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Spring Clean Your Cyber House!

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Spring Cleaning: Part 1

Spring is the perfect time to clean out your business, get rid of clutter and start fresh. One important aspect of this is to make sure your technology passwords and accounts are secure. Business owners may overlook this step in their spring cleaning, but it’s essential to ensure the safety of their sensitive information.

Here are some key reasons why small business owners should prioritize spring cleaning their technology passwords and accounts:

  1. Security breaches are on the rise. As technology becomes more advanced, so do the methods used by hackers to breach security systems. Small businesses are at risk of cyber-attacks. Weak passwords and outdated security measures can make them vulnerable. Updating passwords and securing accounts can help protect against potential security breaches.
  2. Protect confidential information. Your business has a lot of confidential information, such as customer data and financial records. If this information falls into the wrong hands, it can be damaging to the business, and to its reputation. By ensuring that passwords and accounts are secure, small business owners can prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.
  3. Improve productivity. Outdated and forgotten passwords can cause significant delays and reduce productivity if access is difficult to obtain. Employees may spend hours trying to reset passwords or access accounts. By ensuring that passwords are up-to-date and easily accessible, small business owners can improve their team’s productivity.

If you’re a client of Applied Technology Group, let’s make a plan today to address your cyber spring cleaning. And if you’re interested in becoming a client, let’s talk today! Contact us at 833-832-4033

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Are You at Risk?

Breaches: Part 3

We’ve talked about some of the more common threats that all businesses need to be careful of, but how dangerous is the web and how much of a risk is the current landscape?

Today we’ll talk about a few of the most widespread threats that need your attention.

Marriott’s Data Breach

Don’t think hackers only target little old ladies on 15-year-old computers. It appears that Marriott Hotels, one of the largest chains in the world, is going to be fined the equivalent of $123 million for a breach that exposed the private information of over 332 million customers. Even though it can be argued that the hotel chain was the victim, they are the ones who are responsible for what happens on their servers.

What makes this even scarier is that while the company spends quite a bit on their security, they still didn’t detect the breach for nearly four years. This goes to show that the amount spent on a security system doesn’t mean anything unless it is well implemented and monitored.

LockerGoga

This year, one of the biggest trends in ransomware is the targeting of specific industries. Why is this so scary? Well, the most dangerous enemy is someone who knows how to hit you where it hurts most. In the case of LockerGoga, this particular software is designed to cripple manufacturing firms, specifically, by causing their automation systems to go offline. This disruption is key to the firm’s efficiency. As of this writing, LockerGoga has already affected industrial manufacturing facilities in two continents, nearly shutting down production completely. And it also seems that hackers are upping the ante, demanding ransoms in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Heartless Hackers

While not excusable, it’s still understandable why someone would want to hack business: money. But if you’re a medical or charitable organization, you should be fine, right? Not so fast! For reasons that are not always clear, this year has been especially difficult for data breaches in this sector. In Europe and Asia, tens of thousands of records have been compromised for organizations range from charities for abused children to HIV clinics. Here in the US, at least 145,000 individuals who were seeking treatment for addictions at various facilities had their information stolen from a single server in April. One would think that even hackers would have some sense of decency, but as the saying goes, “There’s no honor among thieves.”

Your Staff is your Biggest Risk

We all know that Hackers and other criminals are working hard, finding ways to break into your business. But their job gets more difficult if your employees are trained in the dangers of cybersecurity. Employees who open the wrong attachments on emails cause about 70% of all malware infections. Up to 50% of your sensitive data, along with your client’s data, can be breached through your employee’s smartphones, tablets, and laptops. And don’t get me started on poor password management.

Not Even Your Donuts Are Safe

Earlier this year, Dunkin Donuts experienced its second hack in six months. In this case, the information wasn’t that sensitive — mostly related to their DD Perks program — but it just goes to show that very little information can be considered untouchable. What is odd about this particular instance is that the information went right onto the Dark Web for the highest bidder to purchase. This may not seem like a problem until you read between the lines. This information contained usernames and passwords, which wouldn’t matter unless someone really wanted that free cup of coffee you earned. However, since many of us reuse the same username and passwords for various accounts, it could be just a matter of finding out what other services you use — or even which bank you do business with — before the thieves gain access to your most critical information.

