Charging in Public Places? Watch Out for “Juice Jacking”

Airports, hotels, cafés, even shopping malls, offer public charging points where you can boost your phone or laptop battery on the go. They’ve been in the news after the FBI recently tweeted advice to stop using them. Crooks have figured out how to hijack USB ports to install malware and monitoring software onto devices as they charge. The security risk …
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Criminals Are Exploiting AI to Create More Convincing Scams

One of the many cool things about the new wave of Artificial Intelligence tools is their ability to sound convincingly human. AI chatbots can be prompted to generate text that you’d never know was written by a robot. And they can keep producing it – quickly, and with minimal human intervention. So it’s no surprise that cyber criminals have been …
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Best Practices for Optimizing Your IT Solutions on Long Island and NYC

As a Long Island, NY business owner, you know that IT solution optimization is more essential than ever. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us learned to do business in different ways. As many enterprises transitioned to remote work, we saw the value of capable, efficient IT solutions like never before. Now that the crisis is over, we’re left with the task of re-evaluating former practices and looking for new ways to achieve IT solution optimization on Long Island, NY.

Why Is IT Solution Optimization So Essential?

Why take the trouble to optimize your IT solutions? Quite simply, the health of your entire business can rise or fall on the success of your IT team. But striking the right balance between the costs of IT support and the team’s performance is not always easy. 

Interested in finding the best practices to optimize your IT solutions on Long Island, NYC? The good news is that an MSP company like LI Tech Solutions can be the answer you’re looking for. Keep reading to discover more about IT solution optimization and the best practices you can employ today!

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What Does It Mean to Optimize Your IT Solutions?

If you’re interested in IT solution optimization here on Long Island, NY, you probably want an effective IT team at an affordable cost. At its core, optimization means having your business needs met, while getting the best possible value for the funds you spend on your IT solutions. Is that really possible? With a managed service provider like LI Tech Solutions, the answer is yes!

The Changing Face of Optimized IT Solutions 

The best practices for Long Island IT solutions are rapidly changing. IT is a constantly evolving field, and yesterday’s priorities aren’t always relevant today. Within the past few years, many employers have experienced a shift in the needs and expectations their IT partners must meet. Let’s take a look at a few of these growing concerns.

How to optimize your IT solutions: Understand today’s employees 

Over the past few years, employers on Long Island (and across the country) have been prioritizing their employees satisfaction with every aspect of their work lives. Trends like “quiet quitting” and “career cushioning” reflect the new face of employee-employer relationships. It’s important to understand that today’s employees value workplace satisfaction more than ever before. If your employees don’t feel supported and respected, they will be less productive or go elsewhere. 

Optimizing your IT solutions to improve internal customer service

What do the shifts in employees’ relationship to work have to do with your Long Island IT solutions? Quite a lot, it turns out! Gone are the days when rude, uncommunicative IT professionals were acceptable. Your IT professionals will likely be interacting with your employees on a regular basis. If they’re unprofessional or unhelpful your employees will take notice.

Even if your IT support team is friendly, they can create problems if they’re hard to reach or slow to act. Your employees expect a seamless, timely response when they need IT support. Choosing the right Long Island, NY IT partners is vital for if you want to implement optimal IT solutions. A managed service provider like LI Tech Solutions can guarantee the professional, responsive support you need.

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Optimizing your IT solutions to create meaningful work opportunities

Too many Long Island businesses make the mistake of hiring full-time IT support when they cannot provide them with an optimal work experience. If working for your company’s IT team is not a strong career move, you’re unlikely to attract quality candidates. If you have full-time IT employees, do they spend most of their time simply waiting for problems to occur? Do they have opportunities for advancement within your organization? If you need to revisit your IT solution, LI Tech Solutions could be the answer. Our IT partners are available to help your organization succeed, without joining your staff full-time. 

Optimizing Your IT Practices to Prioritize Cybersecurity and Data Protection in Long Island NYC

The importance of enterprise data protection is growing exponentially. A key aspect of IT solution optimization on Long Island, NY is preventing cyberattacks before they occur. Business is the US sector most often targeted by data breaches. When your cybersecurity is breached, the costs can severely disrupt your business operations.

Did you know that around 68% of all US companies have paid ransoms as a result of ransomware attacks? Clearly, it’s more cost-effective to get the IT support necessary to prevent data loss before it occurs. LI Tech Solutions provides highly efficient, affordable solutions to protect your data from accidental loss and cybersecurity threats.

