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Are you working closely with your CFO to determine the most efficient and effective methods for maintaining your business infrastructure? These questions will help you drill in.  

Are your financial operations taking more time and effort than you realize? There are plenty of ways to reduce the overhead and operations cost of your finance team, but that starts with asking your CFO some tough questions. Finding the right business solutions to support your organization begins with a thorough knowledge of the landscape and the pressure points and redundancies that could be relieved through automation. The answers that your CFO provides to these searching questions will help you make the right decisions when you consider upgrades to your technology infrastructure.

1. Are we addressing compliance issues that are concerning for our business?

Business compliance goes far beyond the requirements for HIPAA, personal privacy and employee security. Today’s compliance requirements are varied and complex for even the simplest organization. If you are capturing or maintaining personal information — much less financial or health information — chances are your business is subject to California’s Consumer Privacy Act and those of several other states, besides. You’ll find a comprehensive state-based map online at the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Ensuring that your data stays safe and that you’re fully complying with these laws often falls to the CFO in terms of education, but the technology team in terms of implementation of the strategies.

2. Where do you see slowdowns during monthly, quarterly and annual closing?

Closing the books is a process that happens on a regular basis, but that doesn’t mean it’s fully routinized. Even the simplest tweak to this ongoing process may be enough to save thousands of hours of productivity over a relatively short period of time. Looking closely at the business’s models for this ongoing operation can identify some weak points that can be addressed through automation or software updates.

3. What are the barriers to fully integrating metrics into our organization?

Using metrics throughout the organization is a great way to keep your business running smoothly — and also quickly identify areas that need a little extra attention. Are there systems that do not work well together? Perhaps a large variety of solutions providers whose “solutions” are causing problems with other business units? Whatever the issues are, identifying what it will take to get to a unified metrics system for the organization may point to some opportunities to apply consistency to your operations and platforms.

4. Are there opportunities to reduce the cost of delivering a secure and efficient infrastructure?

Providing a secure infrastructure for your business is a critical success factor, but are you currently knocking it out of the park — or falling down on the job? If your teams are frustrated with the speed of change and you’re concerned that your operations aren’t fully secure, you may have some work to do on your infrastructure. Even something as simple as slow WiFi or poor networking in conference rooms can reduce the effectiveness of your staff and boost frustration levels beyond the breaking point.

One key way to improve efficiency, reduce costs and heighten security is to work with advanced technical support staff to review your business operations and ensure that you’re taking full advantage of the opportunities available on the market today. Leaders at the largest organizations in the world routinely work with external service providers to ensure that they have access to the tools and technology needed to create a secure and consistent infrastructure for their business.

Microsoft Vulnerability Affects Most Recent Operating Systems

Learn about two recently discovered vulnerabilities that could put your company’s computers and operations at risk and what Microsoft is doing to fix the issue.

Two newly discovered security vulnerabilities could put Windows users at risk of attack if they do not download and install security patches Microsoft recently issued.

What Are the New Microsoft Security Flaws?

Nicknamed DejaBlue, the two security flaws are designated CVE-2019-1181 and CVE-2019-1182. They are similar to the BlueKeep vulnerabilities Microsoft issued patches for in May 2019. The newest flaws, like Bluekeep, could allow hackers to create so-called “wormable” attacks that easily can be spread from one computer to another without any interaction from a user.

The main difference is that the newer security vulnerabilities are potential threats to newer versions of Windows products.

What Systems Does DejaBlue Affect?

There are potentially hundreds of thousands of computers that could be affected by the Windows worm. They sit within the Windows Remote Desktop Services (RDS) package. According to Microsoft, the vulnerabilities could affect the following systems:

• Windows 7 SP1
• Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows 8.1
• Windows Server 2012 R2
• Windows 10 (all supported versions, including server versions)

That’s a massive number of potential targets that could be infected if the patches are not deployed and active monitoring tools are not in place.