Unfortunately, we don’t live in a safe world. It seems that at every corner someone is trying to breach computer systems to mine any tiny morsel of value. The most important lesson we can learn is to not let your guard down. As a business owner or someone who works within an organization, don’t feel that there’s something special about you or your system that would make you invulnerable or unattractive to a potential data pirate. As long as there is a single penny to be made, it seems that someone is willing and able to jump at it.

Invest in the best cybersecurity you can get. Don’t be the next company to have your data sold on the Dark Web.

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What you didn’t know

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Backup Disaster Recovery: Part 3

Should’ve seen it coming…

You’ve invested in a BDR and now sleep more soundly at night, but the hardware itself is really only part of the solution. You want to ensure your provider does preventative maintenance, periodic testing, multi-location storage, and staff training. Having these things in place will help avoid downtime if the worst happens.

Preventative Maintenance: In addition to the hardware itself, a solid backup solution also has its own backup including generators, backup batteries, cooling systems, fire detection, suppression systems, and redundant cloud storage. You can’t necessarily head to your provider’s office to see for yourself, but you can read the fine print on your contracts as well as have meaningful conversations with potential providers.

Periodic Testing: Consistently ensuring everything is running as it should will allow you some peace of mind as well as lay the groundwork for successful backup. This goes beyond simply testing backup software or cloud storage. A good backup provider will run regular testing and provide reports on the health of the backup, size, and any glitches that you might be facing. This testing should also include 24/7 monitoring and alerting of any potential issues including cyberthreats or outages.

Multi-Location Storage: Regardless of how safe a location may seem, data needs to be stored in more than one location. Think about it; if the backup server for your company is sitting in a location that sees seasonal hurricanes or is located on top of an active earthquake fault, your data is still in danger. It’s about backing up your backup.

Team Training: Don’t leave it all to your IT company. When it comes to backup, security, and other breaches, employees truly are the weakest links. Cybercriminals are going after these individuals rather than attacking at a network level because they are easier to infiltrate. Make sure you have regular cybersecurity training in place for all employees to limit these potential breaches. Creating a strong disaster recovery plan is not all about the recovery part, prevention is equally important too.

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Are you protecting the right data?

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Backup Disaster Recovery: Part 2

You’re ready to purchase a BDR. You’ve done all of the research, found a company you’re confident in and are excited to finally have peace of mind. Now, you start thinking about exactly what you need to back up. Is all of your data necessary or should you salvage a little server room? Most businesses want to back up everything – you never know when you’ll need it, but sometimes that is cost prohibitive.

Depending on what kind of BDR you’ve purchased, you will first need to delegate what data is stored, is not stored, and how often. There are three different kinds of backup in today’s tech world: straight to cloud services, software-based products, and a hybrid approach that combines on-site hardware and software with the cloud. The amount of data you can back up, how you can segment that data, how often it’s backed up, how it’s backed up (all the data every time creating enormous backups, versus incremental backups that key-in on changes) and how easy it is to access will be affected based on the solution you chose. It’s not always necessary to back up everything daily, but there are some things you will want to consider.

First is credit card transactions or receipts. Your accounting software should keep an eye on this and automatically back up this data. This also includes things like invoicing, receivables, payroll and just about anything that is financially related. All financials are incredibly important, even one lost invoice could really hurt your business.

Second, protect all intellectual property. Unless you’re rocking an amazing vault to store a famous recipe like Coca-Cola or KFC, make sure that you back up everything that brings you a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Anything with hackable data or items that could be compromised need to be backed up daily as well.

