Coleman Technologies Blog

You can’t take two steps outside of your home or two mouse-clicks or screen-taps online without seeing something written or hearing someone talking about AI. This has created a situation where every business is claiming AI as a revolutionary tool and consumers, overwhelmed with the term, have begun to take the technology for granted. In today’s blog, we want to determine whether AI brings added value or is just a term used to help companies market their products.

What is AI?

Before we get into what to look for in AI, we should describe what AI means for the average consumer. Artificial Intelligence isn’t exactly the same technology that you remember from science fiction. Although the fundamentals are the same, AI today is effectively computer programs that use the data available to automate aspects of a business and create more efficiency. 

That sounds great, right? This is why nearly every software product you come across nowadays features “AI”. Not all AIs are created equal, however, and today there is quite a bit to sort through. Let’s take a look at three elements of the modern landscape of AI and how they play into you using it for your business. 

AI Will Be Pervasive

Let’s face it, AI is everywhere, and it will continue. In fact, the number of AI systems has grown by 500 percent over the past two years. AI fits into three categories. They are:

• Generative AI - The most prevalent type of AI you’ll see baked into software and as stand-alone software, like ChatGPT. This technology can create text, images, videos, and more and is being used in all manners of applications for government, education, business, and more.
• Machine Learning - This type of AI is being used to turn data into visible insights that can help organizations improve their ability to support the people that use their services and buy their products. 
• Recognition - This AI is being used primarily for security. From simple applications that unlock your mobile device to complex facial recognition tools built into today’s surveillance systems, AI systems fuel real-time recognition that is helping in loss prevention.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. As it is used today, AI is in its infancy and will only get more advanced as time goes on. Do you think you could use AI in your business? If so, our technicians can help. Give us a call at (604) 513-9428 to learn more.

DoD Advanced Research

During the Cold War there was a constant need for coded systems to transmit data quickly. In the mid-1960s, the U.S. Department of Defense created what they called the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), which worked on integrating new technologies that would help the United States achieve its foreign policy goals. One of the scientists that was commissioned was Joseph Lickliter, who had the idea of connecting computers at important research centers. It was a way for engineers and intellectuals to collaborate on DoD-funded projects. The network, called ARPANET, was launched in 1969.

At first, growth was slow. Small packets were sent over telephone lines, but along the way there were many innovations that set the tone for the shared computing constructs that we regularly use today. One such innovation was packet-switching. Packet-switching allows a computer to connect to several other computers at once by sending individual packets of information. In this way, computers were able to constantly send and receive information. With this method each computer on ARPANET would have (what amounts to) an address book that is constantly updated. 

As the network grew, however, this packet switching model, which was beneficial, was just too slow to facilitate an accurate account of addresses on the system. So in 1973, the engineers at ARPA decided that Stanford University (a founding member) would keep a master address book that was kept up to date by network administrators. This decongested the network significantly.

By 1977, ARPANET had over 100 computers connected to it; and, with the age of personal computing starting to rear its head, changes started to come fast. It was about this time that other computing networks began to pop up. As they first started to connect with each other there was no interoperability between them, but this problem was remedied early in the 1980s with the standardization of what is called Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). This was the first time the world Internet was used. 

ARPA engineers realized pretty quickly that the connecting networks that were now using the same protocol set (TCP/IP) were too numerous and were going to be unmanageable. This is when the modern Domain Name System (DNS) was introduced. They separated all addresses by domains. The first level, or top-level, domains would dictate the type of organization that a packet was being sent to. Examples include .com and .edu. Today, there are over 1,000 top-level domains out there. 

A second-level domain provided the host where data packets would be delivered. Examples that you see today are amazon.com or cornell.edu. This system provided specific data packet routing, setting the stage for the modern-day Internet. 

The Internet

By the late 1980s the DoD decided that ARPANET was a success and shut it down. It was handed off to a private company called NSFNET in 1990. In 1992, the modern Internet Service Provider (ISP) was created as the U.S. Congress passed a law allowing commercial traffic on the newly formed Internet. 

Nowadays, the United Nations has proclaimed that Internet service is now a fundamental human right. This marvel of human ingenuity would not have been possible without ARPA and ARPANET. If you would like to see more articles about technology’s history, subscribe to the Coleman Technologies blog today.

The modern business is more technologically driven than ever before, but there are some out there who haven’t embraced the benefits of technology and have alternatively chosen to stick with their more analog, tried and true methods. In today’s blog, we’ll discuss why technology is important and how to get started if your business is stuck in the 20th century.

