Pause for a minute and ask yourself if your business is prepared for a disaster. Chances are you have some plan for a large scale disaster like hurricanes, earthquakes and fire, but what about other disasters like hackers or human error? The truth is, many businesses with a disaster recovery plan often forget to ensure they cover all potential disasters.

Here are five tips to help ensure that your business is fully ready for the next disaster.

1. Backup everything While it can be tempting to only backup the most important data and programs, it can be a chore to identify what is deemed to be important. Who knows, a file that is non-essential today may become essential in the future. If it is lost due to a disaster, this could prove to be a problem.

It would be a good idea to look for a backup solution that covers all data and programs. But, having a full backup solution isn't enough, you also need to ensure that recovery is easy and can be implemented quickly.

2. Look into tiered recovery Establishing a tiered recovery method means identifying the value and importance of existing systems and utilizing a recovery method that meets needs. It would be a good idea to identify mission critical systems and adopt a recovery method that can have these systems up and running as quickly as possible. From there you can tier different systems and match a recovery method. For example, archived files are likely not needed right away, so they can be recovered at a later date, using a slower recovery method.

3. Keep copies of all keys and licenses With the amount of software and programs businesses use on a daily basis growing, it would be a good idea to keep copies of the activation keys (the string of digits and letters you enter to activate the full version of software) and purchased licenses.

While many of these are now distributed electronically through email, there are still software developers that distribute keys by mail or with the physical install CDs. If you lose the codes in a fire, you will be out of luck and have to purchase the software again. This is an extra charge you likely don't want.

4. Pick the right recovery locations The best recovery plans offer numerous backup solutions which are hosted in different locations. A good provider knows this and will utilize data storage centers as far apart as possible. If you choose to backup your own data, it would not be a good idea to keep the backups in the office.

Similarly, if you are preparing for a big disaster, you likely have physical locations that you can move to if your main business location is damaged or destroyed. Optimal plans will have more than one location identified, and have them as far apart as possible. This will minimize the chances of losing full operations and increase your business's ability to bounce back quicker.

5. Match your recovery plan to your business There are so many different backup and recovery options that it can be tough to pick one. The best course of action is to look at your systems and how they work. If you operate strictly offline, a cloud based backup solution likely isn't your best bet. Or, if you operate fully in the cloud, a physical tape or hard disk backup may not be optimal.

If you are looking to beef up, or establish a disaster recovery plan, try working with an IT partner like us, who can help you find the optimal solution that can meet your needs and budget.

Social media has become an important part of any business's marketing strategy. By having an active presence on the main networks, you will likely see increased sales or at the very least an increase in brand recognition. So, while social media is an invaluable marketing tool, there are also other departments which could benefit from it.

Below are four non-marketing oriented uses of social media that businesses could benefit from.

Hiring LinkedIn is a social network dedicated to helping professionals and organizations connect and find jobs and new talent. Most social savvy companies will have a presence on this network and may even hire exclusively from here.

If you are looking for new employees, it wouldn't hurt to have a LinkedIn profile. To find the best talent, you need to forge and maintain connections (usually starting with people you know), and be somewhat active in groups and on message boards.

It's also important to not forget the other major networks when it comes to hiring. Tweeting a job opening on Twitter, or posting ads on Facebook could also help you find your next employee. Facebook can be particularly useful because you can pay to target ads (in this case, job openings) at specific demographics.

Internal communications Communication is an important part of business, and most people choose to communicate using email. You have probably seen emails with jokes, invitations to after work events, lunch orders, etc. sent to the whole company and also received the many replies that go with it. This can get very annoying, and also confusing.

Why not utilize social media for non-essential (aka. not related to work) communication. Set up a Facebook group where your employees can share content, invitations to lunch or after work gatherings, interesting stories, etc. That way you can limit email to more important, business-related aspects.

Using social media for internal communication is also beneficial for companies with younger workers. Most already see Facebook, Twitter, etc. as their main form of communication, some even feel more comfortable communicating over this medium as opposed to speaking out in meetings. Having a group portal or Facebook page could give less-empowered employees a way to voice their ideas, and maybe even improve on them with feedback from others.

