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  • UCaaS Solutions for Small Business: Everything You Need to Know

    Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) can unlock a lot of doors for small businesses. Flexible, mobile, and easy to implement, this is one solution that has become even more useful in 2020 for companies forced to work remotely. UCaaS solutions for small business offer a way for teams to communicate, collaborate, and to stay productive from wherever.

    Let’s take a look at why UCaaS is becoming increasingly popular and how this technology is uniquely positioned to help SMBs thrive, even in the coronavirus era.

    Small Businesses Depend on Efficient Solutions

    Unlike big-budget enterprises, smaller companies don’t usually have a lot of financial flexibility. According to a recent McKinsey survey, close to one-third of small businesses in the US were operating at a loss of breaking even – before the pandemic.

    Yet, for many, adopting the right technologies quickly has become vital for sustaining business. With a UCaaS solution, there’s no need to invest in expensive hardware or to shoulder maintenance and IT management costs. To use the software, users simply need to download an app to their laptop or mobile phone.

    Not only that, but as a cloud-based solution, there’s no tech implementation hurdle. Once your teams have the software and your subscription is activated, staff can get to work. UCaaS has served as a frictionless solution for small businesses during the pandemic.

    UCaaS Boosts Productivity

    With Unified Communications technology, users can access all collaboration and communication apps from one interface. Your employees can log in to one platform – which means one password and username for one integrated solution. From there, they’ll have everything they need to connect, share, and stay productive.

    • Business phone system
    • Team chat and SMS
    • Video conferencing
    • Screen sharing
    • File management

    Since all of this is available through one platform in the cloud, your staff can use all these tools on-the-go. Whether employees are working from home, in the office, or anywhere else, they’re equipped to answer emails, chat with co-workers, host meetings with clients, send and review documents, and more.

    This is why UCaaS solutions are often adopted for their ability to increase agility and productivity. It’s also why this technology boasts a year-over-year market growth rate of 29 percent.

    Secure Solutions Are Exactly What Small Businesses Need

    With the right UCaaS solution, small businesses can count on comprehensive security. When exploring solutions, check that your provider is vigilant about keeping their infrastructure – and by extension, your data – safe. Here are some of the standard security measures you can expect:

    • Data centers that are physically monitored 24/7
    • Multi-layered security controls to protect the infrastructure such as formal policies for authentication and configuration standards for firewalls
    • Monitoring controls to identify potential security threats quickly
    • Use of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection to further safeguard network security

    They should also use data encryption to protect sensitive customer and call data. For a higher level of security, look for a provider that encrypts data both in transit and at rest.

    More than one-third of senior technology executives say that cybersecurity risks have gone up as the majority of employees started working from home. Chief technology officer for Nationwide, Jim Fowler said about the uptick in cyber threats, “Businesses should anticipate that bad actors will assume people aren’t manning the gates, providing them with an opening.”

    One way small businesses can combat this increased risk is to only adopt technologies that they know are safe. As your Unified Communications solution is the hub of business communications, choose a provider that takes security and data protection very seriously.

    UCaaS Is a Win for Small Businesses

    This is true in the current business climate. It’s also the case for the future of work. Whether your teams are working remotely or not, UCaaS solutions empower teams to be more productive and more efficient.

    NTELogic Elevate, our popular Unified Communications as a Service solution, comes with a 99.999% financially-backed uptime service level agreement and relies on state-of-the-art technologies to monitor for and protect against malicious intruders.

    You can also embed your communications into your everyday business apps. NTELogic Elevate integrates with Office 365, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, G Suite, NetSuite, Salesforce, Slack, and other leading CRM, sales, and collaboration applications. Find out more about how it can benefit your business.

  • Remote Work Is Here to Stay

    What Lies Ahead for Businesses Tomorrow?

    The new normal has settled in on the business world, at least for now. To accommodate for the current environment and public health emergency, many workers have shifted to work from home mode. This significant change will forever impact the way people work as companies realize that remote work is productive, cost-effective, and efficient. Remote work will begin to be part of operational models. So, what does your organization need to be prepared? The right tools and technology will make all the difference.

