Insights

Technology Trends

Technology is transforming how businesses automate their processes, engage with their customers, protect their data, and generate more prospects. Take a look at content in the sections below to get more insight about trends in hosted phone, cybersecurity, network services, managed IT and marketing automation.

Technology Trends for the Small to Medium Business Customer


Article The Top Small Business Technology Trends to Watch in 2020 From the article: "How will advancements in technology affect your small business in 2020? From building trust to enhancing customer experience, tech tools allow your organization to stay productive and competitive." Learn about the small business technology trends in store for 2020. 2020, SMBs, Tech Trends From the article: "How will advancements in technology affect your small business in 2020? From building trust to enhancing customer experience, tech tools allow your organization to stay productive and competitive." Learn about the small business technology trends in store for 2020.
Article 2020-The Year of the Cloud From the article: "In 2006 cloud computing entered the mainstream technology arena when AWS announced the launch of its Elastic Compute Cloud. However, it wasn't until the 2010s that cloud computing really started to lead the IT revolution by fully transforming the way computers and software ... 2020, cloud, Insights, Tech Trends From the article: "In 2006 cloud computing entered the mainstream technology arena when AWS announced the launch of its Elastic Compute Cloud. However, it wasn't until the 2010s that cloud computing really started to lead the IT revolution by fully transforming the way computers and software operate. Cloud was adopted by leading brands and made cloud-native companies like Amazon, Netflix and Facebook the largest digital businesses in the world." Read this article to learn how the cloud is going to take over 2020.
Article Top 10 Technology Trends That Will Propel Your Small Business To Success In 2020 From the article: "2020 is just 6 months away, and small businesses are yet to adopt a considerable number of the technologies mentioned above. Whatever technologies have helped most small enterprises sail through 2019 might not be enough to induct them in the hall of success in the next year." ... 2020, Small Business, SMBs, Tech Trends From the article:"2020 is just 6 months away, and small businesses are yet to adopt a considerable number of the technologies mentioned above. Whatever technologies have helped most small enterprises sail through 2019 might not be enough to induct them in the hall of success in the next year."This article gives 10 technology trends small and medium businesses should embrace to remain relevant and profitable.
Article 2020 Technology Trends for Small Business Owners to Anticipate From the article: At last check, America was hosting more than 30 million small businesses. The ones that plan for the latest technology trends will hold a distinct advantage over their competitors. Read this article to learn about six trends that business owners should anticipate in the ... 2020, SMBs, Tech Trends From the article:At last check, America was hosting more than 30 million small businesses. The ones that plan for the latest technology trends will hold a distinct advantage over their competitors.Read this article to learn about six trends that business owners should anticipate in the upcoming year.
Article Moving to the Cloud: What Small Businesses Should Know From the article: "The benefits of cloud computing for smaller organizations are clear. One is financial: Moving workloads from an on-premises data center to the cloud means shifting that portion of your IT spending from capital expenditures to operational expenditures. The lower up-front ... cloud, Small Businesses, Tech Trends From the article:"The benefits of cloud computing for smaller organizations are clear. One is financial: Moving workloads from an on-premises data center to the cloud means shifting that portion of your IT spending from capital expenditures to operational expenditures. The lower up-front investment for OPEX, as well as the cost certainty of subscription pricing models, are advantages for cash-flow conscious SMBs."This article gives five keys to cloud strategy for small businesses.
Article Tech-Proofing the Millennial Workplace From the article: "Seventy-one percent of millennials are disengaged in the workplace. Is bad tech to blame? A Microsoft and SurveyMonkey poll found that 93 percent of millennials cited modern and up-to-date technology as one of the most important aspects of a workplace, while Dell EMC's ... Millennial, Tech Trends, Workplace From the article: "Seventy-one percent of millennials are disengaged in the workplace. Is bad tech to blame? A Microsoft and SurveyMonkey poll found that 93 percent of millennials cited modern and up-to-date technology as one of the most important aspects of a workplace, while Dell EMC's "Future of the Workforce" found millennials, in particular, are likely to quit a job with substandard technology. But millennials (and Gen Z) don't just want gadgets." This article explains how when done right, technology can be a major draw for millennial employees.
Article How to Overcome Challenges When Deploying New Collaboration Technologies From the article: "What if there were a tool to help employees complete projects 30 percent faster? And what if that same tool helped reduce email traffic and the number of meetings too? Those are just some of the benefits that businesses are seeing when using collaboration tools, says Wayne ... Challenges, Collaboration Technology, Technology Trends From the article: "What if there were a tool to help employees complete projects 30 percent faster?And what if that same tool helped reduce email traffic and the number of meetings too? Those are just some of the benefits that businesses are seeing when using collaboration tools, says Wayne Kurtzman, research director of social and experiential solutions at market research firm IDC." This article discusses both the challenges and benefits that come with deploying collaboration technology.
Article 4 Tech Trends in Store for Small Businesses in 2019 From the article: "Nearly everyone would agree that 2018 was a far-from-boring year, and that applies to small and medium-sized business IT as well. Raymond Boggs, vice president of small and medium business research at IDC, notes that it was a surprising year in terms of cloud adoption for ... 2019, Small Business, Tech Trends From the article:"Nearly everyone would agree that 2018 was a far-from-boring year, and that applies to small and medium-sized business IT as well. Raymond Boggs, vice president of small and medium business research at IDC, notes that it was a surprising year in terms of cloud adoption for SMBs, particularly on two points. First, while cloud adoption is taking off with SMBs - a recent survey of SMBs from CDW found that 73 percent of respondents were using cloud in some capacity - there is still some hesitation among very small businesses. Second, and perhaps more surprising, is that once SMBs enter the cloud space, often through cloud-hosted email - 64 percent of respondents to the recent CDW survey noted they were tapping cloud for email services - it seems they can't get enough."Read the full article to see four predictions Boggs has for 2019.
Article 5 Technology Trends Small Businesses Should Consider in 2019 From the article: "Good small-business owners keep an eye on the future, which means they already need to be thinking about what will be big in 2019. The new year is shaping up to be transformative for the way we do business, thanks to rapidly improving voice-recognition technology, social ... 2019, Small Business, Technology Trends From the article: "Good small-business owners keep an eye on the future, which means they already need to be thinking about what will be big in 2019. The new year is shaping up to be transformative for the way we do business, thanks to rapidly improving voice-recognition technology, social media platforms pushing to become integral to marketing and e-commerce efforts, increasing competition for top talent, and a slew of new apps on the horizon." Read this article for the top 5 technology trends for small businesses this year.
Article The Top 6 Small Business Technology Trends For 2019 From the article: "Every year brings new opportunities for growing a small business, and this year is definitely not an exception. Exciting technology trends keep emerging, completely transforming the way we work, learn, and develop. To take your small business to the next level, stay ... 2019, Small Business, Technology, Trends From the article: "Every year brings new opportunities for growing a small business, and this year is definitely not an exception. Exciting technology trends keep emerging, completely transforming the way we work, learn, and develop. To take your small business to the next level, stay relevant, and emerge triumphant from the competition, you should follow the latest tech trends to stand out from the crowd and grow." Read the article to see what 2019 has in store.
Article 6 Small Business Tech Trends From the article: "As a small business owner, you may not be on the forefront of developing technology as enterprise-level businesses often are, but tech still plays a vital role in the growth and efficiency of your business. These small business technology trends are important to watch in ... Small Business, Technology, Trends From the article: "As a small business owner, you may not be on the forefront of developing technology as enterprise-level businesses often are, but tech still plays a vital role in the growth and efficiency of your business. These small business technology trends are important to watch in 2019. While new infrastructure like 5G will emerge, personalized marketing, software unification and cybersecurity can have a direct impact on small business."This article gives 6 small business technology trends to look out for in 2019.

