SCW Blog

IT strategies play a pivotal role in helping companies navigate this complex terrain, but they often require a substantial amount of time to be effectively implemented. This week, we'll explore the reasons behind the seemingly sluggish pace of IT strategy implementation and why patience is indeed a virtue in the world of technology.

Remember when Windows 10 was released, much to a sigh of relief following the questionable release of Windows 8.1 Update? Can you believe that there’s now discussion going on surrounding Windows 10’s end of support date? Let’s explore what an end of support means for Windows 10 users, as well as what steps they can take to ensure moving away from the operating system goes as smoothly as possible.

Technology can empower your business to accomplish great things, ranging from making better decisions to increasing productivity. However, your business could potentially be overwhelmed by the opportunities it presents. How do you navigate the confusing landscape of business technology? It all starts with having a clear understanding of what works for your particular business, starting by working with technology professionals.

Running a business is rarely easy. There are a lot of moving parts that require attention and there are only so many hours in the day to get everything done. As technology professionals, we often notice that small business owners can do themselves a disservice by not truly understanding their business—whether that be by having delusions of grandeur or by not having the proper perspective that would allow them to do more to build sustained and consistent prosperity. In this week’s blog we take a look at some of the ways that business owners hinder their chance of success.

Communication and collaboration tools are central to the success of any business—especially in today’s connected business landscape. More than anything else, you cannot let your collaboration tools put your company data at risk. We have some tips you can use to avoid some of the common challenges that businesses face with collaboration and data security.

One of the more challenging issues to deal with as a business owner is bridging the gap with your unhappy employees. While it’s certainly true that unhappy employees could be upset for any number of reasons, some of which are completely unrelated to work, there are others that you might have complete control over without necessarily realizing it. Let’s go over how you can help your employees be happier and more fulfilled during their time with your business and, thereby, more productive as a result.

Your business relies on its IT, but if you don’t have the experience managing these systems they can do more harm than good. Managing and troubleshooting problems can be difficult for those who aren’t trained and certified, so having access to professionals that are can make a significant difference for your business. In this week’s blog we will discuss the value that having certified IT technicians at your organization’s disposal can have a significant effect on your business. 

Today’s business leans on collaboration more than ever. Employees that work together efficiently and effectively can streamline processes and create a lot of positive momentum for a business that includes enhancing productivity and fostering innovation. Let’s go through a few variables that fuel solid collaboration. 

Technology brings a lot of benefits, but it can also cause problems. Small and mid-sized businesses that rely on technology will have to confront these challenges to get the most out of their IT. Let’s take a look at three of the most common technology problems that SMBs face. 

Data is a critical asset for modern businesses, simply because it can be utilized to help improve an organization’s operations in a variety of ways. Let’s explore some of the various approaches you can take to leveraging the data you collect to add value to your business.

Businesses make money by providing services to their customers that bring them value. This business model is at the core of managed IT services, where the offerings are widely considered to pay for themselves, so to speak. Individually, the services might not seem like they would impact your bottom line that much, but when combined, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Google is one of the world’s biggest technology companies, but have you ever wondered how exactly it manages to maintain its iron grip on the search engine market? It’s especially curious when you consider that there are other major technology companies out there that might want a piece of the pie, like Apple, yet choose not to. Well, it turns out there is a very good reason for that, and as you might suspect, large amounts of money are involved.

The modern worker has a lot of challenges and one of them is a laundry list of tasks to accomplish. For this reason, it’s best to have a plan for tackling your to-do list. One of the most effective ways to prioritize tasks is through what is called the Eisenhower Matrix. Inspired by a speech given by the former President of the United States and the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in World War II, the Eisenhower Matrix simplifies complex task lists to make getting through them more effective. Let’s take a look at how it works.

Businesses have been utilizing flexible working conditions in increasing droves, due in no small part to the pandemic, but many continue to hold onto these policies in at least some capacity. Businesses, therefore, need to be very cognizant of data retrieval policies and security measures that can keep their organization safe.

“Please listen carefully as our menu options have changed…”

Sound familiar? It’s one of the most common catchphrases of the modern business phone system prompt. It might be a little cliche, but at least it’s not among the worst sins your phone system could be committing that is preventing your business from potential success.

Projects are a big part of doing business. When we mention projects it’s typically in reference to IT projects, but for your average business, when they think of projects it means specific jobs coordinated for specific clients. In this environment it is essential to get the people on a project team on the same page and working towards a shared end. In this week's blog, we thought we’d discuss the importance of solid project management and how certain technologies can help project managers improve their turnaround times. 

One of the leading printer manufacturers, HP, has been actively attempting to disable any ink cartridges that they didn’t produce, which is causing some strife among users of the products. Let’s take a look at what this means for users and for businesses that rely on HP printers. 

Oh, the afternoon meeting, the woe of many office workers around the world. Sometimes they are fine, but other times, it’s very clear that they are not always an effective use of your time. Despite this, there is still a heavy emphasis on meetings in the workplace, to the point where some employees feel that their time is being wasted and misused as a result—a premise that is supported by surveys and research.

Make no mistake, you want your business to grow. There is no better sign that you are resonating with customers and providing the value you set out to deliver. Unfortunately, for a lot of companies, they simply aren’t prepared when their product or service takes off and it ends up ruining what could be a very good thing. Today, we’ll take a look at three actions you can take to keep your business humming along when it sees extraordinary growth. 

The average IT infrastructure is made up of dozens of technology solutions that all work in tandem to ensure your business’ success… at least, that’s how it’s supposed to work. Oftentimes, you’ll need to contact your technology vendors to either procure new solutions or get your existing ones to work with theirs. How do vendor relations figure into your company’s prolonged success?