Identify Your Biggest Analog Pain Points

Before diving headfirst into purchasing digital tools, take a moment to assess what’s causing the most headaches. Are you drowning in paperwork? Losing track of customer records? Spending hours manually entering data? These pain points will guide your digital transformation, helping you prioritize which areas to upgrade first.

Start Small with Easy Wins

Going digital doesn’t mean you need a full IT department or a Fortune 500-level budget. Start with small, manageable changes that have a big impact. For example:

• Swap out paper invoices for digital invoicing software.
• Move from a physical filing system to cloud storage.
• Use an appointment scheduling app instead of handling bookings manually.

These small changes will save you time and reduce errors, making your workflow smoother without disrupting your entire business.

Keep the Processes That Still Work

Just because something is digital doesn’t mean it’s automatically better. If certain analog processes work well for your business and aren’t causing problems, there’s no need to force them into the digital world. The goal is to enhance efficiency, not to overhaul everything just for the sake of modernization.

Train, Not Strain, Your Team

Technology is only useful if people know how to use it. Make sure you and your employees get comfortable with new tools by offering training sessions and step-by-step guides. If something feels too complicated, look for simpler alternatives. The best technology solutions are the ones your team actually wants to use.

Try to Automate, But Don’t Lose the Human Touch

Automation is a game-changer, but it shouldn’t replace the personal touch that makes your business unique. Use tools like chatbots and email automation to handle routine tasks, but make sure there’s still room for real human interaction where it matters—like customer service or relationship management.

Secure Your Data

Moving to the digital world means thinking about cybersecurity. Use strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and encrypted storage to protect your business from cyberthreats. The last thing you want is to trade your analog problems for digital disasters.

The biggest mistake businesses make when going digital are when they try to do everything at once. Instead of overwhelming yourself and your team, tackle one upgrade at a time with the help of the IT experts at Coleman Technologies. We can put you in a position to gradually update your technology and your corresponding processes. Give us a call today for more information at (604) 513-9428.

Laptops have emerged as the predominant workstations in the business landscape. While laptops offer unparalleled convenience, their batteries seem to be on a perpetual decline in terms of performance. This phenomenon is influenced by various factors, and the extent of battery life problems can differ based on hardware or circumstances. Today, we take a look at some of the reasons why laptop batteries aren’t performing as well as users expect. 

Capacity of Batteries

Fundamentally, the capacity of the laptop battery is a pivotal factor in determining its endurance. Smaller and slimmer laptops, designed for portability, frequently house batteries that may not be sufficiently large, compromising their overall longevity.

Power-Sapping Components

Certain laptops are equipped with power-intensive components, including high-performance processors, robust graphics cards, and ultra-high-resolution displays. These components significantly contribute to power consumption, swiftly depleting the laptop's battery life.

Processes Running in the Background

The presence of background processes and applications running when the laptop is not actively in use can lead to power drain. Managing these processes effectively is crucial, as constant updates, syncing, and resource-intensive background applications can impact battery life.

Not Controlling Screen Brightness

The display plays a major role in power consumption, with higher brightness settings demanding more power. Additionally, the prevalence of high-resolution displays in modern laptops can adversely affect battery life. Actively managing display settings is essential for maximizing battery longevity.

Power Management

As batteries age, their capacity naturally degrades. Older laptops may experience reduced battery performance, exacerbated by factors such as heat and charging patterns. Optimizing power management settings, including screen brightness and power profiles, can help extend battery life.

Multitasking and Resource Usage

The simultaneous use of resource-intensive applications and multitasking can significantly accelerate battery drain. Running numerous browser tabs or resource-heavy applications concurrently will inevitably lead to a quicker depletion of the laptop's battery.

Some Laptops Simply Have Poor Battery Life

Power-hungry desktop replacement laptops just drain batteries faster, and smaller laptops with smaller batteries have less to work with. Extremely efficient devices tend to use less power, but are sometimes a little slower, so when shopping around for a laptop, you’ll need to make the judgment call to decide what works best for you.

If you find yourself constantly seeking a power source for your laptop, it may be an indication that an upgrade is in order. Whether you're interested in enhancing your team's mobile workstations or seeking guidance on selecting a new laptop, feel free to reach out to us today at (604) 513-9428.

As technology seeps into every part of everyday life, the market for technology has exploded. This has led to technology companies growing to be massive and seemingly uncontrollable entities. Let’s take a look at big tech and its effect on society. 

What Is Big Tech?

