

Determining the underlying technology is something that the IT professionals at Coleman Technologies can help your organization with.

Choose a Storage System

Select an appropriate storage system, whether physical file cabinets, network drives, or electronic document management software.

Organize Documents

Establish a consistent and intuitive folder structure or taxonomy to arrange documents logically.

Access Control and Permissions

Security has to be a major point of emphasis when dealing with any data, let alone the operational information of your business.

Define Access Rights

Specify who can view, edit, or delete documents. Implement user roles and permissions to protect sensitive information.

Encryption and Security

Ensure that documents are encrypted both in transit and at rest to safeguard against unauthorized access.

Document Retrieval

You would be surprised how much document retrieval can cost your business. Digital document management can mitigate these costs.

Search Capabilities

Provide robust search functionality, allowing users to find documents quickly using keywords, metadata, or full-text search.

Filters and Sorting

Enable users to filter and sort search results for better document retrieval.

Collaboration and Workflow

In today’s business, people need secure access from anywhere at any time. A document management system can deliver this flexibility. 

Collaboration Tools

Facilitate document collaboration by integrating with tools like document editing suites and communication platforms.

Workflow Automation

Implement automated approval processes, notifications, and routing to streamline document-related workflows.

Backup and Disaster Recovery

Many situations can arise where data is unavailable or lost, having up-to-date copies can operate as a failsafe for many businesses. 

Regular Backups

Schedule regular backups of documents to prevent data loss in case of hardware failures or disasters.

Disaster Recovery Plan

Develop a disaster recovery plan to ensure the continuity of document access and management in adverse situations.

Compliance and Retention

Today, many businesses operate under government or industry-sponsored mandates and need to stay in compliance with these regulations for the good of the business.

Compliance Policies

Establish and enforce document retention and disposal policies to comply with legal requirements and industry regulations.

Audit Trails

Maintain audit trails to track document access and changes for compliance purposes.

Monitoring and Maintenance

Keeping a dedicated eye on your IT systems is nothing short of essential. Document management is no different. 

Regular Maintenance

Periodically review and update the document management system, including metadata, security settings, and access permissions.

Monitoring and Reporting

Implement monitoring tools to track system performance and generate reports on document management activities.

Training and User Adoption

It’s important that you train your employees quickly so that you can get the most benefit from your document management platform.

User Training

Provide training and support to ensure that users understand and effectively use the document management system.

User Feedback

Encourage user feedback to make continuous improvements to the system.

Continuous Improvement

You need to revisit your document management plan regularly, just as you revisit your other IT systems. 

Evaluate and Adapt

Continuously assess the document management process and technology, making improvements based on feedback and changing business needs.

We understand that managing your organization’s documents isn’t ever going to be cheap and easy, but with a dedicated document management platform, it can be much easier and more effective than more antiquated file management strategies. If you would like to learn more about what Coleman Technologies can do in terms of document management or any other IT-related strategy, give us a call today at (604) 513-9428.

Your customers expect not to be inconvenienced when doing business with your organization. Small businesses can use new technology to meet these expectations by offering online ordering, mobile apps, and e-commerce platforms. Such innovations not only improve the customer experience but also expand a business' reach. Let’s look at some of the ways new technology can improve your business.

Data-Driven Decision Making

Data is often seen as the most important part of a digital business. Small businesses can gather valuable insights through data analytics tools that can inform strategic decisions. This technology allows companies to better understand their customers, track trends, and identify areas for improvement. By making informed decisions based on data, small businesses can adapt to changing market conditions and make more effective choices for growth.

Cost Savings

While adopting new technology may initially require an investment, it often results in long-term cost savings. Automated processes reduce the need for manual labor which lead to reduced labor costs. Additionally, cloud-based technology can eliminate the need for expensive on-site hardware and maintenance. Over time, these cost savings can significantly impact a small business' bottom line.

Competitive Advantage

Staying ahead of the market is essential to positioning your business for success. Small businesses that embrace new technology gain a competitive edge by offering innovative products or services and providing a superior customer experience. This advantage not only helps attract new customers but also retains existing ones, fostering long-term growth.

Adaptation to Market Trends

Consumer preferences and market trends are constantly changing. Small businesses that resist adopting new technology risk falling behind as their competitors adapt and evolve. Embracing technology allows businesses to stay current and agile, enabling them to pivot and adjust their strategies in response to market shifts.

New technologies can present your business with opportunities that you simply don’t have access to with your current IT environment. If you would like to talk to one of our IT experts about doing an assessment of your business’ current IT setup, give us a call today at (604) 513-9428.

Business Communications

With so much relying today on shared information and collaboration, the capability to communicate internally and externally is something that any business needs to have. Small businesses especially have greater access to the tools that can provide this capability, such as: 

• VoIP – A Voice over Internet Protocol solution is a great way for a business to acquire comprehensive phone services and features for a much more sustainable cost that the traditional means of telephone services.
• Messaging – Messaging can take many forms, from email to instant messages, and plays a vital role in keeping a business in touch with its various internal parts and with other entities outside of it.
• Cloud collaboration – Cloud technology can provide a variety of business utilities, including the collaborative benefits of sharing documents and cooperatively working on them in real-time.

Productivity

Most businesses would rank the ability to produce more in less time as their ultimate goal, making solutions that facilitate this extremely useful for them to adopt. If this is one of your priorities, consider the following:

• Cloud storage and applications – This benefit of the cloud allows your employees to access the documents, data, and other cloud-based tools from anywhere they can access the Internet, freeing them to be productive as they operate remotely.
• Remote access – If you have elected to maintain an on-site infrastructure, remote access tools can give your employees remote access to the hardware they need to stay productive. 
• Automation – Rather than relying on your employees to handle each step of your processes, automation enables your employees to focus on those aspects that require the human touch, while rote steps are handled much more efficiently by your solutions. As a result, more can be accomplished in less time.

Security

We’ve mentioned the operational aspects of how technology can assist your business, but perhaps one of the biggest benefits is how helpful IT can be in protecting your business from various threats. Here is just a small sample of what can be accomplished:

• Access management – Both your infrastructure and the data it holds are valuable, so the fact that the right IT solutions can prevent unauthorized parties from accessing either is a big benefit to any size of business’ continuity.
• Password management – While best practices dictate that users have a different password to protect each account, this advice is often undermined by the number of accounts that modern users have. Using a password management solution can help prevent this from impacting your business.
• Firewall and antivirus – While your users need to be able to spot potential threats, it is advisable that you support them by implementing firewall and antivirus to prevent most threats from reaching them at all.

Remember, this has just been a brief list. Coleman Technologies can help you put technology into place to help you overcome a great many more of your challenges. To learn more, call us at (604) 513-9428 today!