As you we all very aware now, COVID-19 has had a huge impact on local businesses throughout Ireland and it has been a challenging time and there is a long road ahead yet. To make it easier for businesses to keep customers fully informed during this time, Google has recently added a range of tools and features which allow them to add extra information to their Business Profiles
From today, Google will be rolling out support links for businesses which they can post directly to their Business Profiles on Google, allowing them to add such features as donation or gift card links to their profile. As part of this initiative, Google has partnered with PayPal and GoFundMe for donations, allowing merchants to link directly to the relevant page on their website or to their gift card offerings with one of Google’s eligible partners, which include Square, Toast, Clover and Vagaro.
Businesses will also be able to share personal messages in their posts to inform customers how their donations will be put to use.
As many businesses around the world currently require financial support, the initial launch of new features will begin with a subset of businesses to protect against misuse, with plans to expand to more countries, merchants, and partners in a safe and responsible way over the coming weeks.
The support links will be available to customers later this month. Google will not charge merchants or consumers any fees, however there may be partner processing fees associated with campaigns.
Perhaps the most remarkable achievement Microsoft has pulled off over the last decade has been making Windows far more user friendly. While cliché to say, it’s nevertheless a distilled report of UX from users. From its beginnings as a tech geek, relatively cool product that – at times – frustrated non-technical folk, Microsoft has clearly listened to consumers over the years. Today, Windows 10 epitomises the marriage of its technical ability with a far more intuitive end user experience.
Microsoft has dominated the working world for years, and for good reason. Even early critics of Windows struggled to find the kind of apps Microsoft had already made mainstream 30 years ago. Not only does Microsoft Office suite remain streets ahead of competition in enabling businesses big and small, but Microsoft’s enterprise-grade Server products have enabled network access and management for thousands of large corporations. Both user security and efficiency have driven Microsoft’s overall suite development in the new millennium.
A heads up for everyone still running Windows XP or 7: those Windows versions are unsupported now, which means no security patches or upgrades of any kind are in your future. Unfortunately for you, that means high vulnerability and low security for your PC. Windows 8 was an unpopular option for many, as it followed a touchscreen design layout; in particular, business users weren’t ready to abandon their familiarity with previous versions. Which brings us to Windows 10, and some good news – it’s the best Windows ever.
Here’s why.
The benefits of Windows 10 for small business are many
Loyalties and bias aside, excerpts from a top IT concern in London covering What Are the Benefits of Windows 10 for Small Business? will win over many former critics. As a testament to Microsoft’s ability to respond to the market, they’re focus is on user experience, mobile access and the right box of tools.
Updates are (almost) pleasant now
Faced with competitors of various hues that included upgrades as a part of ‘maintenance’ at no charge, Microsoft has adopted a ‘software as a service’ (SaaS) approach, too. Facing the loss of consumer appetite for paid upgrades, Microsoft has reinvented its approach in line with such expectations. While small business users had to opt in and install Windows 10 when it arrived, future upgrades will roll out seamlessly in the background. In other words, they’ve taken the roundabout way of installing an OS and automated it.
A tiny tweak perhaps, but with huge implications for UX. Buying an installation disc or being billed for an online upgrade is over, too. The standard offering will be free, while users who employ more extensive versions or apps within Windows will pay per use.
Security is state of the art
Enterprise now has a clear legal responsibility in terms of GDPR. Personal data is regulated, and the onus on business to both safeguard against and react towards its illicit dissemination is clear, with punitive measures against those who are negligent in looking after users’ or clients’ data.
Today, it’s surprisingly best not to supplement the Windows Defender suite of programs with other antivirus apps. Windows’ in-house security is tight, performs alongside the best, and makes extrapolation of security measures a cinch when needed. In other words, having Windows Defender up and running as it should be on the OS covers business in terms of its liabilities concerning personal data. It makes small business compliant, identifies and secures individual app access, and can limit files that apps can access.
Enterprise users can expect to be forewarned of illicit activity around access, and Bitlocker makes encryption a standard possibility for business now – not just James Bond.
Multiple device commonality
Sticking with user-driven common sense, the Windows 10 OS runs on desktops, laptops and tablets. It presents as a familiar face, with the design reminiscent of the older Windows the whole world became accustomed to over the initial years of use. That might seem unimpressive, but for working personnel, it’s the difference between feeling confident (in presentations or other participation where data needs to be shared) or feeling technically challenged.
As cloud computing becomes the norm, Microsoft’s OneDrive allows users to access data whenever and wherever. Being able to consistently access data easily between devices is now so commonplace that it might be overlooked as a new feature, but significant hard work went into making that possible.
