Ferrum Technology Services Blog

The cloud is undeniably useful for most individuals and businesses, and its increasing use in business situations shows this. However, this doesn’t mean that it is the be-all and end-all for businesses. In this month’s newsletter, we thought we’d discuss some of the pros and cons of using cloud platforms inside a small business setting.

Productivity. To business owners, it can be a mantra. You can judge the success of your organization by productivity, as it often translates directly to profits. You’ll notice a lack of productivity in your operations, and potentially even your pocketbooks, so it’s incredibly important to know whether your business is being productive or not.

We live in an age where we are trying to get the most out of our employees, but sometimes it can be difficult to keep up the hard work all day. Productivity applications and software can only go so far when your team is exhausted. Sometimes you might wish you could be back in the good old days of elementary school when naptime was a thing. So, why not give it a try in the workplace?

Struggling to manage your overflowing email inbox? You're not alone. Many professionals find it challenging to achieve the elusive "inbox zero." If you're ready to transform how you handle your emails, consider adopting the RAD method. This approach, developed by Nick Sonnenberg, founder and CEO of Leverage, could revolutionize your email management.

Analytics can significantly enhance workplace productivity by providing data-driven insights that inform decision-making and streamline processes. One primary benefit is the ability to track and analyze employee performance. By leveraging key performance indicators (KPIs) and other metrics, managers can identify high-performing employees, understand the factors contributing to their success, and replicate these practices across the team. Conversely, analytics can also help pinpoint areas where employees might be struggling, enabling targeted interventions such as additional training or support. This tailored approach ensures that each employee can perform to the best of their abilities, thereby boosting overall productivity.

Passwords have long been a cornerstone of online account security, paired with usernames to form the basis of most login systems. Consequently, they are prime targets for hackers seeking to steal credentials and gain unauthorized access to accounts or networks. The inherent weaknesses of poor passwords have become more apparent in recent years, however. This has prompted the growing adoption of additional security measures available to users.

For the modern business, keeping processes efficient is a key contributor to maintaining productivity. By doing your best to eliminate inefficiencies small businesses can remain competitive and profitable. One effective strategy is to streamline processes through automation.

Your business’ IT is not just a minor component; it’s deeply woven into the fabric of your business. Today, we’ll briefly explore how technology and culture converge inside today’s businesses.

Internet speeds have been increasing over the past few years as more people do more online. This enhancement in speed brings several benefits to businesses of all types. Let’s look at five benefits businesses can take advantage of with higher Internet speeds. 

Certain businesses have taken a much closer interest in cybersecurity… those businesses being business insurance providers. Many will now only provide coverage if your business maintains certain cybersecurity standards. One key tool they want to see is multi-factor authentication, or MFA.

Undoubtedly, AI is becoming a big part of daily life. One can hardly turn on the news without hearing about the latest applications it has, from home convenience to business optimization… including today’s small businesses.

Let’s take a few moments to consider how artificial intelligence can serve your own business well.

There are many ways to increase your team's productivity, but one of the less obvious ones is to consider an alternative work week. Specifically, the idea in question is the four-day workweek, which advocates argue could potentially increase productivity by virtue of working less.

Technology is crucial to the success of modern-day business operations, so you must ensure efforts are made to keep your IT in proper working order. A managed service provider, or MSP, can make this a much easier task. Today, we want to discuss some of the common IT challenges businesses encounter and how we can address them.

Human resources is a critical part of your business, but since it doesn’t generate any actual revenue, there has been a push to cut back on HR spending. In response, many businesses have started using HR automation technology to handle the myriad tasks HR is typically responsible for. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits HR automation can bring to your business. 

Automation has been a hot-button issue in business for a while. Lots of businesses are looking to automate several different areas of their operations. In this month’s newsletter, we will go through some of the more common and valuable automation tools that small businesses can take advantage of. 

Budgeting for anything can present challenges, especially when businesses heavily rely on information systems. Securing funds for IT initiatives can be particularly daunting in such organizational landscapes. Despite these hurdles, however, the IT sector continues to build steam, with year-over-year business IT spending reaching its highest levels ever. Let’s go into how your IT budget is pivotal in advancing your organizational technology endeavors.

How often do you struggle to talk about potential issues your business faces when you reach out to IT for help? Conversing with technicians can be especially challenging when you don’t necessarily understand the problem yourself, either. Thankfully, we have some tips to help you lead more productive conversations with your IT staff or managed service provider.

If there’s one part of any organization’s operational expenses that concerns many business owners, it’s IT expenses. In fact, some companies have so little control over their IT expenses that they practically hemorrhage money, leading to limited capacity for growth and investment in other parts of the organization that desperately need the help. How can you fix your IT spending and improve your organization as a whole?

It all starts with a network audit and some intelligent future planning. Let’s review some of the most important work you can do to help your business better budget for IT expenses.

In today’s business, teamwork is absolutely necessary to make good things happen. One of the best ways to do this is through collaboration. However, putting together a strategy that can get projects out the door quicker or fulfill services more effectively is not always easy. Today, we’ll take a look at modern collaboration and how technology plays a major role. 

Artificial intelligence is no longer confined to use by industry leaders. Small businesses increasingly recognize AI's transformative potential to boost efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and drive innovative strategies. Let’s explore three of the most popular ways small businesses use AI to improve their operations.