Ferrum Technology Services Blog

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.

When discussing technology, the term "drives" is frequently used. This term encompasses various types that a computer may utilize in its daily operations within your business. This month, our aim is to explain the functions of these drives and underscore the importance of knowing their locations and significance.

Implementing a document management system is a huge step for any business. It has amazing benefits from efficient access to data to digital assets to a much better organized business. If they have so many benefits, why do so many businesses balk at the effort and price of one? Today, we will take a look at the document management system from end to end in hopes that you understand the pros and cons of implementing one.

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.

A competitive business can adapt to change with new technologies and innovate in their industry. Unfortunately, where innovation and new technologies are concerned, businesses often experience considerable pushback from employees who might not understand how the new solutions support the company’s mission. How do you get these employees on board?

Have you ever tried to introduce new technology to your team, only to have your efforts at improving your business’ efficiency bounce off of your apathetic and frustrated employees who just don’t see the benefits? You’re not alone; it’s difficult to teach old dogs new tricks, as they say. Granted, it’s not impossible, and your team can (and should) be able to get on board with any new implementations, provided you do some initial legwork.

Ensuring seamless communication across all levels of your organization by addressing potential antiquated technologies and refining your strategy commensurate with your needs is more important today than ever before. It isn’t without challenges. To assist you, we lay out the following tips on how to improve your organization’s communications.

Recycling your technology is something that you may not put too much thought into, but the facts are that a lot of the technology we use can be really harmful to the environment if it isn’t recycled properly. This month, we are going to go into what happens to your old tech and how having a plan for recycling your old tech can help.

Data security is an integral part of not just business operations but everyday life at this point. Most people agree that specific measures to protect data security, like verifying emails and updating antivirus software, are reasonable. However, one aspect that many people fail to consider is oversharing information on social media.

January is host to the Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, which takes place in Las Vegas. It’s an opportunity for companies to show off thousands of neat ideas, concepts, and devices, and if you’re a tech nerd like us, it’s total heaven. It’s also interesting to see what trends can be seen and how they might be brought into a business or consumer landscape.

The significance of databases for the average business is extremely important. They are an indispensable tool for seamless operations. Without an efficient database management system (DBMS), your business will not operate optimally. This month, we aim to describe the intricacies of DBMS and its pivotal role in enhancing your business.

With Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, your business can change the way it communicates and operates for the better. While it might seem like a fancier version of your current telephone infrastructure, it is much more than that; it’s a communications platform that is designed to be flexible, scalable, and dynamic in accordance with your business’ needs.

Let’s explore what your business stands to gain from a quality VoIP solution.

Blockchain has increasingly become a technology you hear about, but you may not completely understand how it works. It’s often painted as a controversial technology because the corrupt behaviors of people managing cryptocurrency exchanges have put a negative sheen on the technology. The technology, however, has a wide range of applications across various industries due to its decentralized, secure, and transparent nature. Let’s take a look at a couple of the uses for blockchain. 

In our rapidly evolving society, very few things are as they once were. One thing that feels a lot similar to the past is the Christmas holiday. Sure, it’s more commercialized than ever, but by-in-large many of our holiday traditions stay the same. People make a point to get together and exchange gifts and eat too much; and they tend to do this every year. 

Technology is one of the most important elements to consider when growing your business, and while it might seem like it can magically solve all of your operational problems, it takes a lot more than a simple implementation to address your company’s pain points. In fact, failing to integrate technology properly can lead to even more problems.

There’s no getting around the fact that technology is critical for business operations, but with technology come various challenges that need to be addressed. If you’re not careful, issues with your IT can distract you from other technology problems that could develop even further if left unchecked. Let’s look at five of the most common technology issues that modern businesses face.

With many compliance and regulation laws existing in today’s business world, it’s no small wonder that ethical dilemmas surrounding business technology are more common than you might expect. Let’s go over five of the more controversial uses of technology so you can avoid facing them during the course of your operations.

Psychology—the scientific study of the mind and behavior—can provide some significant insights into which actions will ultimately be most beneficial to your company. What message will most effectively reach your clients, how can you inspire more motivation amongst your team, and what can you do to reach your goals more effectively?

Unfortunately, the modern cybercriminals that target businesses just like yours are going to be asking themselves the same questions. 

With technology taking center stage for most businesses over the past couple years, you might consider yourself fairly knowledgeable about most business-related technology out there. Still, we want to cover five that are the most trendy and, coincidentally, pretty great for business, too. Let’s dive in.