There are many features of Microsoft 365 that some users don't know exists as part of their subscription. In fact, a lot of individuals with access to this plan are aware it includes all Office applications, Microsoft Teams, and OneDrive, but not much else.

Almost all workplaces utilize email and an internal messaging system to connect with team members across an organizational level. Business tools like Slack, Zoom and GoToMeeting are often implemented in many offices to help individuals work more efficiently together.

What IT metrics matter the most? Is it how fast an issue is resolved? How many times the same issue reoccurs? Cost to resolve the issue? All of these metrics can have a varying degree of importance depending on who you ask! Today we are going to look at the IT metrics that provide the best overall picture of how your IT is performing for your business.

The work-from-home shift has expedited the need for businesses to evaluate their technology roadmaps and make adjustments to their technology stack.  One area that should be considered improving is the way to handle voice across a phone system.  Many offices are still using an in-office PBX which lacks the phone capabilities that are necessary for a remote workplace to function efficiently.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made businesses painfully aware of their fixed operating costs.  The largest of these fixed costs are people often followed by office space.  Outsourcing your technology immediately changes many fixed costs into variable utilization-based costs, with a POSITIVE impact on your business efficiency.

Business owners are constantly bombarded with information about fiscal responsibility and how to avoid incurring more expenses than necessary.  But sometimes the fear over "losing or spending money" leads many to stick with a decision because they already purchased a product or service, not because it's the right choice.

Patrick Lencioni's book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, clearly shows that Trust is the basis for developing high performing teams.  Until this is addressed, it will be difficult for any team to achieve consistent and repeatable results. Unfortunately, some managers attempt to achieve results by imposing various controls on their employees which ultimately reduces productivity and team spirit.

Status is now a communications tool in your office, not something to brag about!  What we are talking about is the usage of the Status setting in Teams (or other products) to effectively communicate during the Work From Home (WFH) world we are transitioning to.

Today marks the last day that Microsoft will provide updates for the Windows 7 operating system.  Depending on who you talk to, your computer may burst into flames OR it may continue to work perfectly for the next several years.  Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum of that debate, the following three points are REALLY what the end of Windows 7 means:
Operating system updates are no longer optional
Like all your favorite cloud-based applications, you can't opt out of the changes that are made.

If your business and technology planning are out of sync, it may be time for a technology phase shift.  Fortunately technology capability is not cumulative, skipping some steps is allowed!  The services-first, app-first approach to technology planning can enable much higher productivity without a huge lag in implementation or capital expenditure.