Windows XP, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 are not affected.

How Does DejaBlue Work?

Like with BlueKeep, the vulnerabilities can be used to exploit RDP, a tool that administrators use to connect to other computers on a network. Hackers could then use that exploit to code and load a worm that is automated. It would “jump” from one computer to another, potentially affecting millions of computers quickly.

What makes the DejaBlue and Bluekeep vulnerabilities so dangerous is that they can propagate without any user interaction.

What’s more dangerous is that the new vulnerabilities differ from BlueKeep, which targeted Windows 7 operating systems. The new exposures could affect Windows 7 and all recent versions of Microsoft’s operating systems. That amplifies both the risk and the potential impact.

“At this point, nearly every contemporary Windows computer needs to patch, before hackers can reverse engineer those fixes for clues that might help create exploits,” notes Wired magazine.

While a British intelligence agency, GCHQ, is credited with identifying BlueKeep, Microsoft notes that it identified the new threats itself. To date, no evidence that exists that indicates the vulnerabilities were known to third parties, the company said.

“These vulnerabilities were discovered by Microsoft during hardening of Remote Desktop Services as part of our continual focus on strengthening the security of our products,” Microsoft said in a release.

The scale of the potential damage is extraordinary. As of July 2019, there were as many as 800,000 computers worldwide that were still vulnerable to BlueKeep, with a much larger potential threat from DejaBlue.

What Can We Do to Protect Against Cybersecurity Threats?

The key to maintaining a secure network is developing a comprehensive, multilayered security strategy. A managed services provider can partner with you to develop a cybersecurity plan that includes:

• Comprehensive network perimeter monitoring using next-generation firewalls to detect, contain, disable and destroy threats
• Continuous monitoring of systems, endpoints and users
• Automated downloading and installation of software and firmware updates, upgrades and patches that respond to emerging threats
• Anti-malware, anti-spam and anti-virus software installed on each user’s machine or device, updated automatically, and analyzed to determine potential threats
• Email and data encryption
• Password security, including multifactor authorization
• Mobile device management, including remote location finding, disabling and wiping functions
• Cloud solutions for secure hosting of data, apps and operating systems
• Business continuity and disaster recovery planning
• Employee training

Having the right security in place greatly reduces your risk of being affected by a cyberattack that can debilitate your business, ruin its reputation and cost thousands to repair.

How to Choose the Best IT Outsourcing Company

Outsourcing IT service and care is a smart idea for many businesses. Here’s how to evaluate and select the best IT outsourcing company to handle your IT.

Your healthcare practice undoubtedly relies on technology to operate smoothly and effectively. In fact, more than any other type of business, businesses in the healthcare industry absolutely must have a stronghold on the digital aspects of their operation. Personal patient information is simply too sensitive to not be properly stored and maintained.

As a result of these specific demands on dental and other medical practices, many healthcare institutions are turning to information technology outsourcing companies to handle their technology.

If your practice is seeking a local IT outsourcing company to hire, here are the steps you should take to properly evaluate and select your option.

Step 1: Scope out your local options.

We recommend going with a local hire when it comes to IT outsourcing companies. Local is better for several reasons. First, you’ll likely know their other clients and be able to speak with them about the quality of care they’re receiving.

Next, local companies will certainly be able to offer on-site assistance, which is exactly what you should be looking for. Companies located out-of-state or too far away within your state won’t be able to get to you in time if they need to offer hands-on assistance. This is simply unacceptable for a dental or medical practice as you may someday require emergency on-site assistance that can’t wait.

Try to come up with a complete list of local potential candidates to interview.

Step 2: Narrow the list based on industry expertise and experience.

Either by examining each candidate’s website or speaking directly with a sales representative, get an idea for what expertise and experience each company has. You want to see that they’ve not only been a fully-functioning IT outsourcing company for at least a few years, but that they also have unique experience in the healthcare industry.