Vertical Markets

Explore the challenges and needs of different market segments and how they use technology to operate and grow their business. Use this information to address the specific needs of businesses in that industry.

Learn how specific markets view and deploy technology


Article Buying into the Cloud: How Cloud Technology is Revolutionizing the Retail Industry From the article: "Those in the retail industries as well as other small businesses are seeing a huge potential with cloud technology and most are actually using it to their advantage. Asos, a British online fashion retailer, uses cloud technology to expand its services in the international ... Cloud Technology, Insights, Retail, Vertical Markets From the article: "Those in the retail industries as well as other small businesses are seeing a huge potential with cloud technology and most are actually using it to their advantage. Asos, a British online fashion retailer, uses cloud technology to expand its services in the international arena. Other companies such as Specsavers and Amazon also used the cloud in similar manner." This article gives four ways that cloud-based technology is poised to revolutionize the retail industry.
Article 3 Healthcare Cybersecurity Trends to Watch in 2020 According to Kayla Matthews, "The healthcare industry frequently struggles with data breaches and other cybersecurity incidents. That's likely because cybercriminals know the value of medical data. It's also problematic that healthcare information often gets passed between multiple parties and ... Cybersecurity, Healthcare, Insights According to Kayla Matthews, "The healthcare industry frequently struggles with data breaches and other cybersecurity incidents. That's likely because cybercriminals know the value of medical data. It's also problematic that healthcare information often gets passed between multiple parties and organizations, some of which may have insufficient security practices. "What cybersecurity trends should the healthcare industry be prepared for this year?
Article With Advanced Analytics, Wi-Fi Delivers More Than Just Customer Convenience From the article: "Restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores and other public-facing businesses need customer data to sell more effectively, better manage inventory and provide customers with more effective marketing offers. Free guest Wi-Fi allows businesses to easily capture a buffet of ... Analytics, Data, Vertical Markets, Wifi From the article:"Restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores and other public-facing businesses need customer data to sell more effectively, better manage inventory and provide customers with more effective marketing offers. Free guest Wi-Fi allows businesses to easily capture a buffet of information, from how long customers stay in a store to buying preferences based on demographics or location. Through customer analytics from the wireless network, businesses can develop better in-store experiences, create targeted marketing campaigns and ultimately boost sales."This article explains how providing and utilizing guest WiFi to boost analytics and create better customer experiences.
Article Importance of Advanced Analytics in Healthcare From the article: "It is understandable that anyone can feel intimidated by the huge influx of data that keeps flowing through healthcare systems every second of the day. But to draw meaningful insights from it, and use it to treat patients and prevent diseases is a big step in healthcare. This ... Advanced Analytics, Healthcare, Insights, Vertical Markets From the article:"It is understandable that anyone can feel intimidated by the huge influx of data that keeps flowing through healthcare systems every second of the day. But to draw meaningful insights from it, and use it to treat patients and prevent diseases is a big step in healthcare. This is what Big Analytics or Advanced Analytics does. The data you receive on your machines is just a jumble of ones and zeros, and you have no use for it unless you can understand what it is trying to convey."This article explains the role of advanced analytics in healthcare.
Article Top 6 Digital Transformation Trends In Healthcare For 2019 From the article: Daniel Newman says, "Remember the days where you would schedule a doctor's appointment only to get there and wait for a couple of hours? If you had any tests done, it would take days to get results back and often you'd have to go back to the office and wait all over again? ... 2019, Digital Transformation, Healthcare Trends, Vertical Markets From the article:Daniel Newman says, "Remember the days where you would schedule a doctor's appointment only to get there and wait for a couple of hours? If you had any tests done, it would take days to get results back and often you'd have to go back to the office and wait all over again? Thankfully, that's a bygone era (or at least it's getting there). Driven by the need for a better customer experience healthcare is experiencing a huge shift. And just like other industries, the digital transformation trends in healthcare aren't slowing down in 2019."This article gives the top trends in healthcare for 2019.
Article 12 Trends that Will Dominate Healthcare IT in 2019 From the article: "The push to digitize healthcare has been going on for at least 10 years-that's when the push began for hospitals and physicians to implement electronic health records. Now, providers are looking for ways to achieve measurable results with the systems they have in place." ... 2019, Healthcare, it, Trends From the article: "The push to digitize healthcare has been going on for at least 10 years-that's when the push began for hospitals and physicians to implement electronic health records. Now, providers are looking for ways to achieve measurable results with the systems they have in place." This article gives 12 predicted trends that are expected to dominate healthcare IT.
Article 6 Infrastructure Elements Retailers Need to Support Digital Transformation From the article: "Many retailers opt not to make large-scale IT infrastructure changes all at once. Instead, they take a wait-and-see approach to new technologies, implementing them as new needs arise. It makes sense not to spend large sums on unproven solutions, but there is one area where ... infrastructure, Retail, Vertical Markets From the article:"Many retailers opt not to make large-scale IT infrastructure changes all at once. Instead, they take a wait-and-see approach to new technologies, implementing them as new needs arise. It makes sense not to spend large sums on unproven solutions, but there is one area where retailers should absolutely invest with an eye on the future: IT infrastructure."This article explains why retailers should be investing in IT infrastructure.
