Last Chance To Save Up To $25,000 In Taxes On IT

Software, Equipment And Services

While many tax incentives for small business have been shot down in recent years, Section 179 of the IRS tax code remains one legal “loophole” worth looking into. This year (unless Congress changes it at the last minute, which they have done in the past several years) Section 179 allows you to purchase up to $200,000 of qualified equipment and software. With that purchase, you can write off up to $25,000 as a Section 179 deduction. That’s less than in previous years, but the good news is, you can still triple your savings. Here’s how: 1. Save on taxes. If your business could use new software, equipment or services, but the expense is just a little beyond your reach, the tax savings you’ll gain from a Section 179 deduction might just tip the balance in your favor. 2. Take advantage of year-end price reductions. Manufacturers and service providers need to look good to their investors at year’s end. It’s a great time of year to bargain for the best deal. 3. Leverage your savings with smart financing. Taking advantage of an equipment lease or equipment finance agreement could turn out to be the most profitable business decision you’ll make this year. How? By combining a properly structured equipment lease or equipment financing agreement with a full Section 179 deduction, your cash outlay for the year will very likely be less than your deduction. Plus, your business can start profiting immediately from the new equipment, software or services you invest in. Call us today at (256) 536-5805 to get started. Just remember – these savings for 2015 evaporate at midnight on December 31. Disclaimer: Everyone’s tax situation is different. Consult with your own tax pro-fessionals for specific advice.

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What’s

Inside:

5 Smart Tips—Smartphone

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Cloud Computing

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Social Media for Business

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3 Big Lies VOIP

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Cyber Attack

PAGE 6

The Lighter Side

PAGE 7

Congratulations to the 2015

Small Business Awards

Contenders!

… Integration

“As a business

owner, I know you

don’t have time to

waste on technical

and operational

issues. That’s where

we shine! Call us and put an end to your

IT problems finally and forever!”

- Kevin & Karen Bowling, Integration

“Insider Tips To Make Your Business Run

Faster, Easier, And More Profitably”

ISSUE 8 VOLUME 4

OCT—DEC 2015

Don’t Let Your Phone Be Used Against You: 5 Smart Tips To Keep Your Smartphone Safe

For better or worse, we are practically “married” to our phone these days. It goes everywhere we go. It has access to our most private conversations and key financial data. It holds some of our most precious memories, in the form of pictures, sound recordings and video. And yet, there are those who would use it to rob and manipulate you. And they’re getting more and more clev-er each day at penetrating your defenses. So how do you protect your phone and yourself from vicious attack by these cybercriminals? Here’s a basic checklist to keep you and your “beloved” safe. 1. Keep your phone with you at all times. Remember, if somebody swipes it:

It can be used to access your money, or steal your identity. Someone can pose as you on your social media accounts. A thief can use your SIM card to rack up phone bills.

2. Keep your phone secure.

Set a secure entry password. Update your phone’s operating system as soon as updates become available. Turn Bluetooth off when you’re not using it and avoid using it in crowded areas. Only use encrypted WiFi networks that require a password, and set your phone to not automati-

cally connect to new networks. Enable remote geo-tracking and the lock and wipe functions. These will allow you to locate your

phone if misplaced. You’ll also be able to lock the screen and wipe the data if the phone is stolen. Just be aware that geo-tracking may enable others to pinpoint your location.

3. Keep your data secure.

Back up your data regularly. Don’t save passwords or PINs on your phone. Avoid online banking in public or crowded areas. Strangers may be able to look over your shoul-

der. 4. Use apps safely.

Apps can transmit personal data. Select permissions carefully when you install them. Always source apps from trusted providers and check feedback from other users. If you’re not sure why an app needs access to your contacts, calls, photos or location, see if you can

find a comparable app that doesn’t require that access. 5. Be selective about how and where you use your phone.

Stick with trusted webs sites and apps when you download anything. Never download content from an unknown source or one you can’t verify. Turn GPS off when you’re not using it. Your location can be tracked if you have it turned on. Log out of web sites when you are done using them. Especially with e-mail – THINK before you click. Hackers are getting very clever at creating au-

thentic looking e-mails. One false click could unleash malicious code allowing them access to all your personal data.

