How do you feel about the technology you use in your business? A recent study found that 90% of business leaders felt confident that their IT systems today are “best in class”.

But how about tomorrow?

The same study showed that:

• Only 39% of business leaders felt confident that their current IT system was future-ready
• 64% worry that their technology might be getting outdated
• Around half the tech used by businesses was at its end-of-life.

When technology is no longer supported by the manufacturer or software creator, it’s like driving a car that hasn’t had a service in years. Sure, it might run fine for now – but sooner or later, it’s going to break down (and it’ll probably happen at the worst possible moment).

When it comes to business IT, cyber security is another big concern. The study found that 65% of business leaders worry about cyber attacks, and 56% admit that they find it a challenge protecting their business from these attacks.

Nobody can control whether their business comes under attack – but you can make sure your business is prepared. And the best way to do that is by keeping your IT systems up to date and investing in the right security tools.

So, how can you make sure your business’s IT is future-ready?

Take a good look at your current setup. Is your tech starting to slow down? Do you need to start replacing your hardware or software?

If your business tech does need updating, don’t wait until things have stopped working. Think ahead and start planning for upgrades now.

And while you’re at it, make sure your team is trained up on how to use the latest tools and systems.

If you need help building a technology strategy for your business’s next few years, that’s what we do – get in touch.

Microsoft is warning business owners about a new type of phishing scam (where cyber criminals pose as a trusted source to trick you into giving away login info), which uses popular cloud services like SharePoint and OneDrive.

Although these platforms are usually safe, scammers have figured out how to trick privacy settings to get past security checks.

The scammers hack your cloud storage by stealing your login details or buying them on the black market.

Once they get inside, they upload a file that is designed to look authentic – like a fake Microsoft 365 login page. They set the file to “view-only” or limit access to specific people, such as you and your team.

Opening these files or following any links inside the emails could cause serious damage to your business. Scammers can use your information to access your systems, or they can install malware (malicious software) that lets them cause disruption and steal information.

Recovering from these kinds of attacks can be expensive and time-consuming – not to mention the damage it could do to your business’s reputation.

Make sure your employees are aware of this new threat and know to be cautious when opening emails, even if they appear to come from a trusted service.

Before opening any shared files, double-check the sender’s identity. If something feels off, contact the sender directly to verify it.

Make sure you use multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all your team’s devices. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second piece of information (like a code sent to your phone) along with your password.

Also, keep your security software up to date so that it’s always ready to block the latest types of attack.

Would you like our help protecting your business with added security, training, and monitoring? Get in touch.

Microsoft is once again finding ways to make life easier for your business with Windows 11.

If you ever work on your phone as well as your PC, you’re going to love the new “Hand Off” feature that’s being tested right now.

The idea is this: Let’s say you’re in a meeting or on the move. And you start working on something in Microsoft Word or another app on your phone. Once you get back to your PC, a notification will pop up asking if you want to keep working on the document – allowing you to switch between devices seamlessly.

This feature is made possible through OneDrive’s syncing function. It’s already compatible with Android phones, and it’s likely to work for iPhones too, although that’s not yet been confirmed.

Being able to jump between devices without losing track of work could be a great benefit, especially if your team works remotely.

Although it hasn’t been rolled out just yet, “Hand Off” has clear potential to be a valuable tool for businesses.

Ready to find out more ways Windows 11 could boost productivity in your business? We can help, get in touch.

Microsoft recently made changes to the Windows Start menu – and it caused a bit of an uproar.

Here’s what happened: Microsoft tried to streamline the Start menu by grouping related settings together. But they tucked the sign out option behind a three-dot menu, creating confusion for people trying to log out of their accounts.

Thankfully, Microsoft has listened to feedback and is now testing an update to put the sign out button back to where it was before.

This is good news for teams that have multiple profiles set up on one computer, making it easier to switch between accounts again.

These changes are part of a broader update to Windows 11 that’s currently being tested. The update will also bring in new features like media controls on the lock screen for when you’re playing music or videos, as well as the ability to share files directly from your search results.

These updates are great examples of small changes that can have a really positive impact on how your team works.

Is it time for you to move your business to Windows 11? We can help get you started, get in touch.