Key Takeaways: Cyber threats and hacks are a nuisance to many businesses today. They disrupt your operations by infecting your IT systems, damaging your brand reputation, stealing your intellectual properties, and pushing loyal customers to your competition. Six percent of businesses have paid ransoms to regain control of their IT systems, and if you think the state of cybercrime is bad now, hold tight – it will only get worse. Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that cybercrime will cost over 10 billion dollars by 2025. Is doom by cybercrime inevitable, then? Hardly. If you know what to do, you can set your system up to minimize, if not eliminate, any cyber threats your system will face. This doesn’t mean you need to learn cybersecurity, though. You can outsource the task to the experts at cybersecurity companies. This guide explains how a cybersecurity company can help your business and why you should choose to hire out your cybersecurity over traditional in-house teams. Let’s start with what a cybersecurity company is and why you should care about what they do. What are Cybersecurity Companies, and Why are they Important? The main goal of a cybersecurity company is to safeguard IT network systems’ confidentiality, integrity, and availability from cyberattacks and uninvited access. There have been record numbers of cyberattacks lately, so there are quite a few cybersecurity companies to choose from. Famous names in the cybersecurity space, like Avast and McAfee, are some of the most popular examples. There have been questions about whether these cybersecurity companies are needed around, and the short answer is: absolutely. As a business owner, you know information is critical in driving revenue to your business. However, that same information in the wrong hands can bring disaster to your doorsteps. Here’s what that means. Cyber intruders are always on the hunt for vulnerable systems to penetrate. That could be your system, depending on the security you have in place. You will face many cybersecurity risks without a robust system in place, some of which include the following: Phishing Phishing attacks are social engineering strategies that steal vital information from users, such as login credentials and credit card information. The attacker poses as a trusted entity with important information for the user. This can be in the form of emails, text messages, and the like. The intent is to lure the reader into leaving sensitive information on a spammy website or downloading malware into the user’s computer system. Unfortunately, only one phishing attack takes your system to its knees. Ransomware Think of ransomware as kidnapping – only this time, it’s digital, and the kid, in this case, is sensitive data. With ransomware, an attacker encrypts your data with malware and denies you access to that data. As you’d guess, the attacker then asks for payment (ransom) before relinquishing access or a decryption key to you. The ransom payment is usually thousands of dollars or intangible currencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum. For small businesses, or even for large ones, this ransom payment can be crippling. Ransomware attackers are ruthless. They usually target organizations whose only feasible option is to pay a ransom, but small-scale businesses are generally the hardest hit. -IoT Attacks IoT devices have embedded software and sensors that allows them to share information from one point to another. Sharing information between these IoTs is vulnerable to hacking, however. That’s why businesses are sacrificing the cost of 4 Burj Khalifas to secure IoT security. -Endpoint attacks Most cyberattacks target software and IT systems, but endpoint attacks target the user system itself. Instead of going after an app on your phone, for example, endpoint attacks will target the phone itself. These types of attacks are rare, as they’re expensive to pull off and may require the attacker to move around the organization’s workplace. This doesn’t mean endpoint attacks aren’t a real threat to organizations. A study by the Ponemon Institute shows that 68 percent of businesses have been victims of one or more endpoint attacks compromising organization data. -Formjacking Simply put, it’s when hackers hijack forms on your website, so any time a user completes a form on your site, the attackers get access to that information. Formjacking hackers usually target payment gateways and shopping carts, as that’s where users reveal their payment details and other sensitive information. Formjacking is a stealthy and destructive way to steal user information – just like someone tapping your phone. It’s no surprise that close to 5,000 sites are formjacked every month. The attacker makes a copy of your responses without permission from you or the website you’re filling out a form on. Your way out of these cybersecurity risks is through cybersecurity companies. These companies make it their business to keep the wolves at bay so you can focus on serving your customers and growing your business. Cybersecurity companies are not your only option; you can also get an in-house cybersecurity team. The only question now is, which do you choose – in-house cybersecurity or outsourcing to experts? Hiring Cybersecurity Companies vs. Using an In-House Cybersecurity Team Many business owners remain drawn to the stability and dependability of hiring a typical, full-time specialist to fill the cybersecurity role. Although choosing an internal expert may be tempting, it is always wise to consider all of the implications of this decision. Here are the facts for you so you can weigh them for yourself. Pros of Hiring Cybersecurity Companies for Your Business Cons of Hiring Cybersecurity Companies for Your Business Pros of Hiring an In-House Cybersecurity Person Cons of Hiring an In-House Cybersecurity Person Outsourcing cybersecurity establishes a baseline for improved online threat protection for your business, but you can choose to go in-house if you want control over every aspect of your setup. 3 Ways Cybersecurity Companies Save Your Business Time and Money We’ve covered the pros and cons of outsourcing cybersecurity to a professional cybersecurity company, so now, let’s look at some ways cybersecurity companies can save your business time and money. 1. Get
Robotic process automation, or RPA, is an excellent means of streamlining workflows in various businesses, and RPA in healthcare industry is no exception. Healthcare organizations in the U.S. and worldwide currently struggle with high costs, stringent regulations, and near-insurmountable workloads. The healthcare industry faces the difficulty of consistent reporting and arduous paperwork to bridge the gaps. These challenges directly impact the urgency and quality of healthcare, and in turn, patients can encounter bad experiences while employees continue to put in more effort, potentially leading to errors. The success of health organizations depends on the availability of accurate and timely data, making streamlining through automation much more important. The healthcare industry already uses many repetitive processes, such as patient onboarding, follow-ups, updating medical records, claims processing, prescription management, report generation, and medical billing. These are everyday tasks across all healthcare facilities, making the sector a good platform for RPA. With RPA, organizations can boost engagement, employee satisfaction, and productivity. Robotic process automation can help execute repetitive tasks faster and more accurately so they will become more profitable, responsive, and flexible. These benefits explain the consistent growth of the global IT automation sector, and this technology has remarkable potential to help organizations in the healthcare industry save time and money using RPA tools. This guide