Costs of a Data Breach Before we go into depth about the manufacturers, we need to get across just how devastating a data breach can be for your business. Here are some interesting statistics from a study of 2018?s data breaches conducted by IBM: The average cost of a data breach: $3.86 million  The average cost per lost or stolen record as a result of a data breach: $148 The average cost of lost business after a data breach: $4.2 million The average cost of notifying individuals that their data has been compromised: $740,000 With this information, you know that protecting your business? data and infrastructure is imperative to the long-term success of your business.  Manufacturing Cybersecurity Manufacturing is the second most attacked industry. For the manufacturer it can get a little tricky since it seemingly depends on several different entities and departments to make the finished products. Here are four ways that modern manufacturers can go about guarding against today?s cybersecurity threats.  Protect Your Company?s Intellectual Property Intellectual property is one of the most stolen entities in modern computing. As a result, companies looking to protect their property against outside threats need to do what many organizations would do while protecting personally identifiable information. The first would be to limit access. A comprehensive access control system will go a long way toward keeping knowledge on a need-to-know basis. Prioritize Training Every employee that has some type of access to your business? information systems have to be trained with the requisite knowledge necessary to properly protect the company?s network and data. Some topics that should be touched on include how to identify phishing, the dangers of unauthorized access, and the dangers the organization faces if this strategy isn?t successfully maintained.  Monitoring and Maintenance In order to keep your data secure, having your systems and data monitored and managed is important. Keeping systems up to date with security patches and new features can help by closing vulnerabilities. This helps keep intrusion to a minimum. Partner Accountability Network security is always a joint venture. It requires coordination and collaboration. Your vendors, suppliers, and other entities that you interact with normally may work with you, but they don?t work for you. You have to understand which partners could possibly be a liability to your cybersecurity efforts and demand that they show the accountability needed to help keep your business from being inundated with threats.  If your manufacturing enterprise is having difficulty with keeping its information systems secure, call the professionals at White Mountain IT Services today at (603) 889-0800.

Line of business software is made up of applications designed specifically for your needs, or close enough to your needs that you can adjust the way you use the software to fit your business. Either way, line of business software is some of the most crucial applications the modern business uses.  Examples of Line of Business Software Line of business software is any software that is necessary for the specific needs of your business. A software that was built for businesses like yours in mind. As where your business may not be able to properly function without its word processor, or its email client, or its accounting software, these applications are used by many businesses in many industries and wouldn?t be considered Line of Business solutions. Let?s take a look at some line of business software you might find in different industries. Finance Finance is where you probably would find the most line of business software. Most elements in finance are regulated, which means that companies would be more apt to have specific software created for them, or they would have open-sourced software altered with security as to meet the criteria of any compliance standards their company is beholden to. Some line of business software you might find in finance include: Consumer banking applications Wealth management applications Retail brokerage applications Insurance portal applications Retail The retail space is a major growth space for software integration. Not only do businesses develop their own management software that integrates inventory management, staff scheduling, and point of sale systems, they also need to integrate those systems with their online ecommerce software. These custom software titles can carry huge upfront and recurring development costs. Service Companies that provide a service needs to have the basic elements that will allow them to sell, carry out the service, and support the service delivery. Many service businesses tend to need a ticketing system, a scheduling system, with integrated payroll systems as the work is usually carried out by trained professionals. The professional services automation (PSA) software works well for the service industry as it gives a business? staff all the resources it needs to deliver service and support customers. Medical The medical field, much like finance, is governed by very specific regulations. As a result, specialized line of business software is needed to protect sensitive health data, while still providing patients access to their data so that they can make the right decisions about their health. Encrypted electronic medical records that are designed to specifically integrate all factions of care delivery are a great benefit for physicians, insurers, and patients, alike.  Manufacturing Most manufacturers need the ability to manage their supply chain and distribution processes from one central hub. The enterprise resource planning (ERP) software incorporates business management, client relationships, supply chain management, and internal operations in one end-to-end management software allowing manufacturers of all sizes to control their businesses.  Line of business software is extremely important, especially as software begins to integrate with new and more dynamic systems to speed business up and promote efficiency. Find out more about what type of line of business software your business might need by calling the experts at White Mountain IT Services today at (603) 889-0800.