    Remote Work Was Already Growing in Popularity

    Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak that caused workers to be at home, remote work was already growing in popularity. In Out Of Office: Remote Work In 2023, one study found the number of full-time remote workers doubled between 2018 and 2021. This data provides clear insight into the fact that companies were already changing their mindset on the work environment and understanding the benefits of offering flexible work schedules.

    Why Working from Home Is Here to Stay

    The new normal has settled in on the business world, at least for now. To accommodate for the current environment and public health emergency, many workers have shifted to work from home mode. This significant change will forever impact the way people work as companies realize that remote work is productive, cost-effective, and efficient. Remote work will begin to be part of operational models. So, what does your organization need to be prepared? The right tools and technology will make all the difference.
    These investments and new perspectives won’t disappear after stay at home bans are relaxed. Even industries with regulations around data collection, storage, and sharing, like healthcare and finance, are learning that remote working environments can be just as secure as those in a corporate office.

    Moving Forward: How Remote Work Doesn’t Change Your Operations or Strategy

    Having most or all your employees working from home doesn’t have to impact your operations or strategy. There will be some adjustments that have to be made, but, for the most part, things stay the same. Additionally, there are significant advantages to having a remote team.

    Work Environments Stay Consistent

    For operations to not be affected, ideally, you want employees to have the same work environment at home as they did in the office. The best way to meet this need is with a UCaaS (unified communications as a service) platform. A unified communications platform has everything you need to support remote workers.
    Employees have the same access at home as they would at the office. It combines all communication tools—phone, video conferencing, instant chat, and email—into one hub. UCaaS lives in the cloud, so your team needs only an internet connection to access it. Of note, when using UCaaS, you should also consider any security or privacy requirements and make sure you select a solution that meets these needs.
    The flexibility your team will have with UCaaS could actually make them more productive as communication becomes streamlined and simplified. It even boosts collaboration between employees because they can communicate more easily and share files as needed. While it’s easy to think that collaboration is enhanced by being in the same room, that’s not always true as there could be barriers to this you’re not even aware of, like conflicting schedules, no areas to meet, or other challenges.

    Sizing Up Your Infrastructure

    How you operate doesn’t need to change when going remote, but you’ll want to evaluate your infrastructure. This assessment comes down to three major components for setting up your team for remote work.

    • Reliability: UCaaS is cloud-based, so it’s much more reliable than legacy phone systems. However, not every UCaaS is the same, so look for very high uptime percentages.
    • Security: If you work in a regulated industry or not, you need to protect your data. Pay attention to how a system encrypts data and if it does so only in transit or at rest, as well.
    • Support: When you partner with a UCaaS provider, it’s important to find one that is responsive. Most providers have 24/7 support, but what’s their service level agreement (SLA)? Make sure it fits your needs.

    The Cost of Remote Work

    Does remote work cost your business more? The simple answer is no. In fact, it can decrease costs. The technology and tools you use in the office transfer to working from home. There are no additional costs associated with making your UCaaS mobile—they are designed to offer this flexibility. With UCaaS, you can have unlimited calls and meetings.

    Workers Adapting

    The final element of the future of remote work is how employees will adapt. If they’ve already been working from home occasionally, they have an idea of what to expect. For those new to this, they may need some tips on how to work remotely effectively. The good thing is that their tools are in the same place, so they don’t have to reinvent how they work.
    Remote work is the present and future for many organizations. Are you prepared? See how NTELogic Elevate delivers an exceptional experience for remote workers.

  • Do You VPN?

    NTELogic.com | VPN ServicesDo You VPN?

    If you travel for business, it is highly likely you’ve connected to the free Wi-Fi in the airport terminal, local coffee shop or even on public transit. Have you ever connected to that free Wi-Fi in your hotel room and gotten a creeping sense of dread, wondering if anyone might be able to see what you’re doing online? That’s not just a feeling, it’s a reality. Public and free Wi-Fi networks are the playground of cyber thieves. With a VPN – Virtual Private Network – you can protect your online transactions from snooping eyes.

