Coleman Technologies Blog

The holidays and the new year are perfect times to reflect on how you can make your team’s jobs easier and more efficient. One way you can do so is by opening up the option for remote or hybrid work, provided their roles can be removed from the office, either part time or full time. Today, we want to highlight some of the tools that a remote workforce needs to be successful—as well as how you can get them.

Cloud-Based Services

The future of business is online, and companies that understand this are leveraging the cloud to great impact.

The standard way to acquire software for your business is by purchasing software licenses per user. More companies are moving toward cloud-based apps, which can be accessed through the Internet browser. Going the cloud route means you’re purchasing access to the latest versions of the apps rather than buying them outright, so you’re saving money while making them much more accessible.

Chances are that you can find a cloud-based version of most apps your organization uses that allow for remote access, making it easier and more affordable for your remote team to stay productive.

Remote Secure Access

Your team needs access to data, and more so than that, it needs secure access to data.

The issue with remote and hybrid work is that they increase the surface area of your network, meaning it’s more accessible and harder to stay in control of as your remote/hybrid workforce expands. It’s for this reason that you need policies in place regarding who can access what data. Access control and an encrypted virtual private network (VPN) solution are a must to ensure that no hackers have unauthorized access to your data.

Remember, remote and hybrid work open up more opportunities for hackers, so taking security seriously is a must.

Communication and Collaboration Tools

Of course, communication is another non-negotiable for your remote or hybrid workforce, as they will not be in the office as often as your in-house team.

Most cloud-based productivity suites have collaboration and communication tools built right into them, including voice and video chat, instant messaging, and task management. You should also have a project management solution of some sort to keep everyone collaborating on the same page. It’s a nice bonus if you can implement tools that integrate well with your other critical apps and tech infrastructure.

Some examples of tools you might consider include email and messaging, Voice over IP, and project management software.

Need a Hand with Transitioning to Remote or Hybrid?

We know considering all of your options for technology is challenging, and remote technology is no different.

That’s why we make it as easy as possible for you so you can focus on running your business. Instead of worrying about which vendors to go through or which solutions to buy, you can divert your attention to what you’ll have your team do with their newfound productivity. While remote and hybrid work isn’t a great solution for everyone, it can be when you implement it well.

To ensure this happens, give Coleman Technologies a call at (604) 513-9428.

For context, it helps to know that Microsoft OneDrive is a cloud storage platform that just about any business could make use of, regardless of its size. After all, any size of business will have to remain organized.

Speaking of which, our first tip covers how OneDrive can make this organization super convenient for you.

OneDrive Files On-Demand

Files On-Demand gives your users the ability to effectively link their File Explorer to OneDrive, which enables them to work with files found in your OneDrive without downloading all of them to their device. Not only does this save real estate in the device’s storage, it allows work to continue offline through a simple proactive switch in a particular file’s settings.

Known Folder Move

OneDrive can also work as a simple backup option, although it certainly should not replace a comprehensive plan. Regardless, Known Folder Move allows users to have the contents of certain folders automatically synchronize with their OneDrive storage. This can be set up during the initial installation of OneDrive, or at any time you have need for it.

Integration with Microsoft Outlook

Consider what typically happens when you try to share some kind of Office document as an email attachment for someone to work on: you aren’t sending them access to your file, you’re simply sending them their own copy. OneDrive fixes that by enabling a user to share their files as though they were attachments, editing the permissions provided on the fly. As a result, the actual file is being collaborated on, really allowing work to be done.

What has been your experience using OneDrive? Share your impressions, as well as any other questions we can help with, in the comments!

Cloud computing as a whole has been one of the most transformative technologies for businesses. With so many companies (upward of 90 percent of modern businesses) using some type of cloud computing, more companies than ever are really leaning into the technology and use it for mission critical business processes. Let’s take a look at some of the ways businesses can secure their cloud resources. 

Encryption

Encryption ensures that data is converted into a secure format before being stored in the cloud. Advanced encryption technologies now enable data to be encrypted both at rest (when stored) and in transit (when being transferred between systems). This makes it extremely difficult for unauthorized users to access sensitive information without the encryption key.

