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Start Up Requiring Robust Infrastructure – From Planning to Implementation
The 7 Irresistible Qualities of Cloud ERP
Learn why ERP tools are an critical component for many businesses.
Why a Business Continuity Plan is Essential
Learn why your company needs a business continuity plan.
Ransomware 101
If you’re looking for ways to stop ransomware dead in its tracks, the experts at CCS Technology are here to help.
How managed services make the difference
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Cloud Services and the SMB Revolution
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Office 365 Migration Made Easy
Migrating over to Office 365 has never been easier with CCS Technology.
The Advantages of Working with I.T. Pros
Learn how working with a seasoned technology pro makes your work easier.
Closing Common Cybersecurity Holes
Learn several critical cybersecurity tips and tricks any SMB can use.
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4 SMBs that can benefit from a custom mobile app
/in Blog, Productivity /by wpengineWhen it comes to selecting a gaming computer there are two options. Build a custom machine or purchase a pre-built model.
You don’t need a customized computer to play online games. But if you’re looking to optimize your gaming experience, a custom-built machine is the best way to get exactly what you want.
This same idea applies to businesses and custom mobile applications.
There are plenty of pre-designed apps that will likely work for your organization. And some of them, like Office 365, even allow for moderate customization.
But if it’s freedom you’re after, partnering with a professional to build an app for your business is the way to go.
To show just how versatile a custom mobile app can be, we made a list of 4 SMBs that would benefit from one.
1. Schools
Keeping busy students and educators informed about important details and activity is a challenge many educational institutions struggle with. A custom mobile app can bolster school security while also keeping staff, students, and parents in-the-know about on-campus happenings.
Possible features:
2. Real Estate Firms
Realtors need access to local housing market data on the go. A mobile application can provide convenient, reliable access to the property, client and area information they need when and where they need it.
Possible features:
3. Homeowners’ Associations
HOAs are required to keep their residents informed about community issues, activities, and rules. A customized mobile application can help HOAs share relevant updates and encourage participation while giving residents access to basic community and local area information.
Possible features:
4. Healthcare Practices
Thirty-minute doctor’s visits often aren’t enough time to gain a full picture of a patient’s condition. A mobile app can allow patients and doctors to exchange more data on health history, status, and symptoms, helping to better diagnose, manage and customize treatment.
Possible features:
Creating a Custom Mobile App: Next Steps
The bottom line is, custom mobile apps can help a variety of SMBs increase efficiency, mobility, and productivity.
If you think your business would benefit from one, reach out. We’re confident we can design a custom mobile app that incorporates all of the features your business needs to tackle projects and increase customer satisfaction.
Related Blog: Top 3 Signs Your Business Needs a Custom App
4 tips for securing your enterprise resource planning software
/in Blog, Security /by wpengineIn the Oscar-winning drama The Social Network, Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin are two Harvard college students working to create what is now the most widely used social networking site in the world: Facebook.
There’s a scene from the film where a crowd of students cheer on five nerdy guys furiously typing on computers. Zuckerberg looks on while Saverin approaches him, asking what’s going on.
“They have 10 minutes to get root access to a Python web server, expose its SSL encryption, and then intercept all traffic over its secure port.”
Saverin replies, “They’re hacking.”
Turns out, these five guys are participating in a “hackathon.” One where, according to the rules, they take a shot every 30 or so seconds.
To these students, hacking is a game. Something fun to do at a party. In the business world, it’s anything but.
The possibility of a cybercriminal breaching your business network and gaining access to sensitive company data is very real. And very serious.
One of the ways a hacker can do this is through your enterprise resource planning software. We’re here to help you prevent that from happening.
Why is ERP security important?
Enterprise resource planning software has the potential to give an overview of your entire company-wide operations, including everything from customer and financial relationships to personal data, HR information and intellectual property.
A data breach that includes ERP records would have sweeping impact. Productivity takes a hit, your reputation suffers, and revenue could easily dip. And if your business is subject to compliance regulations, you could be looking at hefty violation fines, too.
The key to avoiding these headaches is a robust network and application security designed specifically to protect all your data, including the information managed by your ERP solution.
Here are 4 tips to help you better secure your ERP software.
Update, update, update.
Forgive the repetition, but this first tip is just that important. Update your network security and upgrade your application software to the most current release. Due to ERP’s integration into nearly every area of your company, a breach into one are of your network can expose your entire system to hackers.
Patching your system will protect against new malware threats and fix bugs. Plus, updates can introduce new software capabilities unavailable in previous versions.
Since enterprise resource planning software is massive, performing updates will take longer. Scheduling them outside of business hours will help you eliminate update-related downtime.
Control user access.
If anyone in your company can access all the information in your ERP, then in the famous words of NASA Mission Control, “Houston, we have a problem.” Allowing every employee to see every module’s information is a security risk. And, depending on the data, a potential compliance violation.