Article How Retailers Can Use the Network to Drive More Successful Customer Loyalty From the article: "Retailers typically gain the edge on their competitors when they consistently deliver a superb customer experience. And many retailers' networks may already be gathering some of the data points that could help them home in on what their customers are truly after, including ... Analytics, Customer Loyalty, Retail, Vertical Markets From the article:"Retailers typically gain the edge on their competitors when they consistently deliver a superb customer experience. And many retailers' networks may already be gathering some of the data points that could help them home in on what their customers are truly after, including repeat versus new visitors, connected visitors, time spent in location, peak in-store traffic and more."This article explains how adding analytics to that data can yield even greater insights.
Article All-Cloud vs. On-Premises vs. Hybrid: How 3 Businesses Chose the Right Infrastructure Source: RightScale, "2018 State of the Cloud Report," February 2018 From the Article: "More businesses and nonprofits are moving their infrastructure to the cloud, now that it's proven to be secure, reliable and cost-effective. But while cloud service providers can improve efficiencies and ... cloud, Hybrid, infrastructure, On-premise, Vertical Markets Source: RightScale, "2018 State of the Cloud Report," February 2018From the Article:"More businesses and nonprofits are moving their infrastructure to the cloud, now that it's proven to be secure, reliable and cost-effective. But while cloud service providers can improve efficiencies and provide benefits such as redundancy and the ability to scale up and down quickly, the cloud is not always the best choice or necessarily the least expensive."This article discusses the factors that determine whether a workload is suitable for the public cloud, on-premises or private cloud.
Article What Banks Need to Know About Moving to the Cloud From the article: "Banks and credit unions have been slower than many other industries to adopt cloud technologies. According to a recent survey of banks included in Accenture's report on cloud readiness, "Cloud and Clear," it found that 43 percent of institutions have "no cloud strategy or have ... Banks, Cloud Technology, Credit Unions, Vertical Markets From the article:"Banks and credit unions have been slower than many other industries to adopt cloud technologies. According to a recent survey of banks included in Accenture's report on cloud readiness, "Cloud and Clear," it found that 43 percent of institutions have "no cloud strategy or have only started implementing basic cloud practices," while 63 percent don't have key performance indicators in place to measure progress."This article gives 5 keys to cloud strategy for banks and credit unions.
Article The Benefits of SD-WAN for Banks and Credit Unions From the article: "In the age of digital transformation, it can be difficult for financial institutions to offer their business operations and customers the most value. Here's an easy place to start: software-defined wide area networking. SD-WAN taps software to route a network connection ... Banks, Credit Unions, SD-WAN, Vertical Markets From the article:"In the age of digital transformation, it can be difficult for financial institutions to offer their business operations and customers the most value. Here's an easy place to start: software-defined wide area networking. SD-WAN taps software to route a network connection through the fastest path across multiple connections - much like a navigation app helps you find the best route across town."This article explains the benefits of SD-WAN for banks and credit unions particularly as they move more tools and services to the cloud.
Infographic 5 Ways Unified Communications Can Benefit Your Employees Benefits, communications, Employees, Marketplace, Technology, Unified
Article 8 Trends in Education Technology That Will Have A Major Impact in 2019 From the article: "The last few years have witnessed a dramatic change in the learning model. The way students are being taught today is very different from the teaching methods that were adopted a few decades back. Technology has brought about various changes in the way education is delivered ... Education, Insights, Tech Trends, Technology, Vertical Markets From the article: "The last few years have witnessed a dramatic change in the learning model. The way students are being taught today is very different from the teaching methods that were adopted a few decades back. Technology has brought about various changes in the way education is delivered and received. From self-learning to flipped classroom approach, we have seen technology make a considerable impact on the learning and teaching methodologies."This article gives a look into the current trends in education technology.
Article Top 6 Digital Transformation Trends in Education According to Daniel Newman, "Educators from all grade-levels are coming to realize the benefits of technology in the classroom. Typically, education is one of the last industries to make extensive change, holding on to antiquated methods and practices. But through the digital transformation and the ... Education, Insights, Tech Trends, Vertical Markets According to Daniel Newman, "Educators from all grade-levels are coming to realize the benefits of technology in the classroom. Typically, education is one of the last industries to make extensive change, holding on to antiquated methods and practices. But through the digital transformation and the rise of educational technology, teachers have begun making drastic changes to their instruction, assessments, even the physical make-up of their classrooms, and at a much faster rate than expected." This article explains how the digital education trends that are making headlines are impacting students.
Article Technology in Education 2019: 5 Trends to Watch From the article: "When you're making predictions about technology-even education technology-a great place to start is science fiction. Authors don't necessarily have any second sight into what's beyond the horizon, but engineers and designers invariably end up using the work of authors as ... Education, Insights, Tech Trends, Vertical Markets From the article: "When you're making predictions about technology-even education technology-a great place to start is science fiction. Authors don't necessarily have any second sight into what's beyond the horizon, but engineers and designers invariably end up using the work of authors as inspiration for creating the future." This article's education predictions are less about what emerging technologies will be, but more about how they will be applied.