Myth #1 – RAM determines how fast your computer runs. Most mislead tech gurus believe that a computer with more RAM, or random-access memory, means a faster performing PC in general. RAM is essentially a temporary storage space where active programs are called from. This super-fast storage space does nothing more than allow you to run more programs at the same time. While it is necessary, and more RAM does improve your computer, it isn?t the fix-all component. It doesn?t give it hyper-loading abilities, but you could see small improvements depending on the workload you give the computer and the intensity of the software.  Myth #2 – ?Safely remove USB? prevents data loss. USB drives might seem the same as they were 10 years ago, plug it in, download information, click ?safely remove USB?, and pull the drive out. Simple, but do you know what clicking ?safely remove USB? does for your computer, and your USB drive? When this option is selected, your computer ensures it is not sending or receiving data from the disk. If you aren?t saving anything, or pulling data off of your drive, there is no harm in removing your USB drive. Myth #3 – It is unsafe to use your smartphone while charging. This myth is brought up frequently enough that we thought we should address it. Some scenarios, like the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 snafu where devices caught fire, have led people to believe that using a device while it?s charging could lead to burns, fires, or even explosions. Sure, your smartphone will take on extra heat if you?re using it while it is plugged in, but they are designed to be used while charging. Myth #4 – You should not use a different phone manufacturer?s charger. Let?s take a look at an actual phone manufacturing company?s Q&A regarding charging their cell phones.  ?Ensure a manufacturer-approved wall plug and USB charging cable are used to avoid extended charging times or other charging issues.” A common corporate-infused idea is that using a lesser-known charger brand will corrupt your device or destroy the battery. The truth is, your phone does not recognize who made your charger, and it does not care. All your phone looks for when plugged in is a charge to store. We?re not saying go out and buy the cheapest, lowest quality charger money can buy, but if you need to charge your phone with an Amazon Kindle charger, your phone will be fine.  Myth #5 – Using a private (or incognito) browser hides my identity. Sometimes, private browsing is used for absolutely no reason. It doesn?t make you a ghost, you?re not unhackable, and you?re not untraceable. The only thing a private browser does is ignore locally saved data, and clear any additional localized data added whilst the browser is open. Any external source still is able to track your activity. If you?d like a secure and private experience, you will need a Virtual Private Network.  Do you have any additional myths you?d like us to bust? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below and return to our blog for more technology information.

The first thing you have to understand is that most manufacturers don?t sell directly to the public. The ones that do typically do so through a retail arm of the same business; but, for the most part, the goods a manufacturer makes are sold to retail businesses at ?wholesale? prices. For those that don?t know wholesale is the act of buying in bulk so that you can slightly inflate the price your business charges for the goods.  The way IT fits in is substantial, especially since energy costs and payroll can threaten to squash the profit margins a manufacturer sees. In order to keep things running efficiently, the modern small manufacturer needs the following tools: Supply Chain Management – From procurement to managing outsourced contracts, a manufacturer needs a way to track its resources.  Production Control – The physical production of the goods you sell, covering the management of your staff, machinery, and IT your business uses in this process. Quality Control – Testing the products is a must. Customer Relationship Management – From marketing to product support, a manufacturer needs to be able to manage their potential and existing relationships. Being the core considerations of any manufacturing management team, these four elements are usually accomplished using computers. As a result, finding cost effective tools that will manage these processes (and any other they deem important) is essential. One tool that meets the needs for larger manufacturers is an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. For smaller manufacturers, this platform may be overkill as it provides enterprise-level support to a business.  The tools used by most manufacturers are baked into the ERP; and, because of this, they can be pricey to run and maintain. The key to finding out if the ERP is right for your business is to ascertain if, by rolling out one of these platforms, your business will see increased efficiency, productivity, and sales in order to take on this kind of major business overhaul. Let?s take a look at how an ERP can solve a lot of the operational problems manufacturers run into. Enterprise Resource Planning The first thing you need to know about an ERP solution is that it will take some time to implement properly. In fact, if you don?t have an idea about how your operations would be represented inside a computer system, having an expert to rely on becomes massively important. Our IT professionals can help you decide which system is right for your business, how to go about implementing the system, and how to get the most out of it through proper use and continued support.  The typical ERP has options to help manufacturers manage their business. Firstly, they have options to manage vendors and suppliers, ensuring the procurement process is squared away efficiently. It has operational tools to help manage human resources, payroll, accounts receivable, scheduling, and productivity management, ensuring that your business is functioning in a manner commensurate with demand and on-hand supply.  Additionally, the ERP has options to handle both quantity and quality control, providing managers the information needed to scale production, human resources, and distribution systems as needed. A company that doesn?t have strong quality control faces the risk of losing their market share to companies that don?t need to have as much customer support. No matter how […]

This process is a very easy one to do. Open Gmail and in the top-right, you should see a gear icon. Click that and then go to Settings. Once you?ve clicked into it, you should see a ?Signature? section. Simply add your signature there, or insert your company?s standardized signature. Scroll to the bottom of the page to Save Changes. What to Include in Your Signature As you create an email signature, you need to make sure that it presents you in a professional light. Fortunately, this isn?t too hard to accomplish if you include the right details. Name – I know, I know, but I wouldn?t say it if there weren?t examples of email signatures that neglected to mention the sender?s name. Job Title – This lets your recipient know what you do for your business, and expresses some professional pride in what you do. Company Name – Again, this seems like a no-brainer, but it can also be an opportunity to share your logo. Telephone Number – This makes you appear easier to get a hold of, which translates to ?more reliable? in your contact?s mind. Don?t forget to include your specific extension as well. Website – Linking your company website to an email signature adds another level of function to it, as you can use your signature to showcase any promotions you may be running at the time. For more assistance with your email solution, feel free to lean on White Mountain IT Services?s IT experts. Our team can be reached by calling (603) 889-0800.