Zero Trust Security

The zero trust model assumes that no one, whether inside or outside the organization, is automatically trusted. New zero trust architectures verify each user and device before allowing access to cloud data, using methods like multi-factor authentication (MFA), identity verification, and continuous monitoring of activities.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning 

AI and ML are being used to detect and prevent security threats in real time. These technologies can analyze patterns, identify unusual activities, and work to predict potential risks before they become problems for your business. AI also automates security tasks, allowing security teams and network administrators to respond faster.

Secure Access Service Edge

SASE combines network security functions such as secure web gateways and zero-trust network access, with wide-area networking capabilities. SASE helps businesses control how their data is accessed and ensures security policies are enforced consistently across all locations and devices.

Data Loss Prevention 

DLP technologies monitor cloud data for any potential leaks or breaches. It helps prevent sensitive information from being accidentally or intentionally shared with unauthorized users. By using automated tools, DLP ensures that critical business data stays within the company’s security perimeter.

Blockchain Technology 

Finally, blockchain is being explored for securing cloud data by ensuring tamper-proof data transactions and distributed storage. Blockchain’s decentralized nature provides strong protection against unauthorized access, as changes to the data require consensus across a network, making it harder for attackers to manipulate records.

If your business—like many others—relies heavily on the cloud, you need to understand the best ways to secure your data in transit and to protect your business overall. Give the IT experts at Coleman Technologies a call today to learn more about cloud security.

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.

Everyone knows that a telephone system is a core component of a well-functioning business. Unfortunately, many businesses’ telephone systems haven’t advanced, but the way people do business has. If your business is paying a premium for its telephone system and isn’t getting the collaboration benefits needed to stay competitive, the answer might be VoIP.

What is VoIP?

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, a telephone system that runs on your organization’s Internet connection, not the antiquated phone lines. It can be run off a dedicated server in your business, but it is often run by a cloud-based server. Using the cloud model, you pay per line, and the service provider assumes the responsibility of hosting your business’ telephone system and maintaining the underlying infrastructure (as well as providing support). 

What Are the Benefits of VoIP?

Beyond separating yourself from the phone company, having a communications platform that uses the Internet can benefit an organization. Firstly, switching to a VoIP platform eliminates the antiquated landline system businesses have used for decades; we’ll explain how this benefits businesses later in the article.

Another massive benefit for businesses is the flexibility of a VoIP solution, especially with hosted VoIP. Since a business pays a small monthly fee per line, it can add and subtract features to better manage costs and provide communication and collaboration tools to fit every individual employee’s needs. 

Finally, VoIP call quality is often on par with or superior to traditional landlines, especially considering that many VoIP systems provide mobile support. Through an app, every worker can have their business phone number routed to their personal smartphone. This feature ensures that all employees have access to a telephone number regardless of location, making it an essential tool for companies that use remote teams. 

What Are Some of the Features You Can Get with Hosted VoIP?

As we mentioned earlier, VoIP is a feature-rich platform. It’s also extremely customizable. In all, dozens of features can be available with a VoIP platform. Let’s look at some of the most important features a VoIP platform can provide.

• Auto attendant - This feature is a system that answers your calls and gives callers options to route calls properly.
• Text messaging - Giving your staff the ability to send work-related texts is a godsend in many situations. It’s an essential feature for organizations that want to unify their communications platform.
• Call forwarding - This feature allows organizations to redirect calls, reducing the likelihood of missed calls.
• Call recording - Being able to record calls can have many benefits, but most importantly, to enhance customer satisfaction.
• Video conferencing - Being able to communicate with multiple people via video successfully is a huge benefit.

This is only a taste of what is available through a VoIP platform. If you would like to learn more about VoIP and how it can significantly benefit your business, give us a call today at (604) 513-9428.

Communication Solutions

Many, many solutions devoted to keeping people in touch and in the loop are now commonly hosted in, and delivered through, the cloud. This method only makes sense, as it enables your team to fully collaborate whenever an Internet connection is available. Take extra steps to foster these habits in your organization at every possible opportunity.