While businesses in other industries may be able to work with IT companies who don’t specialize in any particular industry, healthcare practices should be looking for IT companies who cater specifically to businesses and organizations in the healthcare world. You should also look for IT companies who’ve had consistent clients who have been with them for a considerable amount of time.

Step 3: Narrow the list based on what services each candidate offers.

Nearly all IT outsourcing companies have comprehensive websites where you can see the services they offer. We can’t tell you exactly what services to look for because the needs of your unique practice may vary.

However, some of the services you’ll likely want to have include:

• Backup and recovery services
• Cloud services
• Disaster recovery
• Consulting and project management
• Application hosting
• Telecommunication services
• Email and IM archiving
• Business continuity planning
• Cybersecurity

Step 4: Schedule interviews and prepare a list of interview questions.

Once you have three or four IT company candidates who may be able to adequately handle the outsourcing of your practice’s technology, schedule interviews with each one.

You’ll want to prepare for each of these interviews by making a list of questions to ask. We recommend asking the following questions to each IT outsourcing company you interview:

• What is the scope of the services you offer? Do you work with a range of industries or exclusively with healthcare practices?
• How can you push our practice to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in healthcare technology without causing service interruption or technology that quickly becomes redundant?
• How will you ensure that our patients’ personal sensitive data stays safe from cybercriminals and hackers?
• Who will we be working directly with when we have a question or an issue? Will we be assigned a unique service manager?
• How fast is your response time if we have an emergency?
• What credentials and certifications does your technical staff have?
• Do you offer 24/7 service and assistance?
• Who is your oldest client, and how long have you been working with them?
• How do you plan on helping our practice meet our business goals?
• What levels of service do you offer, and how do you take payments?

It is crucial to take your time when choosing an IT outsourcing company for your practice. By following the steps above, you’ll streamline the selection and interview process and set your practice up for success where your technology management is concerned.

Are your online reviews killing your website traffic? It’s true — many customers won’t click if they see your reviews are less-than-favorable.  

When is the last time you felt strongly enough about a product or service to leave an online review? While some people do it as a matter of course for every restaurant, doctor’s office and retail establishment they visit, most people only take the time to review something when they were either extremely pleased with the service or over-the-top mad about their experience. Unfortunately, this can result in some pretty painful online reviews, but does it really impact the traffic to your website — and ultimately your business revenue? You might be surprised to learn that more than 95% of people aged 18-34 read reviews for local businesses before making a decision and 86% of all consumers do the same. Still think reviews don’t matter?!?

Improving Engagement with Positive Feedback

When customers leave your business, it can be challenging to know if they’re satisfied with their goods and services. It may not be until you read an online review that you find the uber-polite professional who left your office with a smile is now posting to all their friends on social media about the horrid experience that they had. In general, people are not fans of direct conflict and may leave their poor feedback in a very visible and damaging way for your business — through online reviews. Yelp, Google and many other sites provide an easy way to aggregate both positive and negative comments about your business, all of which can be visible from within a Google search of your business. Google adores reviews and according to Moz data, their search algorithm could be impacted by up to 9% by consumer reviews. Google wants to present the most trusted and relevant search results and one of the best ways to do that is to listen to the audience: your consumers.

Offsetting the Damage from Negative Reviews

As you can imagine, if Google takes up nearly 10% of its algorithm to focus on your reviews, a few poor reviews can drop you significantly lower in the all-important search engine results page. Reviews are a vital part of your SEO strategy, and it’s challenging to bounce back from negative reviews in the past. One of the things new customers are looking for is the responsiveness of the business to this type of feedback. If you watch your main review sites carefully and audit for positive and negative reviews, you can offer timely feedback that shows you recognize there are issues and you are taking steps to solve them in the future. This can help turn a negative review into a positive, encouraging new customers to take a chance and click through to your website.