Article The Top 4 State and Local Government IT Trends to Watch for in 2019 From the article: "Many of the issues that affect state and local government IT leaders are the same ones impacting their counterparts at the federal level, just at a smaller scale. The same is largely true for the technology trends that are expected to dominate the government in 2019." This ... Insights, Local Government, Municipalities, Tech Trends From the article:"Many of the issues that affect state and local government IT leaders are the same ones impacting their counterparts at the federal level, just at a smaller scale. The same is largely true for the technology trends that are expected to dominate the government in 2019."This article gives the key trends to look out for in state and local IT for 2019.
Article The Future of Technology in Local Government From the article: "Avenu Insights & Analytics, a proud ICMA Strategic Partner, recently named public sector expert Roger Murphy as director of the Information Technology (IT) Managed Services division. Here he talks about the state of IT, and how it's both influencing government service delivery ... Insights, it, Local Government, Tech Trends, Vertical Markets From the article:"Avenu Insights & Analytics, a proud ICMA Strategic Partner, recently named public sector expert Roger Murphy as director of the Information Technology (IT) Managed Services division. Here he talks about the state of IT, and how it's both influencing government service delivery and being driven by residents' expectations."Roger Murphy discusses the future of technology in local government.
Article Top 9 Digital Trends in Local Government From the article: "According to Accenture's most recent Digital Pulse survey, digital government is the key to earning citizen engagement and trust. While nine in 10 citizens said they want to maintain or increase their digital interaction with local government, nearly three-quarters are not ... Digital Trends, Insights, Local Government, Tech Trends, Vertical Markets From the article:"According to Accenture's most recent Digital Pulse survey, digital government is the key to earning citizen engagement and trust. While nine in 10 citizens said they want to maintain or increase their digital interaction with local government, nearly three-quarters are not satisfied with current digital services."This article gives tips on what local leaders need to keep an eye on in and what they can do to prepare for the digital transformation in local government.
Article 10 Trends That Will Dominate Manufacturing in 2019 According to Martin Boggess, "Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution, is revolutionizing manufacturing by providing manufacturers with the opportunity to utilize advanced manufacturing capabilities and information technology (IT) throughout the product lifecycle. As a result, manufacturers ... Insights, Manufacturing, Tech Trends, Vertical Markets According to Martin Boggess, "Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution, is revolutionizing manufacturing by providing manufacturers with the opportunity to utilize advanced manufacturing capabilities and information technology (IT) throughout the product lifecycle. As a result, manufacturers are benefitting from increased visibility into operations, substantial cost savings, faster production times and the ability to provide excellent customer support."This article gives the 10 technology trends that will help the manufacturing industry grow.
Article Five Tech Trends That Will Define Manufacturing in 2019 From the article: "It is perhaps an understatement to suggest that 2018 has been marred by uncertainty - from the lingering unpredictability of Brexit to wider global geopolitical incidents - and 2019 looks to offer much of the same. Despite this, the pace of technological change in the UK has ... Insights, Manufacturing, Tech Trends, Vertical Markets From the article:"It is perhaps an understatement to suggest that 2018 has been marred by uncertainty - from the lingering unpredictability of Brexit to wider global geopolitical incidents - and 2019 looks to offer much of the same. Despite this, the pace of technological change in the UK has continued mostly unabated and British manufacturers have been tasked to grapple the short-term events whilst harnessing new technology to digitally transform."These five trends are predicted to define intelligent manufacturing in 2019.
Article An Industrial Manufacturing Perspective: Tech Trends 2019 From the article: "As industrial manufacturers find themselves in the midst of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, one thing is certain: Change is an undeniable constant. The industry continues to experience change across all fronts: ecosystems, business models, technology, customer expectations, ... Insights, Manufacturing, Tech Trends, Vertical Markets From the article:"As industrial manufacturers find themselves in the midst of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, one thing is certain: Change is an undeniable constant. The industry continues to experience change across all fronts: ecosystems, business models, technology, customer expectations, and workforce. Industrial companies, some of them more than a century old, are faced with the challenge of transforming to prevent extinction." This article should help industrial manufacturing leaders gain a clearer view of what lies ahead on the pathway to digital transformation and offer new perspectives for how they can remain in the game and use technology to win.
Article How Lagging WAN Affects Municipalities From the article: "It's no secret that IT systems are essential for today's businesses. But what about government organizations and municipalities? IT and WAN connectivity now plays a larger role than ever when it comes to local governing processes. Cities are harnessing a rising number of ... Insights, Municipalities, SD-WAN, Vertical Markets, Wan From the article:"It's no secret that IT systems are essential for today's businesses. But what about government organizations and municipalities? IT and WAN connectivity now plays a larger role than ever when it comes to local governing processes. Cities are harnessing a rising number of online platforms to carry out critical processes and better service citizens."This article looks at IT usage in municipalities and local government, and how a lagging WAN can impact these systems.

