Small business owners’ optimism touched a 35-year high last month, with businesses setting records in terms of job creation and hiring, while also being able to increase prices.

​In July, the NFIB’s Small Business Optimism Index marked its second highest level in the survey’s 45-year history, at 107.9 – just shy of the July 1983 record-high of 108.
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• 23 percent of businesses are planning to create new jobs, while 37 percent of business owners said they had job openings that they could not fill in July.
• 35 percent of owners expect better business conditions, while they said the availability of qualified workers was their No. 1 problem.
• 59 percent of firms were hiring or trying to hire, while 52 percent (88 percent of those hiring or trying to hire) reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill.
• Twenty-three percent of owners said their biggest business problem was finding qualified workers.

Are you starting a business? Find out if you're using the right telecommunications systems by connecting with a broker. 

Major corporate data breaches may make headlines, but small businesses actually suffer the majority of malware infections. In fact, recent data suggests small business owners should think in terms of “when,” not “if” when developing cyber security strategies. Consider these recent statistics:
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• The percentage of small businesses that have experienced a cyberattack in the past 12 months rose from 55 percent in 2016 to 61 percent in 2017 (Ponemon Institute).
• 58 percent of malware attack victims are categorized as small businesses (Verizon). 
• In 2017, cyberattacks cost small and medium-sized businesses an average of $2,235,000. (Verizon).
• 92.4 percent of malware is delivered via email (Verizon). 
• 60 percent of small businesses say attacks are becoming more severe and more sophisticated (Ponemon Institute). 
• Crypto-mining attacks increased by 600 percent between January and August of 2017 (IBM). 
• Advanced malware protection and prevention is the No. 1 budget priority (2018 IT Budget Priorities Report). 

No matter the size of your business or your field of expertise, cyber security will continue to grow in importance. Protect your business today. 

Losing internet connection can be a disaster for any business. Comcast Business now offers Connection Pro, which is an internet add-on for small-to-medium sized businesses that keeps business functions going during outages caused by power failure or network disruption. In any catastrophe, the Connection Pro will keep your business working for up to eight hours.
Comcast Business Connection Pro gives small businesses the peace of mind that they’ll stay connected and keep their business moving forward.

KEY BENEFITS

• Automatic Connection: 4G wireless automatic internet backup connection for complete reliability with no data usage limit!
• 8-Hour Backup Battery: Backup battery provides up to eight hours of power.
• Low Cost: Small Business owners can avoid costly disruptions to their operations for $29.99 a month (plus equipment).

​Interested in adding Connection Pro to your business? Connect with a broker and we will help negotiate the best contract for you.

​Like many industries, from healthcare to insurance, trucking and finance, Telecom has its share of acronyms that can be confusing and frustrating for those new to the industry. If you’re considering a new phone system for your business, here are the four types of phone systems you need to be familiar with in order to make the best decision for your business.

• PSTN, or POTS: When you plug a handset into a wall socket, you are using a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS). PSTN lacks any of services that businesses usually demand, such as conferencing, transfers, 3-way calling, voicemail, etc.
• PBX or PABX: The Private Branch Exchange (PBX) or Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX) began connecting businesses to the world nearly a century ago. Originally PBX was mostly used simply to allowed companies to route calls internally, but new and features and systems have grown more sophisticated over the decades.
• VoIP: Since the 1990’s, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems have decreased business communication costs. Rather than transmitting signals along a direct connection, internet protocols break up message data into packets, which are scattered and randomized, taking many routes along countless nodes from one point to another.
• Virtual PBX and mobile VoIP:  Virtual PBX is a less-expensive form of hosted VoIP that usually handles inbound calls for small businesses with low-volume telephone traffic. Mobile VoIP refers to mobile handsets that have been integrated into an existing VoIP network, via a Wi-Fi or 3G/4G cellular network.

To learn more about the different types of business phone systems, including the benefits of each, contact a Simplified broker today.

While the full effects of natural disasters are still being assessed, many are using them as a way to gauge the resilience of their businesses. If a hurricane, flood or wildfire were to strike, how quickly could you be back up and running? A business continuity plan addresses the four “R’s” of response, resumption, recovery, and restoration and can help you plan for both catastrophic natural disasters, as well as events like power outages, computer viruses, and equipment failure.

Here are five things to consider in a business continuity plan

• Do you have an alternate power supply? How long can it sustain your operations?
• Is your data protected and backed-up? How quickly can it be restored?
• Will you be able to take calls from employees, customers and vendors?
• Do your insurance policies have adequate coverage to protect you and keep you going?
• Do you have alternate vendors/suppliers should your primary ones not be able to deliver to your company?​

​Your business continuity plan should also include a business impact analysis to determine what happens if key employees are not able to work for any number of reasons. Do you have other trained and knowledgeable staff who would be able to cover for key employees?
While the above points are important, keep in mind that during a disaster, stress levels are high, and your first priority is your people and their physical and emotional needs. 

