The Simply Smarter Blog

Let’s face it, when most of us think of an office copier, we think of that scene from Office Space in which three office employees demolish their printer with a baseball bat. If you’ve ever been frustrated by a copier that doesn’t perform as needed – you can relate. Which is why, like a car purchase, you should really think about what you need a copier to do before you go all in. Thinking about the bells and whistles desired on your new car is easy because you’re more familiar with cars, and let’s face it – they are much racier than copiers. Herein lies the ultimate question - What should I look for in an office copier to avoid being casted in Office Space 2: Revenge of the Copier?

Drumroll…… it depends. What kind of office do you have and what are your printing habits? In general, here are the things that you should think about when selecting a copier for your office.

Organizations strive to reduce expenses and increase efficiency, but one area that is often overlooked is their print environment. Managing a growing print environment can be complex, and IT teams often spend significant time resolving printer issues. 

Rather than dedicating internal resources, organizations can consider subcontracting the management of their print environment. When outsourced, external providers can implement Managed Print Services (MPS) to manage and optimize an organization's document output so internal teams can focus on business development. If your organization is on the fence about implementing MPS, here are some things to consider.

Remember when we all gathered in a conference room for meetings? Fitting as many people as we could at the table, while others grabbed chairs and sat around the outskirts?  Feels just like yesterday, doesn’t it? Well, while meetings will always happen, the way we conduct them has changed, perhaps forever.

In recent years, business world has undergone substantial changes, with an increase in the adoption of digital technologies, flexible work environments and virtual meetings.

Let’s talk about a few things to consider when attending a virtual meeting. Read on to learn about the 5 Do’s and Don’ts of virtual meeting etiquette.

Over the past few years, remote and hybrid work setups have become the norm.  Combining remote and in-person work can benefit everyone by offering flexibility and the opportunity to tailor work environments to different tasks. While many companies are still navigating their optimal balance – such as three days in the office and two days remote – it is evident that this hybrid work model is not just a passing trend but a permanent feature in the modern work environment.

Although many of us are used to working from home, it’s important to remember that there are many differences between working in a corporate space and home office in terms of IT security. With the rate of cyber-attacks increasing by nearly 600% during the pandemic, it’s critical for organizations to have both their own devices, and those of their employees, fully secure in order to reduce the risk of an attack.

I am a proud Gen Xer. I loved growing up in the age where we experienced seismic technology shifts. We are a strange hybrid of digital users who are extremely comfortable with technology but still remember a time when things were a bit more primitive.

There is no question that life is much easier today with the influx of technology, especially in the workplace.  If this past year and a half has taught us anything, it’s that in the education field and business world at least, you have to be somewhat tech savvy to keep up with the times. Read on to learn how tech has evolved.

Understanding the importance of the retail experience, Sharp was able to successfully provide technology solutions for two iconic fashion brands’ prime retail locations in the heart of some of Manhattan, New York’s busiest shopping districts. Both brands had their own challenges and received a Sharp makeover that resulted in satisfaction from both the designers and their customers.

Every morning, you wake up and go through your routine before heading into the physical office or home office to start your day. When you get to your desk, you log into your computer and open your email. While sorting through your mailboxes, you notice that essential emails such as an RFP you were expecting, an invoice you’ve been waiting for, or important messages from vendors and partners are sitting in your spam folder. You might ask yourself, “how did these end up in here?” - a question that gets asked more frequently than you would expect. Missing these emails is not only frustrating, but it can also affect your business’s bottom line. Read on to learn why emails are marked as spam and how you can improve email deliverability.

Cybersecurity awareness is essential year-round. Data breaches continue to have a significant financial impact on organizations worldwide, highlighting the importance of strong cybersecurity.

If your organization isn’t taking security seriously, it’s only a matter of time before you become a target. Every device on your network and every person with access to those devices is a potential attack vector — and yes, that includes copiers and multifunction printers (MFPs).

Our latest edition of our Simply Smarter Leadership Q&A series features our Chief Financial Officer, Moonsun Park. A recent recipient of the 2021 NJBIZ Best 50 Women in Business, Moonsun talks about some of her greatest accomplishments in a career that has spanned more than two decades, as well as key advice for women starting out their careers.

It’s one thing to run a business, but it’s quite another to create an environment where workers love coming in every day. Employees are an essential part of every business and are what keep organizations progressing, growing, and contributing to a greater good. Engaged employees can foster new relationships, support stronger recruitment and retention efforts, and provide individuals with a meaningful sense of achievement and satisfaction.  

As a proud recipient of NJBiz’s “Best Place to Work in New Jersey for multiple consecutive years," we’re sharing five tips on creating a top workplace, based on what we’ve learned from our workers and what we know they appreciate.

Healthcare organizations face complex operational challenges. In addition to the ongoing tasks of managing patient needs, working within budget restrictions, maintaining compliance requirements, and addressing staffing demands, organizations must also navigate growing telehealth adoption, increasing cyber threats, and strict healthcare regulatory requirements, including HIPAA compliance.

Fortunately, technology solutions continue to support healthcare organizations and address operational challenges.

What do some of those solutions look like?

As organizations continue operating with hybrid and remote work models, the need to support a distributed workforce is paramount. But how do you enable employees to work efficiently with one another, sometimes nationwide or globally, connect with clients virtually, eliminate communication barriers and productivity issues, and still work to lower IT costs?

Sounds like a lot, right? (It is), but the answer is simple – by implementing a Unified Communications solution.