Learning A common complaint of many business owners is that they have a tough time staying on top of ever-changing trends and what currently interests their customers. Using social media to connect with your customers can be a great way to learn not only hot trends but also about new ideas.

Customer service When it comes to social media, users will often complain publicly on their wall or through their tweets. This is bad for you, as the reach of this complaint can go a long way and make you look bad. Some companies have decided to confront this head on by having specific customer service accounts. If a customer complains, has an issue, or even compliments you, be active and respond using that account.

If done properly, over time, you will see more and more people reaching out to your customer service account through social media. This also gives you another way to please clients or turn around negative customer experiences.

Social media and the various platforms are not only great for marketing, but can be incredibly useful for other business functions. Do you have any other ways you use social media? Let us know. Or, if you would like to learn more about how it can help your company, then contact us today.

Did you know that the new HIPAA Privacy and Security final rule came into effect March 26? The rule, more commonly known as the HIPAA Omnibus Rule brings about a drastic change in the way practices are supposed to handle breach notifications. This change is something you should be aware of.

Under the old rule, when a data breach occurred, health-care providers were presumed innocent of harming patients until the patients proved otherwise. Under the new rule, when a data breach occurs. The opposite is the case: Health-care providers are presumed guilty of harming patients, and will have to prove their innocence.

Additionally, the new rule includes business associates (such as vendors), which could catch providers off guard.

Small health-care providers without resources to understand the changes can rely on government programs to help them do risk analysis. In essence, the programs recommend that you identify all parties with access to health records and ensure that you are protecting those records in compliance with the new rule.

Although the rule was effective on March 26, providers and their business associates have 180 days to comply before the Office for Civil Rights begins enforcement, beginning on September 23. Until then, however, providers will still be held accountable under the old rules. If you need help ensuring that your systems are secure, please contact us today.

Meaningful Use Stage 2 begins on January 1, 2014, and while many health-care providers have implemented electronic medical records (EMRs) in preparation, stumbling blocks exist. Here are three of them.

Getting patients to use portals. More than 50% of patients seen during the reporting period must receive timely online access to their health information, which means within four business days. Additionally, more than 5% of patients seen in that period must actually, "view, download, or transmit to a third party their health information."

Exchanging data. Health-care providers must provide a summary-of-care record for more than 50% of transitions of care and referrals, and for 10% of those transitions, the summary must be transmitted electronically. Moreover, at least one exchange must occur with a recipient who uses a different EMR. And, the data must be able to be generated in a specified format.

Creating medication and lab orders. More than 60% of medication orders and 30% of lab test orders must be done electronically, and test orders will involve new workflows in many practices.

While these three potential stumbling blocks may seem large, there is some good news: Stage 2 shouldn’t be burdensome for health-care providers who attested in Stage 1, as you’re essentially just demonstrating a higher level of use. If you are preparing for Stage 2, and are worried about potential challenges, contact us today to see how we can help make the tranistion smooth and worry free.

Telecommunication has changed drastically in the past decade. The main proponent of this change has been Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) which has allowed for traditional phone systems to converted to a digital system that has positively impacted the business environment. One of the main benefits VoIP brings businesses is a sheer number of features that don't normally cost extra.

Here are five VoIP features offered by many providers that small to medium businesses will benefit from.

1. Voicemail/call forwarding Many smaller businesses simply can't be open 24 hours. This means that there will be time where you or your employees are unable to answer the phone. Most industry leading VoIP providers offer the ability to convert phone messages into emails, which could be a great help to your business.

A good VoIP solution will also provide you with a voicemail system and a feature called Find me/Follow me. This is a call forwarding feature that allows users to receive calls regardless of their location or phone number. This makes it easier for you and your managers to be reachable when they are outside of the office, especially if calls can be forwarded to their mobile phone.

2. DND DND, or Do Not Disturb is an important feature for those who work with clients on a regular basis. When you are talking to a client, the last thing you want is to be interrupted by a phone call as it can make you look unprofessional.

Many VoIP systems actually offer advanced DND features like the ability to send calls to voicemail, or transfer to another colleague who may be able to answer the call at the press of a button.