Keep these tips in mind to keep yourself out of harm’s way — and to enjoy all the great things you love about your phone.

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Shiny New Gadget Of The Month:

Shooting the perfect video

for your business just got

easier, thanks to a new

flying camera that’s smart

enough to follow you on its

own. It’s called the Lily

flying camera, and it breaks

new ground in ease of use.

Just toss the camera in the

air, and it starts shooting

video. It can follow or circle

or zoom in on a subject with

ease. You just wear a special

wrist beacon. Lily may be a

cool toy, but it’s also a great

tool for your business.

Shooting video from the air,

hands-free, quite literally

means the sky’s the limit on

what you can do. It also

means you can shoot great

marketing videos without

having to buy a whole lot of

new gear. Just toss Lily in

the air, demo your product

and let Lily capture stunning

aerial footage for you.

Tossing Your Video Cam To The

Wind

Cloud Computing And Your Company: What

You Need To Know

Like it or not, cloud computing is coming to your industry. The question is, will you happily be an early adopter of this technology or be frozen by indecision? Here are some answers to questions you may have about how to best take advantage of this new and sometimes paralyzing technology. Just what exactly is “the cloud”? The cloud is simply storing and/or accessing data and programs over the Internet – rather than using a computer’s hard drive. Simply put, the cloud is a metaphor for the Internet. Due to increases in technology, the cloud is a super-efficient and reliable data processing, storage and deliv-ery system. Why migrate to the cloud? The cloud can integrate online apps for marketing, human resources, cus-tomer service and more, enabling faster scaling, growth and flexibility for your organization. As with your electric bill, you pay only for the capacity you use, thus re-ducing your capital expenditures as well as ongoing expenses. It also al-lows instant access from any device and easy backup capabilities. What about data security? While there are risks in sending your data to the cloud, one way to pro-tect it is to select a data security system that encrypts the data at the file level before it leaves your network. So, is the cloud for you? There’s a lot to like about the cloud, yet we’ve just scratched the surface in this article. If you have more questions or would like help putting to-gether your cloud strategy, call us at (256) 536-5805.

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Are You Using Social Media To Market Your Business?

Here’s Why You’re Likely To Be Wasting Time And Money On False

Marketing Metrics

John Wanamaker is famous for saying, “Half of the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don’t know which half!” With an ever-growing number of sophisticated online tracking tools, you’d think that wasting advertising dollars would be a thing of the past. But, in fact, companies are wasting just as much (if not more!) on online media and advertising due to a number of factors, but mostly because they’re confusing activity with results. In business, the only thing we can take to the bank is money – checks, credit card payments, cash and any other forms of monetary deposits. Leading indicators to revenue, as we all know, are paying clients (orders, contracts, sales) and actual leads from qualified, genuinely interested prospects. However, much of the social media marketing I see is a heck of a lot of activity metrics (clicks, followers, open rates of e-mail, visitors to a site, etc.) that cannot be directly tied to generating a qualified lead, much less cash in the bank; so, unless someone can directly show me how an increase in Twitter followers turns into more profit for a company, I’m not impressed. In fact, I believe management of all the social media sites ends up taking an enormous amount of time away from more productive lead generation and marketing activities and opens the door for customer service and PR failures. For example, if you have a Facebook fan page, you now need to monitor it daily – even hourly – for negative client comments, which are now public for the world to see, unfiltered and out of context, instead of a client simply e-mailing you their complaint, where it can be addressed privately. Further, clients will assume they can message and/or post their requests to your Facebook page instead of going through the proper channels; if you fail to address their request in a timely manner because it didn’t go through your normal process of handling such requests, you’ve just created a customer service failure that is open for the public to see. To be clear, I’m not suggesting that you should shut down all social media sites and marketing; there are situations where it’s a very smart and strategic part of a business strategy. But, as my mother would say, “Don’t jump off a cliff just because everyone else is.” Be sure that whatever you’re doing online in social media can be measured and quantified to tie in to key sales, service and growth goals you have for your organization, and do not accept “getting our name out there” as a sufficient result for your marketing efforts.

