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6 things to consider when disposing of old tech

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Keeping your business current with up-to-date technology will give you a competitive edge. This involves not only acquiring new computers, servers, and other devices but disposing of the old ones properly. You can’t just dump old computers, smartphones, and other tech devices in the trash.

There are many options for what to do with your old tech. Ultimately the decision is up to you, but we’ve put together some things to consider as you clear out the technology clutter in your office.

Here are 6 things you should keep in mind as you dispose of old or outdated technology.

Money icon

1. How to make money

You can actually sell your old technology, even if you think it is woefully out of date. It’s a great option because it can help to defray the cost of your new technology, or simply the cost of hauling away old junk. There are many options for how to sell it. Some retailers take back their own products. For example, Amazon and Apple both have paid recycling programs so they can sell refurbished products to people looking for a deal.

You can also sell old gear yourself online, with tools like eBay and Craigslist, but make sure you are aware of typical scams so you actually get paid for your goods. There are also companies who will take your goods and turn them around for you. This is a great idea but you might make considerably less than if you sold them yourself. However, for many business owners, this latter option is worth it because it can be much less of a hassle.

Hand holding a heart

2. Helping out a good cause

If you’re not concerned about making money, then perhaps donating your equipment is more your speed. Even if your computers are somewhat old, they can still be used by several different types of organizations.

Shelters for people who have experienced domestic violence often take old phones and laptops to replace items that their clients had to leave behind, or to help with more secure and private communication. Additionally, schools, after-school & youth programs and religious organizations can often use older machines to run basic programs that help their participants.

Some donations may be tax deductible, so being generous in this way could still help you out on the financial side of things.

Recycle icon

3. Be eco-friendly

If your tech garbage is too broken or old to donate or sell, make sure you dispose of it in an eco-friendly manner. Give it to a certified e-waste recycler. Luckily there are several organizations that take most old electronics for safe disposal.

Most local Goodwill’s not only take donated equipment, put partner with Dell to recycle equipment they can’t resell. Another option is the electronics retail store, Best Buy. They take nearly everything. Other available resources include other retailers and perhaps even your local recycling and trash pick up service.

If you’re wondering what is available in your area, go to earth911. This is a great resource for anything you need to recycle. Make sure you give your unusable electronics to an organization that knows how to dispose of it properly!

4. Be especially aware of how you recycle hazardous materials

Some people might think that throwing an old mp3 player or a few batteries in the garbage isn’t a big deal, but it can have long-lasting consequences. Electronics that sit in a landfill can poison the environment with things like lead, arsenic and other environmental toxins.

That’s why it’s best to let someone handle the devices who really know how to safely dispose of them with the least impact on the environment. Even something as simple as throwing away batteries in the trash can have a negative impact, especially rechargeable or lithium batteries.

Some cities have special programs to help you recycle batteries with regular trash pick up, while others have special drop-off days so you can bring toxic household materials like batteries and paint for proper disposal.

Subscription services

5. Remember to cancel or transfer software subscriptions

When you give away your old computers, remember to transfer any software subscriptions. It’s more common these days to have a subscription for programs like Microsoft Office 365 or the Adobe Suite that require users to log in, than having machine specific licenses. Remember to deactivate any subscriptions on your old machines that you are giving away so you can reactivate them on your new devices and retain all the programs you need to use.

erase data

6. Erase data

Whether you sell, donate, or dispose of your items make sure to erase any information stored on them. This will protect your data from those who would use it for nefarious purposes. Many companies who sell refurbished products say they will erase your data, but it is really best for you to do it yourself to have peace of mind.

This is especially relevant if you are selling the machines yourself or if you are dumping them with an organization for recycling. You certainly wouldn’t want your data to fall into the wrong hands!

Contact your managed IT services provider for help upgrading your machines and disposing of your old ones properly.

4 Microsoft Dynamics CRM tips to help you become a superuser

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Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a customer relationship management (CRM) software package from Microsoft. Dynamics CRM is intended to help users improve the productivity and effectiveness of their sales and marketing campaigns and get better business insights, especially by integrating with other Microsoft products such as Office 365.

If you’re like most Dynamics CRM users, you’ll want to get the most mileage out of the application, uncovering any hidden tips and tricks that’ll help you along the way. In this article, we’ll go over 4 Microsoft Dynamics CRM tips that’ll help you become more efficient.

1. Know your keyboard shortcuts

Time is money when you’re working with CRM software, and every little bit can help you become more productive.

Let’s start our Microsoft Dynamics CRM tips with some of the most useful Dynamics CRM keyboard shortcuts.

