From vandalism to cyberattacks, criminal threats are an ever-present reality for business owners. Criminal activity of all types is a major drain on resources and racks up billions in costs for companies globally. What can be done to reduce the effects of crime and to protect a business? Addressing these concerns starts with looking at the types of crimes as well as their perpetrators.

Shoplifting, burglary and vandalism are just a few of the outside threats. Prevention starts with protecting the property. Installing security lights, cameras and alarms can work as a deterrent and should be part of a greater security system. A proper system needs to have adequate surveillance inside and out to be most effective.

Regardless of the industry, an organization’s success is often determined by their readiness to make informed business decisions. An organization’s ability to determine key performance indicators and identify impactful performance data is what grants these organizations the confidence tackle their toughest challenges. One tool specifically tailored to simplify this process is Microsoft’s Power BI platform. This post will detail a number of the key features and functionality that this software includes.

A couple of years ago, there was an electrical issue in an old castle. The work required us to retrofit the lighting in the castle. Despite our efforts to anticipate a certain level of monthly savings and expenditures, we were unable to meet the specified goal (more on this)

Also, during that time, we got a request from a local school board. As it turned out, their motors were failing one of the schools, and no one could identify the reason why. To identify the problem, we left a couple of our analyzers on the school premises for 7 days for monitoring and recording. We found out that when the load dropped in the evening (due to the fact that the school was empty), the utility voltage went off the charts, so much that it damaged the motors.

Worried about the security of your business? It’s smart to be concerned, considering the statistics. Cybercrime — which includes phishing, ransomware, identity theft and fraud — has exploded by 600% since the COVID-19 pandemic began in December 2019.

Web-based cyberattacks and malware such as ransomware are among the most expensive types of cybercrime.A company can spend $2.4 million or more to defend itself.Further, one in three businesses victimized by malware are unable to access their data for at least a week.

Half of information technology professionals admit that their companies are vulnerable to ransomware and other types of attacks, and three-quarters of companies that have fallen victim to ransomware already had up-to-date endpoint protection. In the last year alone, 90% say that their businesses have been attacked by ransomware.

If every organization around the world shares the same ideology in the fact that ‘time is money,’ then most of these organizations would agree that wasting time is inevitably wasting money. Unfortunately, as many business owners or managers have come to realize, there is a lot of time that is wasted in the office. Of the major contributions to the amount of wasted time in the workplace, cell phone usage is definitely atop the list. Other minor wastes of time include gossiping, browsing the internet and even those few extra minutes of lunch breaks spent in the break room. Though perhaps the most impactful cause of wasted time in the office definitely comes from IT-related issues.

Accountability. It’s more than a buzzword. It’s a value that can play a powerful role not only in one’s career but in the overall success of your business, whether you’re an owner or a manager. The fact is that accountability can help spur your employees to higher levels of productivity as well as heightened satisfaction with their jobs, which can help boost your company’s bottom line and help you continue to grow. Here’s a closer look at this value and how to develop and promote it.

Recent research shows that the ability to hold employees accountable should be within managers’ authority. Yet four in five managers say they have “limited to no” ability to successfully hold others accountable. Nine in 10 employees agree that their companies need to prioritize the ability to hold staff accountable in an effective way.