will walk you through the essential information about this emerging technology. It introduces to you what RPA is in healthcare and its role in that industry. Organizations looking to integrate this technology into their systems can learn about its various uses and the benefits of working with a reputable RPA company. What Is RPA in Healthcare? Robotic process automation is a business process computerization technology that allows organizations to incorporate human elements within digital systems for enhanced accuracy and timeliness. RPA in healthcare is considerably more sophisticated than robot maids or dog droids. They consist of pre-programmed agents or intelligent bots for insurance, patient engagement, and accounting. Robotic process automation is quite different from your ordinary IT solution. In an industry that is synonymous with many compliance requirements, protocols, and rules, such as healthcare, this technology excels in streamlining processes. RPA leverages bots to perform high-volume, repetitive tasks. These bots feature algorithmic capabilities, making them ideal for accomplishing tedious back-office or scenario-based tasks in digital healthcare environments. The bots can feed off structured data variables stored in databases, including patient demographics, addresses, names, and financial information. This will ideally free healthcare workers’ time, enabling them to focus on diagnostic work and enhance doctor-patient engagements. The technology is fairly unintrusive and will leverage your organization’s existing infrastructure without interfering with your internal setups. Common Use Cases of RPA in the Healthcare Industry The healthcare industry is home to highly sensitive doctor-client interactions and diagnostic processes, but the quality and efficiency of services depend on many other administrative and repetitive tasks. RPA comes in handy in providing task automation across organizations. This automation can range from front office tasks to patient interaction, bill payment, and other operational processes. RPA can competently mimic nearly all predictable human interactions, such as filling forms, logging into systems, and moving files. The uses for RPA in the healthcare industry include: Administrative Data Entry Any healthcare environment has a lot of administrative data. Keying in all of that data generally doesn’t require special skills and can be very repetitive and time-consuming.24/7 bilingual support—always available when you need it Zyprotrade Officiële Website. No productive enterprise would continue with that tedious manual process if technology could handle it more efficiently. Solution: Speech recognition, natural language processing (NLP), and image recognition, among other forms of technology, can collect various administrative data. RPA bots can then convert the structured data and send it to the database. Billing and Claim Processing Billing and insurance claim processes are among healthcare facilities’ most repetitive and prone to errors. An error will disrupt the activities flow and lead to losses. Billing, payments, and claim processing are very time-consuming tasks as well. Solution: A multipurpose bot can handle these functions and save time and money. RPA bots use optic character recognition capabilities to recognize payment or claim details. They then access your accounting system and feed the correct information into the proper fields. Your system creates and registers the invoice, and then the bots will email it to the patient. Bots can also send customized reminders in case of payment delays. Patient Processing Managing patients from admission to discharge is no minor undertaking. Patients must follow post-medication instructions upon discharge, but many will miss or forget important dates for specific meds or procedures, which may take time to communicate. Solution: RPA bots can improve the communication of patient discharge instructions and boost patient experience by prompting your systems to email patients vital information. The bots can also send timely reminders or notifications based on the recovery plan to inform patients of appointments, procedures, necessary tests, and schedules. Managing and Scheduling Appointments Managing and scheduling patient appointments in healthcare facilities has been a manual process for a long time, with more than 80% of patient appointment processes handled manually before the pandemic. This created a long gap between the initial referral and the appointment. Managing hundreds of appointments manually is prone to create other challenges, including matching patients to doctors appropriately and rescheduling in case of a cancellation or an update. Solution: RPA bots can automatically manage patient appointments, accurately scheduling, canceling, or updating appointments as needed. The bots will offer an appointment slot to a patient based on the patient’s condition and the doctor’s availability. The bot will then mark the space as unavailable and notifies the patient of the appointment via email. Infection Control Another important way to use RPA is infection control. Medical environments are prone to infections, and the most significant risk factors for rampant infections are low hygiene standards. Solution: It is difficult to prevent infections when you rely on a human workforce for all processes, but automation significantly reduces that risk. RPA bots can help manage triage
Key Takeaways: The first point of contact for customers and employees, end-user support has become an integral part of most businesses. It’s helpful to gain a deeper understanding of what end-user support is and how it can benefit your organization before deciding whether to invest in a support desk system. Extensive problem resolution and consumer engagement features allow help desk support to help improve performance and attain your customer service objectives. This solution isn’t suitable only for large enterprises with thousands of clients – even small firms can benefit from help desk support services. This guide will go through the fundamentals of help desk support, its purpose, and the benefits it can offer your organization. What Is End-User Support? Help-desk/end-user support refers to an organization’s centralized support system. Its primary function is to offer technical assistance to employees and customers. Typical components of a help desk include: Outsourcing help desk services can benefit businesses of all sizes and types, from startups to established businesses. The size and functionality of a help desk might vary. You can have a physical desk where a support agent receives calls and resolves technical issues. You can also outsource these services to organizations that respond to online support requests on your behalf. The primary benefit of help desks is reducing IT service downtime. It prioritizes user functionality and is liable to delays in resolving any technical issues encountered by end users. Therefore, a help desk should be able to give end users technical support to enable them to continue working seamlessly. Keep in mind that not every help desk serves the same purpose. Help desks range from ticketing systems to all-in-one customer care platforms offering help centers, self-service options, and automated workflows. There are numerous tiers of help desks and brand-specific requirements and approaches differ considerably. It’s crucial, then, to analyze all your options carefully and choose the one that meets all your current and future needs. Why Does Your Business Need Help Desk Support Services? The primary objective of a help desk is to reduce the downtimes of IT systems and operations, thereby increasing their reliability. These platforms prioritize end users by promptly dealing with technical problems and customer concerns. Issues are also readily addressed by