  • Shift + Tab: Move backward to the previous field or option (just as Tab moves you forward to the next one).
  • Ctrl + [: Switch to the first tab on the command bar.
  • Ctrl + ]: Switch to the last tab on the command bar.
  • Ctrl + K: Automatically fill the current field with the correct value after typing a few letters.
  • Ctrl + Shift + S: Save and create a new document or workspace.
  • Alt + S: Save and close.

2. Add members to different marketing lists

Since the release of the 2015 version of Dynamics CRM, you can now add Leads, Contacts or Accounts from one marketing list to another marketing list. This saves you the time and effort of looking up and adding each member individually.

Here’s how you can do this.

  1. Under Marketing, select the Marketing Lists option.
  2. You will see a list or grid view of your active marketing lists. Click on the list whose members you wish to add to another list, and then click on the Record Associated View icon.
  3. Select the members of the list that you want to add to another list, and then click on the ellipses icon. Click on “Add to Another Marketing List.” From here, you can select the desired list or create a new list.

3. Use business rules

One of the benefits of CRM software such as Dynamics CRM is the ability to define your own business rules.

In Dynamics CRM, business rules are pieces of business logic that can be expressed by non-technical users, without having to write code in a programming language such as JavaScript. This empowers business users because they no longer have to wait for developers to do the work they need.

In fact, this is so powerful that our list of Microsoft Dynamics CRM tips wouldn’t be complete without it.

For example, users can define a business rule that hides a field or changes the value of it based on the size of a value in another field.

To use business rules in Dynamics CRM, select the Fields or Business Rules section beneath a given entity when you’re in the Solutions section. Keep in mind, however, business rules can’t replace all the functionality you can achieve with JavaScript.

4. Automatically generate documents

Sales and marketing campaigns are absolutely rife with piles of paperwork that must be created and reviewed. You can save yourself time and improve your customer relationships by automatically generating templates in Microsoft Word.

Here’s how to do it.

  1. From the Settings menu, select Processes. Create a new process of type “Workflow” on the Campaign entity, and set the scope to Organization.
  2. Set the workflow to run when record fields change and select the field as “Status Reason.” Click on Add Step > Check Condition, and then Add Step > Perform Action. The Action should be “SetWordTemplate.”
  3. Click on Properties to the right of Action, and choose the “Selected Template” that you want to generate. Finally, choose the Target to be your current campaign.
  4. Save and activate the workflow.

What to learn from the most interesting data breaches of 2017

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Several high-profile organizations experienced data breaches in 2017. For instance, you probably saw media reports about data breaches involving Equifax or the InterContinental Hotel Group.

It isn’t enough to know that these breaches occurred. Companies and organizations need to pay attention to the mistakes that made the security breaches possible. That way, you can inspect your own company’s policies to make sure you protect yourself and your customers.

Equifax proved that how you behave after a data breach matters

A 2017 data breach at Equifax, one of the world’s largest credit reporting companies, exposed the personal information of approximately 143 million Americans. The problem was deemed so important that Congress held several hearings to understand what had happened.

According to Equifax, the breach happened because of a flaw in one of the company’s web applications.

Obviously, Equifax didn’t get the help it needed closing common cybersecurity holes. The worst part, though, was how Equifax chose to handle the situation. Some of the company’s most egregious actions included:

  • Waiting about two months to tell consumers about the breach.
  • Letting executives sell their Equifax personal holdings before announcing the breach.
  • Creating an unsecured WordPress site to help consumers determine whether they were affected by the breach.
  • Requiring consumers to provide even more sensitive information to determine whether the breach affected them.

The most important thing to learn from Equifax is how to behave after a breach happens. Basically, do the opposite of what Equifax did. The organization’s tarnished reputation may never recover.

InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) exposes thousands of consumers to identity fraud

InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) revealed in early 2017 that a data breach had affected 12 of its properties. Malware on the company’s servers had stolen credit card information from guests who used their cards at the hotels’ on-site restaurants and bars. Understandably, the announcement concerned thousands of people.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of IHG’s security problems. A couple of months later, the company admitted that the malware hadn’t attacked 12 of its locations. Instead, it had targeted 1,200 locations. The malware also did more than gather credit card information from restaurants and bars. It had stolen personal information from payments processed at hotels, too.

A better cybersecurity process would have likely uncovered the malware before it had a chance to affect so many people. Unfortunately, IHG didn’t have the IT security to identify the threat before it had an opportunity to spread from a handful of locations to thousands.

Ransomware Targeted Organizations in Nearly 100 Countries

In 2017, ransomware became such a huge problem that it affected organizations in nearly 100 countries. Hospitals in Great Britain had to turn away patients because they couldn’t access their medical records. The malware also affected hospitals, police stations and businesses in the United States, Russia, Spain and Portugal. Overall, the ransomware affected about 57,000 networks around the world.