Shiny New Gadget

Of The Month:

THE AMAZON

ECHO: LIKE SIRI

FOR YOUR HOME

It’s not Rosie the Robot, but

your first voice request to

Amazon’s new Echo moves

you one step closer to living

like the Jetsons… Think of it

as a plugged-in version of

Apple’s Siri or Microsoft’s

Cortana.

This “smart” speaker in a 9¼

x 3¼-inch cylinder can order

products, turn off lights, set a

timer, look up and give you

sports scores, read you a book

from Audible and more.

You might even get it to tell

you terrible jokes…

It won’t replace a high-end

stereo, but its sound quality

compares with any Bluetooth

speaker, and it can fill a good-

sized room in your home.

Bottom line: Echo offers

hands-free, at-home audio

access to just about anything

on the web, with better sound

than a smartphone or tablet.

All in all, it can make your life

easier. And maybe just a little

more fun.

Considering a VoIP system for your business?

Unlimited Local and Long Distance Calling Keep your Existing Number Easy to Use Web Interface Voicemail to text/email Personal assistant Hunt Groups Company Directory Has All Features—Business features, Call Conferencing, Mobility, Call Center features, reporting

and analytics. 3 Reasons to Choose Hosted VOIP Cost Savings Mobility Scalability How VOIP Works? Connects to your existing internet connection providing you with high-quality phone service. Because the service is hosted, the phone system itself is housed in our secure data centers. Whether you are a small business with four employees or a large enterprise with multiple locations, you will always have the most up-to-date features at your fingertips. How are we different? 1. We will provide you a phone and let you test it before we implement it. 2. There is always a cost savings. 3. There is support at your fingertips. 4. Full enterprise class phone system features, unlimited support and hardware provided for one low

cost. Call us today at 256-536-5805 to get a quote and find out if VOIP is good for you. Or go online to request www.integration-llc.com/services/voip.

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Can VoIP Save You Money???

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W elcome to the brave new world of cyber-warfare. Gone are the days when software patch-

es were just for nifty little feature add-ons or updates. Today, a software update notice could mean your whole computer network is suddenly at risk. Dangers include data theft, crippling malware attacks and mis-chief you may not discover for months, or even years… As with graffiti on your garage door, if you don’t pay attention and clamp down on bad behavior, your problems have likely just begun… And, like those who hire a professional security firm to keep thieves out of the warehouse, thousands of CEOs and business owners are now waking up to the fact that it’s absolutely imperative to hire a pro when it comes to securing your data network. Here’s why you need a professional handling this for you: #1: Speed is of the essence. “If you didn’t update to version 7.32 within seven hours, you should assume you’ve been hacked.” That’s what software maker Drupal told millions of its customers around the world last year. It’s just one example of what can happen if you don’t respond with lightning speed.

Once a security breach has been identified, hackers rush in. On “Day Zero,” cyber-crooks around the world go after at-risk targets. You’ve got to be quick to patch the gap, or else you risk a system compro-mise. Unless you have the time, knowledge, experience and tool set to respond instantly, you are far better off leaving this to a professional IT firm you can trust. #2: It’s not just the big boys they’re after. Sure, the top news stories are about the attacks on companies like Target, Home Depot and Sony… Yet your business is just as vulnerable, if not more so. Chances are, you simply do not have the resources that giant corporations have to manage a data disas-ter. The statistics bearing this out are shocking: more than 60% of small businesses close their doors follow-ing a serious data breach. The threat is not confined to giant corporations. Small and medium businesses are being attacked every day, and, unfortunately, your business is no exception. #3: Dealing with data breaches requires specialized knowledge, skill and experience. Here are just a few of the things a competent data guardian must be able to do to effectively protect your systems: CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE ……………..

Missing Just One Of These

Could Instantly

Open Up Your Computer

Network To A Cyber Attack

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Continued ...