category, allowing IT personnel to multitask. A help desk system can modify tickets to collect more precise information and categorize issues for convenience when necessary. These technologies will analyze tickets and assign problems automatically. You can also assign tickets to staff members who may be more effective at tackling particular issues than others. The Importance of Help Desk Support Services Help desk support is a vital component of every IT business, with the primary goal of resolving initial contact issues as quickly. The advantages of a well-optimized help desk include: Customer Satisfaction Many consumers place a premium on excellent customer service. Customers desire a seamless interaction when engaging with your business. A seamless and quick service will improve customer retention and boost productivity and sales. A competent help desk increases customer satisfaction if it’s proactively responsive, consistently helpful to users, and willing to go the extra mile to provide technical support. End-user support supports the company’s goals and contributes to the expansion of its business by boosting the number of repeat consumers. Improves Product Quality The help desk is the initial entry point for consumer issues, complaints, and problems. The help desk should strive to handle these issues and keep track of all issues, their type, and recurrence level. They also escalate the assessment of issues and product weaknesses to the development team. The help desk is therefore the primary input source for the development team, which may enhance and improve the product by acting on such reports. Improves Productivity A help desk also manages and resolves problems in addition to registering complaints. By implementing various systems, such as a tagging and complaint ticketing system, they can efficiently manage and direct customer concerns to the appropriate resolution centers. A good end-user support system gives clarity, minimizes uncertainty in the workplace, and reduces the time necessary to resolve the issue. These characteristics boost operational time and effectiveness, resulting in increased output. Cost Cutting Any process or technique is only worth adopting if it leads to long-term cost savings for the organization. The functioning of a help desk necessitates software, human resources, and technology. These aspects can result in additional expenses. A greater implicit return resulting from increased product quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction counterbalances this cost, however. Giving real-time feedback on service or product faults and acting as a general response center saves on post-release surveys. Better Problem Resolution Problems are one factor that will prevent a business from running smoothly. Nobody enjoys downtime and breakdowns. These issues are inevitable, however. How, and how quickly you resolve them, is what matters. How does an IT help desk help with problem management? The system monitors and evaluates issues reported. It will then raise a red flag whenever there’s an excessive number of issues from a specific location or category. The management or developers may then examine further to determine the root cause. Enhanced Staff and Customer Satisfaction Numerous businesses rely on help desk services to attend to their client’s needs and provide them with technical support. These services assist clients using the company’s website, making online purchases, or inquiring about services. Customers benefit from promptly resolving their issues, which boosts customer experience and helps the business recruit and retain customers. End-user support solutions also allow employees to focus on their core talents without worrying about downtimes. Benefits of Outsourcing Help Desk/Service Desk Services Established companies may have multiple help desks to accommodate a variety of needs. Even though the majority of businesses maintain an internal help desk, outsourcing end-user support services outweigh those of maintaining an in-house IT department: Cost Saving The cost of maintaining an internal help desk can significantly impact a company’s budget. This budget can escalate if you consider reward packages and other incentives. You will only incur a monthly
The global RPA (robotic process automation) market reached a value of $1.89 billion in 2021. Businesses are always looking for ways to grow and improve, and for many, RPA is a viable solution. It’s a great way to handle simple tasks effectively, freeing up workers to handle more important jobs. So what is robot process automation, and how can it help your business? What Is RPA? Robotic Process Automation is a modern technology that uses software to streamline enterprise operations. It does this by automating various tasks that would otherwise require manual input, saving on both time and manpower. It uses structured inputs and business logic to manage different processes within an organization. This typically includes things like data manipulation, response triggering, transaction processing, and cross-system communication. From RPA, many businesses move on to other more advanced tools. Some typical examples are IA (intelligent automation), ML (machine learning), and AI (artificial intelligence). What Processes Can You Automate With RPA? A huge range of tasks can be automated using RPAs. It can range from something as simple as automatic email responses to something as complex as the deployment of thousands of bots with different jobs in a single system. The exact processes that you might want to automate will depend on the nature of your business. Some operations are quite common for RPA integration. 1. Client Support When clients need assistance, speed is crucial. If a customer is waiting for some data or information that they need, the faster you get it to them, the happier they’ll be. Traditionally they would have to wait for someone to review their request, and then find the data they need. By using RPA you can automate this process so that the data is presented to the customer immediately. This also means they can get what they need at any hour of the day. 2. Sales Orders When handling sales orders, your employees will need to input data into your CRM system and carry out other tasks like processing sales orders and invoicing. All of these tasks can be automated to save a lot of time and improve customer service. This can also ensure your database remains cleaner and more organized. 3. Invoice Processing Invoice processing is another task that can be dull and time-consuming. It might involve using different file formats, and often requires workers to handle various email attachments. Doing all of this manually isn’t ideal, and automating it can make it far more streamlined. An RPA system can locate and analyze files much faster than a human. Using RPA for this won’t only improve the process, but your workers will have better job satisfaction if they don’t have to worry about such a tedious task. 4. Hiring Employees This is more beneficial for larger companies, or those with a higher staff turnover. RPA can generate job offers, and begin a workflow process when someone creates a new account. This can make it easier to guide people through the application process and will ensure your business gets everything they need from potential employees. 