Washington Works Blog

Today, simply working harder isn't enough; you need to work smarter. This is where productivity software comes into play. Far from being just a suite of digital tools, this technology fundamentally transforms the way employees operate, leading to dramatic gains in efficiency and overall output. How does this software actually work to boost your team's performance? This month, let's dive into the mechanisms that make it an indispensable asset for the modern workplace.

Small and medium-sized businesses face a relentless challenge: competing with industry titans while grappling with supply chain complexity. The good news is that the right technology is now more accessible and affordable than ever. This month, let's explore how you can strategically leverage tech to turn your supply chain from a cost center into a powerful competitive advantage.

Microsoft Excel is a powerful tool that businesses leverage every day to store, track, and report on data, but it can be tedious to work in the document without knowing all of its little tricks. Today, we want to share with you one that could save you valuable clicks and time spent copying and pasting values. You’ll learn how to enter the same data into multiple cells at once.

Your business technology is not just a tool; it's the very foundation upon which modern enterprises are built. From optimizing operations to enhancing customer experiences, strategic technology implementation is paramount for growth and competitive advantage. We invest heavily in it, pour resources into its adoption, and celebrate its initial successes. What happens when that investment starts to become a liability, however?

Open your Profit & Loss statement. I'm willing to bet that the IT line is sitting squarely in the expense column, right next to rent, electricity, and paper towels.

For many business owners, IT is seen as a necessary evil; a cost center, a black hole they just have to throw money into. When you see a technology bill, you get that double-take and cringe. Your primary goal is to minimize this cost; often to the point of avoidance.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved from science fiction to a daily reality, fundamentally reshaping how we work and communicate. Yet, behind every groundbreaking AI application lies massive infrastructure in the form of data centers. These sprawling facilities, packed with servers, storage, and networking equipment, aren't just filing cabinets for data; they are the engines that make AI possible. Today, we are going to look at the data center and the pros and cons society will see from the expansion of AI.

The shift to remote work has transformed business, yet the virtual meeting remains a point of friction. A poorly executed remote meeting isn't just a time-waster; it drains productivity and damages company culture.

With the right strategy and tools, your remote meetings can be even more effective and engaging than in-person ones.

If you’ve played with AI for any purpose, but particularly for your business’ benefit, you may have found your results less than impressive. One of the biggest challenges of working with artificial intelligence is our assumption that our instructions are sufficient, even when they are vague or non-specific.

A prompt of this caliber will not produce the quality responses that you need. Instead, you need to use “prompt engineering” to come up with a request that will. Fortunately, you can improve your prompts considerably by simply remembering three things.

It doesn’t matter how big or small your business is or which industry you fall into; communication is always going to be a major pain point that influences your technology investments. Thankfully, there’s a simple solution called Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, that is a strategic and sound upgrade from your traditional telephone solution, and it’s one that can transform your communication infrastructure for the better.

Here are three reasons why you should consider a VoIP phone system today.

How effectively can you multitask in the office? Are you known to have multiple windows and tabs open at any given time? With so many windows, applications, and tabs cluttering your brain, it helps to have tricks to keep them all in line. Using Smart windows (or Snap windows), you can place two or more side-by-side to clear things up a bit and make working in multiple apps or windows easier than ever.

When was the last time you actually powered down your Android smartphone and gave it a much-needed restart? Chances are you go way too long in between restarts, but what if the reason you haven’t done so recently is because you can’t? Whether it’s wear and tear on your power button or some other issue, it’s good to have alternative ways to restart your Android operating system. Today, we want to show you how.

How do you approach decision-making for your business? While it might be tempting to forego critical thought and rely on your gut instinct for major decisions, we urge you to instead follow the data and observe what it’s trying to tell you. If data analysis sounds like pulling teeth, however, you’ll be relieved to know that AI tools have made it significantly easier to analyze large amounts of data and make more informed decisions.

Email attachments are a staple of digital communication, but they’re also one of the most common ways malware, viruses, and phishing schemes sneak past users. We’re all guilty of clicking that little paperclip before we assess the factors that could really end up being a pain in the side for you and your business. Before you click and potentially regret it, you need to take a beat. This month, we give you a comprehensive checklist for securely opening email attachments.

Your business has a specific goal in mind, whether that’s providing customers with a product or providing them with a service. On the back end of that goal is a lot of administrative work, the stuff that happens behind the scenes to facilitate that goal. Artificial intelligence is a tool that can help your business be more efficient and effective with this behind-the-scenes work, and we’ll show you how.

Technology. It’s the engine of modern business, promising efficiency and connectivity. In business, we’re constantly bombarded with stories (real or not) of competitors that have scaled overnight with a single app. While this potential is real, it often fosters an environment where unrealistic expectations about technology take root. This "tech dreamworld" can be more damaging to your business than a faulty server.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, can be found in pretty much every facet of business these days, and CIOs are more tempted than ever to use innovative AI tools. There are plenty of reasons: they can increase efficiency and do the mundane things that need to be done, but are more expensive. AI is more than just for generative content; strategic implementation means implementing the right tools for your business and taking action in a calculated manner.

Today, we want to explore the dangers of rushed adoption and why it’s important to carefully consider your business’ use of AI. The consequences of not doing so can be dangerous, to say the least.

That little scrolly wheel on your mouse packs a lot of functionality that you might not have realized. Today, we want to break down some of the neat tricks you can pull off through the use of the mouse wheel. You might be surprised by how much the mouse wheel helps you navigate pages, view content, and so much more.

Whatever type of business you operate, you likely do so with the intention of assisting your clients, customers, or patrons with a specific goal. It isn’t as though you started a business because you wanted to do all the administrative work… right?

Fortunately, modern technology offers a way out, especially now that artificial intelligence is readily available. Let’s go over three ways that AI could help do the busy work on your behalf, and touch on just how much it could wind up saving you.

Let's be honest, we're all living through some wild times. Social media is everywhere, and nearly everyone uses it to one degree or another. We've all seen a simple online discussion devolve into relationship-ruining conflict; and it happens fast. The key to not letting it wreck your life is to use these digital spaces with purpose.

This month, we're dropping some simple tips to help you build a healthier, more meaningful online presence. Let’s get started:

Ah, the IT budget. So crucial, yet so stressful at the same time. It doesn’t have to be! You too can get your IT budget under control, and all it takes is keeping the following in mind. We’ll look into why you should have an IT roadmap, how your business can minimize downtime, and how you can strategically outsource your IT to ensure your budget remains in control at all times.