Cybersecurity Trends

70% of all small businesses will experience a cyberattack this year and many of them will have their businesses disrupted, their data stolen or have to pay thousands to get the problem resolved. Learn more about cybersecurity trends that you can use and share with your customers.

Learn more about the challenges business face in keeping their data and network secure


Infographic Is Your Small Business Prepared for a Cyber Attack? business, Cyberattack, Cybersecurity, Prepared, Small
Infographic How SMBs are Dealing with Cybersecurity Threats in 2019? Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity Threats
Infographic Cyber Security 101 Cybersecurity
Article 9 Cyber Security Issues That Could Be Leaving Your Data Vulnerable To Attacks Expert Panel, Forbes Technology Council Successful CIOs, CTOs & executives from Forbes Technology Council offer firsthand insights on tech & business. From the article: "As our reliance on technology grows, so does our need for improved cybersecurity. With so much of our personal ... Cybersecurity, Data, Vulnerability Expert Panel, Forbes Technology Council Successful CIOs, CTOs & executives from Forbes Technology Council offer firsthand insights on tech & business. From the article: "As our reliance on technology grows, so does our need for improved cybersecurity. With so much of our personal information stored in our devices, simply browsing online or enabling certain settings on your smartphone may be leaving you vulnerable to hackers. Of course, most users aren't well-versed in cybersecurity. However, you don't have to be a tech expert to ensure your data is protected. Being aware of these issues and making a few easy changes to how you use your devices are great first steps toward better protection. To help, we asked the leaders at the Forbes Technology Council to give us their tips on what issues to look out for so we can stay safe online and off."
Article 12 Expert Tips To Keep Your Remote Workers Safe From Cyber Threats From the article: "While remote work arrangements are undoubtedly convenient for both employees and employers, it's crucial that companies have a solid strategy to ensure cybersecurity. We asked 12 experts from Forbes Technology Council for tips tech executives can share with their companies or ... Cyber Threats, Cybersecurity, Security, Tips From the article: "While remote work arrangements are undoubtedly convenient for both employees and employers, it's crucial that companies have a solid strategy to ensure cybersecurity. We asked 12 experts from Forbes Technology Council for tips tech executives can share with their companies or remote employees to help protect them from cyber threats."Read the article to find out what these experts have to say.
Infographic 60 Must-Know Cybersecurity Statistics for 2019 BY ROB SOBERS UPDATED: 4/17/2019 "Cybersecurity issues are becoming a day-to-day struggle for businesses. Trends show a huge increase in hacked and breached data from sources that are increasingly common in the workplace, like mobile and IoT devices. Additionally, recent ... Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity Costs, Cybersecurity Risks BY ROB SOBERS UPDATED: 4/17/2019 "Cybersecurity issues are becoming a day-to-day struggle for businesses. Trends show a huge increase in hacked and breached data from sources that are increasingly common in the workplace, like mobile and IoT devices. Additionally, recent research suggests that most companies have unprotected data and poor cybersecurity practices in place, making them vulnerable to data loss. We've compiled 60 cybersecurity statistics to give you a better idea of the current state of overall security, and paint a picture of how potentially dire leaving your company unsecure can be."
Article Why is Cyber Security Important in 2019? From the blog post appearing in Security First: "Why is cybersecurity important all of a sudden? Not that long ago, it was primarily something for only the techies to worry about. Corporate leaders widely viewed it as the responsibility of their IT department. Many thought - perhaps naively, ... Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity 2019 From the blog post appearing in Security First: "Why is cybersecurity important all of a sudden? Not that long ago, it was primarily something for only the techies to worry about. Corporate leaders widely viewed it as the responsibility of their IT department. Many thought - perhaps naively, it now seems - that so long as the right firewalls, antivirus packages, and encryption tools were in place, they could leave IT security to the experts and focus on the other myriad elements of running a business. Presumably, you're now very much aware that cybersecurity is something nobody can afford to ignore. Unless you hide from the world's media, you must know that hacks and data breaches regularly affect firms of all sizes. Often these incidents are significant enough to make the front pages, causing irreparable reputational damage to the companies involved. If you're not worried about cybersecurity, you should be."
Article Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Trends in 2020 From the article: "Cybersecurity continues to be the number one "external concern" for American CEOs, regardless of their industry. That's because the number of cyberattacks is increasing every year --with hackers attempting to break into a computer "every 39 seconds on average." 2020 ... 2020, Cyberseurity, Data Privacy, Tech Trends From the article:"Cybersecurity continues to be the number one "external concern" for American CEOs, regardless of their industry. That's because the number of cyberattacks is increasing every year --with hackers attempting to break into a computer "every 39 seconds on average." 2020 promises to be the year when several cybersecurity trends converge. Companies will continue to increase their cybersecurity budgets in order to thwart malicious actors and respond to recent data privacy legislation in Europe and parts of the United States.
Article Top 5 Cybersecurity Predictions for 2020 From the article: "When it comes to cybersecurity, staying ahead of threats - rather than reacting to them - is critical. In a constantly evolving threat landscape, plugging holes - or designing one's security posture for yesterday's threats - just isn't enough anymore. A new year is almost upon ... 2020, Cybersecurity, Tech Trends From the article:"When it comes to cybersecurity, staying ahead of threats - rather than reacting to them - is critical. In a constantly evolving threat landscape, plugging holes - or designing one's security posture for yesterday's threats - just isn't enough anymore. A new year is almost upon us, and with it comes new threats and trends, specifically in the world of cybersecurity."Read this article to learn about 5 cybersecurity predictions for 2020.