    What Is a VPN, and How Does It Work?

    A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between you and a remote server operated by a VPN service. All your internet traffic is routed through this tunnel, so your data is secure from prying eyes along the way. Because your traffic is exiting the VPN server, your computer appears to have the IP address of VPN service server, masking your identity and location.

    Do I Need a VPN On All My Devices?

    Short answer is yes. You need a VPN on all your devices that connect to Wi-Fi outside your trusted office or home network. For the most part, VPN clients are the same for both Windows and macOS.

    What a VPN Won’t Do

    Even with a VPN, things like cookies allow companies to track your internet usage even after you’ve left their sites.

    Protect Yourself With a VPN

    Today, many of us have multiple devices that connect to the web. Modern devices are more powerful than the top computers of just 10 years ago. The internet however, hasn’t really changed. It was designed to be distributed and insecure. Cyber criminals take advantage of the insecure nature of the Internet. This means, unfortunately, it is up to individuals to protect themselves. Antivirus apps and password managers go a long way toward keeping you safer, but a VPN is a uniquely powerful tool that you should definitely have in your personal security toolkit, especially in today’s connected world.

    Ready to Give It a Try?

    Many of the VPN service providers offer a free trial. Others offer a basic VPN service for free, and additional features with a paid version. We are proud to have partnered with Hide Me. Register here (link) for a free account and start your VPN service today. Each free account includes 2GB of data transfer, 1 simultaneous connection (1 device) and your choice of 5 worldwide proxy servers.
    Once you see how powerful and easy to use the Hide.Me VPN service is, we’re confident you’ll want to upgrade to the paid subscription. By upgrading your service, you’ll enjoy unlimited data transfer, 10 simultaneous connections (10 devices) and 60 worldwide proxy server locations. NTELogic takes care of upgrading your service so you never have to worry about a lapse in protection. Give it a try today – it’s free!

  • Office Tips & Tricks: Proof Listening with Word's Read Aloud Function

    Proof Listen with Word’s Read Aloud Function

    Sit back and let your ears do the work

    If you’re a business owner, you write daily. Emails, notes, documents, blog posts, social media, you name it. It’s your business, you’ve got to write it. Like many, you either stress over “its” versus “it’s,” or you don’t. You write what you think is correct and if it isn’t, you hope the reader can forgive you.
    It seems a simple task to proofread your own work, however for most, it’s not. In fact, it’s painful. Many experts say you shouldn’t proofread your own work, and here’s why – you already know the story. Your mind will skip over typos and other errors, instead filling in the correct version. That’s why it’s usually better to have someone else proofread your work, however that’s not always possible. Why not sit back and let your ears do the proofing?
    Word’s Read Aloud function is a nifty tool that can ease the pain of proofing your work. It’s been around since Office 2003, and was known as Text-to-Speech. The Read Aloud function is much improved over previous versions. It can read your document out loud like an audio book. In addition, it highlights each word simultaneously as it’s being read.
     
    NTELogic.com | Word's Read Aloud function is found on the Review tab of the Ribbon

    Get Started Using Word’s Read Aloud Function

    To use Word’s Read Aloud function, just click Review > Read Aloud on the ribbon. Easier than that, simply press Ctrl+Alt+Space Bar and Word’s Read Aloud will start automatically from wherever the cursor is positioned.
    You can adjust the reading speed and change the voice pitch from the settings. Click the Settings button on the Read Aloud menu. If you have additional language packs installed, you can use the read Aloud function in the language of your choice. (Bonus tip: you can use Word’s Read Aloud function to learn a new language!)
    While Word’s Read Aloud function isn’t perfect, it’s pretty close. If you prefer to not have someone else proof your work, the Read Aloud function is a great substitute. So grab a beverage, sit back and let the proof listening begin.