Toggling devices and operating times
In an emerging gig economy, many people take work home and work at all hours of the day and night. The ability (continuity) to do so is, again, something we all simply expect as a default; but that, too, is a new feature with Windows 10.
Transitioning effortlessly between devices while drawing files down from OneDrive makes working access simple, anytime. The Timeline feature enables a linear work route too, as scrolling back through chronologically listed file access makes locating specific information easy. Likewise, using the Files On-Demand OneDrive feature allows users fast access without relying on a slower local drive.
Identity management
Apart from BitLocker, Windows Hello assimilates biometric data on users to grant access to files. Users typically encounter a two-factor authentication process that adds further security to business dealings. This might seem banal, but the reality is all these tweaks and touches have been modelled on user expectations and preferences, as well as the logic of easy, secure computing. Microsoft has become adept at imagining the experience of daily users, and designed Windows 10 in accordance with that.
Assorted local and networked resources can be accessed by identified individuals or groups. Managing access across a staff contingent, freelancers and clients has become a push-button process, as opposed to someone having to physically dole out and collect documents, or otherwise police company data. Office 365 Business and Enterprise users can also employ Azure Active Directory accounts to the same end.
Flexibility to scale
Offering users software subscriptions has changed Microsoft product licensing to the benefit of users. Utilising a per month or per user billing model has made Windows significantly more scalable – and pleasurable to use – because of it.
Should a small business need to add new staff, whether freelance or otherwise, per user costs can be defined based on deliverables for any project. Decreasing the number of users is now a simple matter, whereas before customers were ‘locked in’ to Windows for a term.
Upfront costs have disappeared, and business accounting departments across the globe are loving the predictability of a per user structure, too. Any small business paying for Windows products can be assured that they are utilising the same platform expertise as any large corporation elsewhere. The inbuilt universality of Windows 10 means top drawer service and security to all subscribers – a nice touch by Microsoft towards a level commercial playing field.
An assistant called Cortana
Cortana is Microsoft’s response to Alexa and Siri – an interactive voice command feature, with personality! Having had the benefit of watching assistants like Siri roll out and noting where they stumbled, Microsoft’s Cortana has started out at a higher level. She’s almost a personality (she has opinions on general life, too) and definitely an aide that will become indispensable once a user starts using the feature.
Cortana is simple to use but not simplistic in abilities, and pleasingly responsive and intuitive. Full of a host of time-saver tweaks once engaged, Cortana is a genuine efficiency boost in a busy digital world.
Microsoft products work very well together
Another major perk of Windows 10 is it’s the most enabling platform for any of the other Microsoft business suite products. Truly an undiscovered benefit until a company runs Office 365 or Microsoft Server, it’s often in expansion that a business realises what a hassle-free, empowering platform Windows 10 is. Microsoft Business Suite products are optimised on the Windows 10 OS in a manner that simply doesn’t happen any other way.
Windows 10 is a feel-good Windows version, and a smart response to user issues over the years. Microsoft has responded well – even critics grudgingly agree that many of their complaints are now addressed with this version of Windows. Security is still benchmark, upgrades are no longer a looming hassle, and the access and identity management of Windows 10 makes for pleasurable working. Any small business would be hard pressed to better enable business processes, resident and remote staff, as well as the overall demands of daily business without it.
Business continuity plans have come to mean instructions or procedures any business should follow in the face of a successful ransomware or other cyberattack. Although IT issues are often the most debilitating when it comes to getting things back to normal, ‘business continuity’ anticipates and includes responses to other disasters, like fire, flood and theft, too.
There are business processes, partners and suppliers, human capital, data and other assets to protect in the event of a disaster. While each dark episode in the life of a company will be unique in certain aspects, enterprise can avail itself of an essential toolkit – the business continuity plan – when things go wrong. Always variable and often unexpected, business calamities demand a strategy for the maintenance of business as usual, regardless of how unusual circumstances might be in the moment.
That strategy will optimise continuity and minimise negative implications, resulting in an overall minimisation of longer-term repercussions on business profitability. It’s often grisly and as often demanding of sudden decisions that are extraneous to the core plan, but the core plan is essential as a guidebook for the promptest and least stressful restoration of business, in order to maintain cash flow and overall profitability. Force majeure events (the Covid 19 lockdown is a classic example), physical destruction or damage to business premises, or a wholesale sacking of company data are all events capable of ending business for good. The stakes are high, and the fittest companies have a ready template of action for such dark moments.