Driving Positive Reviews is a Critical Component in Your Digital Marketing Strategy

Did you know that a Harvard study shows that a one-star increase on Yelp can lead to a 5-9% increase in sales? That’s what you call a direct correlation, and it makes reviews fully relevant and worth working for. Fortunately, those same customers who are ready to spout off about a negative experience are also surprisingly willing to post a positive review — but only if you ask. Up to 68% of consumers will take the time to review your product or service, and all you have to do is ask! Your marketing strategy should include a simple tactic that some of the best businesses in the world use (think Amazon): send a quick followup note via email requesting that customers leave a review on your preferred platform. When you flood the web with positive reviews, your business is more likely to rank higher and receive more high-quality traffic than a competitor who is not focused on improving their online reputation.

The moral of the story is that reputation still matters, even in a world where digital rules the day. In decades past, word of mouth reputation was what needed to be protected and that truly hasn’t changed as we edge into the future. Protecting the online reputation of your business is relatively straightforward and that quick automated email after a sale may be your very best selling tool — and the least expensive marketing tactic that you deploy!

Sales Technology Improves Results and Leads to Better Processes

Learn how sales tools that use some of the latest technologies, including automation, machine learning and artificial intelligence, deliver better outcomes.

To remain competitive today, your salespeople need all the advantages they can leverage for prospecting, business intelligence, leads and customer service. Here’s a look at some of the technology leads that will give your sales team a competitive edge.

How Can Technology Help with Prospecting?

Customer relationship management (CRM) software is one of the most important sales tools available. With a CRM, you can track important data about prospects and customers, and use the functionality to find sales opportunities. Sales and marketing teams can use the CRM to track response to marketing campaigns, outreach attempts and contact reports.

The CRM solution you deploy also helps sales managers track progress throughout the sales pipeline. Monitoring helps managers review the stage, probability and velocity of the pipeline for better forecasting.

How Does Technology Help Follow Up with Leads?

Automation tools help to create a persistent sales cadence that leads to more meetings and better outcomes. Automation can generate personalized and customized follow-up letters, emails and texts. One example is Boomerang, a Gmail plug-in that schedules follow-up emails and automates reminders to reconnect with prospects. Hubspot Sales also allows for personalization of emails and other follow-up communication.

For inbound sales, where customers contact your company via an email, phone call or web form, automation, machine learning and bots are a big help. These tools can help with routine inquiries and route leads to the right information while alerting a salesperson to reach out for contact.

Can I Integrate Sales Tech with Other Software?

Your CRM and other sales technologies are effective independently. But when these tools are integrated with finance/operations programs, your entire organization benefits. Having a single source of data, access to integrated reporting and solutions, data transparency and interrelationships, your sales team will be more effective and more collaborative.

Integrated tools also help leverage emerging technologies such as machine learning, big data and data analytics. These tools can collect, analyze, codify and find patterns in your sales data that drive deeper, actionable insights. Unified data also leads to less data re-entry and gives managers greater visibility into the sales information.

What Role Does the Cloud Play?

Cloud technologies provide data security and accessibility to apps, including CRMs and business productivity apps such as Microsoft Office 365, which offers mobile versions of the popular app suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Agility and access lead to more productive outbound sales reps.

Cloud technologies also help your team with videoconferencing tools that allow for web-based communication that helps communication with remotely deployed sales reps, leads and customers. Video has advantages over sales calls, allowing staff to notice body language, visual cues, energy level and facial expressions that can help inform the progression of the call and follow-up.

Your CRM and other tools also provide for a richer understanding of your customer. A 360-degree view of customer order history, payments, credit, maintenance needs and customer service inquiries gives your sales force real-time insights into the customer experience.

What Can Help With Effective Sales Calls?

There are many apps available to help make sales calls more effective. For example, Conference Pad is an app that lets you control multiple iPads simultaneously, ensuring that everyone seeing a presentation is on the same page or slide.

Can Technology Improve Sales Training?