5. Revenue Cycle Management Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) is used to track client information from registration until the final payment. It involves insurance verification, data entry, and reauthorization. All of these tasks are dull, repetitive, and time-consuming, so your employees will benefit from automating these processes. This can also make things more efficient for your clients, improving customer satisfaction. The Benefits of RPA As technology advances, RPA is becoming more viable in different businesses, and the capabilities of systems are improving. This means the list of benefits is always growing, and there are already some major advantages to using RPA. Cost Savings One of the most important advantages of automating business processes is that it can save a lot of money. Rather than paying employees to spend hours carrying out simple tasks, you can automate them. RPA software can work independently, so requires very little intervention. Time Savings Most of the processes that RPA systems can handle aren’t particularly difficult, but they could take a worker a long time. Automating such processes will speed things up, leading to increased customer satisfaction as they get what they need much faster. Accuracy No matter how much training and experience your employees have, human error will always be a factor. Small mistakes can lead to big problems, so you want to keep these to a minimum. Automated systems don’t exhibit human error, so you can trust the work they do to be completely accurate. Productivity In most organizations, employees have various tasks they need to handle. By automating the simpler tasks, your workers will have more time available to focus on more important aspects of their jobs. Improving business productivity within your business this way will result in increased profits and faster growth. Employee Job Satisfaction Interacting with customers doesn’t always go smoothly, but bots can help with this. Providing better customer support means improved customer satisfaction, and this will be reflected in your employees. They’ll also be happier that they don’t have to spend as much time doing mundane tasks that can now be automated. Scalability Scaling a business can often be a challenge, but RPA is very flexible, making it easier. If you experience increases or decreases in your workload, your RPA system will have no trouble handling such changes. This is ideal as you won’t have to make any changes to your workforce when there’s a variation in demand from your customers. Robotic Process Automation Solutions Robotic process automation can prove to be beneficial for various businesses. It saves on costs, increases productivity, improves customer satisfaction, and is easy to scale with your business. At Techromatic we specialize in RPA solutions. With our help, you can maximize the potential of your workforce, helping your company grow and succeed. To find out more about how we can help your business, click here to contact us today.
As companies globally seek to bolster their operational needs, IT spending budgets expect to hit $3.92 trillion. A big driver of this could be the rise in cybersecurity concerns. Information technology drives business growth, as it makes growing feasible. However, what happens if your business does not have the experience or personnel to meet your needs for solid information technology practices? If you lack an IT strategy, or the resources to meet your strategy, what do you do? Businesses are increasingly outsourcing IT efforts to protect their business infrastructure because it allows them to do so within their set budget. Around the world, companies are reaping the rewards from outsourcing their information technology strategy, and here is why. What Is an IT Strategy? To meet and exceed business goals, companies need a comprehensive plan in a written document. The IT strategy will outline how the technology of the business should be leveraged. It will provide detail on a variety of factors, all of which will affect how the company spends money and uses its technology. Why Have an IT Strategy? It enables organizations to provide customer value, competitive differentiation, and business outcomes. Not having an IT strategy will put a business at grave risk. Without it, they cannot provide the service level they need to operate the business and fulfill objectives. A Good IT Strategy Unfortunately, some business leaders and their IT teams will focus solely on current problems. They do not look to the future, creating a long-term strategy. This means designing a plan that will support daily operations beyond today. A good IT strategy will develop new systems, new architecture, and new technologies for the road ahead. Here is how to achieve it. Understandable There are team members that will need to be a part of, or oversee, the IT strategy, and they may not be IT experts. This means that too much technical jargon could be confusing. You want an IT strategy that is easy to implement and easy for anyone to understand. If you leave it open to misinterpretation, details can get lost. Management can change too, so it is best to have a strategy that anyone can understand – whether or not they are an IT expert. Adaptable IT strategies must be flexible. Priorities shift. Businesses, markets, and customers change, so it is important to be adaptable and adjust quickly. Aligned with Business Innovation is not a race. Cramming technology needs with daily operations will not work. In fact, your staff may even walk out and quit if you do this. You need a strategy to be able to support future needs. Write your IT strategy in a way that will give your business a boost. Stages Dividing implementation into piece-by-piece instructions and allowing for stages gives you control over the strategy. It also makes it easier to assess performance. If there is a noticeable weak spot, do not leave it there to linger. Boost performance! Introduce changes as you need them. Financial Planning It is almost impossible to create an IT strategy when you do not consider budgets. There is an abundance of opportunity, so much so that you could find yourself lost in all of it. Taking on all efforts will get expensive, and quick, and there is no way to know if you will receive a return on investment. Also, some of your planning will be things you cannot plan for. It is good to plan a piece of your budget for surprises that pop up. Think About the Future Last, there are two important elements for a good IT strategy. One is that you can support daily functions. Two is that you develop the strategy for the future of your business. If you draft a sound IT strategy in a way that thinks in terms of customer satisfaction, it can work toward opening or recognizing new possibilities in the market. Why Outsource IT Today, your employees may handle your organization’s technology just fine, but what about tomorrow? Here, do some research to find out what is going on in your organization currently. Discover how much time it is taking for your current employees to resolve technical issues versus focusing on their own roles. Technology is evolving. Each year, there are recent changes to consider. Staying on top of the latest advancements takes time, money, and effort.Can you afford to keep up with the changes? Also, how quickly can you scale up? How long will it take to find and hire a technology expert? Not only that, how much money will it cost you to find new IT talent? Further, what if they do not stay, and you experience turnover in a matter of months? Or, worse yet, you scare away new hires with unexpected issues that lead to massive amounts of overtime, and they feel burnout. The biggest reason to outsource IT is the cost. While it may seem like an added monthly expense, it is not. In the long run, you are saving a lot. Outsourcing Your IT Strategy You may be resistant to outsourcing IT because it feels like you will lose control of your company’s operations. This does not need to be the result, so do not let this deter you from outsourcing. You can break down barriers by requesting a regular cadence of updates. Establish a relationship with your provider that you want to have input. Even with outsourcing IT, you can still decide. The benefit is that while you still have control; you are freeing up time and resources for your staff. Operations can run more efficiently and increase your bottom line because technological burdens will not weigh them down. Benefits of Outsourcing Your IT There are many advantages to outsourcing IT. One is that it will give you a competitive advantage. You want your business to be the best brand and offer the best services in your market. Outsourcing your IT could leverage your business and ultimately, give your customers something that your competitor cannot
