Certain apps were even developed pre-pandemic but have evolved a lot due to their customer’s new needs, leaving us with pandemic-thriving, pandemic-proof and pandemic-rebounder mediums:

1- Zoom

Possibly the busiest app during the health crisis. During the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was reported that Zoom experienced a 300% increase in its use globally, either from mobile or desktop. It was the most downloaded app daily, with over 200 million meeting participants, comparing it to December 2019, where the numbers were around 10 million, daily.

Generally, online video conference apps had a 627% increase in downloads in North America alone, and a 121% increase in daily users. From Skype for Business, Google Meet, GoToMeeting and more.

Since Zoom can instantly operate on Zoom’s cloud, it has become a favourite between IT administrators, preferred by companies and educators.

These platforms are mostly use activities such as:

• Web conferencing
• eLearning
• Meetings
• Telemedicine
• Remote desktop
• Webinars
• Live chat

2- Entertainment & Media

Unsurprisingly, media and entertainment have been a must during these trying times. During lockdown, these platforms had a usage increase of 25%, while music apps a 21%.

• Netflix had a 55% increase of downloads during March. Netflix reported over 59 million new installs during the first quarter of 2020.
• YouTube had a 110 million spent-in-app, gaining the number 1 spot of all streaming apps.
• Disney+, a relatively new streaming platform, also saw an install bump increase of 46%.

Their target mostly relies on the 18–25-year-old category.

3- Online shopping, contactless deliveries, and payments

One of the biggest changes we have experienced thanks to the pandemic is the lack of contact with other human beings. It has also shown us how much technology can support greater needs!

Both B2B and B2C platforms have gone from a luxury to a must-have. Including contactless delivery services where supplies are picked up and dropped off at a designated location instead of from or into the hands of a costumer, all of this with support of a strong logistics system.

These methods have made delivery apps see a download increase of 60% at the beginning of March 2020. Some of them are Uber Eats, GrubHub, DoorDash, and Postmates. DoorDash had 150.000 users added in April last year.

At least 32% of American adults ordered food and 21% of them ordered groceries through these apps. The 3 most used apps for the latter are Instacart (with a 650% increase in new users between the first two months of the pandemic), Shipt, and Drizly.

Contactless payment is also having its moment; while some people preferred it before the pandemic, now it is just a necessary and better practice. Either in the form of cards or e-wallets, are recommended to avoid touching other surfaces. Digital payments let people to make online purchases and payments of goods, services and even utility way easier.

A couple of other apps that are worth mentioning are TikTok, Plague Inc., Google Classroom, Strava, Microsoft Teams and Outlook.

How many of these have you tried so far? How many are you planning on continuing to use once the world returns to normalcy? We’d love to read your answers!

Introduction

Every business is a tech business. How many times have you heard this? Although it’s becoming a cliche, it still rings true due to companies’ digitalization of all sizes and locations. Even though the technology is becoming more important, it doesn’t mean your budget has to suffer. The best way to mitigate IT support costs is with local managed service providers (MSP).

What is MSP outsourcing?

MSPs are a type of IT outsourcing that provides support services for just about any IT service your business could need. MSPs offer a cost-effective solution to handling your company’s IT at an expert level. For example, MSPs can provide telecommunications services, infrastructure management, and support desk services. While you may be worried about handing control of your projects to a contractor, consider the benefits of using an MSP.

Benefits of Local Outsourcing IT Services

Focus on Your Business

As an entrepreneur, you don’t want to worry about hours spent on finding or trying to learn your IT services. You want to run your business. As a result, hiring an MSP can take the burden of handling your IT department and place it on a team ready to help. Since you don’t have to worry about hiring and training, you give your MSP the reigns and do what you do best.

Responsive Customer Service and Fast Response

Depending on the type of MSP, you may deal with an account manager, project manager, or lead engineer whose sole purpose is to ensure you get the services you are paying for. Because of this, your questions, concerns, and urgent tasks get treated as a priority. Also, when working with a local MSP, you are working with a team in the same time zone eliminating lag in communications.

Budget and Cost Savings

Recruiting, hiring, and training IT staff can be very expensive. Additionally, you have the risk of being ghosted, losing new hires, or the recruit being the utterly wrong fit for your company and needs. For this reason, outsourcing with an MSP can save you HR hours and money. MSPs eliminate the need for hiring and regular administrative costs like taxes, benefits, vacation time, and other employee costs. MSPs charge you either piece rate or hourly, allowing you to budget your IT cost more efficiently.

Reduced Set-Up Time

MSPs have various clients, many with the same needs as your company. Many MSPs have set processes, and those who use custom software have everything they need ready to deploy. Additionally, if your MSP is configuring cloud-based infrastructures, they will already have it prepared for provisioning, allowing you to get up and running even faster.