3. Conferencing You can pretty much guarantee that you will need to eventually make a conference call. Some managers and owners may even make this type of calls on a regular basis. The best VoIP systems go further than just supporting conference calls, they also enable users to send files, chat messages, collaborate on calendars, share presentations and even desktops. This is often called Unified Communications by many vendors.

4. Auto Attendant This feature gives your business a bigger footprint by allowing you to setup multiple numbers in local areas, and have a menu system like many large companies. This means you can setup a system where a caller can easily get into contact with different departments, or even a live operator.

Some users don't like this feature because they see it as an impediment to immediate customer service - think of the last time you had to navigate a menu system over your phone? It really comes down to the preference of your company.

5. Call Recording If your company operates in an industry that is regulated, you may need to record calls. Or, you may want to record calls to track customer satisfaction and questions. Regardless of your need, a good VoIP system will allow the user to easily record calls, often at the click of a mouse, and store them in an audio format that can be easily replayed later.

These are just five of many features offered by many VoIP providers. If you are looking for a new telecommunications solution, contact us today to see how we can help.

The mobile device has become a mainstay in nearly every business. It just makes sense for business owners, managers and even employees to be able to connect to the office from anywhere. One of the best devices that has enabled this is the tablet, of which there are many. It can be a chore to figure out which is best for your business.

Here's a five point comparison of the three most popular 10-inch tablets - Apple's iPad 4, Google's Nexus 10 and Microsoft's Surface Pro.

• Apple iPad - The iPad starts at USD$499 for the cheapest model and USD$929 for the top model. The major differences between the models is storage size and connectivity options.
• Google Nexus 10 - The Nexus 10 starts at USD$399 for the base model and USD$499 for the top model. The only real difference between the two models is storage size.
• Microsoft Surface Pro - The base model of the Surface Pro starts at USD$899 while the other model starts at USD$999.

The prices listed above are for just the device, the price you pay will be higher if you add peripherals like keyboard cases, screen protectors or extended warranty.

Storage

• iPad - Comes with 16, 32, 64 or 128GB of storage.
• Nexus 10 - Has either 16 or 32GB of storage.
• Surface Pro - Offers 64 or 128GB of storage. The Pro also has a Micro SD card reader which can support up to 64GB of extra storage. There is also a USB port which you could connect an external hard drive to, allowing for nearly unlimited storage.

It's important to note that these storage numbers are provided by the manufacturer of the device, these numbers don't include the space the operating system and other pre-installed programs take up. For example the Surface Pro 64GB actually has 29GB of usable storage space. In comparison: The Nexus 10 32GB has about 29GB of usable space while the iPad 32GB has slightly over 27GB.

Internet Connectivity

• iPad - There are two versions: Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi/3g/LTE (Mobile data).
• Nexus 10- Wi-Fi only.
• Surface Pro - Wi-Fi only.

Being able to connect to the Internet either through a Wi-Fi or mobile data connection is important for many business users, especially if you are out of the office on a regular basis.

Battery life

• iPad - Around 10 hours with normal use.
• Nexus 10 - Around 8.5 hours with normal use.
• Surface Pro - Around four hours.

The total battery life depends on what users do with the tablets. The numbers reflect what an average business user will get out of their tablet. As with almost any mobile device, it would be a good idea to keep a spare cord at the office and at home so you can charge it when you need to.

Apps

• iPad - Apple's App Store has slightly over 800,000 apps, many with versions optimized for the iPad.
• Nexus 10 - Google Play also has slightly over 800,000 apps available to download. The number of tablet-specific apps is far lower than the App Store however.
• Surface Pro - The Surface Pro runs a full version of Windows 8, which means any Windows program that is compatible with Windows 8 will work on the Surface Pro.

Which is best for business?

When it comes to buying a tablet for work, you need to take into account what you will be using it for. Below are eight popular scenarios and which devices may be best suited for that task.