Pages upon pages of manuals, in-person conferences and classroom training sessions are no longer the most effective or efficient ways to teach new skills and hone others. Two technology types — learning management systems (LMS) and virtual learning platforms (VLP) — provide flexible, trackable and accessible training tools. Managers can monitor progress and offer assistance in areas where reps struggle.

How Can Sales Technology Help Our Brand?

The right tools when used effectively will improve first impressions and boost your reputation. That helps not only with landing new business but also with attracting talented sales professionals. Investment in the latest and best technology solutions is a compelling option for salespeople seeking a new opportunity.

Sales technologies can be a boost to all areas of your sales program. The right investments result in better training, more actionable leads, higher response rates and more closed business.

Depending on the scope of the attack, the cost of getting hacked can be in the hundreds of thousands or more. Here’s what you need to know. 

When it comes to cyberattacks, all too often the bad guys win. Hackers have targeted local governments, airports, banks, and businesses, stealing usernames, passwords, and sensitive private data. While they may sell this information on the black market, they often hold it for ransom. With no other way to retrieve the stolen data, victims are forced to buy back their belongings while the thief vanishes into anonymity. Here is a look into the true price of getting hacked and what you can do to protect yourself.

Lake City, Florida mayor Stephen Witt announced that the city would pay hackers $460,000 to recover stolen data. The thieves seized control of major email servers, bringing the city’s operations to a grinding halt. Witt claimed that cyber insurance would cover all but $10,000 of the ransom, though it’s uncertain whether the city met the policy’s criteria for protection.

Ransomware: An Alarming Trend

Ransomware attacks are on the rise, and victims are paying exorbitant sums to regain their data. Three attacks occurred in April 2019 alone, hitting Tallahassee, Augusta, and the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The ransomware forced operations to close, with the Tallahassee attack costing the city nearly a half-million. Hackers frequently target municipalities and government organizations knowing the high value of the stolen data and its importance in operations. In many cases, the data isn’t exactly stolen, but encrypted to prevent access. After the ransom is paid, the hackers unlock the data, or so they promise.

Research conducted by SentinelOne found that only 26% of U.S. companies that fell victim to ransomware and paid the ransom were able to access their files. And even if the hackers honor their end of the deal, they may attack again. In fact, organizations that ponied up the cash were hit again 73% of the time. What’s worse is that some cybersecurity providers are in cahoots with hackers, splitting the ransom between them.

 

MSPs at Risk

Managed service providers (MSPs) are often the strongest line of defense against hackers. Unfortunately, hackers know this and have started to attack the software and systems that MSPs use to protect customer data. By infecting these systems with malware, hackers can access account credentials and use them to log in to customer accounts. They can then obtain bank accounts, addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers, and other private data.

How Can MSPs Fight Back?

As hackers become more adept, MSPs need to step up their game. Frequent testing of defense systems, backup and recovery plans, and other cybersecurity measures is a must. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published a framework to mitigate cybersecurity risk to assist MSPs in keeping hackers at bay.

As is the case in medicine, prevention is the best cure for cyberattacks. Cities, corporations, and businesses must work together with MSPs to reduce their likelihood of being targeted and have multiple plans in place if a breach occurs. By staying proactive, the good guys can make it difficult for hackers to get what they want.

Small Business Tech Security

Small businesses need to take cyber security seriously, preventing lapses or weak points that could lead to major data breaches or attacks.  

Modern technology is rapidly changing the landscape for small businesses. Small companies can now do more and have a far greater reach, but they are also faced with bigger security concerns. What once was a big company issue is now a concern for small businesses as well. Some small businesses get caught into an assumption that security breaches only impact big companies, but hacks, ransoms and malware threaten companies of all sizes.

Small- and medium-sized companies are being attacked at an increasing rate. The average cost of damage from theft, hacking and data loss increased from over $879k to $1mil, according to the Ponemon Institute. This has forced small businesses to spend more each year with a projected spend of $21.2 billion by 2021. Security has become a major small business concern.