Educating employees to recognize phishing attempts is one of the most effective ways to prevent ransomware attacks. Organizations also need to update their systems and applications to patch security vulnerabilities.

Given the excessively wide reach of the 2017 attack, it’s obvious that most people don’t know how to protect themselves from ransomware.

If you’re worried that you don’t have the right technology or policies to protect your company from data breaches, contact your managed services provider to learn more about the most effective defenses. Without the right tools, you could fall victim to attacks just as easily as the organizations mentioned above.

Your definitive guide to business data: How to keep it alive, mobile and meaningful

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Here’s what we’re going to cover:

    1. Keeping your data alive (AKA cybersecurity)
        1. Covering the basics
        1. Software protection
        1. Hardware protection
        1. Human error protection
      1. Worst-case scenario protection
    1. Keeping your data mobile (AKA remote access & collaboration)
        1. The right tools for the job
        1. The power of BYOD
      1. Mobility tips, training and feedback
  1. Keeping your data meaningful (AKA analytics)
      1. Slice and dice
    1. Connecting the dots

Boy, you said it, Andy. The whole world, including your business, is one big data problem. Then again, as Aaron Koblin pointed out, “I think you can have a ridiculously enormous and complex data set, but if you have the right tools and methodology then it’s not a problem.”

And that’s what this article is all about—turning your business data problems into strategic business advantages. In order to accomplish that, we’re going to explore how to keep your data alive, mobile and meaningful.

Or, if you prefer business-speak, we’re going to look at cybersecurity, remote access, collaboration, and business data analytics.

Keeping your business data alive (AKA cybersecurity)

Cybersecurity breaches make headlines on a regular basis. So often that we’re getting used to hearing about them—when they happen to someone else. The moment your business data falls prey to cybercriminals, it’s a whole different story.

Let’s keep that from happening so that your business data remains safe and secure.

Covering the basics

Basic cybersecurity is a fairly easy thing to accomplish. You don’t have to be an IT professional to make sure your business has the most essential protection. You just have to know what’s needed.

You need four things:

  1. Software protection
  2. Hardware protection
  3. Human error protection
  4. Worst-case scenario protection

Know the terms

It’s also smart to have a working knowledge of some of the most common forms of cyberattack. Ransomware headlines are meaningful because you know what ransomware is. But if there are other forms of attack you don’t know (for example, social engineering or SQL injection), you won’t keep an eye out for new information about them.

We have a guide that covers the most common forms of cyberattack. It’s definitely worth the few minutes it will take you to read it.

Software protection

Antivirus and anti-spam programs are practically a given on any network these days, personal or professional. If you don’t already have both kinds of protection for your company’s network, get on that. There are plenty of good, affordable options out there.

The harder work of software protection rests squarely on your shoulders—or on the shoulders of your managed IT services partner, if you have one. We’re talking about updates.

Those annoying notifications you get about various programs needing a patch or an update? Yeah, those are actually really important if you’re committed to protecting your business data.

Software manufacturers often include beefed-up security in software patches. In fact, the WannaCry virus that made headlines in 2017 took advantage of Windows vulnerabilities that Microsoft had already addressed (you guessed it) in a previous software update.

Hardware protection

Hardware protection runs the gamut from using business-appropriate equipment (like routers designed for commercial use) to sophisticated, encryption-enabling servers that make business data nearly untouchable. The former is easy to stay on top of as long as you’re paying attention, and you probably don’t need to worry about the latter.

Additionally, there are all kind of hardware issues you can likely address on your own. While there will undoubtedly be times when a bit of professional help is warranted, the most common troubleshooting techniques (the ones the pros will use first) aren’t shrouded in mystery. On the contrary, anyone can do basic troubleshooting.

Consider checking out common computer problems you can fix yourself before accruing any billable hours with your MSP.

7 interesting tech facts you might not know

Human error protection

Here’s a brutal truth. Software and hardware protection can only take you so far. And unfortunately, human error can completely wipe out the protection even the best hardware and software can provide. One employee mistake can literally expose all of your business data.

And that’s to say nothing of actual internal threats. Even small businesses need to keep their guard up against malicious insider activity. One way to do that is to make sure everyone on your staff knows what to keep an eye out for.

Said another way, employee cybersecurity training isn’t a luxury. It’s a vital necessity.

If you’re not sure how to get started with employee training, check out our guide. It’ll walk you through the high-level ins and outs of an employee training program aimed at cybersecurity and data protection. Additionally, we recommend that you train your staff on some of the most common cybercriminal tactics, like phishing, social engineering and spoofing.

