3 Hot IT Trends in 2017 that Will Change the Way You Do Business

The New Year offers a blank slate for businesses to grow, reduce costs and boost productivity. By utilizing today’s technology, you can maintain a lean, agile, dynamic business that quickly adapts as your business needs change. Now more than ever, even small businesses can access the same enterprise-level technology that larger companies have been utilizing for years.

If you’re ready to get your business out of the “digital stone age”, take advantage of these top 3 2017 trends to get a jump on the future, minimize security risks and enjoy the most productive year yet!

1) Cyber Security

Technology has paved the way for the mobile workforce, which is predicted to grow more than ever in 2017. Employees want to work when they want, where they want, but this technology doesn’t come without drawbacks. The rise of smartphones and integrated technology makes a mobile workforce possible, but it also presents security risks.

People often think of cyber security as they do car, health and life insurance – they know it’s necessary, but with cyber security in particular, since it’s not mandatory, this aspect of IT often falls to the back burner – particularly for small businesses.

Don’t Make this Mistake

If there is one mistake you need to avoid this year, it assuming your business is “immune” to cyber threats because of your size. The truth is, small businesses are at even greater risk than large organizations, simply because they are not as prepared for an attack.

Many cyber security experts believe it is not a matter of IF your business will fall victim to cybercrime, but WHEN. In fact, Ontech Systems was recently interviewed by Fox 6 News about a cyber-attack on Milwaukee’s own Bradley Foundation. Cybercrime is a massive risk to all organizations and this time it hit home. Fortunately, technology exists to minimize these risks and give businesses greater control over who has access to sensitive company data.

In 2017, there’s no doubt about it – you’re going to hear a lot more about cyber security, so use this cyber security checklist to evaluate your risk level and secure your network before it’s too late.

2) Managed Services

• Mobile Device Management (MDM): We’ve touched on mobile device management (MDM) extensively on our blog as a managed service solution that secures a network and minimizes security risks in bring your own device (BYOD) friendly environments. But did you know MDM is actually one of several managed services that can offer your organization a worry-free approach to IT support?Additional managed service solutions include:
• Worry-Free IT: Through remote technology, experienced IT technicians can resolve your technical problems from another location. Your network can be monitored by an entire company of professionals who have experience in a wide variety of issues, all for a nominal monthly amount.
• 24/7 Server Monitoring: A server is the heart of your IT infrastructure and when this critical piece of equipment goes town, it translates into lost revenue and a massive loss of productivity for your business. Server care, a managed service solution, helps minimize this risk as it quietly monitors your server – 24/7 – in order to prevent downtime. In the event that a problem does arise, we’ll fix it remotely and respond as necessary.
• Secure Business-Grade File Sharing: We’ve covered the risk of consumer grade file sharing at length on our blog, but many Milwaukee area businesses still continue to allow consumer grade file sharing solutions in the workplace. Not only do these solutions pose significant compliance issues, but consumer file sharing services don’t provide business owners and managers with the much needed control to prevent sensitive company data from ending up in the wrong hands. Oncloud file sync and share, another popular managed service solution, solves this problem by:
  • Providing businesses with the control to limit which devices are permitted to sync
  • Auditing file syncs and changes
  • Remotely wiping data from lost or stolen devices
• Desktop PC Monitoring: One of the biggest vulnerabilities in a business network is outdated PC software. Through our Desktop Care managed service, you can rest easy knowing patches, spyware issues, and preventative computer maintenance are taken care of. There’s no need to let time-sucking computer problems hinder productivity this year when Desktop Care can quietly monitor and repair common computer problems, allowing your staff to focus on their job, not frustrating IT issues.

If you’re ready to start being proactive about IT this year and you’re serious about strengthening the security of your network, learn more about our managed services or contact our support team at (262) 522-8560.

3) Office 365

Once you start using Office 365, you’ll wonder why you went so long without it.

If you’re new to this popular Microsoft service, you might be wondering what all the buzz is about. Many Milwaukee area businesses are jumping on board this cloud-based subscription service from Microsoft not only because it’s invaluable from a mobile workplace standpoint, but because it includes the most recent versions of Office 2016 as well.

Through Office 365, you can send, receive and delete emails on your phone while you’re out of the office and once you begin working on your PC, you can pick up where you left off since Outlook syncs between multiple devices.

This means you can have the same email accounts on different computers, even if you’re running different versions of Windows. On any devices with Office 365, you’ll find that everything looks exactly as it did the last time you accessed your email. But it’s much more than email that is synchronized – Office 365 also syncs folders, contacts, tasks, read/unread status, categories, rules, groups and even your calendar, regardless of which device you made changes on.

Ready for Worry-Free IT in 2017?

If network and computer issues hurt productivity within your organization in 2016, there is no better time than now to take advantage of managed services. Productivity aside, managed services can strengthen the security of your network which, if you’ve ever experienced a data breach, is absolutely critical.

Best of all, you can mix and match managed services as your business needs grow so you have the latest technology working for you, regardless of your budget. If you’re ready to leave the break/fix approach to IT and replace it with a predictable IT budget for 2017, contact our support team online or call us at (262) 522-8560.