Hosted Voice/ UCaaS

Many businesses that are considering a replacement or upgrade in their phone systems and are often confused about their choices between an on-premise phone system and one based in the cloud. This category goes over trends in hosted voice and how to explain the benefits to the SMB customer.

General information on hosted voice and UCaaS to help you educate customers and prospects


Article How Cloud Technologies Help Insurance Agencies Overcome Challenges From the article: "According to Deloitte, the insurance industry needs to embrace tech innovations to align its services to customers' expectations. The cloud adoption in insurance industry is one of the ways in which the industry can embrace innovation." This article highlights some of the ... Agencies, Challenges, cloud, Insurance, Technology From the article: "According to Deloitte, the insurance industry needs to embrace tech innovations to align its services to customers' expectations. The cloud adoption in insurance industry is one of the ways in which the industry can embrace innovation." This article highlights some of the problems insurance companies can solve by move to cloud-based solutions.
Infographic The Pros and Cons of Cloud-based Software Systems cloud, Cons, Pros, Software, Systems, Technology
Infographic 5 Ways Unified Communications Can Benefit Your Employees Benefits, communications, Employees, Marketplace, Technology, Unified
Article Top 5 Reasons Insurance Agents & Brokers Use VoIP Phone Systems From the article: "The insurance industry and particularly insurance agents and brokers are heavily reliant on telecom. Over the last decade Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems have become the favored choice of the industry." This article gives the top five reasons this ... Agents, Brokers, Insurance, Interactive, phone, Systems, Technology, voip From the article: "The insurance industry and particularly insurance agents and brokers are heavily reliant on telecom. Over the last decade Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems have become the favored choice of the industry." This article gives the top five reasons this industry has turned to using VoIP.
Article Phone Systems are Moving into the Cloud to the Benefit of Insurance Agencies From the article: "Walk into an insurance agency and you're sure to hear the din of phones. While digital tools are becoming the communication of choice for some customers, many still rely on the phone to get in touch with their agent, and vice versa. Installing a phone system can nonetheless ... Agencies, cloud, Insurance, phone, Systems, Technology From the article: "Walk into an insurance agency and you're sure to hear the din of phones. While digital tools are becoming the communication of choice for some customers, many still rely on the phone to get in touch with their agent, and vice versa. Installing a phone system can nonetheless be a hassle for agency owners since there's tons of hardware involved in implementing phones at every desk across an agency." This article explains the simplicity of cloud-based phone systems, and how it benefits the insurance industry.
Article On-Premise Phone Systems vs. Hosted Phone Systems From the article: "In our industry we run into the question of "Do I use a hosted phone system or an on premise phone system?" on a daily basis." This article will help you understand the solution to the question above. It will also help you understand how it boils down to company culture ... cloud, Hosted, On-premise, phone, System, Technology From the article: "In our industry we run into the question of "Do I use a hosted phone system or an on premise phone system?" on a daily basis." This article will help you understand the solution to the question above. It will also help you understand how it boils down to company culture and partnership.

Network Services

There are more options than ever for a business to connect employees to the internet, decrease expense, improve performance and increase security. Learn how to explain SD-WAN, cable, VoIP, and wireless as network options for customers.

Get general information on networking options to educate customers and prospects


Infographic DSL vs. Broadband Broadband, Dsl, internet, network, Services, Technology, Wireless
Infographic What is VOIP? business, network, Products, Services, Technology, voip
Infographic Internet Speeds Explained Infographic, internet, Network Services, Speed
Infographic SD-WAN Explained Infographic, Network Services, SD-WAN, Technology
Article How Automatic Failover Helps Some Business Avoid Losing $5,600 a Minute From the article: "It's the kind of nightmare scenario that sends chills up and down the spines of even the most unflinching business owners and executives: without warning the network goes down and takes the phone system with it, along with wireless connected devices including computers, ... Automatic, business, Failover, Money, Network Services, Technology From the article: "It's the kind of nightmare scenario that sends chills up and down the spines of even the most unflinching business owners and executives: without warning the network goes down and takes the phone system with it, along with wireless connected devices including computers, laptops, tablets, printers and smartphones." This article discusses the importance of automatic failover to avoid the situation above.
Video Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN)-Explained Explanation, network, SD-WAN, Services, Video, Wan
Article 8 VoIP Trends To Watch in 2020 From the article: "Certain trends within the VoIP market have been intensifying over the past few years, including the consolidation of online communication technologies, increasing mobility of VoIP software, growing security concerns, and the slow death of traditional telephones. " Here are the ... Ai, Ucaas, voip From the article:"Certain trends within the VoIP market have been intensifying over the past few years, including the consolidation of online communication technologies, increasing mobility of VoIP software, growing security concerns, and the slow death of traditional telephones. "Here are the top VoIP trends for 2020

Managed Services

Small businesses are outsourcing the management of their network, the desktops, and cybersecurity to an IT services professional aka a Managed Services Provider (MSP). Learn what is trending among MSPs and how to explain their value to your customers.

