How It Has Worked in the Past While Office files could always be uploaded to Google Drive for viewing, in order to actually edit a document, spreadsheet, or presentation, the files had to be converted to a Google-friendly format. Google allowed users to comment and edit the files after the conversion. Thankfully, this process was relatively seamless, but it?s not quite the same as simply being able to edit the document without all of the file conversion and whatnot. There was also the option to use a limited toolset through Office Compatibility Mode. Businesses in particular might find this lack of convenience and efficiency an issue, and extra steps could create more opportunities for wasted time and error. For the sake of collaboration and compatibility, Google has been developing native support for some of the Microsoft-exclusive file formats. According to Google, its programs will be compatible with the following file formats: Word filetypes: .doc, .docx, .dot PowerPoint filetypes: .ppt, .pptx, .pps, .pot Excel filetypes: .xls, .xlsx, .xlsm, .xlt Other Collaborative Google Updates In addition to the file types covered above, Google also plans to introduce features that allow implementation with Dropbox Business. What Does This Mean for Your Business? The biggest way this could affect your business is by enhancing collaboration. While it?s important to have your internal solutions standardized, it?s critical to keep in mind that this compatibility is a big step forward for the industry. Hopefully Microsoft can learn from this move and implement some built-in functionality themselves. What are your thoughts on this development? Let us know in the comments.

The first thing that any business owner or small business decision maker has to understand is that people today are more connected than ever. This hyperconnectivity creates greater expectations. This fact has to be confronted by the SMB in one way or another. Typically, the small business wouldn?t choose to invest in big-ticket solutions that are designed to streamline operations and improve the customer?s interactions with the company, but with consumer demand what it is, biting the bullet and making large software investments can bring additional opportunities that wouldn?t be presented otherwise. Some solutions your SMB needs to have include: Customer Relationship Management Incorporating a CRM is basically a must for every business nowadays. There are literally hundreds of options to choose from, but some are clearly designed for the enterprise user and can be a bit much for a small business. More often than not there are industry-specific solutions that can be leveraged that provide integrated customer relationship management capabilities. These solutions provide all the benefits of a standalone CRM, but with options designed specifically for the vertical market in which they are used. A CRM is basically mandatory for a small business as it provides significant automation of tasks that, at one time, were the responsibility of multiple employees. The small business has to function with reduced payroll compared to its larger competitors. As a result, any solution designed to automate whole portions of business-critical tasks has more value to a small business than one that relies on manpower to perform. A CRM does this by integrating customer relationships with scheduling, payroll, and more.   Supply Chain Management For the modern small manufacturer, it is more crucial than ever to meet customer demands. In order to accomplish this, the supply chain, that is the procurement, manufacturing, fulfillment, and distribution of the product has to work in concert. To facilitate this coordination, technology is being used to manage the processes in one, easy-to-use, platform. Some Supply Chain Management options, like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), also provides the features found in a CRM, consolidating the amount of software users need to learn to keep business moving forward. Marketing Automation Today small businesses have to have something of a web presence. Some use social media, some have their own website created. No matter what you currently do, to improve your business? revenue creation, strengthening your online footprint is an affordable and effective way of using technology to its advantage. Using advanced technology to manage and nurture leads with automated systems can cut organizational costs and help business move faster. It works like this: you capture leads with a website and instead of having to wade through the information yourself, the marketing automation integrates all the captured information with your CRM. This can help a business improve its ability to close sales; or, at the very least have the conversations that result in more sales. Every business should be thinking about how to limit their costs and get more done with technology. For more information about how to choose a CRM for your business, call the IT professionals at White Mountain IT Services today at (603) 889-0800.