Business continuity plans and Disaster Recovery (DR)
Disaster Recovery (DR) centres on restoring IT systems after a ransomware or other cyberattack. Often confused with a business continuity plan, DR protocols may well be the most important component of a business continuity plan, yet they remain but one component of an overall plan.
With that said, it’s common to modern enterprise that almost nothing can be resolved without IT in place and running smoothly, hence the need to develop a reliable business continuity plan template with IT support well ahead of time. Business continuity is absolutely essential to map out while it’s still completely unnecessary. On the plus side, IT architecture lends itself to backup and security, and with typical Irish zeal and prowess in the arena, a detailed and ultimately successful continuity plan with adept DR protocols can be effectively formulated ahead of any possible disaster.
IT considerations for a business continuity plan
Storage. Where and how is data stored? What are the alternatives on access and/or storage if that particular access door closes? A company needs to know exactly how it will access what data it needs to roll on without hiccupping in the event of a complete denial of access or loss (removal) of working data.
Who are the key personnel in making IT continuity happen, and what are their responsibilities? It might seem a stupid question, but do they then have the authority or clearance (with accompanying credentials) to act on their responsibilities? Disaster recovery is a moment of unusual trust and professional performance – everyone needs to understand that, be equipped, and up to the task.
In the event of hardware damage or loss, where are new machines coming from, what or how much is needed to tie them into current daily operations, and what aspects of the current IT system or systems might snag on replacements of this nature?
Some broader considerations for business continuity plans
Manufacturing, sales and deliveries or service provision, as well as HR considerations feature in any decent business recovery template. How will normal comms evolve (or dissolve) during recovery? Would majority remote work be best, or perhaps a secondary location should be established that ultimately costs less and facilitates more in the event of a calamity? What functions can be contracted out?
To answer all the above questions, a business impact analysis will have been tabled and tested for validity way ahead of genuine disaster striking a company. This analysis will identify the most crucial aspects to maintain business continuity. A business impact analysis acknowledges vulnerabilities and doubles down on safeguarding these, while also looking at cost implications on all aspects of the business – what it will cost to put in place and what it might cost when absent. Generally, the latter costs a whole lot more in a typical disaster scenario.
Testing, testing, one two three
Disaster Recovery may be well-sorted by IT support in the event of catastrophe, but any successful, comprehensive business continuity plan has to factor in what happens with people and processes, too. Quite remarkably, the way in which a company performs under such adversity can often enhance client relations and go towards an overall greater profitability in the future. If ever there was a test of a business’ professionalism and real caring, it’s what it does and how it handles its clients in the event of disaster.
Effective disaster management can elevate a company’s reputation and generate an immense amount of goodwill, too. Being prepared and making the best of getting back on track can increase any company’s listed market value, plus boost customer numbers and overall confidence.
Such effective behaviour must include testing. Testing of a mock wholesale collapse of systems, testing of alternative (disaster) protocols, and testing of everyone’s ability to keep the wheels turning in a trial scenario. It might seem silly when everything is going well – much like those school drills that practise fire alarm responses – but testing a business continuity plan is as essential as formulating it in the first place. Companies that discover gaps in their contingency plans while suffering catastrophe are unlikely to be around afterwards. Testing allows for improvements and the fine tuning of the continuity strategy details.
The business impact assessment informs the drafting of the business continuity plan. That plan contains the DR component and goes on to address all aspects of the business. And it’s in the testing – regularly and repeatedly – that an enterprise will ready itself to survive even wholesale shutdowns or failures, and go on to a better future.
Dell Technologies has today unveiled tips to help businesses make the transition to a remote business model successfully at this time highlighting that the successful management of a remote workforce will be key to a positive outcome. With many businesses now working in the new reality that their entire workforce is operating from home, Dell Technologies has outlined the critical importance of connecting technology, security, workforce flexibility, data and leadership to help build a remote business model that remains competitive at this time.
Jason Ward, Vice-President and Managing Director, Dell Technologies Ireland said: “The future of work is transforming before our eyes. In a matter of weeks, businesses have found themselves in a position of having their entire workforce operating from home. With no time for on-the-job learning, this transition can pose a major challenge.
“Remote working and flexible working have been fundamental elements of our business and culture at Dell Technologies for over 10 years. Over that decade of our teams working in a remote capacity, we have learnt some important lessons that others can benefit from to create a workforce transformation strategy fit for our new reality.
“Technology is the foundation stone for large-scale remote interaction and engagement and must be at the centre of a remote working strategy and business model. But successful remote working takes more than the right technology. It requires a security-first approach, rooted in data, with flexible HR policies and leadership from the very top.
