Zinc Blog

Oftentimes, a technology issue has less to do with the technology itself and more with the one using it. User error is simply one of the biggest reasons why technology support is asked for, and it’s such a common occurrence that it leads to many users becoming the butt of jokes among IT workers. People who provide IT support must practice empathy and understanding rather than foster this antagonistic mindset amongst teams.

It can be tricky to speak to your managed service provider about problems with your technology. However, you can make it easier by following some simple strategies. Today, we want to share some tips that have helped our clients communicate their issues and resolve problems as quickly as possible.

Concerns over operational expenses, particularly regarding technology, weigh heavily on many business owners. For some, these expenses can spiral out of control, leading to financial problems in vital areas of the organization. Every business needs to ask how it can rectify its IT spending to bring on a culture of overall improvement.

Your customers—both those you currently work with and those you have yet to onboard—are the key to unlocking your company’s potential. Therefore, it stands to reason that you’ll want a solution in place to help you manage the interactions you have with potential customers. This is what a customer relationship management tool, or CRM, is all about. With the right CRM, you can fully leverage your organization’s customer base to maximize profits and attract new leads.

Chances are, some of your employees operate outside the traditional office setting, whether it's occasional remote work or a permanent setup. Consequently, your business needs to furnish your team with the necessary tools and resources to ensure their success. It's a good practice to carefully evaluate the technology you provide, particularly for those who work remotely part-time, and to strategize how your team will access these resources.

One of the most dangerous types of threats is the many phishing scams you and your employees could fall victim to. While it might be tempting to poke fun at the people who succumb to seemingly obvious phishing attacks, the reality of the matter is that some phishing attacks are anything but, and they are only growing more sophisticated over time.

Managed IT services are a great way for your business to save money, but what specifically do these types of services do to have such a profound impact on your budget? The impact stems from three primary causes: a reliable level of service, a proactive stance on maintenance and management, and access to professional technicians with decades of expertise.

Passwords are the main line of defense between your data and the myriad of people who want to use it for their own benefit. Knowing the major threats is important with so much pressure on your passwords. Today, we’d like to provide a cheat sheet to help you manage your passwords more effectively. 

Are you finding that some of your younger hires aren’t sticking around nearly as long as you’d prefer them to? There’s a good chance that these employees are experiencing a relatively recent phenomenon called “shift shock,” the latest workplace trend focusing on employee engagement and satisfaction. Let’s examine shift shock and how to avoid its impacts in your business.

In business, the worst thing you can do is take your eye off the prize. Unfortunately, it’s pretty easy to do. There are a litany of reasons that business owners can get distracted and lose focus. In this week’s blog we thought we would go through three technology-related issues that many businesses run into that can put your business in jeopardy.

With technology playing an important part in just about all businesses, it can be quite expensive to get the tools you need to succeed. Today, we want to recommend specific strategies you can use to alleviate the frustrations of working within the constraints of a limited IT budget.

Let’s face facts: regardless of how one spends their time at home, there really is no reason the vast majority of today’s workers would ever need the Xbox Game Bar application on their work device… and yet, there it is. Thanks, Microsoft?

This is an example of what is known as “bloatware”—unwanted software added to an operating system to help the developers, oftentimes to make a few extra bucks. 

Your business will not remain the same throughout its lifecycle, and as such, you need the services you utilize to be capable of changing with it. This is where it helps to have the flexibility and scalability of a managed IT provider on your side. Let’s go over why flexible technology is the path forward for SMBs like yourself and how you can take full advantage of the range of services an MSP can offer.

When it comes to network security, there are many common suggestions from IT professionals, like utilizing robust firewalls and antivirus measures. However, it’s easy to overlook some of these practices, especially if you are not necessarily a trained IT technician. We’re here to provide a short guide to three of the most common security pitfalls organizations like yours will likely face during normal everyday operations.

Wi-Fi is a huge benefit for everyone so knowing the basics of how your router works is a pretty good idea. For the business, the wireless connection can be a central resource for business productivity and data sharing. We thought it would be useful to give you a little more information about router settings to help you understand your wireless connection a little better. 

Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system has seen pretty positive reviews. In contrast, others just see it as an unnecessary update of the popular Windows 10 offering. Still, regardless of the opinions you come across, there are some pretty major benefits to upgrading. The thing is that Microsoft, like almost any other company, wants you to have an account to interact with their products. Fortunately, for those who, for whatever reason, don’t want to make a Microsoft account, you can update your computer to Windows 11. Today, we will tell you how. 

The decision to outsource your company’s IT decisions to a managed service provider is significant, and the importance is not lost on us. After all, you're essentially handing over the keys to your company's assets and resources, and it's crucial to ensure you make the right choice for the future of your business. Fortunately, gauging the suitability of a managed service provider can be made much easier by asking three key questions.

One of the most effective ways to reduce cyber risks is through comprehensive employee cybersecurity training. You protect your organization by ensuring that your workforce has the knowledge and skills needed to identify and thwart potential threats. Here are five essential considerations for implementing successful employee cybersecurity training programs.

If businesses want to stay competitive, they must implement new technology to keep up with other similar organizations in their respective industries. Unfortunately, the downside to implementing new technology is that your employees might not be so understanding and willing to adapt their workplace habits to accommodate your new solutions. How can you overcome this challenge? It all starts with mindset and approach.

With so many new and emerging threats to worry about in today’s cybersecurity landscape, it’s no wonder that some businesses and employees might be operating from a knowledge deficit regarding network security. We’re here to change that with a quick overview of the three biggest overarching threats your business must face and prepare for.