Security is a Major Managed Services Offering for Small Business

Tech security is a vital need for small business, but not all companies can afford a full IT department. Small businesses that need additional tech support to cover the various aspects of their company. From firewalls and email to endpoints, top professionals should be keeping your business safe. Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated in their approaches, often tricking your employees into clicking on links or opening attachments that help them enter in a back door. Only the best software, updated devices and best practices for your employees will help reduce the risks of a breach. No matter what industry you are in, keeping your data, profiles and customers safe should be a top priority.

The traditional solutions are no longer good enough. In order to protect your business and customers, you will want to outsource tech support. By hiring an IT managed services company, you will have access to top professionals round-the-clock without paying for a full-time team. You want the expertise and niche talents that a full team can offer.

The True Cost of Data Breaches

Remember, your losses will go beyond the cost of recovery. You will have downtime that could cause major disruptions in your business and will impact how your customers trust your company. You could face governmental fines or settlements to cover customer loss. Your business could face investigations, digital forensics sweeps and more that would hinder work and become a huge time drag for you. Most businesses (60%) fail within 6 months of a data breach because the cost is too much to handle.

Strengthening Preventative Security Practices

A preventative approach to cyber security will be more valuable than just a response (though you want a response plan as well). Part of preventing those breaches is going to be in proper training for your employees. An estimated 54% of data breaches are the result of negligence on the part of an employee or contractor, according to a Ponemon study. Starting with good training and best practices will help reduce breaches due to error. A tech company should make necessary updates to your equipment and software to ensure you are protected against malware and virus attacks as much as possible. Backups should also be in place in case of a system breach, protecting you against lost data.

Stay Honest About Your Weaknesses

The right IT team will audit your company to find weak points and make reasonable suggestions for change. Having those honest conversations with your customers about potential risks can help protect both you and them. Being straightforward will help increase the trust and improve how customers treat their own data and account security. No matter what industry you operate in, your customers are going to hold you responsible when it comes to their security and data protection. By staying open about cyber concerns, you are more likely to take them seriously and get them ironed out. Trying to cover security concerns will only lead to bigger problems.

Get a tech team that works for you and knows your industry. If you need help with IT support or security, you can contact us for more information. We offer IT managed services that will help guard your company and prevent disaster.

How to Choose the Right App for CEO Online Journaling

Learn why many business leaders turn to journaling to build their brand and improve their leadership skills and see what features the top applications offer.

When you want to establish your own personal and professional brand online, using an online journal is an effective way to spread the word about your insights, leadership, business and philosophy. Having the right tool to help you get your message across to readers is an important decision.

Other CEOs use journals to fine-tune their skills, reflect on their days and improve their leadership skills.

“Setting aside as little as 10 minutes a day to record your thoughts stimulates reflection critical to making sense of the fast-moving world around you,” notes a recent Strategy and Business article. “Journaling engages the analytical, rational functions of the brain, which gives the more creative parts of your cranium space and time to work their magic.”

Below are the top online journal services that CEOs can use to build a better online persona or simply track their thoughts and perspectives.

What Features Should I Look For in a Journaling App?

The most effective apps are those that offer features that make it easier to write and publish. Some of the most common features among the top apps are:

• Easy interface. You want to be able to focus on writing, so you need a minimalist interface that lets you focus your thoughts and write well. The app you choose should also be easy to use, with a limited number of clicks or taps needed to add an entry.
• Exporting. You want to choose a product that allows for exporting into formats such as PDF, RTF or common word processing extensions that allow you to use the content wherever you want.
• Syncing. Keep your journal synchronized across your devices with an app that has synchronizing capabilities.
• Reminders. Gentle automated nudges to enter your thoughts are a good way to maintain the habit.
• Visual support. You may want to add other elements to your journal, including photos, videos and graphics.

