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Essential Needs for a Virtual Office

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Essential Needs for a Virtual OfficeThe global COVID-19 pandemic shut down many economies around the globe. It also shut down many businesses and other entities throughout the United States. Many turned to remote work to continue moving forward and providing goods and services for customers and clients.

As more people and more organizations integrate online and cloud services into their daily activities, the type of internet service makes a big difference in communications and productivity. So do the types of equipment and technologies that they use.

How Internet Service Affects Productivity

Running a virtual office requires an exceptionally reliable and fast broadband internet service. You should carefully choose your internet service to ensure it will support your demands. After all, a virtual office will have multiple users and devices constantly exchanging information, putting serious demands on your internet service.

Many virtual offices use fixed connections that provide internet services. Fixed connections support broadband internet that might use coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, or a DSL connection. Virtual offices also could choose among common wireless options for internet service, including satellite, fixed wireless, and 5G.

Virtual Office Communications Are Essential for Success

You cannot have a virtual office and support remote workers and remote work locations without a comprehensive office communications system. You need a system that will enable virtual meetings between two or more participants and document exchanges that occur in real-time.

While all of that is going on, you still need a way to support more traditional phone calls as well as virtual communications. A system that integrates a variety of communications systems into one unit is a terrific asset for any virtual office.

For example, OnSIP offers a variety of services that are simple, scalable, and support virtual office communications. You can customize your communications and get work done anywhere that internet service is available. That means just about anywhere in the developed world.

Answering Service and Receptionist

You likely will have people calling the phone number for your business or other organization. Those people will not be your workers, because they will use virtual office communications. So you will need a professional answering service and receptionist to handle incoming calls and direct the respective callers to the correct people.

A live receptionist who is professional and pleasant is a terrific asset and makes a direct personal connection with potential customers, clients, and other callers. The receptionist will be the first person many people speak with when calling to learn more about the goods or services that your business or organization might provide them.


Virtual Timeclock and Payroll

A virtual office has two ways to pay workers for their efforts. You could accept invoices and pay them based on the agreed rates for their time or the types of work that they accomplished. The other option is a virtual time clock that enables workers to punch in and out like they would in person. The virtual time clock helps you to keep better track of when and how long individual workers are on the task.

You also will need to pay your workforce as agreed. A payroll service can accomplish the task and pay your workers via direct deposit or through a pay app. Many virtual offices choose services that combine time clocks and payroll services, which can offer their employees several ways to collect their pay.

Assess Your Virtual Office Needs and Choose Wisely

Your virtual office requires you to consider how you will create virtually the same type of work environment that you would have in a physical office. You want to foster timely communication and cooperation among your staff to continue producing the best possible work environment and productivity. Assessing your needs and choosing wisely to equip your virtual office will help support productivity and possibly reduce your operating costs.

6 Malware Removal Tips for Mac

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article | 6 Malware Removal Tips for Mac

As secure as Apple devices are, unfortunately, there’s no guaranteed way to ensure that they won’t fall foul of malware sneaking its way onto your devices from time to time. For those with Macs, it can be especially important to thwart unwanted attention and you’ll likely want to ensure that your device stays clean and free from harmful malware, so let’s take a look at what you can do.

What is malware and what can it do?

The term malware can be applied to specific types of viruses that hackers use to gain access to your Mac and perform functions to get to specific information to meet their needs. This could be stealing your personal information for dodgy dealings (or to sell on to third parties), reaching and exploiting secure financial data, or even holding your device for ransom for instant monetary gain.

The bad news is that malware can be picked up simply by using your Mac for everyday functions – and its effects won’t always be immediately apparent. According to Apple, one of the easiest ways for spyware, trojans and malware in general to make their way onto devices is via Ads. Although these adverts are harmless by nature, they do use tracking cookies, which can open you up to attacks as hackers collect information on who you are and what you look at. There are even times when doing nothing more than clicking an ad that leads to an infected site can cause issues, but the good news is that there are steps you can take to minimise malware taking hold or stop it before it has the ability to get too far.


2 common signs of malware and how to remove it

Here are 2 ways that you can spot malware and remove it safely:

1. Browser extensions  

The majority of malware will be installed via the internet and can come in the form of extensions. As these can be fairly obvious (you should know what you have and haven’t installed yourself), you should be able to spot them and either delete them or use third-party malware removal software to remove them safely for you.