Optimizing Your IT Solutions: Consider Moving to the Cloud

Remote and mobile work became the norm for many NY businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, your employees still expect the flexibility and agility that the cloud provides. If your enterprise needs accessibility, efficiency, and the ability to innovate faster, cloud computing can deliver. With LI Tech Solutions’ innovative cloud services, your business can experience the win-win of cloud computing. Our service offerings include:

  • Private clouds
  • Public clouds
  • Hybrid
  • Multi-clouds

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Optimize Your IT Solutions by Choosing the Best Software for Your Business Needs

Software has always evolved rapidly. Today, innovation in business software is happening faster than ever before. Many Long Island companies find themselves using outdated software, because selecting new software can be overwhelming. The transition to a new software app can also create temporary challenges. However, these will be outweighed in the long run by the benefits of choosing the right software for your business needs. Optimizing your IT solutions and practices on Long Island often starts with your willingness to be flexible in a rapidly evolving environment. 

Best practice: Select your software with professional help

What to optimize your IT solutions? Make sure to consult with trusted Long Island IT professionals about the best software to meet your needs. Rest assured–LI Tech Solutions’ Hosted Services can handle the complexity of the software you need.

Read more in our blog: Digital Transformation in Healthcare MSPs’ Role in Long Island

Why a MSP Gives You the Best of Both Worlds

Often, working with a Long Island managed service provider is your best option if you want to optimize your IT solutions. This option allows you to partner with qualified professionals, without the costs of adding full-time staff to your payroll.

Choosing the Right MSP and Avoiding Pitfalls

However, choosing the right Long Island, NY MSP is vital for optimizing your IT practices. Partnering with IT professionals who are unequipped to help your business succeed–or don’t care about your success–can have devastating consequences. When choosing an MSP, keep an eye out for red flags such as:

  • Limited references
  • A very narrow range of service options
  • A lack of interest in your business’s needs
  • A reactive approach that focuses on “putting out fires” instead of preventing them

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LI Tech Solutions: The Best Long Island, NY MSP for IT Solution Optimization

What is the best practice for optimizing your Long Island, NY IT solutions? The first step is partnering with LI Tech Solutions. We’ll handle your full array of IT needs, from hardware to software to networking. As industry leaders, we can provide peace of mind to small and medium sized businesses who want to leave their IT support needs in capable hands. We serve a broad spectrum of industries, including:

When you partner with LI Tech Solutions, you’re on the road to the best IT solution optimization in Long Island, NY. Let us handle your tech needs, so you can focus on running your business. Call (516)210-6400 today, and get started with a free consultation and technology assessment.

Can Your Business Go Green by Switching to the Cloud? Cloud Services NYC

Cloud computing has quickly become a popular option for businesses that want to streamline their operations, reduce costs, and become more flexible. But are you swayed by the idea that cloud services are automatically better for the environment? Could the need to do your bit ‘cloud’ your decision-making? Sorry. Bad pun. It’s true that cloud services have environmental benefits compared …
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Ramping Up the Fight Against Ransomware

If you own a small or medium-sized business in Long Island, NYC, you may already know that ransomware could present a significant threat to your business. What is ransomware, exactly? Ransomware is software designed to render your files impossible to use. If you’re infected by ransomware, you won’t be able to use the information on your device or network until you pay what the attackers demand.  This article details actions to help your business stay protected from ransomware. 

Ransomware is constantly on the rise. It affects large corporations as well as smaller businesses in the Long Island, NYC area and across the globe. Ransoms are getting higher, too–the average payment rose 82% in 2021 from the previous year.

Working with an experienced IT team like LI Tech Solutions can help you protect your assets from ransomware attacks. However, there’s also a lot you can do to minimize risks. Let’s take a look at how you can effectively partner with your IT team and keep your business safe.  

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How can I prevent ransomware attacks? LI Tech Explains the basics

You can do a lot to keep ransomware attackers from impacting your business in the first place. Here are a few common-sense precautions you should never overlook in the fight to keep your business protected from ransomware. 

Keep your software updated

Don’t ignore that software update prompt! Patches and updates can be annoying, but they are necessary to protect your devices and networks. It’s much harder for attackers to target a device that’s up to date. Automated patch management can make this much easier since you won’t have to remember to check for updates.

Keep your data in a secure location

Storing important data on just one device is asking for trouble. You should keep information on a separate device as a back-up. If ransomware attackers successfully target your primary data source, your information won’t be lost forever–and you won’t be stuck playing their games.