1. Email only - If you are looking for a tablet to just check your email on, it would be a good idea to look at the Nexus 10. The main reason for this is twofold: First, you can install different virtual keyboards which make it easier for you to type messages. Second: There are more email apps that allow you to connect to multiple accounts.
2. On a budget - The Nexus 10 is the cheapest 10-inch tablet, and would be the best option here.
3. To replace a laptop - The Surface Pro, which costs the same as most mid-range laptops, is really more of a laptop with a touch screen, which makes it an ideal candidate to replace an existing laptop.
4. To help with presentations - The Surface Pro is your best option here. Because you can install a full version of Office 2013 (with PowerPoint) on the device which is mostly portable, you shouldn't need anything else. Beyond that, there is a mini display port which allows you to connect to any monitor or projection screen (HDMI or VGA) with an adapter.
5. Everyday use - If you plan to be doing a bit of everything, including personal use, most users will go with the iPad due to its ease of use and great platform.
6. Google user - The Nexus 10 is built to be the 'Google' tablet; what Google deems to be the benchmark for other Android tablets. As such, any Google user will find this tablet to be the best choice, especially if you use Google Apps in the office.
7. Apple user - If you use an iPhone or Apple computers in your office, the iPad would be the best device.
8. Microsoft user - Windows users will likely benefit most from the Microsoft Surface.

If you're looking for a new tablet and would like help figuring out which will be best for your business needs please contact us today, we may be able to help.

Social media has been around, in one form or another, for more or less a decade now. It's kind of hard to believe the change it has brought, some even find it hard to live without. While many services have come and gone, there are a few that have real staying power. The newest being Pinterest, which has recently been redesigned. This redesign also introduces two new features businesses could benefit from.

Here's a brief overview of the new features introduced with Pinterest's recent layout changes.

How to get the new layout

Before you can use these features, it would be a good idea to upgrade to the new layout. While, like other social media services, this will be happening automatically over time. Unlike other platforms, the new layout is available for all users to switch to when they feel ready, however when you switch to the new layout, you will not be able to go back to the old one. Here's how you can switch:

1. Log in to Pinterest.
2. Hover your mouse over your profile/business name at the top-right of your profile.
3. Click Switch to the New Look.
4. Select Get it Now. Note: If you press this, you likely won't be able to switch back to the old layout.
5. Press Okay from the Welcome to your new look! pop-up window.

When the new layout loads, you'll notice that the pins are bigger, the category button has been moved to the left side of the profile beside the Search bar. You'll also notice that the comment button has been moved from the pins, you can access it by clicking on the image. On top of cosmetic changes, two useful functions that businesses will find beneficial.

Discovery

Now, when you look at an individual pin (click on the image), you will notice a number of changes.

• You can see all pins on the same board.
• You'll also see pins from the same website. For example if you pin something from a restaurant, you'll now see similar pins from the same website.
• Most importantly, you'll now be able to see what other people have pinned along with the same image.

This will make it easier for users to discover what other people are pinning. For your business this means potentially higher exposure. Think of this as something similar to the way Facebook works: If a person likes you, the chances of this like showing on their friend's profile, and that friend visiting your Page is higher. It's kind of like easy brand exposure.

Analytics

Arguably the most useful feature added recently is Pinterest Analytics, which allows you to see if your pins are being clicked on or shared, and the general success of your activities. This will go a long way in helping you determine the overall success of your Pinterest oriented efforts.

The main caveat with this is that your profile/business's website needs to be verified and connected with your profile. If you have an unofficial Pinterest account, you can change it to a business one by:

1. Logging into your Pinterest account and going to business.pinterest.com.
2. Pressing Convert your existing account and choose your type of business.
3. Entering the relevant account information like the name of your business, address and website.
4. Agreeing to the new Terms of Service.

If you would like to have a new username or account simply go to http://business.pinterest.com/ and press Join as a Business. You will be asked to set your account information, username, etc. You will need to verify your account which will involve you having to download a file and upload it to the server that hosts your website. We, or your web hoster can help you with that.

After your account is verified, you will notice that if you hover your mouse over your account name a drop-down list should pop up with Analytics being about half way down. Click on that to be taken to the section.

This section will display a bunch of graphs including:

• The number of daily pins and pinners on your site.
• The number of re-pins you have done.
• How many times your content has been repinned.
• The number of clicks and website visits.
• The most clicked and repinned pins.
• The number of times your pins have been seen.

Overall, Analytics is a useful tool that will give you a clear picture of what is working and what isn't. If you pinned a picture of a dog and noticed that it got zero pins while another got hundreds, it may be a good idea to create/look for more similar content.