Since the Coronavirus pandemic, the use of help desk support in all industries has increased by over 15%. This is a burden on any company’s ability to offer help to its customers and clients, but not all organizations even have a help desk. So, do you know what help desk support is and what makes a good example of one? Below we answer these questions, starting with describing what help desk support entails. As you read this article, you should not only learn to understand how to provide high-quality help to those who work with you or your products. What Is Help Desk Support? An IT help desk is often an individual or a piece of software that aids someone who is having trouble with a computer-related issue. Organizations use them to track and resolve problems that occur in the day-to-day of an employee’s use of hardware or software. Help desk software is the application that handles all this behind the scenes. By using this software, you can have assurances that information and schedules are not lost. You can also use many of its specific functions to improve the efficiency of a help desk support system. The use of help desk software gives oversight to the whole team. A manager can scrape data from this software to give an at-a-glance look at how the IT team is doing. From that, they can drill down into the data to uncover any reasons behind possible bottlenecks in the team. This software improves a help desk team’s functions and helps them communicate with one another better. It also provides transparency to the whole team and beyond and to allow people to make better help desk-related decisions moving forward. How Does an IT Help Desk Function? When someone detects a problem in an office system, they can use an IT help desk to record this issue. A problem may not always be a breakage, but may be a recommendation of something to improve instead. More often than not, it is something that is bottlenecking the worker’s ability to be productive. Examples of things that an IT help desk might need to handle include: When someone raises these issues, they create a single ticket. This ticket should contain as much information as possible. This helps the IT personnel diagnose and resolve the problem with the least effort. IT help desk software then prioritizes that ticket based on any number of factors. It also passes it on to the employee who is best able to handle the type of issue that the worker raised. This creates a queue of tickets for the IT support help desk personnel to resolve. One by one, the employees will claim a ticket and work on resolving it. Once resolved, the IT worker closes the ticket or passes it back to the person who raised it to confirm its resolution. Why Have an IT Help Desk? Some organizations may think that they are going to work seamlessly without an IT help desk or help desk support software, but this is a common misconception. Many workers might have an understanding of the basics of computer problem solutions. This does not mean that they can handle complex errors, and they are more likely to create more problems by trying. On top of this, IT help desk support allows specific people to dedicate their time to resolve any problems that may come up. If there are many priorities for the majority of an organization, many people will pass the buck. This means that minor issues, such as trying to solve another person’s login issues, will not move towards resolution. As well as the solutions mentioned above, an IT help desk allows for a high level of information sharing. If an issue continues to crop up many times, you can use a single ticket to not only track the issue, but you can also provide contextual help for future times when a probem seems to be repetitive. With such high levels of data on your IT functions, you can also retrospect on your IT performance with a greater degree of accuracy. This means that you can focus your attention on the biggest problems for the highest bang-for-buck when resolving issues. In short, the many different functions and features of an IT help desk allow you to save money in the long run. This leads to a higher ROI for the whole organization and gives you an appearance of being a more professional outfit. What Are the Signs of a Good IT Help Desk? A business helpdesk, or IT helpdesk, is best served when it has the least amount of work to do. The simple answer to this question is that “the IT help desk is not busy”. In truth, computer help desk support jobs are at their most efficient when people automate them. They can also rely on their organization’s rules to operate with less human interaction. On top of this, an internal knowledge base could exist within the company. This can assist most workers with resolving their own issues instead of relying on the help desk. Where to Get Help Desk Support Software Now that you understand what help desk support is and how to use it to its highest potential, you might want to look into investing in or upgrading your software. Lucky for you, the experienced team of IT specialists at Techromatic can discuss your specific needs and how our Helpdesk & End-User Support services can solve your problems right away. Send us a message to learn more about our help desk services. Jasper What is a help desk support? Help Desk Support is a service provided to customers, employees and other stakeholders of businesses. It provides assistance in resolving technical issues related to IT operations such as computers, software and networking. Help desk operators are knowledgeable about the systems used by businesses and can provide quick solutions for users, ensuring that their technology infrastructure runs smoothly. With help desk support, businesses can
The global cloud computing market is currently worth a whopping $126 billion. This makes sense when you consider how convenient, flexible, and secure cloud systems are. If you’re thinking of implementing a cloud system, you likely are wondering about the ins and outs of this network management method. Here, we’re going to talk about the top 11 benefits of cloud computing for your business operations. Read on to feel more confident in your decision to switch to IT services that implement cloud methods. What is Cloud Computing/Network Management? Traditionally, businesses used on-site storage systems to manage their technology. These servers took up physical space in an office and held databases, applications, intelligence, and more. Cloud computing systems digitize this storage as well as the delivery of resources. When you implement a cloud-based system, you store all databases, intelligence, apps, software, analytics, storage, and security resources on a secure virtual network. This cloud network is only accessible to authorized users and secured against threats. However, unlike an on-premise storage system, users can access it anywhere and from any device. How Is Cloud Computing Used for Businesses? There are several ways that organizations use cloud computing for their business operations. These include but are not limited to: Ultimately, the cloud offers many benefits to businesses. You can access additional services and get more storage space than a physical server could provide. You get automated backups and secure data recovery strategies via cloud network management professionals. In short, businesses use the cloud to boost their efficiency and security. What Are the Characteristics of Cloud Computing? There are five core characteristics of cloud computing: These are the cloud computing standards outlined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Knowing the characteristics of cloud computing allows you to better implement flexible systems and access the most benefits possible. Now that you know the basics of cloud computing, let’s take a look at their top benefits. 