To prevent internal attacks or accidental data removal, define permissions for different features in your ERP and require employees to frequently change their passwords. If an employee doesn’t need access to certain information to do their job, they shouldn’t have it. An experienced professional can help you set up these permissions.
Train your employees.
Piggybacking onto our previous point, it’s essential to acknowledge that employees pose a substantial security risk, so be sure you take into consideration segregation of duties when allocating permissions. Sure, your staff means well. But humans, by nature, have a larger predisposition for error than machines.
That’s why it’s critical to train your team on cybersecurity best practices. If your team knows how to spot and report unusual activity in your ERP, you can greatly reduce a cyberattack’s damage.
Use active reporting.
Visibility is crucial. If an issue occurs, you’ll need to know where in order to resolve it. Real-time, internal reporting can help by letting you see problematic user activity as it happens and trace data quickly and efficiently. Run frequent audit reports in your most sensitive ERP modules.
For example, if users try to access data without the required permissions, you’ll know. Once you’re made aware, you can address the issue immediately, minimizing potential damage.
Securing your enterprise resource planning software.
Taking a preventative approach is always the best way to approach network and application security. While there’s not a universal solution, these tips should provide you with a solid foundation for securing the sensitive data in your ERP.
Related Blog: The Advantages of ERP for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Top 3 signs your business needs a custom app
/in Blog, Productivity /by wpengineIf your business is on the right track, you already have a captivating, user-friendly website that is optimized for both desktop and mobile use. The next step in promoting a better relationship with employees, customers, and potential customers is to create a custom app that maximizes value through unique features and functions.
Here are 3 signs you are ready to talk about app development.
1. Your customers need an easy way to connect.
Keeping customers happy is one of your top priorities. To accomplish superior customer satisfaction you need to listen to your customers and provide solutions to their problems. If your customers are looking for easier ways to connect, make requests or complete a certain task, then it’s time to consider app development.
Here’s an example:
Breakdown: As a manufacturing company, you interact several times daily with customers to ensure complete orders.
Problem: Your customer wants to track order progress without having to send multiple inquiry emails or call your dedicated line.
Solution: You work with professionals to create an app that focuses solely on tracking progress of orders.
There’s a special anagram created by the Navy that is the secret to success in app development: KISS (keep it simple, stupid!).
When apps were first created, creators took an “everything but the kitchen sink” approach. This is the opposite of what you want. The entire concept of creating an app is to make things work easier and better for users – in this case, your customers. So, instead of creating one app that does everything, you will actually want to create multiple apps that are hyper-focused to address specific needs or outcomes.
In our example here, you want your customer to use the custom app to see the progress and status of their order as it moves through the inventory, production, packing and delivery processes. Paying an outstanding invoice or inquiring about product specifications should be addressed in a different app altogether.
Focus on your customer wants and needs, and your app will be a success.
2. Your internal operations need more efficiency and flexibility.
In the same way that apps help connect customers in a one-touch approach, app development can also be effective for improving internal business.
Many companies have custom apps for office communication, human resources access, and presence. Here’s one example of how that might work:
Breakdown: Your mid-sized office requires constant communications between employees in different departments.
Problem: In the office, your employees communicate via an internal messaging system, but you don’t have a way for them to access messages out of the office without using company email via cell phone (security risks include internal theft and insider threats).
Solution: You work with professionals to create an internal communications app that accommodates your current cybersecurity protocols and mobile communication functionality. This app integrates with in-office tools to provide seamless communication between office and mobile environments.
Your employees deserve a quick and seamless workflow. Why? Time is money. If work satisfaction and efficiency run hand-in-hand, then creating apps for your employees is a no-brainer and it will save you money by improving productivity.
3. You are ready to tackle the mobile market opportunity.
Mobile productivity essential in most industries now, with over 62% of companies utilizing mobile applications. One recent report showed that each company had an average of 10.6 apps. Don’t let that intimidate you, though. Start with the most important issues and address others as they arise. The important thing is to remember that one app will not, and shouldn’t, solve all problems.
Once you have your apps out there, you’ll find that you’ve succeeded in a few different ways.
First, you have put yourself out there in the mobile realm. That’s huge. In fact, you should have FOMO (fear of missing out) if you don’t have an app. Your competitors probably already do. Second, you’ve created a new connection and a sense intimacy. And finally, you have made it easier for customers and employees to collaborate and solve problems.
How to Develop an App
When it comes time to develop your app, you’ll need to work with a team that is experienced at providing the right design, content, and development to fit your specific business needs..
Whether the needs are driven by customer, staff or market requirements (or all of the above), we can assist. Here at CCS we have proven experience developing apps and we’d be happy to speak with you about how that process looks. Feel free to give us a call or shoot us a message.