Next, you will want to back up any client files. Not only is it invaluable to keep this information safe, but it would certainly affect your client confidence if anything was lost or stolen. In addition to client files, make sure you’re backing up your client and prospect lists (anything that you’re storing in your CRM, really). You spend a great deal of time developing your list for marketing purposes. Losing this information is one of the major reasons companies go out of business within six months of experiencing data loss.

Finally, you must back up all project management software. Anything that your business uses to keep track of daily activities and work being done needs back up to make sure that you can maintain progress in the event of a data loss and you maintain a “paper trail” on project communication.

When it comes to BDR, you ideally want to back up every piece of data that you have. Sometimes, though, this is impossible based on the cost involved in maintaining that hefty data chain. At the bare minimum, keep these items in mind and you should never have to deal with a business killing disaster.

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What Could Happen Without a Plan

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Backup Disaster Recovery: Part 1

Backup Disaster Recovery is one of those things that all businesses need to have in case of disaster. Whether it’s a natural disaster such as a tornado, a hardware failure, or even an attack from a hacker. Anyone of these could permanently disable your business if you aren’t prepared or have a proper backup plan. For those of you still backing up data manually on tapes or *cringe* not at all, here are some reasons why you need a BDR solution and should stop tuning out potential disasters.

First of all, a data disaster is more common than you might think. Currently, 58% of SMBs are not prepared for data loss. Even worse, 60% of SMBs that lose their data will shut down within six months. Something that could have been prevented could potentially wreck your business, especially scary to think about when 29% of hard drive failures are caused by accident. It would be silly to have human error or a simple mishap put your company out of business.

You may have security protocols in place and your employees are well versed on avoiding things like malware. Well done. However, you’re still not protected. Human error is a large culprit in data loss. It could be unintentionally deleting items or accidentally overwriting data, but these “oops” can hit hard. Human error can result in other kinds of hardware damage like liquid damage from spills or even accidental reformatting. All of these things are possible and have happened to many SMBs before you. Sometimes recovery is possible from the software platform you were using, maybe your computer has your back and caught these things. It’s still a time consuming and money wasting error to fix, even if you are lucky to recover some of what you lost.

Viruses and malware can be a significant cause to software or hardware damage depending on what kind of bug found its way in. Usually, this can be avoided with proper employee training as well as an awesome firewall that will help filter malicious attacks. Yet another prey in the night is social engineering – the art of conning people. Hackers have been known to get into server rooms and other data-centric areas of the business. Employees may not even notice their mistake until it’s too late. I guess the “HVAC guy” turned out being a hacker in disguise.

Sometimes software corruption can come from unknown viruses lurking around your computer. However, most of the time it is due to improper usage. Things like not shutting down the computer properly or leaving unsaved documents open. Sometimes even a power outage can trigger corruption. Once the software processes are interrupted and damaged, it’s virtually impossible to recover data stored in the software.

Did you know that 140,000 hard drives crash every week? With that kind of number, it’s just a matter of time until it happens to you. That is not a comfortable position to be in if you know you don’t have backup. Unfortunately, hard drive corruption is usually due to mechanical issues. Things like age and dust build up can (and will) cause technology to fail. We’ve all used the old laptop we still have that’s been on its deathbed for months, freezing frequently, taking for-ever to load a webpage, and of course, acting as a heater for your lap or desk. All of these things are signs leading to a crash. You may not care if it’s an old hand-me-down laptop from the ’90s, but you will care when it’s your pricey equipment with all of your product data and client information stored on it.

Finally, good old-fashioned acts of God. You can’t necessarily prepare for a natural disaster. Even if you hear the tornado siren, backing up your servers to tape will take longer than it will for the tornado to hit your business. Then what? That tape is left amongst the rubble, destroyed. This may seem like an exaggeration, but it has really happened to businesses. And even if only hypothetical, it makes for a great metaphor for any other crash within your business. This is also proof that on-site BDRs may not always be the final protective cover to your business. You may want to consider off-site or cloud data storage to ensure protection, so your data is safe even if your equipment is destroyed.