You Have Access to the Top Talent in Your Area

Finding the top IT talent is a full-time business in it self. There is a considerable gap between tech jobs and the supply of qualified professionals to fill those positions. With this in mind, MSPs find the best IT talent to keep their clients and reputations happy. MSPs can provide the experts to handle your IT department without struggling to find and lure them from bigger budgets and companies.

Conclusion

Hiring an MSP to manage your IT services can reduce costs while increasing efficiency and productivity. If you are ready to have an experienced, local team of IT professionals manage your tech work load, contact us today to learn how to help your company in today’s digital world. We offer an array of IT support services from IT help desk services to infrastructure management and telecommunications service and support. Email or call us for more information.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

However, with technology today, you’re capable of finishing a reputed, high-paid job from any part of the world.  

In today’s landscape, which demands more flexibility and employee autonomy, your future office just might be in your living room. For the past five years, the number of people working from home has skyrocketed by around 170% and those digits are still climbing.  

With COVID-19, many conferences and business travels have been canceled. This has made more companies work from home and work remotely.   

However, with this comes a unique set of challenges. For a team, it might be a challenge to work together without face-to-face communication. There may be issues with the site, bandwidth connections, and other technical and management issues while working remotely.  

Here are a few IT tools that can make remote work efficient and productive for your team. 

Best Project Management Tools 

Technology provides solutions that reduce the hassle of constantly commuting via emails. Moreover, emails, without secure, end-to-end encryption can be a particularly dangerous platform to manage projects.  

Hence, a project management system assists a virtual team to organize documents and manage tasks in a better and efficient manner.  

Proofhub 

Proofhub is one of the most trusted online project management software. It is used by hundreds of teams. Corporate teams use it to bring everything in one place without confusion.  

Here, team members can seamlessly interact with the other members and clients.  

It has ample features for a team to work smoothly. Some of its features include proofing, discussions, charts for feedback, and remote project management all in one place. It is a must-have software for teams that require a greater level of management proficiency.  

Instagantt 

Instagantt is yet another powerful project management software, which assists in planning, controlling, and scheduling your projects. It is a super intuitive, amazingly built software that allows you to develop an accurate illustration of your project. This makes the software much more than just a Gantt chart creator.  

Communication is also a huge part of this software. It allows you to streamline the entire workflow and team collaboration, making it a perfect platform for remote functioning.  

It has plenty of useful features that enable you to create tasks and subtasks, templates for different projects, milestones, guidelines, notifications, automatic project scheduling, and much more. These features ensure that you’re 100% up-to-date with your projects.  

There are many advantages to this software, one of which is tracking meaningful details. These details can include information about deadlines, risks, priorities, and estimated costs and hours. It is also a perfect platform to manage different projects, clients, and teams effectively. 

Best Team Collaboration Tools 

With the advent of Multinational Corporations and distribution companies across the border, communication has become important. Communication barriers may occur if the team is not together in a room. However, they can be easily taken care of with the right IT tools.  

Troop Messenger 

Troop Messenger is a precise remote work tool for small and large enterprises. It is a high-functioning remote work tool with low-complexities that addresses various domain-specificities.  

Team members can interact via instant chats, audio, and video calls. It also facilitates file and location sharing, and there is no limit on the number of groups you can create on the platform.  

Troop Messenger allows members to add vendors, freelancers, and suppliers as orange members who have very restricted access to the workplace. It also allows integration of essential apps such as Google drives, Dropbox. All these features make it an efficient remote work tool, especially during this pandemic.  

Slack 

Slack is a popular messaging remote work software that is loved by all. It is a convenient digital space that allows team members to communicate among themselves, share ideas, and make comments all in real-time.  

With Slack, you can have all your team members in one place so that everything moves swiftly. Slack channels allow instant messaging and collaborations for teams working remotely.  

What’s more? Slack offers fully native apps for iOS and Android to give complete functioning controls to the team. This makes managing remote team members a lot easier.  

Best Productivity Tools 

For working remotely in a home office, productivity is an essential element. Remote work holds no value if it’s not productive. Hence, managing a remote team means ensuring that everyone is at the top of their game, staying productive.  

Krisp 

Krisp is a noise-canceling software that allows remote team workers to be more productive. It eliminates noise from both sides of the call. This allows you and the other participants to take important calls from anywhere.  

This app can also be integrated with other conferences and calling apps like Zoom, Google meet, Skype, Slack, and many others. This optimizes your remote meetings with minimum interference.  

Todoist 

Todoist is the perfect app if you’re looking to geek out on the organization of tasks for your remote team. It includes all the core features such as organizing tasks, subtasks, creating projects, adding notes. It also comes with features like uploading files, setting reminders and flags, and adding productivity charts.  