1. Saves Money One of the main reasons to implement cloud computing technologies is that they come with financial benefits. About 94% of companies state that the cloud reduces both setup and maintenance costs. 47% also said that their IT costs would drop from anywhere between 30-50%. This makes sense when you consider that cloud computing does not require hardware maintenance. There’s no need to pay someone to set up an on-site server, and there are no costs associated with maintaining a server, either. Additionally, working with managed IT providers means that your cloud system will constantly be updated and upgraded. It comes with the cost of your private, public, or hybrid cloud. You won’t need to shell out additional fees to keep your cloud server running effectively. 2. Boosts Efficiency Time is money, and one of the ways that cloud computing saves money is by boosting efficiency and saving time. Those that implement cloud systems see an 18.8% increase in process efficiency. This boost means that you will have more time to spend in other areas of your business. Processes will flow more quickly so that you can develop new applications and workflows to further streamline the business. You also will have more time to spend focusing on core products, marketing, fostering client relations, and more. Businesses that implement cloud systems also see a 20.66% decrease in time to market new products and services. This allows you to get products and solutions out to clients more quickly, boosting their satisfaction. You’re more likely to get good reviews and build customer loyalty so that your business can thrive. 3. Makes You More Scalable One of the top advantages of cloud computing is increased scalability. Those who use on-site hardware and other outdated infrastructure can’t easily remove resources that your business is no longer using. They’ll continue to take up space and cost you money (via energy bills or operational maintenance costs). However, cloud computing systems let you effortlessly remove applications you no longer need. You can also install new resources, apps, and software systems with no frills. Users can also be quickly added and removed as necessary. If someone no longer works for you, you can take them off the system immediately. If you hire a new employee or create a new position, you can add them to the list of authorized users. This is critical for modern, fast-moving businesses. Investing in cloud systems means that you can easily adapt to rapid growth. Seasonal changes are also much easier. 4. Increases Flexibility Scalability is often lumped in with flexibility, but the two aren’t always the same thing. While scalability means that you can downsize and expand your business at will, flexibility means that you can adjust hours and work remotely more easily. It also means that you can use systems on multiple devices within the workplace and access them in multiple ways. Because the cloud is completely virtual, it’s 100% flexible. You can access the cloud regardless of your location or device. It also is never going to be shut off after regular work hours. Flexibility is important for many reasons, especially because devices break and new ones are required to continue with daily operations. Employees can get the same information on any other device by connecting to the shared cloud, which reduces downtime and frustration. 5. Makes Remote Work Easier However, one of the main reasons that flexibility is critical is the increasing demand for remote work. It’s important to keep in mind that: Because data is accessible anywhere regardless of the time of day, cloud computing technologies make it easier for you to hire remote workers. This keeps your existing employees happy and boosts their productivity. It also makes you more competitive in the job market so that you can find qualified new hires. 6. Provides a Secure Alternative The average data breach costs a company around $4.24 million. If you operate an organization with between 10-30 people, a hit this huge could easily force you out of business. Data breaches are common with traditional on-premise
Cyber security is a hot subject for organizations to discuss. Challenges regarding cyber security are growing, not fading. That means that you need an IT strategy that will go the distance to keep you in business. The National Cybersecurity Institute reports that half of SMBs are victims of cyberattacks. Of those businesses that are attacked, 60% go out of business. Unfortunately, breaches are tremendously harmful not only to your company’s data but to your bottom line too. The global economy incurs damages of $445 billion each year because of cybercrime, with over $160 billion because of theft of intellectual property. If cybercriminals keep you up at night, worrying that they will compromise your company, what you need is a proactive IT strategy to protect your business and its data. Here is a guide to help. Cyber Security Programs First, you need a superior cyber security program for your IT strategy. This will document your company’s information security policies, guidelines, procedures, and standards. It is a roadmap to ensure you have effective cybersecurity management practices and controls. At Techromatic, we created CyberShield to help you achieve your goals with a turn-key cyber security program. Other services, such as vulnerability scans and penetration tests may be required for data compliance, depending on the regulatory requirements of your industry. In fact, PCI-DSS, or the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, requires vulnerability scanning and penetration testing. What is a Vulnerability Scan? This will look for vulnerabilities that are known in your system. It will report potential exposure. A vulnerability scan is usually automated. A vulnerability scan will identify chinks in your armor. For example, many companies don’t change the default credentials of computing devices inside (and sometimes outside!) their network. This could lead to a hacker who gets inside your network easily gaining access to critical devices and information. Another common worst-practice is when companies don’t regularly patch and update their machines, including servers and workstations. (It’s one of the reasons we like to outsource to cloud providers, since that is hopefully taken care of for us!). Unpatched systems can lead to the same kinds of data breaches. And if you’ve ever heard of zero-day attacks, then you know it can happen as soon as a vulnerability is detected, almost before you blink. A vulnerabilty scan is a test we run against your infrastructure to identify these kinds (and other kinds) of vulnterabilities in an environment, so that they can be corrected. What is a Penetration Test? A penetration test is a simulated attack on your network infrastructure. Typically white-hat hackers and cybersecurity engineers will expliot vulnerabilities and use specialized tools to try and get past a system’s defenses. Some of these tools use finesse and great technical knowlege to wield, and others are easier to use. Good engineers will use a variety of tools to find a way into the network. Usually, this is a manual test that is performed by a cyber security professional. All penetrations tests should be closely coordinated with the customer and are often done outside of business hours so as to minimize disruption to the firm. Data Compliance Data compliance is not only important to your