Big Tech can be summarized as a series of companies that control a large part of the working Internet. When you look to identify the companies that make up the so-called big tech, you don’t have to look too far. The companies most identified with this moniker are some of the most successful companies in the world at the time of this writing. They include the big five:

• Amazon
• Alphabet (Formerly, and now parent company to Google)
• Apple
• Meta (Formerly, and now parent company to Facebook)
• Microsoft

In the United States, some of the other companies that are often considered big tech include:

• Adobe
• Broadcom
• IBM
• Netflix
• Nvidia
• Oracle
• Salesforce
• Tesla
• X
• Uber

There are several other companies abroad that could be included as big tech, regardless of their affiliation with host countries’ governments. They include:

• Alibaba
• ASML
• Baidu
• Bytedance
• Samsung
• Tencent
• TSMC

All of these companies not only have a market capitalization value of over $17 billion and most, if not all, have been making billions of dollars in profit for years. The size of these companies hasn’t happened by mistake as most of them not only offer products and services that are widely used by the population, they also have set a standard for the way they use customer data. That’s what we will take a look at today.

Big Tech’s Use of Personal Information

It first has to be said that a lot of the way these huge technology companies function echoes the way that large industrial companies functioned at the turn of the 20th century in America. It took decades before proper regulation was enacted to effectively break up monopolies in the early part of the 20th century and as these tech companies grow and swallow up their competition, it will be on the governments of the world to step up and forcibly regulate this non-competitive behavior. Since one of the largest revenue strains is the acquisition and sale of individual’s personal data, it creates a situation where these companies take on a large responsibility and if there isn’t any regulation to how these firms conduct business, they can quickly take advantage of their authority. 

For over a decade, as the demand for Internet-based advertising grew, so did these companies’ reliance on capturing as much data as they could. This practice is at its high water mark even though there have been major strides made in legislative circles to try and limit the power these tech companies have over their users. Unfortunately, since these are some of the most lucrative businesses in world history, lawmakers have found regulating these businesses to be extremely difficult. 

What You Can Do to Protect Yourself from Big Tech

If you are like the billions of people around the world that gravitate toward using these companies’ products, you need to understand your role in protecting yourself, and improving your own data privacy (as these companies aren’t going to willfully do it for you). 

1. Use Alternatives - There are alternatives to using services produced by big tech. Obviously, Google Search is the most utilized search engine but there are others like DuckDuckGo that provide a search engine with completely anonymous search results. Limit the amount of personal information that you put on social media, as anything you share is inevitably part of the consumer profile the companies produce on you.
2. Pay to Clean Up Your Online Profiles - Another thing you can do is pay for a service that will delete your personal information. Services like LifeLock will search the internet and scrub any of your personal information that is out there. This service does come with costs and an annual subscription (of course), but can be a good way toward controlling the amount of places your personal information shows up. 
3. Have Good Password Hygiene - This won’t help combat big tech’s constant surveillance, but it will protect you should the data they collect just be hanging out online. Create strong and unique passwords for every account and check sites like HaveIBeenPwned.com to see if you have been the victim of a data leak somewhere. 
4. Use a VPN - While not all VPNs are created equal, they can be great tools to obscure your physical location and where you navigate online. They encrypt browsing histories and can even hide you from your ISP to ensure that you get access to regionally unavailable content. One tip is to use a VPN that you don’t get on the various app stores because they can often come with bloatware attached, while some do exactly what the big tech companies do and harvest your information for their own profit. 

Only time will tell if governments reel in these companies' data collection and sharing practices. The European Union has created the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), which works to hold big tech companies accountable for individuals’ data privacy. It has cost big tech companies in excess of €2.1 billion in fines in 2023 alone and it seems to be rising every year.

It seems inevitable that we are forced to do business with Big Tech, but you don’t have to allow them unfettered access to your personal information. For more great technology-related articles, return to our blog soon. 

Quibi’s Crash and Burn

In a market already saturated with on-demand streaming services, Quibi offered something at least a little different in its short-form episodic storytelling and big-name casting. It also had quite the financial backing to support it—$1.75 billion in funding. Pair that with a monthly price tag of $5, and on paper, it would seem to be a surefire hit.

Unfortunately, this just wasn’t enough for the platform. With much more time on their hands thanks to the pandemic, short-form content didn’t have the same appeal… especially that which was restricted to a mobile device, and inaccessible on the entertainment systems that many prefer to use while at home. Quibi also had an uphill battle to fight against other options and services for such content, like YouTube and other free and ad-supported platforms.

This ultimately led to Quibi shutting down seven months after it launched, with much of the funding for it returned to investors.

So, what can we learn from this?

