Nex-Tech Blog | Technology Tips and Tricks | Industry News

If you are implementing any marketing at your business, have you ever had a problem deciding how you were going to track it?  After all, you don’t just want to blindly throw money where you cannot track an ROI, do you?  A lot of times this is what marketers are doing…casting a huge net to see if they can catch anything.  Tracking and targeting is a lot more cost-effective and gets your message to the correct audience.

Extended employee leave is becoming one of the more prevalent staffing challenges for business owners. While it’s not a new issue, it certainly is gaining significance as the job market is shifting. Younger generations have a more pronounced demand for work-life balance, paid parental leave is on the rise with leaders, from both parties calling for a nationwide program and more and more companies join the growing trend of flexible work hours and sabbatical options for employees. Sure, all that is great news for employees and while big corporations might have enough resources to fall back on, it is often difficult for small and medium businesses to plan for and get through extended leave situations. The matter of the fact is that no matter the industry or the size of your business, eventually you will have to deal with being one or several staff members short for an extended period of time.

Our team had to recently deal with such a situation and I was the culprit! I didn’t spare them any hurdles either by being the textbook example of what NOT to do! Here’s what happened: I was expecting my first child and planning for 12-week maternity leave and had the best intentions of prepping for my absence, briefing my team and leaving detailed notes on everything I was working on. Little did I know that my little guy had a mind of his own and decided to show up seven weeks early, leaving my team scrambling and me feeling horrifically guilty. Thankfully, everyone stepped up to the plate and did a fantastic job picking up what I had left and we got through it! But that experience really made me consider how reactive we go about dealing with extended leave without much strategy or planning. So, I decided to turn this into a learning moment and give you some takeaways to help you hopefully avoid repeating my mistake. Here are my five big Ahas. Disclaimer: I am not an HR expert, just someone who had to learn the hard way.

To be honest, there never was a Microsoft Windows 9.  They skipped it and went from Windows 8 to Windows 10.  In my opinion, it was because Windows 8 fixed all of the problems in Windows 7 and then Windows 8 did not create any new problems that would have been released in Windows 9!  I have been using Windows 10 right at a year now and have not found any fatal flaws.  I have, however, put together a few tips and tricks for Windows 10.

First, if you are new to Windows 10, finding some of the settings can be difficult when you first start using it.  The easiest way I have found to get around is by hitting the Windows Key on the keyboard and typing whatever you are looking for.  Cortana finds it right away.  You can also click in the bottom left where it says “Ask me anything”.

Security and Surveillance are becoming a more and more important part of everyday lives. In airports, train stations and department stores, we oftentimes are not only used to the sight of surveillance cameras, but they even give us a sense of safety – we feel more comfortable knowing that the bad guys can be caught in action. The same applies to your business: a surveillance system will give you piece of mind as an owner, but it will also provide a sense of safety and security to your employees and customers, as well as a visible deterrent for anyone attempting to inflict damage.

But just like any other technology the choice is vast and as diverse as can be – from the technology used to features and functionalities and finally price. Here are five things to look for when you are wanting to get started on a surveillance system or are looking to upgrade an existing system.

Network Assessment can be a word as broad as the sky, so sometimes when an IT expert suggests to do a network assessment for your business, you may be thinking of your Internet speed and number of devices, while your expert is talking about infrastructure and power. The good news is that you are both right: a network assessment is a very general term that can include an assessment of any component of your network, whether that is your cabling, wireless coverage or the specs of your devices on the network. So, when you consider a network assessment, you should have a very detailed conversation with your trusted expert about what you are looking for and what you are trying to accomplish.

Managed Services is one of the current buzzwords in technology, yet there is a lot of confusion about what that exactly means and how it influences the way you treat technology in your organization. The good news is, if done right, it can turn IT from a chaotic, kind of scary and unpredictable monster, into what it truly should be: the perfect assistant that makes your life much easier and your organization more productive.