We are excited to announce that we have partnered with a new and improved web filtering and threat protection provider called Webroot, which was recently acquired by Carbonite.
Webroot offers complete protection from viruses and identity theft for all your devices, without slowing you down. Leveraging the power of machine learning to protect millions of businesses and individuals, Webroot secures the connected world.
DP Solutions Confidence Plus clients receive this upgrade automatically.
Contact DP Solutions to learn more or visit www.Webroot.com.
Why Your Business Is The PERFECT Target For Hackers
People never think it’ll happen to them. Sure, they see the reports – 50 million-plus bundles of user data compromised by a Facebook breach; the billing information of more than 2 million T-Mobile users hacked by a mysterious malicious entity – but companies like those are massive, monolithic entities in American commerce. They’re decidedly big fish, not like you and your small business. According to a recent JLT-Harvard Business Analytic Services survey, more than half of small business owners remain locked into this line of magical thinking, blissfully unaware of the threat cyber crime poses to the health of their organization.
We hate to burst the bubble of the happy-go-lucky majority, but the reality is that this optimistic attitude just does not square with the statistics. The incidents may not make the news, but small businesses are being targeted – and breached – by hackers at an astounding rate. In fact, the National Cyber Security Alliance reports that close to half of small businesses have experienced a cyber-attack and that 60 percent of the companies that succumb to one of these attacks folds completely within six months. They state that instead of zeroing in on Fortune 500 corporations, hackers actually prefer to swoop in on the little guy, with 70 percent of cybercriminals specifically targeting small businesses.
Yet according to a Paychex survey, 68 percent of small business leaders aren’t worried about cyber security despite data from Hiscox indicating that more than seven out of ten small businesses are woefully unprepared for a breach.
Of course, it’s understandable that the average small business owner shirks their cyber security responsibilities. It’s the kind of problem that’s so complicated that it’s tempting to sweep it under the rug. As breach tactics become more sophisticated, so do the softwares and methodologies designed to keep out criminals. In a world far removed from the days when buying a product and installing it into your network was enough, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the complexity and breakneck pace of advancing cyber security best practices. Our biases make the possibility of a hack seem remote, while our limited resources make the cost of protection appear too high to even consider.
The first step to getting savvy in 2019 is to accept that cyber-attack isn’t some unlikely crisis, but a virtual inevitability. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but leaving it to chance is like flipping a coin where a “tails” outcome results in your business shuttering for good.
Luckily, though an attempted hack is almost guaranteed, there are dozens of steps you can take to prevent it from doing any damage. Chief among these should be to find a managed service provider (MSP) with a long background in protecting against hacker threats to take the reins on your cyber security as quickly as you can. It’s important when auditing your internal security measures that you regularly get an outside opinion from a trusted source, in order to cover all your bases. Your internal IT departments assurances that “they’ve got it covered” are certainly reassuring, but to truly patch all the holes in your security barriers, you’ll need more eyes on the problem. You might imagine that such a partnership must be prohibitively expensive, but they’re typically more reasonable than you might think. Not to mention that when the very survival of your business is on the line, it just makes sense to budget accordingly.
The statistics paint a picture of small business owners as underprepared, unaware, and disturbingly vulnerable to the whims of cybercriminals hiding just out of view. Don’t be another one of the millions of small business owners forced to shell out thousands as a consequence of wishful thinking. Wake up to the dangers of 2019, arm yourself against them, and secure the future of the business you’ve worked so hard to build.
Learn more about DP Solutions Managed IT Security Services
When Service Becomes A Disservice
Today is a tough time to be a bookseller. Whether you’re a local, independent bookstore or a chain mega-giant, the online market is putting the squeeze on your bread and butter. Personally, I want bookstores to succeed despite the new digital world. I always prefer brick-and-mortar to digital.
For that reason, I’m a longtime fan of Barnes & Noble. There’s one near my office that I visit frequently to check out new arrivals and figure out what to read next. But lately, something’s changed. In the past, it could be difficult to find someone to help me around the store. Today, it is difficult to avoid someone trying to help – whether I want them to or not.
Today’s Barnes & Noble stores usually have an employee waiting for you at the front of the store. They ask what you’re looking for, and if you’re like me, you reply, “Oh, nothing, just looking.” This spurs them to belt out a spiel about specials and book recommendations. It can be off-putting, to say the least, and it’s the perfect example of when service feels less like help and more like a hustle.
Successful businesses always guide and sell to their prospects, but customers don’t want to feel pressured and pushed. How can you tell when you’ve crossed the line? It’s a vital question for anyone who wants to provide exemplary customer service.
I believe there are four tiers of poor service:
We all like employees who are knowledgeable, friendly and eager to help. But too much enthusiasm turns service into a disservice. Skip the canned sales pitches and only guide customers who are looking for your help.
Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE, is the president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an “idea studio” that seeks to motivate and develop leaders in and outside of business. He’s the bestselling author of books like Fred Factor and The Potential Principle and a noted expert on leadership, team building, customer service and company change. He holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association and is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame. Check out any of his excellent books, his video series, “Team Building: How to Motivate and Manage People,” or his website, marksanborn.com, to learn more.
We love having you as a customer and, quite honestly, wish we had more like you! So instead of just wishing, we’ve decided to hold a special “refer a friend” event during the month of July.
Simply refer any company with 10 or more computers to our office to receive a $100 gift card of your choice! Once we’ve completed our initial appointment with your referral, we’ll rush YOU your gift card as a thank-you (or donate $100 to your favorite charity).
 |
Important! We hate spam as much (or more!) than you and promise to NEVER rent, share, or abuse your e-mail address and contact information in any way. |
Founded in 1918 by Abraham J. Billig, a nineteen year old entrepreneur and salesman, A.J. Billig & Co. has positioned themselves as a mainstay of the business community for the past century and is positioned for success into the next. Originally established as a “boardwalk-type” auction house on Lexington Street, A. J. Billig & Co., Auctioneers has transitioned from a “general auctioneer” of any type of commodity, to exclusively conducting real estate sales at auction.
A.J. Billig & Co. produces hundreds of real estate auctions every year, and is known as a dynamic business participant throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region. Now in its fourth generation, the company makes its mark as highly skilled professionals, providing each client with direct, personal service and customized marketing plans. A.J. Billig & Co. represents sellers of a wide variety of real estate: homes in every price range, office, retail, industrial, waterfront, farms, development property and much more.
A.J. Billig & Co., a long-standing client of Choice Technologies, migrated to DP Solutions Managed IT Services after the two organizations merged in 2016.
To learn more, visit: www.ajbillig.com