Think Before You Act The biggest mistake that any business can make with technology is making a decision about a solution without thinking it all the way through. All you need to do is look at it from an outside perspective. After all, a lack of planning could result in taking on considerable costs, yielding little, if any, positive return on your investment. When you are planning to improve your infrastructure, having some sort of plan is crucial, as it can help you avoid these unforeseen costs. This strategy will take some time to implement, but it is well worth the effort. Doing this will also keep you from implementing unnecessary technology. Remember, the most important part of implementing new technology is that it functions in a capacity of generating positive revenue growth. Will your Company Culture Create Issues? Your company?s culture will have a considerable impact on the way that technology is implemented. For example, you might be eager to add some new technology, but your staff may hedge. Maybe your staff might be comfortable using older solutions that they have had time to adapt to; or, maybe they just don?t see the potential gain the same way you do. Keep in mind that they will be the ones utilizing any new technology you choose to implement; and, having open lines of communication with them to ensure they understand that the technology you?ve chosen is only to help improve operational efficiency can go a long way toward winning their approval. Are Your Business Goals Aligned with Those of IT? The operational side and the information technology side of your business often seem like two separate entities, creating a situation where they have different goals. The issue with this is that it?s wrong. Any technology needs to be aligned with your business? goals, so changing things up can justifiably feel intimidating. Often this is so pronounced that it feels too risky to invest in anything new. It?s important to keep in mind that involving your employees in the technology implementation process can make any new investments that much more effective. Are You Prepared to Manage Your Data? Data is perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind when implementing any new technology solution. Consider your infrastructure, as well as what it would need to accommodate, and scale as needed to any new IT solution you want to implement. The other aspect that you need to keep in mind is the security of this data. If you can centralize your data, it?s easier to manage and protect, allowing for easier scalability. Penetration testing can also go a long way toward identifying issues with your data security, resolving potential issues before they even become a problem. White Mountain IT Services can help your business with the implementation process for any new technology solution out there. To learn more about how we can help your business overcome these challenges, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

Profitable Types of Data It doesn?t matter if your business is a small mom-and-pop store or a huge enterprise; there will always be types of data that hold value to hackers. Answer this question: why are you in business? The answer is always the same. You started your business because you wanted to turn a profit while utilizing your skills, and any organization that collects money from people is bound to collect a ton of other important data, too. Your organization accrues all kinds of financial details, as well as contact information for leads, clients, and customers. All of this is important to hackers, and they will go out of their way to take advantage of information like this to steal funds, distribute malware, and make your life miserable. The Unpredictability Factor Of course, not all hackers are out there with a specific goal barring the collection of information. Some are just out there to stir up a little bit of chaos by hacking systems, distributing malware, and causing havoc for businesses just like yours. This unpredictability means that you can?t take any risks with your organization?s sensitive information and security systems, as any overlooked vulnerabilities could bring down operations or lead to data loss. The Impact of Security Negligence If your organization falls prey to a security threat, you can bet that it is going to impact operations, as well as lead to potential fines from regulatory bodies if compliance hasn?t been met. Furthermore, you could lose access to critical data that is necessary for the continued survival of your organization. The importance of protecting your business? data cannot be overstated, as your success literally depends on it. White Mountain IT Services can equip your business with the best security tools out there, including a remote monitoring and management service that works to keep hardware running efficiently while keeping threats out of your network. To learn more about what we can do for your network security, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

What Is Mobile Malware? Mobile malware works a lot like you?d expect it to. You downloaded a piece of code that is designed to be malignant in some way. Typically, people utilize their requisite app store to download applications, but occasionally users will download files from other sites, and they can carry mobile malware with them. The forms of mobile malware include: Drive-by downloads – Sometimes when you open an infected email or visit an infected website, you can be saddled with a drive-by download threat. These can deliver anything from spyware, adware, malware, or even a bot that can use your mobile device to perform their vicious bidding. Mobile phishing – Everyone is constantly exposed to phishing, but not always on mobile. Since more computing is done on mobile devices today than ever before, hackers? tactics have changed. To deliver mobile malware, scammers will use applications, which are disposable on mobile, to trick users into providing their account numbers, personal information, and passwords. Viruses and Trojan Horses – Sometimes you can download a rather innocuous file only to find out that you have downloaded a virus that will mine your device for passwords and financial information. Madware – Often seemingly useful programs may come with some type of spyware or adware on it. Madware, short for mobile adware, works like PC adware, collecting user information including location, passwords, contacts, and device usage. Mobile Browser Exploits – A device?s mobile browser isn?t a failsafe. Any behavior that could put you in harm?s way on a PC, can do the same on mobile. How to Avoid Mobile Malware Any nefariously designed software can present major problems for users and businesses, alike. The best bet to keep from being infected with mobile malware is to follow these suggestions: Install mobile security software – Just as your antivirus helps you avoid malware; mobile security software will accomplish this. Download apps from official stores – Most people don?t download apps from third-party sites, but if they do, they could find themselves inundated with malware. Don?t risk it. Keep all applications updated – The newest versions of mobile apps are typically protected with the newest threat definitions. Making sure your software is patched and up-to-date is important. Use a mobile firewall – Yes, there are mobile firewalls that you can download on your phones. By being cognizant of the proactive steps you need to take to avoid mobile malware, you will be less likely to deal with it. What To Do When Your Phone is Infected? There are a lot of solutions to help you get malware off your mobile device. We?ve found that some are better than others. Your best bet is to contact an IT professional, like the technicians at White Mountain IT Services to get the malware off of your phone. Call us today for any of your technology needs at (603) 889-0800.