Simply put, it is not enough to just have an idea, especially when the timing is wrong. While we can’t say for certain that Quibi would have fared better should circumstances have been different, it is an interesting possibility to consider.

Bitcoin Scam Twitter Hack

In one of the most unsettling attacks that took place this year, many high-profile Twitter accounts—including those belonging to Bill Gates, Barack Obama, Elon Musk, and Kanye West—were hacked in an attempt to push a Bitcoin-based scam.

Fortunately, Twitter jumped into action and locked down these accounts before too much damage was done and has taken further steps to ensure account security… although it did raise some questions as to what might have happened if the motives behind the attacks were more destructive.

Zoom’s Security Missteps

As the world locked down, people and businesses needed to find a new way to communicate amongst one another. While many video conferencing systems like Skype, Microsoft Teams, and others fumbled this opportunity, Zoom was able to embrace it.

Unfortunately, Zoom’s security was lacking early on, which was made abundantly clear once so many had started using it. Hate speech and lewd content was shared in meetings, coining the term “Zoombombing.”

Since then, Zoom has taken steps to improve the platform’s security and users have given more thought to securing their conferences.

The Assorted Coronavirus Myths and Misinformation

Of course, we can’t talk about the technology fumbles of 2020 without bringing up the coronavirus and the various messes created because of it. For instance:

• Numerous conspiracy theories linking the development of 5G connectivity to COVID-19, resulting in acts of cell tower vandalism and assault against telecom employees.
• Bill Gates being accused of masterminding COVID-19 or using the pandemic to implant people with microchips—despite his long history of contributing to disease-fighting causes and efforts.
• Fumbled information sharing efforts on the part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

To their credit, many social media platforms took more aggressive efforts against misinformation, flagging some misleading posts.

So, What Does This Have to Do with Your Business?

Simple: while the above examples were obviously larger-scale issues, they demonstrate that technology is far from perfect and how easily it can be turned against your interests. This is especially the case when you consider the technology you utilize in your business.

Here at Coleman Technologies, we’re experts in all things IT, and lend that expertise to your business’ benefit. Not only can we help optimize the technology you currently use, we can also help you make the improvements needed to advance your operations. Whether it’s helping you keep your work accounts secure or steering you away from an application that will ultimately create bigger problems, we are at your service.

It’s just what a good managed IT service provider does.

To find out more about what our team offers, give us a call at (604) 513-9428.

What’s the Difference Between the Shut Down and Restart Processes?

Before Windows 8, there was no difference whatsoever (aside from the obvious fact that Restart would start the device back up). This changed, however, with the introduction of Windows 8, and a new feature: Fast Startup.

Shut Down

Still present in Windows 10, Fast Startup shortens what was once a much longer start process after a user had clicked Shut Down.

While all a user’s files and programs are still shut down, the heart of the operating system is just put into standby mode. Please note that it does power down everything, unlike hibernate and standby. This makes it much easier for Windows to reactivate. However, since not all processes are completely stopped, present issues won’t be affected. Your problem will still be there the next time the workstation is turned on.

Restart

On the other hand, restarting the device actually does put a stop to all processes and resumes operations with a fresh boot on the motherboard level. This is why restarting your computer seems to take so long as compared to manually turning it off and on again.

So, the difference is really in the granularity of the shutdown process. Counterintuitively, “shutting down” a computer leaves more components active than a restart does, which is why restart is the process recommended when troubleshooting an issue.

So, while we may recommend that you “turn your computer off and on again,” or “reboot,” what we really mean is “restart your computer.”

For more assistance in dealing with pesky technology issues, lean on the managed services that Coleman Technologies provides. Learn more about what we offer by calling (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.

If you truly want to run your business effectively, it all starts with understanding how its costs break down. If you are armed with this knowledge, you can make better decisions about solution procurement and operations management. Let’s examine how you can cut costs without harming your business in the process.

Outsourcing Can Help

Outsourcing is often misunderstood, but it is an incredibly powerful tool to control your costs and improve operations. If you take part of your business that is costly to run normally, then outsource it to a provider, you get more stable costs and expertise that you might not normally be able to leverage.

Businesses have all sorts of outsourcing options these days, including gig workers or managed service providers. You can outsource help desks for support, or you can outsource recruitment and payroll. The sky's the limit, so to speak; if you can imagine it, you can probably outsource it, provided you find an appropriate vendor.

Data Allows for Better Decision-Making

The more data your business has, the more tools and resources it has at its disposal to enable better decision-making. You can look at data to learn about what has worked well in the past, what could work well in the future, and what needs to be addressed immediately. Data is key to the many types of initiatives you might have planned for the future.