Protect your business and keep it running smoothly and successfully. Backup Disaster Recovery options are available for all kinds of SMBs and their needs. Don’t wait to be taught a lesson by the “big one” (as most California residents say). Protect your important data and enjoy the peace of mind that comes along with it. You’ve worked too hard to get your business where it is. Protect your hard work.

Latest Technology

Compliance is a Team Project

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Compliance Series: Part 3

With all the rules and regulations surrounding the compliance alphabet soup in play today, it will take more than one person to bring your company in line. We’ve laid out the multiple roles needed to up your compliance game, especially when it comes to HIPAA, PCI, and GDPR.

IT Team

Your first line of defense against compliance failures is the technology in use and the team you have to maintain it. Consult with your IT team to discuss:

  • Email Encryption: How are emails and files that go in and out of your office protected to avoid nefarious hands and revealing identifying information?
  • Data Encryption: How do you collect and retain credit card information? Are there any gaps where that information could be stored or released in an identifiable way?
  • Firewall: Are you protecting your company data and communications using a screen door that is easily opened by hackers, or are you using a multi-level security system preventing intrusions?
  • Backups: How often, when and where is your precious company information backed up? Can you test your backups to prove that they’re effective? Is your current backup plan compliant with regards to customer data?
  • Data Availability and Storage: Who has access to your data? Only certain individuals in your company should be able to access all data, like financial records or payment information. How are you restricting access on your network or within line of business applications to ensure safety?
  • Physical Access: Who can actually access computer systems and servers? Do you train your staff to lock their systems every time they leave their desks? Are you using privacy filters on appropriate screens to avoid wandering eyes?

Internal Compliance Officer

While this may not need to be a full-time role within your organization, you should have a compliance champion on staff. Your IT company can absolutely set you up for success, but they are not around to police your staff every hour of the workday.

The Compliance Officer is responsible for ensuring that your staff follows important compliance policies, maintains vigilance surrounding compliance, keeps documentation up to date, and works with authorities if necessary. Specifically, they:

  • Watch for employees falling into bad habits, like leaving computers unlocked or sending credit card data willy-nilly throughout the organization.
  • Conduct/coordinate online or in-person training to keep compliance top of mind. We recommend quarterly training, at least, in addition to proper education as soon as a new employee comes on board.
  • Maintain all the documentation required for compliance, like backup plans and communication standards.
  • Liaison with federal and state regulators, as necessary to prevent or mitigate an issue (with the support of your IT Team and legal team).

All Employees

You can have the best technology, the most intense compliance officer, and still completely fail at successful compliance if your employees are not onboard. At the end of the day, it comes down to successful employee implementation and clear communication. In order to get employee buy-in, here is what we recommend:

  • Gather everyone together: When you first make tweaks to your company’s security protocols to ensure compliance, explain why to your team. If they suddenly all need to remember 16-character passwords, replace those passwords every 90 days and have 5-minute time outs on their systems; they’d appreciate learning it’s not because you’re paranoid. You can utilize your IT Team to conduct this meeting.
  • Send regular reminders: It’s simple to fall into what’s “easier” rather than compliant. Consider sending a weekly or monthly compliance tip to all of your staff to keep it top of mind.
  • Conduct ongoing trainings: These trainings should be mandatory, involve your IT team, and vary enough to stay interesting. Quarterly should be sufficient unless some regulation change calls for additional meetings.
  • Multi-departmental planning: Different teams have different uses for data. For example, what makes the salesperson tick may make it impossible for accounting to operate within compliance. When it comes to collecting information that must be compliant, every department must be involved in process development to create smooth operation within rules and regulations.

Compliance is not a one-man game. It involves the whole company and IT team engagement to really be successful. Next blog, we’ll cover the processes necessary to build a compliance-friendly environment.

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GDPR – Should you Care?