Educate everyone in your organization about social engineering strategies

What is social engineering? Simply put, it refers to techniques that trick users into giving attackers access to your information or systems. Social engineering can take many different forms. Here are a few of the most common.

  • Phishing is a deceptive message, such as an email, that tricks users into clicking on a malicious link
  • Baiting is any technique designed to use curiosity or greed to get users to grant restricted access to systems or information
  • Pretexting occurs when a person with malicious intent pretends to be someone else, like an IT professional or auditor

Remember to avoid opening messages or clicking on links that seem suspicious. Frequent training will help everyone on your team know how to watch out for new strategies. Also, be sure to require proper email inbox filters to keep emails from attackers at bay.

Be proactive about following password guidelines

Using the same password everywhere you go is a good way to fall prey to ransomware attacks. Everyone in your organization should change their password frequently and follow proper complexity guidelines.  

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Where can I learn more about taking basic precautions?

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is an American government agency devoted to cyber defense. Their website offers guidelines, resources and tools to help you stay protected.

What are some more advanced steps I can take to protect my business from ransomware?

You know how to spot scam emails a mile away, and you’re aware that “12345” is not an acceptable password. However, there are also some less familiar steps that you should strongly consider to protect yourself from ransomware.

Monitor networks and endpoints to spot threats

What is an “endpoint”? In this context, it’s a device like a laptop or phone that might fall prey to attackers. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is a process that can help you spot attacks on these devices quickly. You should also monitor your network routinely to avoid any blind spots. It’s important to perform routine scans to check for vulnerabilities in your systems that you may have overlooked.

Limit access to systems and data as much as possible

If everyone in your organization can access all of your information, you may need to improve your identity and access management techniques. Making sure your users have only the access they truly need is a great way to minimize threats.

Break your network into smaller parts

The more spread out your network is, the harder it is for attackers to deal a crushing blow. Segment your network into small pieces so that malicious attacks can only do so much damage.  

4 Dangerous Ransomware Myths Proven False

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How can my organization stay protected from ransomware while using devices that connect to the internet?

Everyone knows that the internet can be a dangerous place. When someone from your organization connects to the internet, they should take several precautions to prevent attacks.

  • Install antivirus software and update it as needed
  • Only use secure browsers to access the internet
  • Always browse the internet with a firewall enabled
  • Never use a public network to connect to the internet
  • Never download a file if you can’t verify the source’s credibility

LI Tech Solutions: The Best NY MSP Partner Keeps You Protected From Ransomware

When you partner with LI Tech Solutions as your managed service provider, you’re working with industry leaders in data protection. We can help you effectively respond to attacks, but we can also ensure you take the proper protective measures to avoid ransomware attacks in the first place. Call us at 516.210.6400 today, and start working with the top IT service providers in Long Island, NYC. 

The Latest Technologies in IT Solutions for Businesses on Long Island, NY

Do you own a business on Long Island or in NYC? If so, it’s important to stay on top of the best technology solutions for businesses in NY. As technology rapidly evolves, your IT solutions will need to adapt and grow accordingly. Choosing a comprehensive, proactive MSP like LI Tech Solutions is essential. If your IT partners are unable to adapt quickly enough to changing trends, your business could fall behind competitors.

What emerging technologies for IT solutions in businesses in NYC should you keep an eye on? In this article, we’ll take a look at the latest technology solutions for businesses in NY.

Emerging Technological IT Solutions for Businesses in Long Island, NYC

Your business may or may not be working with these emerging technologies yet. However, the future of tech is rapidly evolving, and new tech is changing the way we live and work at lightning speed. Evaluating the role these technologies might play in your business is a great way to stay ahead of the curve. That’s why it’s important to partner with an MSP that stays on top of current trends, like LI Tech Solutions. Let’s take a look at what tomorrow might hold for businesses on the cutting edge of technological advances.  

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Artificial Intelligence and IT Solutions for Businesses in Long Island, NYC

What can AI do for your business? It likely has the potential to streamline your processes and reduce mindless, repetitive tasks for your employees. Some industry watchers tend to worry that AI will replace humans in the workforce. However, AI’s role in the workforce doesn’t have to be destructive–it can be freeing instead. When meaningless tasks are outsourced to computers, humans are free to innovate, be creative, collaborate, and build meaningful relationships.

Advanced Blockchain Solutions for Businesses in Long Island & New York City

What is a “blockchain,” anyway? In the simplest terms, a blockchain is a database, but it’s different from traditional databases in some important ways. Information is shared among the nodes of a computer network, and data is structured in blocks rather than in tables. Since information isn’t centralized, blockchains offer increased security and efficiency, among other benefits.

