Hurry! It’s Hurricane Season.

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It’s officially hurricane season, which for most people at home means stocking up on extra water, batteries and flashlights in case of potential power outages. But what about at the office?

You’re not likely to worry about a tree falling into your office building or having enough snacks on hand, but every time the power goes out or a bad storm hits, you risk the loss of your saved documents (and if you’re someone who doesn’t hit the save button frequently, all of the ones you’re working on). Now is a great time to take a look at your data protection plan and make sure you are up to date on all of your procedures.

First: Does your company have a backup strategy, and are your employees familiar with your data backup plan? Scheduling regular backups and making sure employees are following through on them, or outsourcing an IT company to handle backups for you will ensure minimal date loss if a problem were to occur.

Second: Where are your backups going? An on-site location, off-site where your IT company stores them, or to the cloud? If a storm is on the way and your information is stored elsewhere, you may want to check with your IT company or cloud support to make sure your data will be safe. Redundancy is good when it comes to sensitive or hard-to-replace data.

If you aren’t sure about either of these questions, BCS can help you develop an effective plan, and with our managed services, can take care of the entire process for you. Remember, backups aren’t just for storms, either – they help with data recovery for a variety of reasons, including hacking, virus & malware infections, drive or hardware failures, and even accidental deletions.

If you’re concerned about how to protect and recover your date during hurricane season, or any other time of the year, give us a call at (757) 497-3100 today.

Why BCS?

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With so much information available online today, it can be tough to make the decision to outsource IT solutions. You may also find that with there are a plethora of companies offering similar services and wonder, “Why BCS?”

Our mission has always been to provide our clients consulting, hardware and services that maximize the value and effectiveness of their business technology. We share in the responsibility of achieving business objectives but never sacrifice ethics or integrity, and our dedicated, qualified employees always deliver professional service.

This means that not only do we provide you with phone systems, video conferencing systems, IT support, structured cabling, digital signs and digital whiteboards, but that we also work with you to assess your company’s needs to make sure you are getting the right product. We want to make sure that your business is running smoothly and efficiently because of the products you choose.

Our service doesn’t stop after you’ve purchased products for your business. Whether you’re signed up for our managed IT support services, or just need equipment repair or computer networking, BCS is here for you! With an impressive fleet available, our support team responds promptly to address your technical needs. Once we are alerted of your emergency, on-call technicians and their managers are notified simultaneously to ensure a timely and satisfactory response to your call.

We also continuously follow technological developments to introduce the best possible products. If a new version of a product is released, we do our research to make sure it is going to be useful and cost-effective for our clients. For instance, our blog post on the new StarLeaf updates will give you all the information you need to install their new app!

Find out how a quality, knowledgeable IT support company can provide you with a high ROI and provide the best possible solutions and services.  Contact us today to learn more and for select case studies relevant to your industry.

Why Use Digital Signs in Restaurants?

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If you’ve gone to a counter-service restaurant or coffee shop recently, you may have glanced up at the menu to order and realized something is different – the menu has changed. No, there aren’t any new items, and no, nothing was removed from the menu. However, the menu itself (the material it’s made of) is completely new, and it’s digital!
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Updates from StarLeaf

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New From StarLeaf

Those who are familiar with Starleaf Breeze know that it is one of the easiest-to-use video conferencing solutions available today. This system provides a greater user experience for everyone involved by avoiding audio interruptions, frozen screens and disconnected users, no matter how far away. It’s perfect for offices with remote workers, national or international clients, or for those that hope to have some.

StarLeaf is the affordable, scalable video conferencing solutions for businesses with anywhere from five to 500 employees, and their app makes it even easier!

The StarLeaf App works anywhere, on any device, making your system even more accessible for employees to collaborate, share and discuss ideas easily while at work and on the move, and is completely interoperable with other third-party video calling devices. This means that even if an employee is stuck at the airport, at a conference, or anywhere else outside of the office, they can still participate in important calls and video chats at the touch of a button.