Review the value of managed services to help inspire customers to learn more


Infographic Managed Services vs. In-House IT Staff Consulting, Infographic, it, Managed Services, Staff, Technology
Article What Should You Look for and Expect in a Managed IT Services Contract? From the article: "A successful IT infrastructure depends on the list of services you choose for your business. An expert IT services provider should be able to audit your environment and recommend ways to consolidate and save. Most importantly, you should evaluate each company's offering and ... Contract, it, Managed, Services From the article: "A successful IT infrastructure depends on the list of services you choose for your business. An expert IT services provider should be able to audit your environment and recommend ways to consolidate and save. Most importantly, you should evaluate each company's offering and contract to see if it covers all your business needs." This article explains the crucial components of a managed IT services contract.
Infographic Why You Need to Manage IT Support Infographic, it, Managed, Services, Support
Infographic The Perks of IT & Cloud Managed Services cloud, it, Managed, Pros, Services, Technology
Infographic Is Managed IT Services Right for Your Organization? Things to Consider While Selecting Managed IT Service Providers Consideration, it, Managed, Services, Technology, Tips
Infographic Five Reasons to Outsource Your IT Support Infographic, it, Managed, Outsource, Reason, Services, Support
Article A Managed Service Provider (MSP) Can Help Minimize Costs for a Better Return on Your IT Investment From the article: "An MSP is an IT support company that manages your company's network system completely or in part. Services can range from monitoring your IT network to providing you with full-service hardware, software, monitoring, design and much more. Using an MSP provides you with more ... Costs, it, Managed, Msp, Provider, Services, Support From the article: "An MSP is an IT support company that manages your company's network system completely or in part. Services can range from monitoring your IT network to providing you with full-service hardware, software, monitoring, design and much more. Using an MSP provides you with more efficiency to run your business with the option to scale your IT operations as needed." This article explains how using an MSP can improve business operations and cut expenses.
Article What Should You Expect From a Managed IT Provider in 2020? From the article: "So, just what should you expect from a Managed Services Provider in 2020? Managed IT Services Providers have evolved their solutions with sophisticated back end tools that can provide customers data visualization for ticket metrics, as well as knowledge bases, asset inventory ... 2020, it, Managed Services, Msp From the article: "So, just what should you expect from a Managed Services Provider in 2020? Managed IT Services Providers have evolved their solutions with sophisticated back end tools that can provide customers data visualization for ticket metrics, as well as knowledge bases, asset inventory reports, automated patching and compliance reports, and a host of other value-added services." Read this article to learn more about what to expect from managed IT service providers in 2020.

Marketing Automation

Companies need to make sure that their online presence is accurate and reflects how they help customers and the product and services they offer. Sales must automate how they engage new prospects, process leads, and create new business revenue. Marketing automation helps sales partners maximize their online presence, generate leads, and translate prospects into customers.

Help companies and their sales people use automation to generate more prospects & revenue


Article 7 Mistakes That Will Doom Your Marketing Automation Implementation Aaron Agius says, "We live in the age of things such as landing page builders, content marketing software and tools that automate just about anything you'd like to accomplish. As a result, entrepreneurs have more resources at their disposal than ever before. At the core of this phenomenon lies the ... Automation, Implementation, Marketing, Mistakes, Tips Aaron Agius says, "We live in the age of things such as landing page builders, content marketing software and tools that automate just about anything you'd like to accomplish. As a result, entrepreneurs have more resources at their disposal than ever before. At the core of this phenomenon lies the need for marketing automation. When executed well, it has the potential to drive significant revenue growth in companies small and large." This article lists seven common mistakes businesses make implementing marketing automation.
Article 7 Tools to Automate Your Marketing Tasks (Without Blowing Your Budget) From the article: "These days, marketing is as much a science as an art. The marketing landscape has become increasingly more complex, producing whole platforms and tools that help automate marketing and marketing tasks -- from email and content marketing and promotion to entire campaigns." ... Budget, Cost, Marketing Automation, Tips, Tools From the article: "These days, marketing is as much a science as an art. The marketing landscape has become increasingly more complex, producing whole platforms and tools that help automate marketing and marketing tasks -- from email and content marketing and promotion to entire campaigns." This article provides 7 tools that can help you automate your marketing tasks.
Infographic 9 Ways to Save Time and Money With Marketing Automation Automation, Infographic, Marketing, Money, Save, Technology, Time
Infographic 4 Problems with Marketing Automation B2B, Marketing Automation, Problems, Solutions
Infographic The ROI of Marketing Automation Automation, Marketing, ROI
Article 4 B2B Marketing Trends You Can't Afford to Miss in 2018 From the article: "The new year is coming fast, and the best way to prepare -- and stay ahead of your competitors -- is to anticipate upcoming trends in B2B marketing. Just like the previous years, marketers will have to continue to deal with tangible growth and ROI pressures in 2018 as well." ... B2B, Marketing, Marketing Automation, Trends From the article: "The new year is coming fast, and the best way to prepare -- and stay ahead of your competitors -- is to anticipate upcoming trends in B2B marketing. Just like the previous years, marketers will have to continue to deal with tangible growth and ROI pressures in 2018 as well." This article has four emerging marketing trends you need to integrate into your 2018 marketing plan.
Article Sales Enablement Tools Are the Keys to Making More Money From the article: "At the end of the day, sales enablement tools arm your sales team with the content, guidance and training they need to effectively communicate and close buying customers. This includes tools for salesperson training, coaching, content development, communications and customer ... Automation, Marketing, Money, sales, Tools From the article: "At the end of the day, sales enablement tools arm your sales team with the content, guidance and training they need to effectively communicate and close buying customers. This includes tools for salesperson training, coaching, content development, communications and customer engagement, coupled with performance analytics reporting designed to best optimize the sales process. Sales enablement is not about your sales operations (e.g., territory management, capacity management, compensation, systems/CRM/CPQ/SPM, sales forecasting, sales reporting, contract management), which is typically managed by an entirely different sales operations team."This article explains the primary uses of sales enablement tools.
Infographic Why Does Your Business Need Texting? Business Texting
Article 5 Reasons Your Business Needs Marketing Automation in 2020 According to Tricia O'Donnell, "Embracing technology is an absolute must for the modern marketer. In today's digital landscape, marketing automation has become a fundamental building block of productivity and efficiency - two factors that are essential for sustained success. Furthermore, marketing ... 2020, Insights, Marketing Automation, Tech Trends According to Tricia O'Donnell, "Embracing technology is an absolute must for the modern marketer. In today's digital landscape, marketing automation has become a fundamental building block of productivity and efficiency - two factors that are essential for sustained success. Furthermore, marketing automation can be the key that enables small startups to compete right alongside larger organizations."If you haven't jumped on marketing automation for your business yet, here are some reasons why you should consider it for the upcoming year.
Infographic 4 Ways to Generate Leads Using Marketing Automation Insights, Lead Generation, Leads, Marketing Automation

