Need a new phone system? These resources can help

A phone system is critical to your company’s success. Without it, your business would be, well, out of business. A voice system that is cloud-based or that runs over your existing IP network provides several advantages over a traditional private branch exchange (PBX) system—from improving customer service and increasing employee productivity to saving your company money.

In this last installment of our Technology Roundup series, we provide resources that can help you choose the voice system that best fits your small business.

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Tags: phone system, small_business, small_business_phone_system, Voice_over_IP, voip

You may need more than a warranty to realize the full return on your technology investment

These are challenging economic times for small businesses. You need the latest technology in order to grow your business. But you also need peace of mind knowing that you’ll get the most value from that technology investment.

You probably believe that a warranty will provide that protection should something go wrong with one of your network devices, such as a switch or router. Not necessarily.

A warranty is not equal to technical support. Most warranties only guarantee against a defective product and provide limited support.

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Tags: service contract, service plan, small_business, warranty

Use these techniques for securely accessing company data—while staying productive

Few small businesses are fully contained in one office. Chances are good that some of your employees—maybe even you—travel for business or work from a remote location. These days, no one can afford to be completely cut off from email, client databases, and other business-critical information shared on the local network. Luckily, it’s easier than ever to stay securely connected to colleagues, clients, and prospects —just follow these seven tips.

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Tags: mobility, remote_access, small_business

Fresh Direct, an independent produce importer located in Vancouver, British Columbia, prides itself on customer service. A Cisco Small Business network makes employees more accessible to customers and to each other. This not only has improved the company’s service and efficiency but also help set them apart from their competition.

Watch the video to learn more!

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Tags: customer case study, network, small_business

It’s hard to believe another year has come and (almost) gone. Every year seems to speed by ever faster, much like the pace of technological advancements. We understand that it’s a challenge keeping up with the latest technologies that impact your small business. So we were curious to find out what topics caught your eye this past year on the Small Business Blog.

Security was by far the most popular topic; and security in all forms—from your core network to personal devices to the cloud. That’s not surprising when you consider all the ways in which you can now access data.

Here’s the list of top 10 posts for 2011:

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Tags: cloud, networking, routers, security, small_business, switches