The App also operates with your organization’s existing IT infrastructure, and can be installed on new devices in a matter of minutes without any specialist knowledge or skills. Despite being accessible on any network and connection, all of your sensitive information can be protected and controlled through a comprehensive admin portal – allowing you to quickly remove users and data.

With a business version of the App, you also gain access to StarLeaf app support, a desktop subscription, and a larger amount of meeting participates for your network.

If you don’t currently have StarLeaf Breeze and are ready to utilize the system to make video communication easier and more affordable, Call us today at (757) 497-3100 to schedule demo of any of the StarLeaf video conferencing products.

If you already have the system and wish to install the app for even better communication with clients and employees, download it now through the StarLeaf website.

Staying Connected During Events

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Spring has finally arrived, which means warm-weather events are starting to pop up everywhere. It’s the season for home and garden shows, baseball and soccer games, concerts, and festivals. These events are fun for attendees, but stressful for organizers and employees, especially when trying to stay in contact with one another.

We’ve written about the importance of staying connected via office phone systems before, but how do you maintain that same level of communication at an event? Group texts can become confusing and messages can get lost if each employee doesn’t have every contact saved. Emails can create long threads, where scrolling through an email chain becomes annoying and time-consuming when you’re trying to find information quickly.

Systems like the Mitel MiCollab Client merge the call control capabilities of phone systems with contact management, Dynamic Status and collaboration applications, in order to simplify and enhance real-time communication. This means that through a single access point, you can control your communication with everyone in your organization, on or off the premises.

A MiCollab user who also has Dynamic Extension or Dynamic Extension Express can answer an incoming call directed to their desk phone on a device of their choice – for example, on a cell phone or home phone. It’s like having your entire office on hand, no matter where you are or what device you’re using, making for stress-free communication with quick access to contacts and the emails, files and documents associated with that contact.

The experts at BCS Voice and Data Solutions are ready to help your event season run more smoothly with connected employees and easy-to-access, protected information. Call our sales desk today at (757) 497-3100 to discuss your company’s unique needs and how BCS can help!

Your Spring Cleaning Checklist

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How often do you clean and organize your computer’s desktop? How about the trash folder and bookmarks? Your actual desk? Like your home, these areas can become cluttered after a week of work, and important files disappear between old stock photos, documents and folders. Not only will this clutter make you feel stressed, but it can also slow down your computer!

If you’re working on your spring cleaning checklist this month, it’s time to add your computer and workspace to the lineup. Here is what you’ll want to accomplish:

1.     Delete unnecessary files: Those funny gifs and memes you downloaded to send to a friend? It’s time to get rid of them! Increase storage and declutter your desktop by deleting these unnecessary files.

2.     Empty the trash: After a big delete session, your computer’s trash file will be overflowing. Make sure there isn’t anything important and empty the file completely.

3.     Organize: To make files easier to find and de-clutter your virtual workspace, create different folders for clients, images, important documents and past work. You can also move old files to an external hard drive to free up storage space while ensuring your files will be safe and sound! Go ahead and get rid of old papers and folders around your physical workspace too.

4.     Scan for viruses: If you don’t scan for viruses regularly but use the internet often, your spring cleaning day is a good time to do so. It’s also a great time to look into network and desktop monitoring to stay safe and avoid spending time on this task in the future!

5.     Disinfect: This past flu season has been a rough one, and it’s not over yet! See our previous blog post on Germ-Free Tips for Technology.

BCS Voice & Data Solutions is an IT consulting and network monitoring company in Virginia Beach, Virginia, that serves clients both locally and nationally. Call our sales desk today at (757) 497-3100 to discuss your company’s unique needs and how BCS can help!

Battling Stress

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We know that the work day can be full of small stressors that add up, often resulting in physical effects. The American Institute of Stress cites the workplace as being “the major source of stress for American adults” and that “40% of workers reported their job was very or extremely stressful.”

For many adults, stress can lead to frequent headaches, jaw clenching, difficulties sleeping, forgetfulness and more. Experiencing these symptoms of stress can create problems at work, disrupting the ability to focus and complete tasks efficiently. Though there are many remedies to get rid of stress, ranging from meditation to exercise, one of the best ways to combat it is to identify and eliminate the causes.