If you are looking to integrate Pinterest into your business's social media strategy or would like or learn more about how to use the service, please contact us today.

When it comes to running a business there are a few integral components you need in order to have a chance at being successful. One of those is a phone number. This means you also need a phone and infrastructure to support it, which can be quite costly to implement. One alternative is to use a digital phone system - Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

The question many business owners ask is: Can it bring any benefits to my business? In short, yes, it can. Here are five benefits of VoIP.

1. Automation Most VoIP systems can be easily configured to route calls to numbers without the need of an expensive switchboard. This means that you could route calls to your mobile phone when you are out of the office.

Any good phone system offers callers the ability to leave messages. Some VoIP systems can take voicemail messages and turn them into emails, which makes it easier for you to track and reply to these messages.

2. Larger appearance Solid VoIP systems allow you to have different numbers that can route into one branch. For example, if you have a presence in four states, you can set a local number in each state and when users call, they are automatically routed to your office.

By having a local presence, many customers will think your business is bigger than it really is, and may be more trusting. Similarly, you can also assign numbers to different 'departments' that get routed to one phone. This is a great way of making your company seem bigger and more reliable.

3. Features With most traditional phone services, you have to pay extra for features like all display, extra numbers, call monitoring, etc. VoIP systems often include these features and more at little to no extra cost.

4. Savings As VoIP uses your Internet connection, calls are not geographically routed which means that a phone call that would normally be considered long distance, isn't on VoIP. This translates to lower phone bills. These systems don't require complex infrastructure and wiring that traditional phone systems do. Existing phones can be easily integrated into VoIP systems with a small piece of hardware, meaning you won't need to invest in new hardware.

5. It's scalable It is easy to add numbers and phones to any VoIP system. This means that when you hire new employees, you can quickly (often in as little as three minutes) and easily assign them a number and a phone at little to no cost. This means that as you grow, the system grows with you.

If you are looking to update your current phone system or save money, please contact us today. We may have the VoIP solution that fits your business needs.

Congressional hearings on mobile health-care application regulation suggest the future is bright for this technology, say mHIMSS executives Tom Martin and David Collins.

The hearings, held March 19-21, considered the importance of allowing innovation to flourish vs. the importance of regulation for patient safety.

Discussed in the hearings were the dangers of strict FDA oversight and the potential threat of Obamacare taxes on apps—concerns that were dismissed by most witnesses.

According to Martin and Collins, "While a few developers are waiting on the FDA’s final medical app guidance before submitting apps to the market, many developers are bringing innovative products to market, and venture funding for healthcare startups is at an all time high."

Moreover, although a very small segment of the app marketplace could be subject to the excise tax on medical devices, most app categories would not, say Martin and Collins.

This likely gives app developers the confidence to bring new apps to the market, and that could lead to an explosion if mobile health-care technology.

There are no federal rules specifying how health-care providers must spend their meaningful use incentive checks, but most are using it to either pay down debt incurred in qualifying for meaningful use or fund more information technology (IT) growth.

According to The Advisory Board Company, Medicare-eligible health-care providers received an average about USD$17,300 each, while Medicaid-eligible health-care providers received USD$21,600.

That may not sound like much when compared to the perceived cost of implementing an electronic medical record (EMR) in the first place. Some recently published surveys have come to the conclusion that EMRs can be money-losing proposition for some physicians. These reports highlighted that less than half of the participants saw, or would see, a positive return on investment. This data needs to be taken with a grain of salt, as it only factors in direct returns on the initial cost of investment, as in the cost of implementing an EMR would be more than the potential return from savings on technology.

This makes sense, as most clinics and offices can't simply raise fees to cover for the cost of new technology. The problem is, these findings are one-sided as the data from these surveys doesn’t factor in all of the non-tangible benefits of an EMR. These benefits can translate into extensive cost savings including: Greater efficiency, the ability to see more patients and increased billings. These three benefits alone will see a greater return on investment in the long run, see costs recouped faster and profits grow.

The fact that many health-care providers are using their incentive checks to fund more IT suggests they‘ve learned from their EMR-implementation experience that technology, despite it’s up-front costs, brings lower costs down the road.