People tend to associate blockchain technology with cryptocurrency. However, it has far-reaching potential to revolutionize fields such as healthcare, finance, supply chains and voting procedures. In fact, blockchain is already being used by 81 of the top 100 public companies. Blockchain is only positioned to grow as one of the leading technology solutions for businesses in NY.

Futuristic Technology: VR, AR, and XR

Virtual reality, augmented reality and extended reality will only become more essential to running a successful business in years to come. As the lines between the physical world and digital worlds become more blurred, it’s important for your company to assess the roles virtual reality might play in your future success.

What if you could let potential customers preview your products by offering immersive experiences? What if you could replace a traditional assembly or instruction manual with a virtual experience? Tomorrow’s customers will expect your business to stay on the cutting edge of virtual reality technologies. Delayed adoption of advanced technology solutions for businesses in NYC is usually a mistake.  

Read more in our blog: Digital Transformation in Healthcare: MSPs’ Role in Long Island

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Don’t Let the NYC Competition Leave You in the Dust

Your company might still be working on its long-term artificial intelligence or virtual reality strategies. However, some relatively recent technologies are essential today for most businesses–not only for large corporations, but also for small and medium-sized businesses. What are some recent trends that your business should respond to? Let’s take a look at some of today’s emerging essentials in the world of business technologies.

A Growing Need for Sustainability

Today’s consumers, top talent, and investors are looking for greener and more energy-efficient processes. The world expects your business to use tech for the benefit of our planet. According to Forbes, technology is an indispensable tool for achieving global sustainability. More and more companies are taking responsibility for their environmental impacts and looking for ways to reduce waste. As a best practice, your small or medium-sized business should be proactive about participating in this trend.

How can technology help your business become more green? There is a whole world of possibilities. From carbon-negative data centers that produce energy instead of consuming it, to smart waste bins that create a more environmentally-friendly workplace, the options are endless.

The Importance of Cybersecurity for Your Business in Our Globalized World

Cybersecurity has always been at the top of the list of vital technology solutions for businesses in Long Island, NYC. However, today, it’s more essential than ever before. Major companies, including Facebook, have recently experienced notoriously disruptive cyberattacks. Other recent data breaches have affected industry leaders like Chick-fil-A, Uber, and even MailChimp. Particularly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, cyberattacks have been increasing in volume and complexity.

How can you stay ahead of the ever-growing need for better cybersecurity? LI Technology Solutions has the answers you’re looking for. We stay on the cutting edge of data protection and backup solutions. When it comes to technology solutions for businesses in Long Island, NYC we lead the way in the industry.  

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The Growth of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is among the most important advanced technology solutions for businesses in Long Island, NYC. It offers many benefits to small and medium-sized business owners. A few of these include:

  • Better insight
  • Improved collaboration
  • More customer engagement
  • Enhanced speed

If your business isn’t taking advantage of what cloud computing can offer, you risk being left behind. LI Technology Solutions offers end-to-end cloud computing solutions, so your team can focus on what you do best: running your business.

The Benefits of Tech of Outsourcing for Businesses in Long Island, NYC

Why is tech outsourcing among the top emerging technologies for IT solutions in businesses in NYC? Partnering with an MSP like LI Technology Solutions offers the maximum value for your dollars. Let’s consider a few of the benefits that tech outsourcing can offer.

Access to Top Talent

Your business may not be ready to hire a full-time IT professional who specializes in a specific cutting-edge trend. However, when you partner with an MSP, you get access to industry specialists who can put their expertise to work for you on an as-needed basis.

Increased Agility in the Face of Emerging Trends or Crises

Technology changes fast, and a data breach or hardware failure can strike when you least expect it. Partnering with an MSP gives you the option of a sudden increase in labor, so you can effectively respond. Otherwise, you may not have time to quickly hire additional staff when an urgent need arises.  

Read more in our blog: The Future of IT Solutions: What to Expect in 2024 and Beyond

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Reduced Costs

By partnering with an MSP, you can avoid the expense of hiring full-time staff, without sacrificing quality. LI Technology Solutions offers predictable, flat-rate pricing so you can effectively manage your IT expenses.

LI Technology Solutions: The Top Technology Solutions for Businesses in Long Island, NYC

Why should you partner with LI Technology Solutions as your MSP? You’ll gain an IT partner to handle all of your business’s needs, without bringing additional full-time staff on board. LI Technology Solutions is an industry leader among technology solutions for businesses in Long Island, NYC. We stay on top of current trends and technological advances, so you don’t have to worry about getting left behind. Call 516.210.6400 today for a free consultation and technology assessment!