What Are the Top Online Journal Services for CEOs?

You have many choices when it comes to journaling services. Here are a few of the top options:

• Day One. Automatically add metadata such as date, location, time and weather, synchronize your entries across devices, and use a dark mode if working in low light. It also uses IFTTT (“if this then that”), a free web-based service to automate the creation of entries on multiple apps.
• Diario. A great choice when you want to add lots of images. You can add folders, tags, dates, locations and other filters.
• Diary. A simple interface makes Diary popular for shorter entries, which can be shared easily with friends and followers on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms or via email. Provides cloud storage and reminders, too.
• Journal. An intuitive interface and clean layout highlight this product. Synchronize with Google Maps to add location metadata and street views. Export entries to file types suitable for printing. Security features include Touch ID, Face ID and PIN protection and automatic backups to Google Drive.
• LiveJournal. One of the oldest journaling apps dating to 1999, LiveJournal lets you share and read others’ journal entries while writing your own.
• Momento. Connect Momento to social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube and you can automatically add social activity to your journal.
• Penzu. Security is the name of the game with Penzu, which offers double password protection and 256-bit encryption, along with customizable backgrounds and fonts.

Whether for branding or reflection, the right journaling tool can improve your professional outcomes.

Finding the right scheduling software can make everyone happier, and thereby make everything run a bit easier and a bit more smoothly. Here is what you need to find in the optimal scheduling software program, and where to find it.

The medical field has always been an industry in which accuracy is key. From the moment a referral is processed to the moment that a patient leaves the office after visiting with their physician, accuracy, privacy, and efficiency are all fundamental components of what drives the medical experience. Even in a small doctor’s office, it is common for a single physician to have several hundred patients that they care for regularly. Therefore, the task of managing the caretaking of patients and their private information largely falls to the support staff. While scheduling appointments may at first sound like the least complex task to manage within a physician’s office, efficiency and accuracy in scheduling are pivotal in ensuring the success of the entire office. Taking advantage of a quality scheduling software can help to streamline the scheduling process, thereby helping to ensure that patients are scheduled when they ought to be, with the doctor they need to see, and all pertinent information is managed accordingly.

Shifting to automated online scheduling makes it easier to:

• Provide patients with easy access to schedule appointments
• Simplify the job of office staff workers
• Streamline the functionality of a medical office, regardless of size

There are a few things that every medical office needs if it wants to run smoothly. A strong office manager, highly skilled nurses, and a caring physician are all important factors—but you can’t overlook something that has grown to become even more fundamental to the medical field, the right technology. Without the right technology, you could find yourself losing information, or even worse, making information too easily available to malicious eyes, and spending hours that should be reserved for better caring for patients instead of trying to deal with complications and redundancies in software.

Shifting to an intuitive scheduling platform can help to drastically streamline the appointment process and lead to improved morale among patients, office workers, and medical staff.

What is self-scheduling?

Self-scheduling is quickly becoming one of the biggest technology trends in the medical industry. This sort of software allows patients to use any digital platform, such as their home computer or mobile device, to schedule, reschedule, or cancel appointments at any time. This takes a huge burden off of office staffers, who are typically fielding calls throughout the day to manage appointments, while also providing a level of comfort and support to patients who are now able to schedule their medical appointments more inconspicuously, and without the need to wait on hold until an office staffer is available.

Patients appreciate the 24/7 around-the-clock nature of online scheduling, and office workers appreciate the reduction in time spent on the phone managing those appointments. Instead of speaking directly to all patients, office workers can instead focus on ensuring that incoming patients have ample time to complete their intake paperwork, processing necessary prescriptions, or any other number of tasks that are the responsibility of the medical officer manager, like dealing with the needs of patients with more complex issues.

