Mobile applications are transforming the way businesses interact with potential customers. Plenty of businesses have developed apps to facilitate better customer engagement. But the effectiveness of these apps for the business remains questionable. It is first necessary to evaluate whether the business actually needs a mobile app. Below are the things you need to consider:

1) The Mobile Application should solve an existing problem: Many companies spend a lot on mobile apps only to have them fall flat. A mobile application needs to be developed with a clear concept as to how it will deliver value to customers. The Mobile app should publish content in a way that saves the staff time and give customers a user-friendly way to complete critical tasks. If a mobile app isn’t able to solve such problems, it might be favorable to focus on a lesser expensive option like a mobile optimized site.

2) The App should assist in customer service: Mobile apps help businesses enhance their customer service experience. If you receive frequent calls from customers with similar questions about products or services that your business provides, a mobile app may be a right fit. An application that allows customers to find out more information about products and provides answers to FAQ’s can certainly be a great time-saver. Customer service apps allow customers to submit service requests, watch product videos, and chat with service representatives online. It is certainly a great idea to invest in an application that improves the customer experience.

3) The App should enable customers to access information: It is important to consider who your customers are and how they access information. If the majority of your customers rely on mobile devices for news, networking, developing an app could indeed be a smart step for your business. In that context, a mobile application development will truly create value for your intended audience. Another important area to consider is how mobile will change the way your customers engage with you. If you can create an app that solves a problem or offers a valuable feature, this increases the chances your audience will download your app and use it. When you have a tech savvy user base, investing in the mobile channel is a great choice.

Having a mobile web presence for your online business has become a need of the hour. A recent Google report indicates that smartphones have reached 56% of the US market, and 46% of these users have made a purchase on their mobile device.

People are surrounded by electronic gadgets, IT peripherals, wires and batteries these days. Hence, more and more e-waste is getting accumulated, making it a chief global concern. Conscious efforts are being made to get this under control.

Getting rid of out-of-use electronic equipment seems quite a task, thinking about their impact on Mother Nature. So here are some easy and smart steps to follow for e-cycling:

Purchase less electronics –

Buying unwanted and excess electronic gadgets is the biggest reason for growth in the e-waste accumulation. Sometimes we purchase electronics that we really don’t need, so it’s essential to ask ourselves about our real requirement and just stop buying if it seems unnecessary.

Stop throwing obsolete electronics in the trash –

Putting your old electronic goods in the trash can be hazardous, so stop doing the sin. Almost all such products contain toxic substances in them, which can harm the environment if they are put in landfills.

Find a good recycle center near you –

Many good electronics recyclers are now certified with the highest environmental and social standard. So try finding out one nearest to your location and sell the old electronic items you possess. They reuse and even refurbish those equipment with all safety measures.

But don’t forget to be sure about choosing the right recyclers, as there are many who just export the old items and dump them in other emerging nations.

Donate your e-wastes –

Give away or donate the equipment that you don’t need any more so that it can be used by someone else until the electronics’ end of life. This effort would extend the use of the item and keep it from getting into landfills.

In cases where the products is not even worth donating, you may give it away for free to organizations who takes them. A reusable product can be donated to the reputed reuse organization, who puts these electronics into work till the day they are functional.

Utilize the buyback policies –

In present days, a large number of electronic companies are spending in different buyback programs. Almost every big manufacturer or retailer has a buyback policy, some would take back old items for free and some give discounts on new purchases in lieu of the returned product.

So make sure to ask about the buyback policy that the store provides while making a new purchase.

Use cloud and cyberspaces –

With the latest technologies of cyberspace and cloud computing there is no requirement of investing in large servers or heavy-duty machines for your business. This technology enables you to easily sync, backup and store a huge amount of data and files and even access them remotely from anywhere and at any time.

As almost all electronic gadgets contain toxic elements in them so disposing them in the best possible way is really essential. Educating yourself, your kids and people around you about its benefits would surely help in building a better and safe environment. So think wisely and stop ramming more into the nation’s landfills as there are many easy ways of e-waste recycling to choose from.

1. My Printer Won’t Print

It’s basic, yet this is a stand out amongst the most well-known and most disappointing printer issues there is. On the off chance that there is no blunder message directing you toward the issue, watch that the printer is still joined by means of USB or Ethernet link, or on the off chance that its remote, watch that the Wi-Fi is empowered and associated with the right system.