2. Log-in-based malware

Certain types of malware will kick in when specific apps launch on your operating system upon startup. Malware can infect both necessary and leisure applications and even present themselves as apps that actually have no substance outside of performing negative functions. To determine if malware is using login protocols, check login items, how often they are triggered and if these launches are necessary, then disable any that you can’t account for or aren’t relevant. Again, anti-virus software can help to make this process simpler.

Preventing attacks

While manual scans and tasks can help to keep malware at bay, it’s no secret that dedicated anti-virus software can run in the background and prevent these items from making their way onto your Mac device before they have a chance to do any real damage. They also make finding and deleting unwanted items faster and easier. As there are plenty of these types of tools out there, simply do some research and select the one that suits your needs best.

What do you need DAM for?

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, What do you need DAM for

This abbreviation stands for Digital Asset Management. DAM platforms are used as centralised solutions for digital content management, storage and distribution. If you’re looking for a DAM platform for your business, you’re spoiled for choice – there are quite a few of them. So, how do you make a choice? In this post, we want to show you what you need to pay attention to in order to pick a DAM platform that’s useful and tailored to your business.

Storing and managing online content is more than just putting it on a virtual cloud drive (like Google Drive or Dropbox). There are other questions to consider, five of them actually. Let’s take a closer look at them.

Five areas where DAMs are incredibly useful

DAMs come with many options and features. Some of them are universal, and some are just for selected companies. What’s common, though, is that the majority of DAM tools help companies with five content-related issues:

  • Ineffective asset management: You need a platform that provides access to a centralised repository for all of your digital assets. As a result, your team, no matter how big or dispersed, can work with digital content easily and seamlessly.
  • Lack of control: Storing files is one thing. Managing them effectively is the other. As a company owner or marketing manager, you need full control over your files, including different versions of the same file, efficient copyrights management and metadata management (e.g., for SEO purposes). That’s what DAMs are for.
  • Team collaboration: If you have a large team, effective collaboration can be challenging. With a decent DAM platform, you don’t need to worry about that – everything is accessible and readily available for every team member.
  • Content performance and analytics: Do you know what happens with your content? How popular it gets? Where is it published? Advanced DAM platforms come with analytics and reporting features so that you can measure the performance of your content. It can be a vital help when it comes to tweaking your SEO or content marketing strategy.
  • Dealing with large projects: Some digital projects require working with hundreds and thousands of files and pieces of content. A good DAM platform is up for the challenge! These tools are ready to work even with large-scale projects involving many assets and teams.

As you can see, a good DAM platform can help you with your projects and everyday work. How do these tools differ from typical cloud-hosted file storages, though? The short answer is they are more flexible and advanced. With DAMs, you have access to more features and functions (e.g., advanced editing or creative software) so that you can work with diverse types of content (text, audio, video and images) frequently without using other tools. However, this doesn’t mean that every company need a DAM tool. If you feel like cloud storage is sufficient for your work, that’s totally fine.

If you’re looking for a DAM platform for your business, make sure it will help you solve your common work-related problems. Plus, you should pay attention to available features, as they make the use of such a tool truly hassle-free. There are also five essential features to consider.


Other DAM features

As you already know, DAMs are not only about storing and distributing files. These are AIO (all-in-one) platforms for everything content-related. Therefore, ensure your DAM comes with these features that will make your work easier:

  • Metadata management
  • Different file version management
  • Integrations with other tools
  • Content management and editing features
  • Workflow and collaboration features

Do you want to know more about DAMs? You can start by comparing available solutions! That’s what you will find in the full version of this article: https://noaignite.co.uk/blog/dam-platform-comparison

4 Winning Strategies for Adopting Big Data Analytics

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StrategyDriven Organizational Performance Measures Article | 4 Winning Strategies for Adopting Big Data AnalyticsIf you’ve decided that now is the time for your business to make the transition to Big Data Analytics; great choice. Not only will you be able to analyze and process much more relevant information than before – you’ll also be able to begin putting it to good use as your business ambitions expand. Here are 4 winning strategies to help you with adopting BDA and take your company to the next level.

What is BDA?

In the simplest terms, it’s a service that allows the user to process huge amounts of data and then use this information for analysis purposes. The only drawback is that the greater the volume of data, the more likely errors and false readings are. With that being said, there are parameters that can be set to reduce the chance of this. With the above in mind, let’s begin with our strategies.