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Compliance Series: Part 2

In 2018, the European Union enacted a new directive to protect its citizens from having their personal information stolen or sold known as GDPR or General Data Protection Regulation. This legislation protects EU citizens, but in reality, it is a global law at this point. Any businesses in the world that mishandle the personal information of an EU citizen, including something as simple as improperly tracking a cookie on your website, could be fined for non-compliance. Those fines are not cheap. A company failing to comply with the regulation could be subject to a 4 percent forfeiture of its annual revenue. In its first year, there were 95,000 complaints from Data Protection Authorities all over the EU. It’s here to stay, so should you care?

Of the 95,000 complaints received, telemarketing, promotional e-mails, and video surveillance were the top culprits. So far, three fines were issued by DPAs for GDPR violations. The largest fine issued was in the sum of €50,000,000 for lack of consent to processing personal data. Compliance is no joke and it can be tricky to implement. 50% of all businesses still have not migrated into the world of GDPR compliance, though they know it could end in litigation. This carries over for American companies that either employ EU citizens or service them. Even though your business is in the states, you can still get fined from across the pond.

The main idea behind GDPR is protecting citizens and consumer rights. Not only are businesses held responsible for storing people’s information, but they are also held accountable if any misuse occurs to that information. If data is hacked, that business is obligated to report it within 72 hours of the breach and give a detailed account of the data that was stolen. In addition, under GDPR, citizens can request to have their information taken out of data storage, and a business must comply.

Currently, social media networks and automated email services are the heaviest hit by GDPR. Facebook has seen a steady decline in European consumers. Also, it has cracked down on how people can use FB ads when targeting certain audiences. Email marketing has seen an increase of opt-outs and tighter spam regulations, changing the marketing game for many companies.

In order to become compliant with GDPR, you will need to first appoint someone as your DPO, or data protection officer. This person will be the point of contact and GDPR expert. They’ll need to be able to handle IT services as well as monitor all the data handling processes in your company. Then, of course, they’ll need to be able to consistently monitor any area that may be impacted by GDPR and ensure they’re within compliance. It is highly recommended that the DPO goes through thorough training on the subject so they know exactly what to look for when it comes to staying compliant.

GDPR is great at protecting citizens, and most professionals believe it’s only a matter of time before the United States adopts similar regulations. It’s always better to be prepared, so perhaps it’s time to look into GDPR compliance.

Technology

Be Proactive So Your Business Technology Doesn’t Fall Behind

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Even fundamental operations are now significantly dependent on technology in most firms. Business owners should realize that using the latest technology is beneficial for usefulness, versatility, and overall productivity.

Adapting to the Changes

In the ever-evolving world of technology, today’s most modern and cutting-edge devices could be rendered obsolete in just a few years time. And you may have already purchased yours! Before that happens, though, you would probably have already upgraded to the newest version of the device, which will need to be upgraded again in a few years time, and so on… This phenomenon repeats itself in many other areas of our lives too – especially those connected with keeping up with the latest fashions and trends. The cycle keeps repeating itself to this day, but will it always be this way?

Reactive vs. Proactive

Most firms don’t have a proactive strategy, which is not the ideal answer due to the rapid pace of technological growth. Plan for when new technologies will be released and implement them accordingly. They will be able to keep ahead of the group in this manner. You’ll be several steps ahead of the competition by the time the rest of the industry learns about the innovations because you’ll already have them up and running in your system.

However, in practice, most organizations use a reactive strategy. Many businesses address issues only after they become chronic rather than before they become a problem. They may find a solution, but it does not make them proactive. Hardware and software updates are generally late or only done when necessary due to time, budget, or logistics restrictions.

Keeping Up with Technology’s Challenges

If you don’t want your company to fall behind the competition, you must constantly catch up with technology. It can, however, be exhausting, time-consuming, and expensive. Consider the thousands of dollars you’d have to spend every two or three years or so on new hardware and other devices. Consider how much time your employees would spend updating the company’s software packages regularly, followed by even more time learning how to utilize the new versions.

What about businesses that lack the financial resources to keep up with the frequent changes and updates? Despite these obstacles, it is necessary to keep up with technology and work toward business growth and success.