Since your company’s telecom services can account for 5-20 percent of annual expenses, it makes sense to perform a telecom audit in order to discover where you may be losing money and identify ways to save. When performing a telecom audit, professional auditors like those at Simplified will examine your local telephone bills, long distance invoices, wireless services, internet and VoIP bills, and current tariff charges. From this information, your auditor will prepare but a detailed and comprehensive report.

The most common areas to find savings are:

• Surcharges
• Usage
• Late payments/interest charges
• Shortfall penalties
• Term liabilities
• Contract renewals or expirations
• Contract terms and conditions
• Taxes and governmental billing
• Account reconciliation

Once the audit is complete, Simplified agents work for you to negotiate better rates through your current provider or by helping you find a new one. For more information on how a telecom audit can help your business, contact Simplified today.​

Telecommunication services – from data transmission to phone-based operations – are critical to the success of your business, regardless of its size. Productivity, competitiveness, growth and more are affected by the quality and reliability of your communication platforms. Considering the importance of these services, businesses are turning to telecom brokers to help navigate the complexity and variety of products available today.

Telecom brokers can save your business time and money in a variety of ways.

• Provide a detailed review of your current telecom services (including agreements) and offer service recommendations that make sense for your business. A broker’s knowledge and experience can help reduce redundancies and increase efficiencies. There’s no reason for you to invest in services you don’t need or, conversely, be held back by systems that no longer fit.
  
  
• Negotiate rates to ensure you get the best pricing and promotions. This allows you focus on your business-critical responsibilities instead of getting mired down in telecom minutia. And because agents aren’t tied to a single provider, they act in your best interest in comparing products of multiple suppliers.
  
  
• Oversee installation of new systems. A broker serves as your telecom expert, eliminating downtime, anticipating issues and planning for contingencies you may not be aware of.

In short, brokers like Simplified Communications can provide you with the highest quality services at the best available price directly from the carrier. What’s more, you save time by not having to spend hours on the phone ordering, arranging installation, and following up on service delivery.
Working with a broker is like having a telecom expert on staff without the cost. Connect with your broker today and experience the benefits.

Whether you are just starting to consider an office or other business relocation, or are well into the planning process, Simplified Communications can help manage your entire telecommunications services move, including ordering, verifying services, and coordinating the installation of the necessary services and hardware in your new space.
Planning ahead with your Simplified agent can help avoid costly downtime during relocation.
Here are several more tips to make your move easier:

• Plan your move as far in advance as possible (6 month – 2 years is the norm).
• Invest in commercial movers who have the necessary experience, resources and manpower, and ask them to fax you a copy of their insurance. Additionally, you may want to consider hiring a move manager coordinate with the moving team, furniture delivery, IT install team, etc.
• The move will most likely need to be done outside of normal business hours, so be sure to schedule it not only with the building you are moving into, but the one you are moving out of as well. Use this time to confirm requirements such as the amount of time you can be at the loading dock or how to reserve elevators.
• Some states require businesses provide notice of a move to employees well in advance. Be sure to check this out and also keep employees informed throughout the process.
• Make a list of the materials that will need address changes, such a business cards, envelopes, ad, websites, etc. Forward all mail online via www.usps.com.
• Each department manager should take inventory of all items to be moved, while employees should pack and move all of their personal items.
• Do a walk-through of the new space with a building manager before the move, and check that AC or heat will be operating during your move (some buildings’ HVAC’s turn off on weekends).

A business move is an exciting time that, if done correctly, does not have to be stressful. If one is in your future, talk to your Simplified agent today about how he or she can help.​

As the end of the year approaches, you are most likely justifying your expenditures and evaluating your sales projections for 2018. Are you confident that your current technology will support your goals? We can assist you by completing an analysis of your business and an audit of your telecommunications invoices. ​ 

Professional telecom audits analyze your current telecom environment, including things like: peak calling times; Internet, wireless and VoIP usage and charges; long distance, local and roaming charges; current tariff charges and more.

• From saving money to identifying potential pit falls, a telecom audit can benefit your company in many ways.
• Identify peak call times so you can respond with more staff for improved customer experience.
• Catch possible phone abuse or toll fraud quickly.
• Gain a better understanding of your telecom needs so you can allocate expenses accordingly.
• Get an overview of system usage to show which trunks are being over- or under-utilized.
• Examine extension/employee productivity to improve performance.

Because Simplified Communications agents have years of telecom experience, our experts will review your business goals and make a recommendation for the services that will assist you in meeting your needs; including but not limited to voice, data and mobile services. For more information, contact a Simplified Communications agent.

To find out more about how an audit can benefit you, contact Simplified Communications today.​