Data analytics can give your business key insights into how it can be more efficient with sales, marketing, operational processes, and so on. It can help you build better consumer experiences and customer relationships, something which can increase revenue and give you more resources to work with in the future.

Keep Flexibility in Mind

You can provide greater value to your employees by keeping flexibility at the top of your mind. This means giving them tools to communicate and be productive whether they are in the office or on the move, and thanks to cloud-based resources and solutions, you can do this easily and efficiently.

Another way you can innovate and keep things flexible is through the use of artificial intelligence technology. An AI chatbot, for example, can free up employees for other tasks, focusing instead on tasks that generate revenue.

Coleman Technologies can help your business be more cost-effective and productive at the same time. To learn more, reach out to us at (604) 513-9428.

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.

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.

All successful businesses want to grow and better themselves, as growth is a direct indicator that you are doing something right, from providing better services to your customers or servicing more customers. If you’re not ready to adapt to this growth, you’re in for a difficult time. Here are three ways you can keep your business operating even when you’re experiencing unprecedented growth.

Prioritize Flexibility

If things progress too quickly with your business’ growth, then you’ll want to be prepared to adjust your strategy accordingly. Therefore, if you are expecting to experience growth, you’ll need to have the flexibility to adapt your practices in real time. You’ll also need to acquire additional resources, should the need arise, to scale services and allocate funds. For technology, the cloud can help you be particularly flexible, especially for controlling costs and resource access.

Keep Spending Under Control

It’s always stressful not knowing if your current level of growth is sustainable with your current staff, especially if you’re unsure if your budget can handle onboarding new employees. Payroll can be challenging, and if you aren’t careful, you could over-anticipate your staffing needs and break your budget. You can use technology to help control costs. For example, a CRM can be used to track customer interactions and collect valuable metrics from which you can make educated decisions.

Make Security Your Priority

With all of the exciting things going on with your business, it’s easy to put your blinders on and forget that the more your business grows, the more opportunities there are for security discrepancies to cause trouble for your company. Cybercriminals will generally pick easy targets, i.e. those that don’t properly protect themselves, so the more difficult it is for a hacker to infiltrate your systems, the less likely they will be to follow through on the plethora of tactics they could employ. Don’t put your business at risk by allowing it to grow so big you cannot protect it. Plan for growth and adjust your security measures in accordance to that growth.

Coleman Technologies can help your business implement technology solutions designed to scale and grow alongside your business, no matter what your work might be. If you’re ready to start the conversation about your business’ technology infrastructure, then we’d be happy to help you learn more. To get started, contact us at (604) 513-9428 today.

The holiday season is getting busier and busier every year and with less and less time afforded to shopping and getting ready for the holiday, you may have overlooked that special someone on your holiday shopping list. This week, we give you three gadgets that would be really nice last minute gifts for that technology lover in your life

Levitating Plant Pot/Lamp

We’ll start with a couple of cool pieces that just about anyone will find fascinating and fun. Using magnets, several manufacturers have created products that seem to defy the laws of physics; and they are perfect for the desks of technology lovers. 

The levitating potted plant is a succulent that floats above the base, while the lamp is a LED light fixture that floats beneath the arm of a desk lamp. There are different versions of the lamp with the most expensive ones providing a wireless charger in the base. Overall these are cool items that can be purchased online for under $100 and shipped to you fast.

The Couch Console

In today’s age of video games and streaming media, people spend a lot of time in front of the television. One problem with this is that controllers, remotes, phones, and all manners of other devices (and often a lot of garbage) can accumulate in the nesting spots we choose to relax from. One awesome gift is called The Couch Console. It is a modular place to store your remotes, your phone, and even a drink and a snack while you relax on the couch. 

Made from lightweight foam, the Couch Console comes with a no-spill cup holder, a place to store your remotes and can even come with an optional battery pack so that you can charge your devices. The Couch Console starts at $80 and will be a great option for just about anyone. 

A Power Bank

We add in the power bank because today everyone uses devices that need charging all the time. How many times have you gone someplace and someone asks you if you have a charger they can use so they can keep their devices alive just a little bit longer? Gifting a power bank eliminates the need to scramble around to find juice for their favorite device; they’ll have it on them already.

Essentially, a power bank is a backup battery that can be used to charge devices that run out of juice while you are on the go. There are all types of power banks available: from ones that will change your wireless earbuds to devices that can power a laptop for hours at a time. The ones that make great last-minute gifts will be able to sufficiently recharge a smartphone and a pair of wireless earbuds on a single charge. For this reason they are a great gift for just about anyone. 

