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Databranch Monthly Tech Talk
IT Solutions for the Workplace
January | 2021
Factors To Consider When Choosing a VoIP Provider

Considering switching your old phone service to a modern VoIP system?

Here are a few things to consider in making your decision:

  • Reliability - Our system monitors the status of the phones with every phone call. If your internet goes down we can automatically re-route calls to another site, an answering service, or even your cellphone.
  • Support - We offer a knowledgeable support staff able to quickly help you with any issues you may have, all of which is done remotely with little to no disruption.
  • Ease of use - Our VoIP phones are very intuitive with onscreen displays and easy menus. Our staff is ready to support and train you.
  • Features - We offer over 70 features at no additional cost including: Auto Attendants, Call Queues, Voicemail to Email, and call recording.

If you're considering Hosted VoIP for your organization and would like to learn more about our ROCK-IT VoIP solution, please reach out to Amanda at 716-373-4467 x 15 (alasky@databranch.com) or your dedicated Databranch Account Manager!
Three Ways That Technology Has Transformed Business

Breakthroughs in technology have torn apart old ways of working, as new alternatives have become impossible to ignore.
 
Here are three examples of ways that technology has transformed businesses everywhere.

INSTANT CUSTOMER SERVICE

As new methods of communication have emerged, businesses have been able to significantly increase the quality of the customer service they offer. 

Instead of relying on face-to-face meetings or telephone calls to answer customer questions, businesses can now help through immediate online channels like live chat.

This is convenient for many customers, as they can talk at the exact moment they need help. It allows them to get immediate answers to their questions without needing to navigate telephone menus or book an appointment.

AI chatbots enable customers to get answers to their questions without humans involved. By allowing questions to be asked in natural language, chatbots offer a way for businesses to help their customers 24/7. And can significantly reduce the demands on customer service staff.
A REVOLUTION IN ADVERTISING

Google and Facebook have completely changed the face of advertising.

By giving businesses the ability to deliver highly targeted ads, Google and Facebook give businesses the tools they need to deliver the right message, to the right person, at the right time. And then analyze the results with an extreme level of precision.

Far from being confined to global brands with huge marketing budgets, this technology has given businesses of all sizes access to the same advertising venues and tools that huge businesses use.

The amount of money that businesses need to invest in advertising has reduced, with small businesses able to run campaigns that get results for only a few dollars.
REMOTE WORKING DURING THE PANDEMIC

How do you think businesses would have coped if the pandemic had arrived in 1990 instead of 2020?    

Technology has enabled millions of businesses to keep running at a time when it’s been impossible for much of the world to physically meet.

Tools like Microsoft Teams have made it easy for colleagues to collaborate and work together. With real-time messaging and countless options for video calls, people can work well as a team regardless of where they're based.

Cloud computing has made it easy to access the software and data everyone needs to do their jobs, often from whatever device they can get their hands on.
How Do You Know When Your IT Systems are Due an Upgrade

Some problems are difficult to spot. They bubble under the surface without getting noticed until it’s too late.

Other problems hit you straight in the face, normally at the worst possible time.

KERPOW!

When it comes to your business’s IT, you need to keep an eye out for each of these, as things can get nasty if you don’t stay on top of things.

Keeping your IT updated is a good start, but it isn’t enough on its own. How do you know what to look out for? Let’s look at some of the main culprits.
#1 - The Slow Creepers

Slow computers are a big one, and they’re quite tricky to spot because they gradually slow down over time.

This means that people using them gradually adjust to degrading levels of performance without necessarily being aware that’s happening.

The same is true for software. As staff get used to using slow and buggy tools, it gets normalized and the IT gremlins become accepted as part of their daily life.

It’s always worth fixing slow devices and processes. Speeding them up will let your staff be more productive. And give morale a boost too.
#2 - Out-Of-Date IT

Another thing that can be difficult to spot is when warranties run out.

On top of official warranties, IT systems also have a separate lifespan for how long vendors will continue to offer updates. Pushing this to the edge can significantly impact features, compatibility, as well as security.

Your customers don’t have much patience for slow or clunky processes. It can be difficult to measure how much business you lose on the back of this, so frequently auditing your systems is key to avoiding missed opportunities.
#3 - Older IT Can't Be Scaled So Easily

If your IT systems aren’t scalable, there’s a real risk that your business will need to start turning down work because you’re not able to handle changes in demand.

It’s worth bearing in mind that there’s a far greater chance of experiencing big changes in consumer behavior in 2021, both during and in the aftermath of this pandemic.

Also, if you’re running out-of-date IT systems, you’re living with the risk that you won’t be able to quickly adopt new ways of working, as technology changes in your industry.
So, what can you do?

An important first step is to have an IT strategy in place that acts as a foundation for your business.

Instead of reacting to problems as they come up, an IT strategy will help you plan for future scenarios. As well as acting as a solid foundation to help your business make the best possible decisions about the future.

A good IT strategy creates a technology roadmap for getting your business up to speed and keeping it there.

WE LOVE REFERRALS

The greatest gift anyone can give us is a referral to your friends. Referrals help us keep costs down so we can pass the savings to our clients.

If your friend ends up becoming a client - we’ll gift them their free first month of service (for being a friend of yours) AND we’ll gift you a $100 Amazon Gift Voucher.

Simply introduce me via email (dprince@databranch.com) and I’ll take it from there. I personally promise we’ll look after your friend’s business with a high level of care and attention (just like we do with all our clients).
Technology Trivia

In 1973 Martin Cooper, a Motorola employee, made the world’s first-ever mobile phone call.
 
Can you guess which city he made it from?

The first person to email us at info@databranch.com and give a correct answer gets a $25 Amazon Gift Card
🤓

NEED A LAUGH?

How many programmers does it take to change a light bulb?

None. It’s a hardware problem

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