business but also to your customers. The most challenging part for the business is keeping personal data safe as waves of cybercriminals continue to attack and steal data. That is why you find so many laws and regulations now to ensure that companies are handling data responsibly. The most notable laws and regulations include PCI-DSS (as we have already mentioned), HIPAA, and GDPR. What is HIPAA? HIPAA is the acronym for the “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.” This is a federal law. It requires the creation of national standards aimed at protecting a patient’s sensitive health information. You cannot disclose a patient’s information unless the patient gives consent. Further, there is the HIPAA Security Rule. This covers organizations requiring protection of ePHI, or electronically protected health information. It ensures that the company has the protection that can defend against an administrative, physical, or technical breach. What is GDPR? In April 2016, the European Parliament adopted GDPR. GDPR is a regulation protecting citizens of the European Union. To adhere to GDPR, businesses must protect individuals’ privacy and personal data. Also, it demands exported data to be monitored when outside of the European Union. Violators of GDPR will receive a fine accordingly. Cyber Security Training for Staff The way to minimize risk is a good line of defense. This means educating your staff about external threats and arming them with cybersecurity awareness basics. Here is how to get started. First, you want to make an explicit statement to your employees about the importance of cybersecurity. Say it in a way that they can relate to so that they can better understand how important it is. Next, instruct your staff to take care of their company’s devices. According to a survey by Forrester, 15% of company breaches happen because of lost devices. You also want to teach employees the basics about how to recognize suspicious activity. Instruct them on signs like a device that slows down, strange pop-ups when they start up, new apps suddenly appearing, not being able to control a mouse or keyboard, etc. If your employees find suspicious signs or activities on their devices, they must report them immediately to your IT department. Then, teach employees the importance of unique passwords. Tell them to change their passwords periodically. Plus, let them know universal passwords are dangerous. Finally, cybersecurity basics are a great start, but you want ongoing training and awareness. Cybersecurity training for your entire staff should always, always be a part of your priority list. All it takes is one person’s lack of understanding to cause a major data breach. Encrypted Email Last, for your IT strategy, you want to investigate the use of encrypted email and how it can benefit your business. Email encryption leverages an authentication process. It prevents a message from
In the Summer of 2020, the pharmaceutical company, Takeda, faced a challenge. Takeda was running a clinical trial of potential Covid-19 treatments. Most clinical trials face a recruitment phase that takes up to two months as recruiters need to: Covid-19 was changing fast, and Takeda needed to speed up recruitment by a significantly increased margin. So, the pharmaceutical company implemented a new, time-saving innovation: robotic process automation (RPA). For Takeda, RPA benefits involved completely automating recruitment tasks, which included: Takeda’s pilot study of RPA had phenomenal results. The company estimated it could automate 4.6 million hours of office work tasks per year—freeing up its employees to do the work they actually enjoy. Today, RPA is poised to become the next step in the digital transformation revolution. But what does that mean for your workplace? This guide aims to answer that question. Join us to learn the answers to your most pressing questions about RPA. Then, learn about ten well-established benefits RPA could offer to your office. Robotic Processing Automation: Overview Robotic processing automation—or, RPA—is a programmable automation software application. RPA makes it easy for a person to build virtual robots that emulate human actions. This makes it an incredibly adaptable business operation technology. Once you create them, the virtual robots can emulate the way you interact with digital systems and software. They can even learn to mimic keystrokes and the most minute details of tasks. After the virtual robots are trained, you can deploy them to carry out office tasks. They do them at higher speeds, and with greater accuracy than humans can. How Does RPA Work? RPA applications utilize virtual machine technology. This lets them replicate the functionality of a physical computer using the software on a different computer. Pure RPA doesn’t typically use machine learning. Instead, the user must give the robot specific instructions for each task it must execute. These instructions tell the robot exactly what to do and when to do it. The software environment typically includes a studio wherein you can build your bot and an orchestrator. The orchestrator is a virtual control room where a manager can: The most advanced RPA systems integrate machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI). These are capable of “process mining.” Process mining records and analyzes workflows automatically. With the recorded information, the software application creates new templates for RPA, and templates can further streamline these processes. While RPA seems completely autonomous, a human element is still required as human users must be involved in the description of tasks, known as process analysis. What Are the Business Benefits of RPA? (Summary) There are many business benefits of RPA. All RPA benefits can be distilled down in three ways: RPA systems can facilitate each of these improvements through multiple functions. Mastering all functions of RPA lets a company take advantage of the technology’s full potential. Why is RPA Transformative? RPA is a key technology driving digital transformation forward. Digital transformation is the process of integrating connected, computing technology into all facets of a business. Complete digital integration shifts how businesses can reach their goals; it enables far greater goals than they’d pre-supposed. Integration brings business leaders more data and presents it clearly, in turn allowing business leaders to make evidence-based decisions. Automation streamlines rote work tasks and improves efficiency. It also boosts employee morale, as employees are freer to dedicate themselves to interpersonal or creative tasks. This improved collaboration and increased room for creativity can transform the workplace. It becomes a source of innovation, rather than production. Ultimately, digital transformation can cultivate an era of imagination and specialized skills. Where Can RPA be Used? Any organization that conducts business tasks on a server can use RPA. RPA needs to be installed on servers (often cloud servers), and the server must meet certain specifications. These specifications can vary depending on the specific RPA application you choose. Once on a server, RPA applications can begin to use the software to automate virtual tasks. The task must have three qualities for an RPA bot to successfully automate it. The task must be something that the RPA: The task should also have a high enough volume to be worth automating. Large-scale repetitive tasks are where RPA systems shine. Today, many high-tech industries are using RPA to their full advantage. The software can streamline workflows in almost any sector. Currently, the industries applying RPA effectively include companies in: What Features and Capabilities are Important in RPA Technology? RPA technology handles everything from development to deployment. Across industries, six