What do you think? Are there any specific technology gadgets that you would suggest to add? Leave your thoughts on our social media and have a Merry Christmas!

We tend to focus a lot of our time on this blog talking about the technologies that businesses can (and usually should) use as a part of their operations. However, without clients or customers coming in, there’s only so much good that these technologies can do. That’s why we wanted to briefly touch on a few technologies that can help you attract more people to your business so that all the other IT solutions we recommend can live up to their potential.

What Tools Can Benefit My Business’ Marketing Efforts?

The real key to your marketing success, regardless of your industry, is data. Data is critical if you want to accurately and efficiently answer some of the most important questions that will help guide your business’ marketing efforts. These questions include things like:

• What challenges or problems does my business solve for my clientele?
• Who should my marketing efforts be targeting, or in other words, who am I talking to?
• How can I most effectively communicate the reasons my business is the best choice for my prospective clients to choose—what is it that they find important?
• Where can I most effectively reach the people I should be talking to?

Fortunately, there are IT tools available today to help you organize your data and better answer these questions.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Platforms Help You Understand and Meet Your Customers’ Expectations

With a CRM platform at your disposal, you’re able to much more efficiently track various data points about your clientele that can be used to generate valuable conclusions about all sorts of things, helping you attract, onboard, and retain loyal customers over time. From helping associate common purchases to identifying spikes in certain customer behaviors to providing insight into far too many correlating factors to list here, your CRM effectively takes your data and identifies ways that you can optimize your marketing to suit your customers’ needs and priorities.

Various Platforms Help You Automate Your Marketing Efforts

Have you ever been browsing a website for some product, and suddenly you find yourself receiving emails offering you deals on similar or related goods? This is made possible through the combined use of a CRM and an email marketing tool. By taking the insights compiled by your CRM, you can use the data generated and apply it to your marketing efforts through email. Let’s say you wanted to sell more doodads… by taking a list of interested prospects from your CRM, you could use email marketing software to create an automated campaign to help push these doodads to a list of interested contacts, with other lists created to help you sell widgets, thingamajigs, and whatever else you wish.

In addition to helping you with your more targeted efforts, other platforms simply make your marketing less time-consuming. Options exist that allow you to schedule social media posts in advance, saving you from having to commit time each and every day to coming up with and posting new content on your various social channels. Many of these platforms also offer features that give you (what else?) additional data points to help you make these efforts more effective over time, as well.

Analytics Platforms Add to the Data at Your Disposal

Finally, if you want to market your business as effectively as possible, it will be important to go back and reexamine how effective your assorted efforts were. Different analytics platforms exist to help you in this regard, condensing the data into a digestible form to better communicate your ultimate return on investment. From there, you can take advantage of this data to make improvements and try it all again.

Of Course, Your Operations Need to Live Up to Your Marketing Promises

That’s where we really come in. We’ll be there to ensure that your business’ essential technology is firing on all cylinders and you’re functionally capable of delivering on the promises your marketing makes. Give us a call at (604) 513-9428 to learn more about our managed IT services.

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.

There are rules for doing business that most people understand. That status quo has been around for a long, long time, but as technology advances, it does more than connect parts that weren’t connected before; it can break down some of the old notions about the ways businesses are run and give people who think outside the box a leg up going forward. Let’s look at three ways business leaders are innovating how they do business.

Cloud-Based Collaboration Tools

Many small businesses have started to leverage cloud-based collaboration tools to enhance communication and productivity. These apps provide a centralized space for teams to collaborate in real-time, regardless of where they work. This streamlines communication and allows for efficient project management and file sharing.

E-commerce and Mobile Apps

Due to customer demand, small businesses have increasingly adopted e-commerce platforms and developed mobile apps. This strategy enables them to tap into online markets that grow each year. These apps facilitate features such as online ordering and digital payments while providing personalized customer experiences. 

Data Analytics for Informed Decision-Making

For years, enterprises have used data analytics tools to gain valuable insights into customer behavior, market trends, and operational efficiency. Today, small businesses are just beginning to utilize these technologies. By collecting and analyzing data—usually with the help of AI-fueled systems—companies can make informed decisions, optimize processes, and tailor their products or services to meet customer needs more effectively. 

Technology is not just changing the way that we live, it is also changing the way the world operates. The IT experts at Coleman Technologies can help you determine what technology is right for your business and get you in a position where you don’t have to deal with adverse situations such as data loss and downtime. Give us a call today at (604) 513-9428 to learn more.