Insights

Technology Trends for the Small to Medium Business Customer

Learn how specific markets view and deploy technology

Learn more about the challenges business face in keeping their data and network secure

General information on hosted voice and UCaaS to help you educate customers and prospects

Get general information on networking options to educate customers and prospects

Review the value of managed services to help inspire customers to learn more

Help companies and their sales people use automation to generate more prospects & revenue

All Posts

Top 6 Digital Transformation Trends In Healthcare For 2019

12 Trends that Will Dominate Healthcare IT in 2019

6 Infrastructure Elements Retailers Need to Support Digital Transformation

DSL vs. Broadband

What is VOIP?

Internet Speeds Explained

SD-WAN Explained

Is Your Small Business Prepared for a Cyber Attack?

How Retailers Can Use the Network to Drive More Successful Customer Loyalty

All-Cloud vs. On-Premises vs. Hybrid: How 3 Businesses Chose the Right Infrastructure

With Advanced Analytics, Wi-Fi Delivers More Than Just Customer Convenience

How SMBs are Dealing with Cybersecurity Threats in 2019?

Cyber Security 101

9 Ways to Save Time and Money With Marketing Automation

What Banks Need to Know About Moving to the Cloud

The Benefits of SD-WAN for Banks and Credit Unions

Moving to the Cloud: What Small Businesses Should Know

4 Problems with Marketing Automation

The ROI of Marketing Automation

Why Does Your Business Need Texting?

Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN)-Explained

Managed Services vs. In-House IT Staff

Tech-Proofing the Millennial Workplace

How to Overcome Challenges When Deploying New Collaboration Technologies

4 Tech Trends in Store for Small Businesses in 2019

Why You Need to Manage IT Support

The Perks of IT & Cloud Managed Services

Is Managed IT Services Right for Your Organization? Things to Consider While Selecting Managed IT Service Providers

Five Reasons to Outsource Your IT Support

5 Technology Trends Small Businesses Should Consider in 2019

The Top 6 Small Business Technology Trends For 2019

6 Small Business Tech Trends

The Pros and Cons of Cloud-based Software Systems

5 Ways Unified Communications Can Benefit Your Employees

Sample Digital Analysis from Vivial

4 Ways to Generate Leads Using Marketing Automation

How Automatic Failover Helps Some Business Avoid Losing $5,600 a Minute

9 Cyber Security Issues That Could Be Leaving Your Data Vulnerable To Attacks

The Seven Advantages of Hiring a Cyber Security Provider

12 Expert Tips To Keep Your Remote Workers Safe From Cyber Threats

60 Must-Know Cybersecurity Statistics for 2019

Why is Cyber Security Important in 2019?

7 Mistakes That Will Doom Your Marketing Automation Implementation

7 Tools to Automate Your Marketing Tasks (Without Blowing Your Budget)

4 B2B Marketing Trends You Can't Afford to Miss in 2018

Sales Enablement Tools Are the Keys to Making More Money

What is a 'Managed Service' Anyway?

What Should You Look for and Expect in a Managed IT Services Contract?

8 Trends in Education Technology That Will Have A Major Impact in 2019

A Managed Service Provider (MSP) Can Help Minimize Costs for a Better Return on Your IT Investment

Top 6 Digital Transformation Trends in Education

How Cloud Technologies Help Insurance Agencies Overcome Challenges

Technology in Education 2019: 5 Trends to Watch

Top 5 Reasons Insurance Agents & Brokers Use VoIP Phone Systems

The Top 4 State and Local Government IT Trends to Watch for in 2019

Phone Systems are Moving into the Cloud to the Benefit of Insurance Agencies

The Future of Technology in Local Government

On-Premise Phone Systems vs. Hosted Phone Systems

Top 9 Digital Trends in Local Government

10 Trends That Will Dominate Manufacturing in 2019

Five Tech Trends That Will Define Manufacturing in 2019

An Industrial Manufacturing Perspective: Tech Trends 2019

Buying into the Cloud: How Cloud Technology is Revolutionizing the Retail Industry

How Lagging WAN Affects Municipalities

Importance of Advanced Analytics in Healthcare

The Top Small Business Technology Trends to Watch in 2020

2020 Technology Trends for Small Business Owners to Anticipate

Top 10 Technology Trends That Will Propel Your Small Business To Success In 2020

2020-The Year of the Cloud

Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Trends in 2020

5 Reasons Your Business Needs Marketing Automation in 2020