Automated Waiting List

Putting it in the patient’s hands to schedule their own appointment at their convenience means giving the patient peace of mind to consider their personal commitments as they make an appointment, thereby making it less likely that they will have to cancel or reschedule. However, it also provides the patient with the opportunity to see the next available dates for appointments, and even to sign up for a waiting list for an earlier appointment, should one become available.

Online Scheduling: The Organized Option

The biggest benefit to shifting to an automated schedule is the organizational bliss that comes from putting all incoming information in one place. By utilizing an intuitive scheduling platform it is possible to cut down on wasted hours in the office, to reduce errors in scheduling by limiting overbookings and canceled appointments, and to ensure that all booked appointments are properly prepared for and the medical files necessary for each appointment are processed accurately. Office staff can easily work with the scheduling platform to match patients with the necessary provider, process insurance information, and fill in a provider’s schedule—all in one sitting. For a large medical facility, shifting to an automated scheduling system is a must-do to keep the office above water. For a small medical facility, this simple decision can make a world of difference in the level of functionality and productivity in the office.

Six Essential Steps For CEOs To Take For Microsoft EOS 2020

What steps should I take if my Microsoft operating system support is ending in January 2020? Windows 7 support is ending January 2020 essential steps to take.

Microsoft is ending support for a number of operating systems and software packages starting January 2020. What does end of support (EOS) mean? Your computers and network will no longer receive software patches or security updates. You won’t be able to access paid telephone or online support for bugs or problems. The biggest threat with Microsoft EOS is security. Without security updates, your system will be much more vulnerable to hackers.

What Microsoft programs are ending support in January 2020?

You can access a complete list of programs on Microsoft’s EOS site. A partial list of programs ending support in January 2020 include:

• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows 10, version 1709 and 1809
• Windows 10, version 1803
• System Center (5 programs), version 1807
• Exchange Server 2010 (all editions)

Will EOS just affect these programs or can it affect others?

Microsoft’s January 2020 EOS will affect operating systems and server programs as well as programs that use the operating system. Your business could be using essential programs that run on the operating system. These are LOB (Line of Business) programs.

Your LOB programs could include:

• Business databases
• Customer relationship management (CRM) software
• Invoicing and billing software
• Accounting programs
• Programs for your industry: CAD, ERP, graphic design, word processing

Could your LOB programs stop working if you don’t upgrade your Microsoft OS or server suite of programs? Yes: you could experience significant downtime due to bugs, glitches, and security problems.

What steps should we take to make sure we’re covered for Microsoft’s January 2020 EOS?

• Start planning as soon as possible — don’t wait until December 2019
• Assess your inventory of essential LOB programs and apps.
• Identify who uses the programs and how essential they are
• Find out if the programs will run on upgraded Microsoft operating systems
• Select the appropriate Microsoft OS or Server suite for an upgrade
• Update and/or upgrade your essential LOB programs to run on the new Microsoft OS or Server programs

What can a managed services provider (MSP) do to help with Microsoft’s EOS in January 2020?

If you already have an MSP and they haven’t talked to you about Microsoft’s EOS in January 2020, you might have a newer OS or server that won’t be part of this EOS. Microsoft is currently providing five years of standard support and 10 years of extended support for its products.

If you don’t have an MSP, Microsoft’s EOS offers you an opportunity to contact one. MSP’s have already handled many upgrades and migrations based on Microsoft’s EOS process. You should interview several MSP’s to find out which one is most qualified to help your business. Look for an MSP who’s got experience with your business’s software needs. Look for an MSP who can communicate clearly. Another plus? A provider with good people skills who’s experienced in working with people who’ll need to start using upgraded software. The security risks involved with failing to upgrade older Microsoft operating and server systems are too great to put off upgrades or allow people to continue to use old, outdated software that’s out of support.

Once you’ve selected the MSP that’s right for you, sit down with them and establish a plan for your options for upgrading your OS and essential LOB software and apps. More Microsoft programs are set for EOS later in 2020. Begin the process now to ensure a smooth transition.