capabilities of RPA platforms make a difference in their efficacy and quality. Look for these RPA technology features in a platform: Bot-Creation Space Most organizations benefit from a bot-creation designer with a straightforward user interface. The best RPA programs give employees the ability to create bots quickly, with only a few clicks. Users do much of this work in a less-code or code-free designer. This empowers employees who understand their own tasks to train bots without coding skills. Employees can train bots on tasks with built-in recording systems. These systems empower bots to learn by observing the employee’s actions on screen. It’s also important for an RPA to offer a manual task editor for more in-depth instruction. Security Features RPA software needs premium security features. The best platforms’ security maintains compliance with SOC, HIPAA, or PCI DSS. This protects users’ data and prevents any tampering with bots’ instructions with malicious intent. Key security features include: Deployment Options Most organizations prefer RPA technology with cloud deployment options. Cloud deployment empowers organizations to scale their bot deployment readily, without compromising on security. Deployment options also enable organizations to coordinate bots to automate complex processes. This can include desktop deployment options that enable bots to access data on cue to complete tasks. Rules-Based Exception Handling Rules-based exception handling features are critical to an RPA program’s success. This gives bots a logical next step when they cannot complete a task. Rules-based exception handling is a set of instructions that tells a
Did you know the data processing and hosting services industry is worth $197 billion in the US alone? With such a big industry comes a lot of different options for network server management, and it’s important to know what they all are. Whether you’re looking to improve your infrastructure or up your cybersecurity, we’ve got you covered. Read on to learn about the importance of network management and what it can do for your business. What Can Network Server Management Do for You? First thing, why is network server management so important? Not only can a managed IT network help increase the effectiveness of your business’s IT department, but it can also equip your employees with the tools they need for managing your business’s network without excessive manual intervention. What Is Cloud Computing? Cloud computing matters because it’s where your server is hosted. When your server is in the cloud, it becomes a lot easier to manage everyday data and processes, and it also offers your business a potential reduction in costs with an increase in efficiency, mobility, and even scalability. This is especially nice if you run a smaller business. You won’t have to worry as much about documents and other data security, and you’ll make it a lot easier for your team to be fully remote. There are a few other components that play into your network management as a whole, though. Here are four of the most important. 1. Wireless Networks Wireless network monitoring continuously oversees all aspects of a network, including its devices. Using specific equipment, you can track things like connection quality and rates, utilization, or signal strength, and then have that data sent back to your network managers. If things go awry, then you have the peace of mind in knowing that management will be on it in no time. These services help ensure business continuity, increase productivity, and avoid network downtime. Best of all, you’ll have unlimited access to this no matter where you’re at. 2. Windows Servers Windows Server is intended for businesses, and it includes enterprise software to help you go further. Here are a few of the best features: Active Directory Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) File and storage Print services Windows update services Active Directory helps manage all user account authentication like a domain controller, rather than having each user have to log in using a local computer. DHCP automatically assigns IP addresses to each device on the network, giving your IT staff an advantage on the server. Having a file server for your company allows you to keep important data in a central location, and set permissions to control who has access to which files. 3. Azure/MS 365 Microsoft Azure is filled with over 200 apps, all designed for businesses to use from the cloud or over the internet. That means that, instead of having to store things on company computers, they can simply be offloaded into the cloud. A lot of companies also use this app to develop and test applications, access software like Microsoft 365 through the internet; and as infrastructure as a service, meaning their data is processed on a virtual machine. If you have developers, they can also use their own code to do a lot of things within Azure. Microsoft 365 can also be used within Azure to access different user accounts and create groups. These groups are then stored within Azure’s cloud. Besides that, you can use these two apps to do things like: Create and grow your custom app Manage devices Set up policy-based access control Establish a secure connection with Azure VPN Gateway Back up data When used together, you can not only streamline your company’s workflow, but you can keep it safe and secure while doing so. 4. Google Workspace Similar to Microsoft Azure, Google Workspace acts as your one-stop shop for business software. Both offer things like: Cloud storage Productivity apps Communication tools Document sharing Management interface to help ensure compliance and other security features While neither software is inherently better than the other, they are going to be able to offer different things to different businesses. Google’s interface is cloud-native and relies on browsers to run, while Microsoft has built tools like Teams and OneDrive from its original Office apps. Both interfaces offer offline storage of both emails and documents, and also easy online sharing whenever it’s needed. Both include web-based management consoles designed for mid-sized businesses and larger, meaning some small businesses might benefit from working with professionals certified in either to keep everything running smoothly. If you’re stuck in the decision-making process, remember that it’s OK to try both and see which works best for you. A trial period is best if you decide to take this route, though. Once you’ve established your workflow within either, it’s difficult to switch from one to the other. Both come with a learning curve if you’ve never used them before, but having one suite your business opts to work in is a great timesaver for you and your employees. Are Managed IT Services Right for You? Now that we’ve gone over a few of the best basics of network server management, do you think it’s a good fit for you and your business? Whether you’re a small business looking to transition to cloud services for the first time, or you simply want to improve upon the management you already have, we’re here to help you. At Techromatic, our management services are here to guide you through every step of the process, from deployment to maintenance. Contact us today to get started. What is network server management? Network server management is the process of overseeing and maintaining a network server system. This includes monitoring the server hardware and software, managing user accounts, and providing security to the network servers. Network server management also involves troubleshooting any issues that arise with the servers, making sure the servers are up to date with the latest software patches, and optimizing their performance. What is network management in business? Network management in business
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