Software

As with communication solutions, other kinds of software can become more collaborative when they are hosted in the cloud. This is because the cloud eliminates the need for work to all be done in the same location, or the same time of day. With each team member contributing what they can, when they can, teamwork is just more convenient. There is also the added advantage of an entire team having access to the same tools as one another, another factor that the cloud can guarantee with the ability to push updates out.

Documentation and File Sharing

Notes and other forms of documentation quickly become a workplace asset, as they offer a time capsule of sorts to be referenced later when the data is needed once again. Due to the number of people who may need access to this data at some point, the cloud makes this level of collaboration the most convenient option for your team to make use of as they compile a repository of important information.

Project and Customer Relationship Management

Similarly to a cloud-based notebook, a project management or CRM solution that is accessed via the cloud enables your entire team access to the important data contained within, making cooperative work a much more feasible prospect. With the same information at their disposal, your entire team appears to act as one to your clients and customers. On the same path, cloud-based project management offers the same benefits to your team members as they work together towards a shared goal.

Data Visualization

A final key facet that we must discuss is the use of data to help create predictive models that further streamline your operations. Using a cloud platform to consolidate the data generated and collected by your users, you can aggregate it and call attention to previously unnoticed trends and patterns. A cloud solution is best to use in order to do this, as the data sets involved in these operations are of massive proportions. Doing so enables you to combine the efforts of your entire team into contributing to a single goal.

As the modern work environment has developed, it has done so with an increased focus on collaborative work and cooperation. The cloud is simply the latest result of this development.

For more information on how you can use the cloud as a collaborative asset for your business, give us a call at (604) 513-9428.

Think about the apps you use daily—Google Drive, Netflix, Spotify, even Instagram. All of these run on cloud-based services, which basically means they store and process everything online instead of relying on one physical device. Businesses, big and small, are making the same shift because, honestly, it just makes sense. Let’s take a look at why you should be looking to use cloud services in your business.

It’s Way Cheaper

With the cloud, instead of paying for a ton of expensive computer servers, you just rent exactly what you need online. That’s cloud computing in a nutshell. Businesses only pay for what they use, cutting out unnecessary costs on hardware, maintenance, and IT staff to keep it all running.

Work from Anywhere, Anytime

Cloud services make remote work a breeze. Whether you’re at home, in the office, or halfway across the world, as long as there’s an Internet connection, you can access everything you need. This flexibility helps businesses keep running no matter what—pandemics, bad weather, or just a team that prefers working in their skivvies.

Stronger Security 

Some people worry that storing data online makes it easier to hack, but cloud providers actually have way better security than most businesses can afford on their own. They have teams of experts, automatic backups, and encryption that keeps data safe from cyberattacks, hardware failures, or that one guy who spills coffee on the office computer.

Automatic Updates with No Headaches

Remember the frustration of dealing with slow software updates or having to have a dedicated plan to ensure that all of your software gets the frequent updates and patches it needs to not be a security vulnerability? With cloud services, updates happen automatically in the background. Businesses always have the latest features and security patches without wasting time on annoying installs or hiring someone to do it manually.

Easier to Scale Up (or Down)

Let’s say a business suddenly gets a flood of new customers. If they’re using cloud-based services, they can quickly increase their computing power without buying new hardware. The same can be true if there are times that business slows down; they can scale back and save money. Traditional setups can’t adjust this fast.

Collaboration is Effortless

Ever worked on a group project where one person had an old version of the document, and everything got messy? Cloud-based services like Google Docs and Microsoft 365 fix that problem. Businesses use cloud tools so teams can work on the same files in real time, no matter where they are. No more emailing attachments back and forth.

It’s Good for Your Business

Businesses that aren’t using cloud services are making things harder (and more expensive) than they need to be. It’s not just for tech companies—restaurants, retail stores, startups, and even solo entrepreneurs can all benefit. With lower costs, better security, and the ability to work from anywhere, moving to the cloud isn’t just smart—it’s essential. So, if your business isn’t on the cloud yet, it’s time to ask: What are you waiting for?

The IT professionals at Coleman Technologies can help you get all the technology you need to give your organization the best chance of achieving success. Give us a call today at (604) 513-9428 to learn more.