Review documentation and monitor forums. Sometimes your software vendor doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s critical to check online forums and other communities to see if anyone else is having issues with the new patch before jumping in with both feet. Know when to apply a patch immediately and when to wait. Typically, somewhere around 95% of patches work hassle-free. The trick is to spot the 5% that don’t — before installing them. This requires identifying unique patching requirements, and applying exceptions accordingly. For instance:

Does the patch deal only with a security issue?

Or does it just add new features or fix non-security-related bugs? Obviously, security issues get top priority. Is the system currently having issues? If not, and if the patch doesn’t address a security issue your system is vulnerable to, it may be better to heed the old adage

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” What security gaps does it address? How severe is the threat to your particular network? If, for example, the only way a virus can enter your system is through an e-mail attachment and this functionality has been disabled for all users, perhaps the threat needn’t be a great concern. Keep options open in case of complications. Once a patch has been applied, if things aren’t working, it’s critical to restore the data network to pre-patch functionality, with little if any downtime. That means having good backups in place along with a tested and proven recovery process. Does just thinking about data security give you a headache? We strongly advise that you let us handle this critical part of your business for you. Call (256) 536-5805 and schedule our no-cost Security Update Audit today. You’ll discover how easy it is to rest assured that your network is secure 24/7.

One day a user brought us her laptop. She said it was acting “weird.” We ran the usual diagnostics, which all came up clean. Then the dreaded “Blue Screen of Death” showed up. The cooling fan had failed complete-ly. So we backed up her data and gave her a new machine. End of story… Nope. Within a week, she brought the new laptop back to us, complaining of similar problems. This had us stumped – it was brand-new. We ran the hardware diagnostics in a continuous loop overnight. Nada. We asked the user if she had any ide-as. She got a funny look on her face and promised to report back to us. Sure enough, the next morning we received an e-mail from her, with an incriminating picture. When she snuck into her den at mid-night, she had caught Boots, her fat orange cat, preparing to take a nice, warm nap on her laptop. As Boots stepped onto the keyboard, his paw triggered the hot key. Then, as he snoozed on top of the unit, the internal fan had to work overtime to keep it from melting down. Mystery solved! We all had a good laugh, glad to know our detective work had finally paid off.

The Lighter Side: Crazy But True…

Midnight Mystery: The Case Of The ‘Weird’ Laptop

FYI…

Your Computer’s Operating System ■ Windows 10, Thumbs Up… As even Microsoft admits, Windows 8

was a flop… So why make the leap to Windows 10? (By the way, in

case you were wondering, for reasons we may never know, Microsoft

decided to skip Windows 9.) To start with, the Windows 10 user inter-

face just makes a lot more sense than W8’s UI. It brings back the Win-

dows 7 start menu, and key functions are accessed from the taskbar. It

features a more refined design — for instance, smaller window bor-

ders. And, at least until July 29, 2016, you can upgrade your Windows

7 or 8.1 OS for free. So unless your Windows device is an RT version

or is about tapped out on memory, we think you can feel pretty good

about upgrading to Windows 10.

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Get More Free Tips, Tools, and Services At My Web Site: www.integration-llc.com

Integration

Computer Service Pro-Active Customer Care Onsite Computer Service/Support Network Management/Support Network & Server Installations Network Security & Firewalls Cloud Solutions & Hosted Email Secure Remote Access / VPNs

Healthcare Services Provided Medical, Dental, Chiropractic Software & Hardware Integration Security Solutions

Backup & Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Secure & Compliant Offsite Backup HiTech BDR

Email, Web & Archiving Spam Filtering Email Hosting Email Encryption & Archiving Website Hosting Customer Hosting Server

VOIP (Hosted)

Ask us about … Managed Services … How would you like to pay a flat rate and have us take 100% responsibility? Ask me how today… How would you like new equipment, service and support for a flat rate and refresh every 3 years? Ask me how today. How would you like the security of knowing that your data is safe and protected? Ask me about HiTech BDR backup services provided by Integration.

Congratulations

to the 2015 Small

Business Awards

Contenders!

… Integration