It is a legitimate question whether something is actually art if it isn’t created by a human being. That’s before you are exposed to it, however. In fact, an AI created a piece of art that was crowned the winner at the Colorado State Fair. Let’s take a look at AI art in the context of this competition.

Let’s dive in.

Are AI-Generated Images Art?

At the Colorado State Fair, there is a fine arts competition where Josh Allen won the first place prize in Digital Arts/Digitally Manipulated Photography for his image, “Théåtre D'opéra Spatial.” When Allen provided a glimpse into his process via Discord, however, he was met with scrutiny. He used an image synthesis model called Midjourney to create the image.

As Allen said in his Discord post, he “...created 100s of images using it, and after many weeks of fine tuning and curating my gens, I chose my top 3 and had them printed on canvas after upscaling with Gigapixel A.I.” As he reports, he “could not be more excited” that his “favorite piece” ultimately won.

The rest of the community was a bit more critical of Allen’s choice. The image was produced with little actual hands-on work from Allen. Instead, it was built using the input that he plugged into the Midjourney platform. Allen wrote in his official submission, “I generate images with MJ, do passes with Photoshop, and upscale with GigaPixel,” and even labeled his piece with “Jason Allen via Midjourney.”

As you might not be surprised to hear, people have opinions on this topic, and many of these opinions cannot in good conscience be shared here. Still, there are many who believe that AI-generated art signifies the “death of artistry” and wonder “if creative jobs aren’t safe from machines, then even high-skilled jobs are in danger of becoming obsolete [sic] What will we have then?”

Art is Created and Judged In Accordance with the Technology of the Time

We understand why this has people concerned, but the fact remains that the tools we use today are simply taken for granted. An artist named Rhea Edge listed tools, techniques, and artists that use them, as well as when the tools were introduced, then shows that these tools also were not received well at the time.

In particular, Edge discusses the development of the camera obscura, a darkened room with a small hole in one side that allowed images to be projected onto a wall. This photography went on to inspire innovations in the art that are seen in modern day photography at large. Tubed paint was also a problematic topic due to artists not mixing their own paints. Artists were criticized right up until the 1970s and 1980s for these practices.

Edge also points out that art tends to change over time, highlighting how long it took the Impressionist painting style to really become an established style in the art world.

One other artist named Brian Simpson examines technology’s role in the development of art. He indicates that miniature portraits were essentially cut out entirely by the advent of photography. Simpson is also an advocate for Allen’s AI-produced artwork.

“There is a mind behind it. The mind is deciding I want this image. And with this image, this is the word I want to use,” Simpson said, going on to reflect on how Allen produced 40 images, ultimately choosing the ones he submitted.

“You can argue that choice and self-curation is part of the art process,” said Simpson.

This statement makes it clear that the current state of image creation and artwork still involves much human interaction, especially to achieve outstanding results like with Allen’s piece. How long this remains the case, however, is yet to be determined.

What are your thoughts on AI-generated artwork? Do you have any strong opinions on this topic? Be sure to share them in the comments below—and remember that AI is very well-established in the business world, so consider implementing it for your own company’s needs!

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.

Downtime can be lethal to businesses, not only because too much can lead to failure, but it can easily waste a lot of your team’s time as everyone shifts gears to find a solution. This is why is it best to avoid it as often as possible.

That’s why we’re discussing three of the most prevalent causes of downtime, and what you can do to prevent them.

Your Technology is Unreliable

Faulty technology is often the inciting incident behind downtime. Hardware occasionally fails and needs to be replaced, which takes time. Outdated or buggy software frequently crashes. In either case, proactive monitoring and maintenance can help ward off these issues. 

This is why we recommend businesses implement remote patching and maintenance tools. These tools allow such issues to be addressed simultaneously and automatically, applying all fixes to every networked machine.

Your Users Lack Training

User error is behind plenty of IT issues, and downtime is no exception.

User error can be defined as any situation where an employee makes a mistake or is unfamiliar with the full capabilities of the tools they use. Downtime is usually involved in whatever situation applies. Making this issue more potent is the fact that you’ll generally face one of two scenarios:

1. Your users adjust and develop their own, typically inefficient processes, and the only way you realize there’s an issue is if you monitor their performance or catch it in your business metrics.
2. An accident or mistake could snowball into larger problems, interrupting operations.

However, both can be reduced drastically by properly training your team members.

You Didn’t Expect the Unexpected

Life can very easily take us by surprise, and in the case of business, this surprise can translate to challenges and interruptions. There is no shortage of events that typically lead to some amount of downtime, most of which being categorized as either natural disasters or security breaches.