Keep Up To Date with A Dependable MSP

Would it be possible to be proactive so that your business’s technology doesn’t fall behind? There is, thankfully, a solution, and that is to hire a reputable MSP. A managed services provider, or MSP, can help businesses run more efficiently when working with IT. One of the many things they can do for your company is to take a proactive approach to technology maintenance. You won’t have to worry about staying on top of new updates or keeping an eye on your system for indicators of trouble. Because they’ll take care of it. Let’s look at some of the more noticeable advantages that utilizing a proactive approach to your IT can provide.

Improved Safety

The tools used by hackers and cybercriminals are evolving at the same rate as corporate technology. Being proactive, an MSP should provide cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions to protect your data and business from online threats. They’ll find weak spots in your system that need to be strengthened and address them to keep your business safe and allow for speedy recovery in the event of an attack.

Little Downtime

When a system fails unexpectedly, the entire organization could endure significant downtime as your in-house IT staff tries to get the system back online. Business operations will essentially halt at this time, and you will most certainly lose a significant quantity of money. The majority of downtime may be minimized or avoided altogether with the assistance of an MSP. Regular preventive maintenance, and system updates, can be scheduled around business hours to minimize the impact on business operations.

More Efficient Performance

It’s not only about avoiding difficulties when you’re proactive. It’s also about boosting productivity and streamlining corporate operations. By integrating shared applications and automating business processes, you can dramatically improve your organization’s performance.

Last Thoughts

Staying current with technology relevant to your organization takes a lot of time, effort, and money. Fortunately, if you have a dependable MSP, it is a lot easier and more cost-effective. If you’re unsure if your provider is giving you the best options, use these 7 audit questions to verify their performance. Give us a call if you’re not happy with what you’re getting from them. We’ll discuss the technology we’ll employ to keep your company ahead of the competition.

Business Technology – ATGFW

Technology

Technology – Out with the Old, In with the New

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For your business to grow and develop, there is one thing that absolutely must happen, and that is change. If things remain the same, there will be no growth. A business needs to be dynamic to evolve and continue the path toward long-term success. Technology is the key to such growth.

Depending on the nature of the change, it can come with a lot of excitement, hope, anticipation, or perhaps worry and dread. In any case, a business change brings several challenges, especially now when we are still amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has taken the world hostage.

Let’s look at some of the more challenging changes that businesses are going through two years after the onset of the pandemic.

Expanding to a New Location

Setting up a brand-new branch of your business in a new location is a sign of progress. It can dramatically increase your customer base, improve sales, and bring in more revenue. But the process is not always smooth sailing. Finding local sources for the supplies you need is one of the first tasks you should accomplish. This task includes everything from construction materials for your new buildings to all the merchandise and raw materials you need to run your business.

Being in a new location, it is likely that you are not yet familiar with the surrounding businesses. It might take time and effort to scour the area for the best materials. Also, the pandemic has made procurement much more challenging, with more stringent requirements along the way. But if you work with a reliable MSP, we can help you with these tasks, and you can focus on the other core tasks in expanding your business.

Remote Workforce

During the onset of the pandemic, many businesses had to downsize or undergo a reshuffling of employees to stay afloat. Now that industries are slowly getting back to normal, many companies are fine-tuning their technology needs. Saving money by downsizing office space has helped many businesses stay open.

With a competent IT provider, employees can access everything they need, regardless of where they are.

Replacing Outdated Technology

As technology advances, businesses should regularly upgrade their hardware and software. This step will keep them ahead of their competitors. But business equipment can be expensive. Therefore, many business owners might choose to keep using their outdated machinery instead of purchasing the newer models. But what most do not realize is that this attempt to cut expenses will lead to reduced business productivity and lower profits, ultimately becoming more costly in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Change is necessary if you want your business to grow. During these transitions, you’ll need to have a trusty IT provider who can make the process easier, more efficient, and less disruptive to the overall flow of your business. We might just be the partner you need to help your business grow and succeed!

