Washington Works Blog

The point-of-sale system is the hub of your business operations. It is a prime example of a mission-critical system that could benefit from some proactive consideration. Choosing or upgrading one isn't just about processing payments; it's about future-proofing your success. With that in mind, let's go into five things you need to consider about your business' POS system to make it beneficial to your efforts. 

Think about those frustrating workdays when a server goes down, or the daily drag of slow computers and glitchy software. These aren't just minor annoyances; they are significant productivity drains. Research shows employees can lose an average of 10.5 workdays per year due to IT downtime alone. Multiply that across your team, and the financial impact becomes clear. This month, we go through the numbers to see how you can build a more productive business through a well-thought-out technology strategy.

Business owners have a lot going on in their workday, and with so many duties and responsibilities, adding technology troubles to the mix only makes it all the more frustrating when your IT doesn’t work the way it should. That said, you cannot let the laissez-faire attitude prevail. In fact, lazy IT practices can make real problems significantly worse.

It’s the summer solstice tonight, the official start of the summer season. While most of us want to focus on honing our grilling skills and soaking up as much sun as possible, we can’t afford to let our cybersecurity awareness falter as a result.

Let’s review how you can stay secure while enjoying the season.

Making and remembering passwords can be a pain, but everyone is in the same boat. By spending a little time on them now you can stop big problems later. Bad passwords are like leaving your door unlocked for online troublemakers. We don't want that!

Think of your password as the key to your online accounts. You want a strong key, right? Here’s how to make your passwords clean, complex, and work best to secure your digital assets.

When did you last open a spreadsheet and just sigh upon seeing the expanse of data points, with a sigh that comes from the deepest depths of your soul? It’s a fair reaction to have… especially when you know how much value there is to be found within these data sets.

Let’s walk through how you can extract this data by using Microsoft Excel’s Quick Analysis features… and don’t worry if you tend to use Google Sheets. The processes are essentially the same for everything we’re covering.

SMBs tend to pride themselves on how well they’re able to treat their customers. Larger enterprises sometimes lack the personalized attention that customers of small businesses get, despite having the tools to make it happen. Small businesses can also achieve this goal, and it’s all thanks to customer relationship management solutions. The right tool can improve sales, marketing efforts, and even customer satisfaction.

Is your business still gazing at the cloud from afar, wondering if it’s truly the promised land of IT efficiency? For many organizations, a move to the cloud for mission-critical operations can be complicated. Hesitation, while understandable, can be the biggest drain on your future potential. Let’s go through why those cloud migration worries might just be myths in disguise, and how we can help you shift into high gear.

We've all seen the scary headlines about ransomware attacks crippling businesses, big and small. It's a threat that's not going away, and unfortunately, many businesses only think about their response after the dreaded ransom note appears. Today, I want to talk about what a proper ransomware response looks like—and it starts long before the attack ever happens. The goal should be to ensure that an attack does the least possible damage to your business.

Healthcare technology is changing, and changing fast. Even beyond your typical concerns like data security and operational efficiency, healthcare IT faces unique challenges specific to the industry. Today, we want to cover some of the best practices that healthcare organizations should follow in regards to their IT. We’ll explore topics such as patient trust, legal compliance, and so much more.

What opportunities is your business leaving on the table by not adapting to cloud technology? There are plenty of benefits your business can take advantage of if you’re open to embracing new possibilities. Today, we want to share some examples that will have you excited to implement new cloud-based infrastructure solutions for your business.

As is the case with most things, the past few years have seen significant changes in entertainment, thanks to the development of technology. We have literally gone from using extremely sensitive and delicate film to capture footage, manually trimming it on flatbed editors in dark rooms, to capturing, storing, editing, and displaying it digitally.

Let’s explore how the nature of entertainment has shifted as technology has developed over time.

From charging our phones to transferring those crucial presentation files, USBs are the unsung heroes of our digital world. Have you ever stopped to think about what’s actually going on inside that little connector?

Let’s get down to brass tacks and explore the inner workings of this marvel of miniaturization.

Let’s say you have all the knowledge, time, energy, resources, and expertise in technology management in the world. Would you want the responsibility of managing your company’s IT? Today, we’re exploring some of the more plausible reasons why managing your own technology solutions just doesn’t make sense—and how a managed service provider can help.

Most businesses rely on a core set of technologies: computers, essential software, email, a website. These are the fundamentals. There are many savvy small and medium-sized businesses looking beyond this standard toolkit. They're strategically adopting less conventional technologies to boost efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and gain a valuable competitive advantage.

Think of your business information that includes customer details, sales figures, product lists and more. All of that data is stored in your business’ databases. As a result, you need to understand how they work and what you need to do to best manage them and the data they contain. 

Here at Washington Works, we help businesses in DC Metro make sense of their technology every day. We’ve noticed folks often have similar questions about databases, so let's clear them up with some simple answers. Did you know, by the way, that the first "databases" were essentially just well-organized paper records? We've come a long way!

Cybersecurity solutions are all well and fine, but your team also plays a significant role in keeping your business safe. You need to acknowledge they are a potential threat and take steps to prepare them for the bevy of threats they’ll face. Today, we want to discuss why your employees are a cybersecurity threat and what you can do to mitigate it.

Do you remember Blockbuster Video? Maybe you had a pager. These were once giants, indispensable tools of their time. Unfortunately, time, and technology, marches relentlessly on. Today, clinging to outdated business technology is like insisting on using a map and compass when everyone else has GPS—you might eventually get there, but you'll be slower, less efficient, and far more prone to getting lost.

Cybercrime has gotten a lot scarier as the methods have become more sophisticated and difficult to detect. They might look like official business, but in reality, they are dangerous and well-thought-out attacks that can endanger your company and all those who work for it. Today, we want to break down some of the ways these cyberthreats can fool even the most cautious employees.

There are a lot of emojis out there, but sometimes you might find yourself in a situation where just one isn’t going to fulfill your needs. Google has created a Gboard mobile keyboard feature called Emoji Kitchen, allowing users to mix and match emojis in fun new ways. You can create new emojis by blending two together.