Weather events—whether a hurricane, tornado, blizzard, severe thunderstorm, or other—can all potentially pause your operations. The same can be said of the litany of cyberattacks out there… your business could be stuck in a holding pattern until these issues are resolved appropriately. While these circumstances are inherently unpredictable, you can and should devise contingency plans to address them.

Protect Your Business from Downtime

Unfortunately, no one can eliminate your business’ risk of downtime. It simply isn’t feasible, as too many factors and variables are involved. That said, there are things that you can (and again, should) do to protect as much of your productivity as possible.

The first step is devising a business continuity plan. This plan consolidates all of the above considerations (as well as many others) to evaluate the risk of each and puts safeguards and contingencies in place to minimize the impact of any form of disaster. Next, you need a data backup and disaster recovery plan to facilitate this business continuity plan. Protecting your data (which is easily your business’ most critical asset) puts you in a much better position to recover from an unpleasant event.

If this sounds like a lot, Coleman Technologies is here to help. Call us at (604) 513-9428 to learn more.

How Can BYOD Manifest Issues?

Unfortunately, for all its benefits, there is no shortage of drawbacks to BYOD - at least, if it is implemented without conscious deliberation and preparation. Here, we’ve listed a few such drawbacks:

Business and Personal Data Often Mix, but Shouldn’t

Do you really expect an employee to have a personal device that isn’t for personal use? If this device is used for work purposes as well, it can become very easy to combine this data and put some of it at risk. What if an employee who brought their own device in then left the company, the device in question full of your company’s sensitive data? Without some kind of policy in place to eliminate this risk, BYOD is simply too risky to allow.

Your Business Will Be Vulnerable to More Risks

Unfortunately, a poorly-strategized BYOD policy opens your business up to a variety of issues that could have severe and lasting ramifications.

This is mainly due to the many risks that mobile devices inherently have in terms of data leakage, malware infection, and other vulnerabilities. If your employees aren’t vigilant in keeping their devices updated and secured, your network will be subject to the same vulnerabilities. Malware infections can also be introduced via an employee not treating their device as carefully as they should be. If malware is installed on their device, it can easily be spread to your network - free to wreak havoc and steal data.

Your Infrastructure Will Likely Need Reworking

This one is admittedly less of an issue as it is an inconvenience. Simply put, adding an influx of devices and ensuring that your IT remains compliant to any policies can be a huge investment of time - and if not done correctly the first time, this investment will only grow.

How to Prevent These Issues Via Policies

As we briefly mentioned above, any BYOD initiative you introduce to your company needs to be controlled through a stringent use policy. This policy needs to clearly describe how an employee is to use their device during work hours, as well as the prerequisites that your employees need to abide by and agree to in order to use their own device. We recommend the following:

Mobile Device Management and Endpoint Protection

This technology helps to keep any company data isolated from any personal data on the device, which means that it allows you to control your data without intruding on an employee’s privacy. As a result, if a device is stolen, you can remotely remove any business data from it to ensure your data is protected.

Another precaution to enact is endpoint protection software. This software essentially performs a preemptive security scan of any device trying to access the network, identifying if a device has been infected. This means that your network isn’t introduced to whatever malware is present on the device, and the owner is then aware of their security issue as well.

Access Controls

The fact of the matter is that not every employee needs access to every byte of data you have. Therefore, it makes sense to implement role-based access controls. These controls can help keep an employee focused on the data they need for their work duties, and can help you identify where a breach occurred, should one happen. Some access controls can even prevent a device that isn’t up to date from connecting to the network at all. You should also investigate two-factor authentication measures that might assist you in limiting access to those who should have it.

Exit Strategies and Safeguards

Finally, you also have to consider what to do if something happens to one of the devices that has been used for BYOD purposes. First of all, you need to have your employees agree to have a lost device wiped remotely, applying the necessary solutions to each device used. Your employees also need to report a lost or stolen device immediately so these precautions can be put to use.

Finally, should an employee leave your business, you also need to make sure you have already secured the authorization to remove your company’s data from their device. You don’t want someone walking around with access to your data, whether their departure was amicable or not. Including this in your BYOD policy will ensure that anyone who leverages their mobile device is aware of your capability to remove your company data from their device, and will allow them to opt out of BYOD if it makes them uncomfortable.

With these policies backing up your Bring Your Own Device planning, you should be able to make use of a great productivity tool without sacrificing your data security. For assistance in putting BYOD into practice, reach out to Coleman Technologies at (604) 513-9428.