7 VoIP Setup Tips for a More Productive Office

The global pandemic put a big emphasis on the need to run a business from anywhere. Enabling employees to work remotely requires cloud solutions. This includes collaborative platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone systems have also become critical.

VoIP allows companies to stay in contact with customers and potential customers. Employees can work from anywhere and still answer the business phone line. Callers get a similar experience no matter where employees may be working, office, or home.

When you have people working from home, those old landline systems are inefficient. This has led to a large movement by businesses to VoIP. Both for necessity and cost-savings.

According to Microsoft, 82% of organizations have reported saving money after implementing VoIP.

While VoIP is the way to go for the future, this doesn’t mean it’s foolproof. Companies that don’t set up their system efficiently, can experience issues. This includes things like dropped calls, low bandwidth, and features left unused.

If you’ve been struggling to make your cloud phone system more efficient, check out these tips below. They provide setup best practices for VoIP. Use these to positively impact your bottom line.  

Microsoft Business Applications vs. Google Workspace: How LI Tech Can Help

1. Check Network Capabilities

You can’t just assume that you can enable a VoIP system, and all will be well. Your network may not be able to handle the extra bandwidth needs without adjustments.

Things you want to look at include jitter and packet loss. Additionally, review router settings to make sure it can handle peak traffic times. Experiencing dropped calls or choppy audio shows a need to address issues. These may include adjusting network hardware and/or increasing your ISP bandwidth.

2. Prioritize Your VoIP Software Using QoS Rules

Quality of Service (QoS) is a router settings area that allows you to say which traffic is most important. If QoS is not in place, it means resource issues. A large cloud backup could kick in and interrupt your calls because it’s taking up bandwidth.

QoS sets up “traffic lanes” that give priority to certain functions. You’ll want to have your VoIP software prioritized to get the bandwidth it needs. This avoids issues with less critical processes hogging up internet resources.

Using QoS keeps your calls smooth. It also improves the reliability of your cloud phone system. It’s also a good idea to use these rules for other important cloud activities.

3. Provide Quality Headsets for Your Team

A cheap headset can ruin the call experience for a potential customer. If someone calls in and can’t hear anything or gets choppy reception, they’ll quickly get frustrated. They will most likely figure that your company doesn’t have its act together.

Your employees may not be able to afford high-quality headsets. They also may not know what type to buy. Head off potential problems by issuing quality headsets for your team to use.

4. Set Up Departments & Ring Groups

One of the great features of VoIP phone systems is the ability to set up ring groups. You first set up your department groups (accounting, marketing, etc.). Then set the included employee extensions.

Creating a ring group allows you to have a call go to your customer support department as a whole. This is better than one person, who may be busy. That way, the whole group gets the ring, and the first available person can pick up.

Ring groups improve the caller experience by reducing the wait time. It can also mitigate the need for the caller to leave a voicemail and get stuck waiting on a callback.

5. Create Your Company Directory

Auto assistants are extremely helpful and nearly all VoIP systems have them. First, you set up your company directory and then record messages to prompt the caller.

For example, you can set up a message that prompts them to input the last name of the person they are trying to reach. If they aren’t calling a specific person, they can be routed to a department.

While setting up a company directory takes a little effort upfront, it will save much more. You no longer will need to have someone specifically routing every call. Callers can also get to the person or department they need faster. This improves the customer experience and boosts office productivity.

6. Have Employees Set Up Their Voicemail & VM to Email

When you get out of a long meeting, going through a bunch of voicemails can take time. Instead of having to listen to each one to see which calls are a priority, you could simply read through them.

The voicemail to email feature in VoIP phone systems will automatically transcribe voicemails. They are then emailed to the recipient. This improves efficiency. It also eliminates wasted time having to listen to entire messages to know who called.

Have employees set up this feature with their extension and email address. Some VoIP systems also offer an option to have transcribed voicemails sent via SMS.

7. Train Your Team on the Call Handling Process

Don’t leave your employees to jump in and learn a VoIP system themselves. It’s important to train them on the features and the company calling process. This ensures that your team can enjoy all those time-saving features.

Get Help Enhancing Your Business Phone System

Need help improving your business phone system? Looking for a better customer experience? Give us a call and schedule a consultation. LI Tech Solutions, a Long Island  managed services provider, can help!

 


Featured Image Credit

This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.