If your employees know about these devious tricks and how to avoid them, your business data is far more likely to remain safe.

Worst-case scenario protection

Okay, so it’s obviously better to stop a business data breach than to deal with one after the fact. That said, there are no guarantees. Cybercriminals are a resilient bunch. We find ways to stop ‘em dead in their tracks, and they bounce right back with newer, sneakier, more sinister ways of breaking into your network.

So you need a backup and disaster recovery (BDR) plan. The goal of a BDR is to minimize downtime, getting you back into productivity mode as soon as possible in the wake of any kind of network failure.

In addition to your BDR strategy (sometimes also called a business continuity plan), we recommend developing plans for deleting old data, retiring out-of-date hardware, and annual reviews of your technology to ensure you have all the protection you need.

Keeping your business data mobile (AKA remote access & collaboration)

Cloud computing has changed the way we handle business data in profound ways. The cloud offers secure options for storing even massive amounts of data combined with the convenience of anywhere, anytime access.

Mobility is where it’s at. Here’s what you need to know to stay connected to your data on the go.

The right tools for the job

First and foremost, you need the right technology solutions. Broadly speaking, these come in two forms: data storage and mobile-ready apps. However, in an increasing number of cases, the line between those two categories is pretty blurry.

Take Microsoft’s OneNote as a prime example. Included as a core component of Office 365, OneNote is a ridiculously robust note-taking and organization tool, complete with online access and collaborative sharing. We’re fans. In this single tech tool, you have both remote business data storage and a user-friendly interface designed for mobility.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

In addition to relatively basic (but extremely convenient) tools like OneNote, there are some sophisticated business data management solutions that are just as mobile-friendly. Not that long ago, it would have been hard to envision something as robust as a CRM or ERP in the cloud. Today, both classes of software are just as remotely accessible as email.

The power of BYOD

BYOD stands for “bring your own device.” Even if you don’t realize it, you probably already work in a BYOD environment.

Any time any employee connects any device they own to your network to access business data, that’s BYOD. That includes smartphones and tablets. If any of your employees check work email from their phones, that’s BYOD in action.

BYOD is great. It keeps your staff engaged and productive, even when they’re not in the office. However, it also has the potential to expose your business data to potential breaches. We recommend that you develop a formal BYOD policy that includes specific guidelines to ensure your employees don’t inadvertently compromise your security.

Mobility tips, training and feedback

We’ve already touched on several of the mobility-ready tools out there that can take your company’s productivity to the next level. Anything that allows your employees to access business data on the go has the potential to boost productivity—provided they know how to use those tools.

Similar to cybersecurity, we recommend that you take an active role in training your staff on the pros, cons and best practices of remote access. Give them practical, hands-on tips and tricks, encourage them to share what works for them, and stay engaged.

It would be a shame to learn that super-expensive mobility software you’re paying through the nose for is basically worthless . . . but a much cheaper alternative would have been perfect.

Keeping your business data meaningful (AKA analytics)

Having a lot of business data isn’t enough. So you’ve got spreadsheets full of stats? So what? What matters is what you do with all that data.

Slice and dice

In business-speak, the strategic use of your data is referred to as Business Intelligence (BI). You could utilize BI to determine where there are bottlenecks in your supply chain. Or who your most profitable customers are. Or even predict future buying trends, taking into account variables like seasonality, weather, activity in related markets, and even the political atmosphere.

Real world examples of BI in action are compelling and exciting. They show us just how powerful data analytics has the potential to be. And while your SMB may not be ready to dive into the deep end, there are almost certainly ways you can use BI.

Putting BI to work for your company is simply a matter of digging into your business data in meaningful, actionable ways. When you know how to listen to the story your data tells, you’ll begin to get an idea of how you could use that data to stay ahead of the curve.

Connecting the dots

Now you’re on your way. Your data is safe and secure, you can get to it from anywhere, you’ve got convenient tools for recording, accessing and analyzing it, and you know what kinds of trends to look for in the data so you can take action based on your analysis.

This is where things get fun.

If you’re in the manufacturing or distribution field, for example, this is the point where you can begin to leverage your ERP business data to make meaningful changes to your entire process. Those changes can result in greater efficiency, lower cost, faster turnaround times, and easier internal communication.

Or what about the impact on customer relationships, regardless of the industry you work in? Modern CRM software can help you manage your sales funnel, upsell current customers, address customer complaints, and even maintain automated communication with your customer base. Just make sure you choose the right type of CRM for your business—one that meets your needs and gives you the strategic tools to move your business forward.

This is where the rubber meets the road—and where you start to see the very real bottom-line impact of effective business data analysis.