Turn your data into intelligence

The first strategy on our list is a pretty straightforward one, as it relies on what BDA does best – collecting data and compiling it for easy navigation. By embarking on a new campaign, any data that you use can be refined and then processed in an orderly fashion. With this data, you can then gain insights into a particular demographic, a target audience, the potential for conversions, and much more. The more you know, the better equipped you’ll be moving forward.

Cost reductions

Another great way to adopt big data analytics is in an effort to reduce your costs. The data being processed doesn’t only have to be external – it can be internal too, meaning that you could analyze the performance of your own business and see where specific costs can be cut. This can also be done via data analytics consulting, whereby you hire an expert to analyse the information presented and then create a report for you to use to reduce expenses.


Developing products with greater insight

If you’re in the process of creating a product, or if you’re about to introduce yours to the market, what more efficient way to identify key behaviors from potential customers than with BDA? By performing a detailed evaluation and then reading results from a chart, you can see where to dedicate your sales and marketing efforts, ensuring the potential for maximum reach.

Market insights

Complimenting point 3 above, BDA also allows detailed market insights including trends, customer behavior and patterns, and other important aspects to be considered. Adopting BDA in this way can actually force a business to pay attention to the finer details, albeit in a gentle, efficient way. The more insight you have into a market, the more likely you’ll be to achieve your aims.

Final thoughts

And there you have it – 4 great ways to adopt and utilize Big Data within your business in a way that promotes productivity, enhances the possibility of profit, and maximizes your chances of understanding your target demographic. Once adopted in full, you’ll quickly begin to see why so many people are turning to the potential of BDA.

How CEOs Can Build and Maintain a Strong Company Culture

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StrategyDriven Corporate Cultures Article | How CEOs Can Build and Maintain a Strong Company CultureSixty-six percent (66%) of job seekers consider a company’s culture and values an essential factor in choosing a career opportunity. The CEO is in a position to ensure that a company’s culture is strong, healthy, and nurturing. The right culture will attract the best employees and lead to better results for the company.

Make Your Values a Priority

Getting your deals right will help you build a strong company culture that supports the growth of your business. A strong company culture can attract and retain top talent, increase productivity, and create a positive workplace environment. On the other hand, a bad culture can drive employees to leave a company and even result in damaging news headlines. The CEO at TapestryHealth, Mark Hirschhorn, is often the face of an organization and is responsible for setting the tone of its culture. However, it’s also important to remember that your values aren’t just a reflection of yourself; they’re shared across the entire company. Therefore, you must prioritize your leadership values and communicate them regularly throughout your organization. This will ensure that everyone knows your preferences and buys into them.

Define Your Values

If you want to build and maintain a strong company culture, your values should be central to everything you do. They give your team a purpose and can help them align with your organization’s goals. To define your values, you should bring in a group of employees to discuss what matters most to them. These discussions should be open, honest, and meaningful. The exercise should also allow you to get a lot of feedback. This helps you make changes and updates in a way that makes sense for your business and your people. To make your values stick, you must communicate them to your employees regularly. This is especially true for your executive leadership team.

Communicate Your Values

Company culture is a complex combination of stated values and behaviors that influences tasks and initiatives, how they are done, and how people are recognized and rewarded. Strong company cultures create a shared purpose that drives a team to solve problems and achieve long-term outcomes. Employees are more likely to enjoy their work and stay for the long term when they understand what’s expected of them, their peers, and management. CEOs can build and maintain a strong company culture by communicating their values to employees at all levels. They should also practice these values by showing how they apply in real-world situations and lead by example.


Invest in Your People

Whether your company is a small business or a large corporation, investing in your people is crucial to its success. This can result in top talent attraction and retention, productivity boosts, and improved business performance. One of the most overlooked ways to invest in your people is through training and development opportunities. These can help employees feel empowered and increase their overall job satisfaction. CEOs must also be willing to engage with their leadership team and take the time to listen to them. This is an opportunity to learn more about their concerns, successes, and dreams.

Nurture Your People

If you’re a CEO, you know that company culture is crucial to your business’s success. You can only build a company that succeeds with it. So, how do you develop and maintain a strong company culture? Fortunately, there are several expert strategies that you can use. One of them is to nurture your people.

Regarding company culture, a strong team is essential for long-term success. Successful company cultures encourage lively interactions between teammates and build friendships outside work. It’s essential to take time to understand the lives of your people and care about their families, dreams, and goals. When your employees feel like they’re real people rather than just a number on your books, they will be more committed to your vision and want to work with you to achieve it.