Best Quick Feedback Tools 

Feedback for a remote team is as important as productivity and collaboration. Feedback enhances the team’s productivity and allows them to improve on things that they’re lacking. It also makes the team grow as professional remote workers.  

Chimp or Champ 

A good manager always looks after their employees’ happiness. They are always inclined towards making the team productive using positive reinforcements and recognitions.  

Chimp or Champs allows managers to connect with their team in the best and most simple way possible. It is an anonymous tool with a weekly employee happiness meter for checking on the team.  

It helps in improving employee well-being and achieve better results. You may use it to get feedback.  

Best IT Management Tools 

Although a productive remote working team is great, no one can control technical glitches. There may be instances when tools stop working smoothly.  

In those cases, having an IT team is of extreme importance for companies. A remote team cannot function without technical backups that provide immediate solutions to problems.  

In any case, having a help desk that solves IT problems adds to the productivity of the remote team. It enhances the efficiency of the employees and minimizes disruptions in work. 

We are IT solution providers who optimize your remote infrastructure management, telecommunication, and more. We provide a help desk for IT glitches and provide technical support to your team.  

Help Desk  

We outsource part-time and full time IT help desks that are available 24/7 to tackle any problem. We also offer virtual and on-site support as and when needed.  

Moreover, we have a ticket system that can be integrated into your current IT structure, with help desk reporting and analytics. Our support is available in English as well as in Spanish. 

Infrastructure Management 

Our IT department is dedicated to outsourcing for our clients. We have a 24/7 monitoring system, along with network server and infrastructure support.  

We also provide access to expert L1-L5 engineers. If needed, we offer network server and infrastructure installation services.  

Other than that, we offer a full-time desktop and application management service. Our services also stretch into cabling services, capacity planning, and video surveillance infrastructure.  

Our all-encompassing infrastructure management creates a stress-free, productive environment for the team. It allows them to focus on the important aspects of their jobs. Leave the technicalities to us, and you can focus on optimizing your remote team’s efficiency.  

Telecommunication 

Communication plays a huge role in keeping your remote team compact, precise, and connected with each other. A team’s communication determines the efficiency of work.  

Hence, our services include data and voice cabling that connects devices such as your PC, phone, or printer to the world of technology where all can function swiftly on a single interface.  

We also offer an intercom, overhead, or outdoor paging system. This allows you to announce, alert, or directly communicate with the people outdoors. It is usually used for emergencies and urgent notifications.  

Our services also include data circuits and internet connectivity, which plays a huge role in any team, whether working remotely or not.  

The Future of Remote Culture 

Remote culture is on the rise today. Employees are gaining the respect and flexibility that was a far-fetched dream just a few years back.  

That said, it is inevitable that IT tools use trial and error to come up with better management systems. However, looking at the pace with which technology is progressing, the day is not far when all firms will have at least one IT team to manage their remote system.

 Although streamlining long-established, complex processes are daunting and time-consuming, the benefit is immediate.  

 Today, implementing achievable process optimization is not a far fetched dream as it used to be. The key to this optimization is the adoption of some of the latest industry technologies.  

Why do I Need IT Tools in Manufacturing? 

There are a million reasons why you should adopt attest technology and tools. The main reason being, staying at the top of the industry and providing state-of-the-art products.  

 Optimizing the production process does not only mean focusing on the final market product but also fine-tuning the whole work process in the unit. Technological tools help in: 

 The improvement of products through all the stages of production, and not only at the end product. Right from picking the raw materials to processing it in the unit and finally packaging. What else? Technology plays an important role in advertising and taking your products to the market. 

• Overall enhancement of efficiency in the plant by increasing productivity and reducing material wastage. It cut down unnecessary costs, time, and wastage. This, in turn, helps in increasing the profit for the firm. 

• The improvement in the speed and value of communication between the teams that are involved in the production process. From the production and engineering team to the frontline sales team, everyone functions through one single channel that streamlines communication. 

Potential of IT Tools in Optimizing Production Process 

Technology is something that has the potential to streamline and simplify complex problems in almost every field.  

 Research suggests that almost one-third of all manufacturing plant operations are increasingly complex. This is something every firm needs to address to optimize their production process.  

 There are important pillars in technology that are becoming increasingly essential for manufacturing units.  

Leveraging Real-Time Data 

The implementation of automation and the use of data in manufacturing units is popularly termed as 4.0 technologies today. It is also used in cases such as predictive maintenance and predictive quality.  

 The technologies 4.0 consist of the following, which is critical to process optimization: 

1. Real-Time Data Connectivity and Capture

The industrial IoT or Internet of Things connectivity is a powerful medium to gather data.  