For employees in offices that rely on a dependable connection for phones and computer systems, unexpected downtime can be one of the biggest stressors of all. If you have a busy day or a deadline to meet, you might already be stressed. If your network is down and you can’t get your project out on time or connect with a client for an important meeting, you’re going to be dealing with even more stress! Though it may take longer to take control of the everyday stressors at the office, you can take measures to ensure you’ll never have to worry about extra stress during downtime again.

You can do this by making sure you have quality IT support, 24/7 remote network monitoring, and remote automation. Thankfully, you can reduce stress even more by letting BCS Voice and Data do the work for you! With our Network Monitoring Service, there is never a need to worry about downtime that can cause disturbance in an already hectic workday.

If you’re ready to start battling your stress by making the workday smoother, give us a call today at (757) 497-3100 to talk more about our services.

What Technology Does a School Need?

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With so many students and employees in one system working to direct information and communicate, both public and private schools require a lot of time, detail and attention. We’ve written before on the blog about the things you need to make your business run, but what do you need for a school? Surprisingly, the two are very similar:

Reliable infrastructure: If your school has a computer room, smartboards, projectors and televisions, you’ll need a well-though-out cabling strategy in place. Nothing is more frustrating to a teacher when a planned lesson falls through because of slow technology or downtime!

Network monitoring: The above statement applies to your network as well – a failed network in the middle of a lesson can mean hours of work lost. Most schools don’t have an IT department ready to handle these situations, so having a network monitoring service could save you from stress.

Business phone system: Communication between faculty in schools is essential, and phone systems are the easiest way to contact each other and be sure the other end will answer. An older or unreliable phone system can lead to disconnected calls or calls that are transferred to the wrong person.

Interactive tools: Students are more excited about classroom lessons with the prospect of using the technology themselves. Interactive tools create a fun and focused learning environment, while also cutting back on paper waste and time at the copy machine. Interactive whiteboards can be great for educational games and activities in which students can directly engage with the material and interact with their peers. Students can also present their own ideas, and will be more motivated about assigned presentations and group projects!

Busy teachers and administration don’t have time to manage technology and troubleshoot issues as they come. That’s why outsourcing IT strategy, maintenance, monitoring and repair is a smart choice for many schools. For more information and expert advice on choosing the best options for your school, contact BCS Voice & Data at (757) 497-3100.

Who You Gonna Call?

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Earlier this month on our blog we wrote about how important it is to protect your data from hackers through Network Monitoring. Losing time and stored information can be devastating for a business, and there are great services available to prevent that from happening. But what do you do if your entire server crashes? What if your desktop breaks? Broken equipment can bring all of your business operations to a halt, losing time and hard work if items weren’t saved.

Does your company have a plan in place for when equipment breaks? If you don’t have an internal IT department or outsourced service lined up, equipment repair can sometimes take days and even weeks – not good for a busy business that relies on technology for day-today tasks! So, next time your server crashes or your computer freezes, who are you going to call?

BCS Voice and Data Solutions, in addition to IT support and network monitoring, offers our customers fast and reliable equipment repair services through our 24/7 live answering service. Our certified engineers are ready for any kind of setback, including email malfunctions, downed network segments, router malfunctions, server outages, and telephone failures. Each HP warranty certified technician has a fully-equipped vehicle ready to go within a 4-hour response time. This means they have an onsite spare parts inventory, so you’ll get the service you need the first time around instead of waiting for additional visits.

Next time you’re experiencing broken or failing equipment, call BCS at (757) 497-3100. However, if you’re having frequent problems with equipment, it may be time to replace them! Be sure to ask about our IT solutions, A/V solutions, business phone systems and structured cabling services.

Protecting Your Data

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If you’ve been keeping up with tech news so far this year, you may be aware of new insight that Google provided on who may have access to your data. They found that hackers could find your stored information in cloud services through your device’s processors. If your business, like many others, relies on computers, tablets and phones to store important information and communicate with clients and employees, this news may be frightening.

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