We’re well aware that businesses have many expenses. We also understand that expenses can sometimes be tricky to track and forgotten. You may be forgetting about the hidden expenses. That’s why we have built a Business Excessive Spending Calculator for you so that you can see exactly where those hidden costs may be. If you want to go a step further, hit submit once you are done calculating because we may be able to help alleviate some of those hidden costs. Download your free calculator here.

Technology Blog #1

Use Technology For Onboarding and Offboarding

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Technology plays a crucial role in the smooth operation of your business, regardless of the industry you are in. Even the most old-fashioned business owners have accepted that they need to utilize technological innovations to keep up with the competition and deliver the best service to their clients.

Indeed, technology contributes to almost all aspects of operating a business. However, to this day, many companies are still not maximizing the benefits that automation can give, particularly in the onboarding and offboarding process.

How Technology Helps with Recruitment and Offboarding

It is common for employees to come and go in any job position. A smooth offboarding process makes it possible to part ways amicably. In addition, you must have a quick onboarding process for new hires. This process ensures continued productivity and minimizes disruption of the overall workflow. Technology can do wonders to expedite both of these processes and make the adjustments easier.

The Onboarding Process

Before starting their new job, new hires typically spend a lot of time filling out HR documents, getting to know their coworkers, and training for their new role. These are all essential parts of the onboarding process. Technology makes these processes much more efficient.

Paperless Forms

Many companies today still require new hires to come in before their official first day of work to fill out piles of HR forms, many of which are highly repetitive. This antiquated step is quite surprising when you think of how easy it can be to put these forms online and have the new hires fill them out at their convenience. They can do it on their computers or mobile devices, and the auto-fill feature will also let them finish much faster.

Digital Introductions

In between starting a new job and adjusting to a new work environment, a new employee already has more than enough to handle for the first day at work. Introductions are part of the process, but you can’t expect a new hire to remember all the names and faces of their co-workers in just one go. Most companies now prefer digital introductions.

Instead of everyone accosting a new employee by saying hi and introducing themselves personally, they can record a short video introduction instead. The new employee can watch these videos before their first day to get an idea of who they will be working with.

Online Technology Training

Online training has many advantages over traditional classroom training for new employees and employers. Each trainee has a unique learning curve, so putting them all together in one group won’t give them the most out of the training. While some may want to move more quickly, others may choose to review the previous topics before moving on.

Online training allows everyone to learn at their own pace and style. This choice is why it is recommended that employers use technology to their advantage. To give new hires the best experience of this part of the onboarding process.

The Offboarding Process

In order to prevent any disruptions to the business or workflow, it is necessary to adhere strictly to established protocols. When an employee leaves their position due to death, resignation, or other cause.

Manual Offboarding

Many companies handle offboarding manually, like by sending emails and making phone calls. But in some cases, this can be risky if the organization is not very strict in implementing policies. Many people who feel they were unfairly terminated might still have access to company accounts or confidential information for criminal purposes.

Offboarding Checklist

The only way to circumvent all these problems is by being extremely thorough in your procedure. There is a long list of things to take care of when an employee leaves, and you must check your list carefully. All of the company’s property, such as laptops and cell phones must be returned. The former employee should no longer receive wages after their last day at work!

Automated Offboarding

Manual offboarding jobs can be overlooked. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about that if you opt for a fully automated offboarding process. Automating the process will ensure accuracy and consistency. It will also help with compliance and all the legal requirements you must meet.

Enjoy Fully Automated Onboarding and Offboarding with the Right IT Service Provider also known as Managed Service Providers.

For those who want to reap the benefits of an automated onboarding and offboarding process. Your Managed Service Provider can take care of it.

On the other hand, if you already have an IT team handling the process. But you are not sure if they are doing a good enough job, you can recommend these 7 questions for audit. Find out once and for all if you are getting what you are paying for. Or if you are getting nickel and dimed. If you need to change your IT Provider, let us know! We will efficiently handle your onboarding and offboarding, as well as any other business process you need!

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