A reliable laptop is essential for students. Device choice should consider age and grade, balancing portability, durability, and functionality. Laptops offer greater storage, processing power, and access to essential software, and Windows devices are widely used in both education and professional settings, preparing students for future academic and career needs.

You either have it, know of it, or are still fighting the trauma flashbacks of that clunky, slow, larger-than-life work laptop. The muscle required to tow it to and from the office probably qualified you for the Olympic sport of weightlifting. Fortunately, technology has advanced, and now lighter, faster, and leaner laptops are available. Since many models look similar and share many features, laptop shopping can be overwhelming, especially when you are buying them for your entire office staff.

Laptops see heavy daily use, now more than ever before. Business laptops are generally more expensive, but the extra cost ensures a higher-quality product. While it is tempting for some businesses to focus solely on cost when choosing a laptop to buy in bulk, you could be signing yourself up for the same decision in another two years, not to mention other headaches along the way. It is also important to consider other factors that contribute to the quality and longevity of your devices.

Reliable technology is essential for local government operations. Agencies must balance efficiency, functionality, and reliability to serve residents effectively. Modern printing, document management, and audio/visual solutions provide the storage, processing power, and capabilities needed to handle time-sensitive work, maintain high-quality outputs, and ensure transparency, helping staff focus on public service and better meet community needs.

Cybercrime is increasingly targeting businesses of all sizes, with attackers often demanding ransom payments in Bitcoin due to its anonymity and lack of regulation. Bitcoin allows cybercriminals to receive funds without a bank account, transfer money quickly and anonymously, and move funds across multiple wallets to avoid detection. To protect against ransomware and other cyber threats, businesses should implement multi-layer security, maintain regular backups, and actively monitor for suspicious activity.

Government, education, and nonprofit organizations can overcome budget and staffing constraints by using cooperative purchasing. Cooperative contracts are competitively bid and pre-negotiated, allowing members to buy goods and services efficiently and cost-effectively, while complying with procurement regulations. By leveraging collective buying power, organizations gain access to technology, office equipment, and other solutions without the need to issue their own bids, making procurement faster, simpler, and more reliable.

Digital signage and interactive displays enhance school communication and engagement. Placed in classrooms, cafeterias, libraries, and common areas, they provide important updates, resources, and announcements. Interactive displays also support collaboration and visual learning, helping students and staff stay connected across the campus.

Just picture this— you’re a new employee diligently working, and out of the blue, your CEO e-mails you, asking for 10 Amazon gift cards. She says it’s for an important project she’s working on and she needs the gift cards ASAP! The pressure is on and you take a break from your hectic to-do list, and begin ordering the gift cards, until you realize… the person emailing is not your boss after all, but rather, a sneaky cybercriminal. And just like that, you are the newest victim of a phishing scam. How mortifying, right? Well luckily, there are steps that can be taken in order to avoid such embarrassing catastrophes.

Webinars are a powerful tool for small and medium-sized businesses to share insights, showcase solutions, and engage customers. Delivering strong content, using reliable technology, and encouraging participant interaction are key to a successful session. By combining engaging presentations with smooth technology and ongoing follow-up, businesses can create webinars that educate, connect, and leave a lasting impact.

Just like leasing a car or a phone, it’s possible, and sometimes more beneficial, to lease office equipment. If your organization is thinking of upgrading an old copier or multifunction printer (MFP), have you considered leasing? While there are benefits of purchasing a new piece of office equipment, you could also be looking at higher upfront fees, costs for replacing and repairing parts, and being stuck using outdated technology with the rapidly evolving pace of innovation.

To lease or to buy? This is the question many small business owners face when the time comes to invest in a new copier or multifunction printer (MFP) for the office. Others, perhaps newer to business, may be surprised to learn that leasing is even an option. Isn’t leasing something you do with cars, not printers? But as you shop around and get familiar with the world of office equipment, you’ll learn that printers and copiers come at many different price points, and often it can make more sense to lease a device rather than to buy it outright. But when? It can vary from business to business, but here are some questions to ask when considering a lease.

As employees continue to do their jobs efficiently and effectively from remote locations, some companies are beginning to view the work-from-home model as longer-term, while others have embraced a hybrid model in which employees split time between home and office. While there are many benefits to remote work for both employer and employee, there are some downsides as well – and one of those is the need to provide IT services to a remote workforce. 

It is no secret that today increased security threats, such as phishing or ransomware attacks, are a very real concern. Almost all devices are prone to cybersecurity threats and office printers and multifunction devices (MFPs) are no exception.

There are several steps businesses can take to help ensure their network and all connected devices are secure. We’ve compiled a list of seven tips to help prevent your business from falling victim to cybersecurity threats.

When it comes to selecting the right printer for your office or organization, whether that’s at home or in an office setting, there are a lot of factors to consider. From cost and size to technology capabilities and color options, there can be a lot that impacts your overall decision. With so many variables, it’s hard to know which to choose. So, what are your options?

Cyberattacks can leave small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) exposed and vulnerable to going out of business. To better understand industry concerns on this topic, Sharp commissioned a cybersecurity study of 250 North American SMBs with Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG). The results found that many SMBs are struggling to protect themselves. Almost half of all respondents said that their business had been the victim of multiple security incidents (averaging three) in the last year. While some of these incidents can be attributed to human error, many took place because the organization had a smaller IT team. In fact, 85% of SMBs surveyed said they have, at most, one dedicated security professional on their team.