“It will take time for companies to find the right approach to shape the supportive culture that meets the needs of every member of the team. Today we’re are sharing some tips that we believe can help businesses to safely navigate the move to remote working now and into the future.”
Technology
Put employees first and make sure that applications and devices meet their needs so they can be productive.
Provide the right technology – devices, applications, security, and connectivity – so colleagues can collaborate regardless of where they are.
Security
Security must be an integral part of business strategy connected to the people, processes and technologies with an organisation so that data and IT assets are secure and available.
Put in place collaboration and communication tools that can be used from anywhere, at any time on any device.
Ensure your security policies accommodate new technology and working approaches.
Human Resources
Partner across the organisation to help develop workplace policies that embraces flexible culture and enables every team member to give their best
Listen to your employees – what’s working for them and what needs to be adjusted to enable them to be more productive.
Provide training on connectivity tools, platforms and equipment so employees can get the most out of their remote workspace.
Data
Root decisions in data by looking at trends in when employees are logging into their systems to work and what evolving external forces may require temporary or permanent shifts in your workplace policies.
Leadership
Prepare managers and leaders for this new world of work by coaching them to support their teams and help them feel more connected.
Leaders should listen to employees and understand what is working for them and what needs to be adjusted to enable them to be more productive.
Maintain effective communication. Virtual coffee chats or open office hours are a good way to create “water cooler” moments which build and maintain relationships across your business.
Successful remote working has been a multi-year journey for Dell Technologies. As many Irish businesses look to keep their remote workforce connected for the coming weeks and months, it is important as a first step to identify what capabilities are already in place in your business which can be scaled, what transformations you have started that can be accelerated and identify smart investments that protect the health and safety of employees.
The Coronavirus outbreak and the worldwide reaction to the pandemic will force companies to radically rethink how they operate and embrace technological investment, states global tech market advisory firm, ABI Research.
“To effect change, there must be a stimulation of a magnitude that means companies cannot do anything but make bold decisions to survive. COVID-19 is that magnitude,” explains Stuart Carlaw, Chief Research Officer at ABI Research.
Bold decisions and technological investments could lead to outcomes such as:
A more concerted and widespread move to lights-out manufacturing
Increased usage of autonomous materials handling and goods vehicles
A more integrated, diverse, and coordinated supply chain
Investment in smart cities to support community resilience
A move to virtual workspaces and practices
And so much more
“Before we feel this potential long-term impact, there will be some serious short-term implications. Contractions in consumer spending, disruptions to supply chains, and reduced availability of components will create a rough sea for all boats,” Carlaw says. “In the short-term, there will be a retrenchment in outlooks a reduced investment in modernization, as survival instincts trump the drive to prosperity.”
At the beginning of the week, we found out that the South Korea company had bought the audio leader Harman for about $8.0 billion.
Paying $112.00 per share in cash, the well-known phone and electronics manufactures decided this November 14th to enter on a definite agreement with the audio expert.
The connected car solutions Harman offer and well-known for everyone and gives Samsung access to JBL, Harman Kardon and others.
“HARMAN perfectly complements Samsung in terms of technologies, products and solutions, and joining forces is a natural extension of the automotive strategy we have been pursuing for some time,” said Oh-Hyun Kwon, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Samsung Electronics. “As a Tier 1 automotive supplier with deep customer relationships, strong brands, leading technology and a recognized portfolio of best-in-class products, HARMAN immediately establishes a strong foundation for Samsung to grow our automotive platform. Dinesh Paliwal is a proven global leader and, in our extensive discussions, we have developed deep respect for him, his strong senior leadership team and HARMAN’s talented employees. HARMAN’s sustained track record of rapid growth fueled by technology leadership and an unmatched automotive order pipeline reflects its commitment to innovation and customers.”
Samsung is aiming really hard at the automotive market with this deal, but we can expect some proper audio expertise on the company connected home and mobile technologies.
There are several expectations on the automotive, audio and connected technology part about it. All of which can be read on the link at the end.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think Samsung is going to improve the sound quality on its products? Or is just going to focus on the automotive market?
About.me has officially revealed the contacts sharing app Info for WindowsPhone and Windows today.
Intro by about.me is available to download for free from the Windows and Windows Phone Stores today. This app offers a modern, easy way to stay in touch with new contacts by sending your about.me page as a digital business card.
With Intro by about.me, your about.me page becomes a digital business card you can send to an email address, phone number or another about.me page. You are always are in control of which personal details you share, you can share any combination of your page, phone number and email. You can also keep track of the people you’ve shared your card with and cards you’ve received, Intro by About.me is a simple, efficient, modern way to network.
Download the app free for Windows and WindowsPhone today and start sharing your information.