Using the IoT one can easily and securely connect to the production line assets and capture data in a real-time series repository. One also has the leverage to gather this data on-premises or on cloud.  

We have a team of experts that can help you set up data circuits and internet connectivity, to begin with, IoT right away. We offer setting up all kinds of cabling and IT support that you may need to optimize your manufacturing process.  

2. Process-Based Machine Learning 

Another thing you can leverage is the process-based Artificial Intelligence to enhance visibility into the whole production process.  

 A process-based AI system helps you get a detailed and holistic picture of the production process. It also highlights surface process issues that required attention.  

 One can use machine learning algorithms to process and analyze real-time data. This way, not only can the process inefficiencies be identified, they can even be predicted and prevented with the right measures.  

 All this requires a team of IT experts that can tackle any technical issue that may arise. We offer a 24/7 IT help desk service as well as infrastructure management. We help you lower the burden of managing the technical system that could go wrong at any point in time. 

3. A Digital Twin Visualization

A digital twin is a visual representation that aligns with the attributes and operation metrics of a physical production line through gathered production line data.  

A digital twin of the production line allows one to quickly point performance peculiarities and root causes. This helps you develop actionable insight and present them in the context of the production line.  

With this system in place, one does not require a data scientist; the system is easy to use and accessible to the production teams.  

Streamlining Processes  

The first step to optimize the production process is to streamline the processes.  

This can be done through a review and analysis of past performances to get an idea of where resources and time have been previously spent. This helps you prioritize the areas that need more attention.  

At this point, investing in technologies to improve processes and procedures is important. One can invest in hardware and software that are integrated into a monitor.  

A monitor that controls the operations of various industrial processes that are relevant to your business. These software and hardware may include: 

1. Intercom or Overhead/ Outdoor Paging System

Paging systems and intercoms are an essential element for any business.  

Regardless of your business, an intercom or an overhead paging system allows you to notify your employees, customers, quickly and efficiently. It also prevents the disturbance to other departments.  

A paging system improves efficiency and streamlines operation by connecting your entire office or plant.  

You can reach out to us to place an intercom system at your manufacturing unit. We are experts in dealing with telecommunication and increasing efficient communication within and outside the firm.  

2. Voice and Data Cabling 

If you don’t have a voice and data cabling in your unit, it is time you get one.  

A voice and data cabling is extensive and strategically important for all businesses. It is the connection between your end devices such as a PC, mobile phone, laptop, fax, printer, or any other device, with the technical world where it can be used for your business.  

Voice and data cabling enables all these devices to be interconnected and controlled from one set of devices. Cabling these devices can increase your connectivity and make it more secure and better.  

We can help you in establishing a voice and data cabling that can enhance your communication process. This would help you establish smooth, efficient communication among your production team, and get information and data in real-time.  

3. Video Surveillance Infrastructure

In any firm, video surveillance is a crucial part of security and monitoring. A production unit has tons of products being manufactured every single day.  

Not to mention, there is a specific cost and time dedicated to these productions. In this case, video surveillance has critical importance for any firm.  

Video security can help you keep an eye on the production unit as a whole. In case of emergencies, you can immediately reach and see what’s going on at a certain place.  

Today, even small shops have video security cameras to ensure that their business is secure even when they’re not physically present there.  

We can help you set-up the video surveillance that is needed in your manufacturing unit. Our high-quality video surveillance infrastructure will help you monitor all the crucial places, and keep an eye on key locations, even when you’re not at the unit.  

Infrastructure Management 

A production unit has several teams and employees working on smoothening the manufacturing process. Many factors come into play during this process, such as supply and demand, stock, data, reviews, and other elements, which are constantly monitored for better performance.  

Since most of the work is performed digitally, like twin visualization, gaining real-time concrete data, and data analysis, it is practical to have an infrastructure managing IT team in place. 

A technical glitch can cause a setback for a company that they cannot afford. Hence, an IT team that monitors the technological aspect of production ensures that glitches are taken care of.  

Our infrastructure management team offers 24/7 monitoring support with L1-L5 engineers ready to tackle any issue. We are also experts at providing network and server support, as well as installations that are crucial for the IoT of an organization.  

Our other services also include cabling applications and desktop management. We outsource these services so that you don’t have to worry about managing technical glitches.  

We ensure that no matter what, your production unit experiences a smooth functioning throughout.  

Embracing Technology to Optimize Process 

By adjusting and modernizing the manufacturing processes that are currently in play, a distinctive energy-intensive industry can be monitored, adjusted, and improved. This can be done to reduce energy consumption so that green credentials can also be met.  

Adopting technological tools within the production process can permit stress-free data mining. This also allows real-time analysis of corporate data, forecasting overall productivity, and managing profitability trends.