Check the printer driver, once in a while this can get to be undermined and should be reinstalled. The right driver for your printer can be found on your makers download page.

In the event that your printer is joined with up and coming drivers and still is not printer, counsel the investigating segment in the printer’s User Manual.

2. Would I be able to Still Print When ‘Ink Levels are Low’?

There is no hurry to supplant ink cartridges when you get low ink notices. Most present day printers have a notice for ink levels, alarming you when ink is low. Then again, the exactness of these notices shifts in the middle of producers and models. Some caution of low ink levels quite a while before ink levels are basically low.

The best way to really discover the amount of ink you have left is to print until the quality goes down or the printer stops. When you know the ink has without a doubt run out, you can evacuate the ink cartridge and supplant it.

By doing it thusly, you will have a harsh thought of how real you ink notices are. You’ll have the capacity to print later on and know the amount you can generally print once the notices go ahead.

3. I want to print from my Mobile Wi-Fi printer

Most printers can print from telephones or tablets, yet it’s a smart thought to check your printer has the capacity do as such first. Printers with Wi-Fi ordinarily bolster AirPrint which permits iOS clients to print straightforwardly from iPhones and iPads giving they are on the same Wi-Fi system.

The larger part of significant printer producers have discharged applications permitting iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry clients to print from their gadgets.

It is conceivable to print to a non-Wi-Fi printer giving your system has a remote access point and a printing utility introduced on an arranged PC. Printopia for Mac or Presto! For Mac and Windows permits you to print from a telephone or tablet. Cloud printing administrations additionally work crosswise over stages and gadget sorts with non-Wi-Fi printers.

4. Wi-Fi Printing Takes too long

To accelerate your printing time over Wi-Fi, you can take a stab at putting your printer as close as could reasonably be expected to your switch. You can likewise verify that the switch is satisfactory and that it bolsters offers 5GHz band and in addition 2.4GHz. It may be worth watching that the firmware is additionally a la mode.

5. My Printer is too slow

A few printers are quick. A few printers are quick. Be that as it may it is conceivable to really accelerate a moderate printer. In the event that you are not very worried about having the most noteworthy quality yield, you can print in draft mode. This will altogether expand print speed.

You ought to maintain a strategic distance from twofold sided printing (if your printer underpins it) as this can essentially ease your printer off as the machine needs to turn the archive to print both sides.

6. Printing Costs are excessively High Printing Expenses

The two fundamental expenses for printing are ink and paper, yet there are a couple of approaches to lower printing expenses.

Firstly, consider regardless of whether you really require what you are printing. Perhaps you just really need to print certain pages. On the off chance that you don’t have to present it, you can change to draft mode and spare ink. Whilst changing to twofold sided printing can spare your paper.

You can purchase high limit ink cartridges which contain more ink so you can print more for your cash. There are likewise good ink cartridges which offer noteworthy investment funds on lavish unique ink cartridges however coordinate their high calibre.

For some printers, you have a decision between lower-limit and high-limit ink (or toner) cartridges. The higher limit cartridges cost all the more in advance however they have higher yields (can print more pages), and lower expense per printed page.

It is essential to take a gander at a printer’s running expenses before purchasing. You need to take a gander at expense for every page data before you buy a printer. Make certain to weigh up what you need from a printer and it could spare you cash later down the line.

7. The Printed Text is Low Quality

The print nature of content can contrast incredibly between printers. As a rule, inkjets produce a quality suitable for regular printing while lasers create more expert looking reports. In the event that you’ve seen that the nature of your content has been progressively going downhill, there are a couple of things you can do to understand it.

Check your print settings are revise; this applies to both inkjet and laser. Switch off draft mode and verify the paper sort on screen is the same as the sort you are utilizing.

For laser printers, some of the time the toner can ‘settle’. Essentially take the cartridge out and shake it from side to side and afterward supplant it.

For inkjet printers, you can take a stab at cleaning the spout and adjusting the print head which can be gotten to from the printer’s upkeep menu.

8. My Printed Photos are Low Quality

Particularly for inkjets, verify that you are imprinting on the right sort of paper. For printing point by point photos you’ll need to utilize photograph paper. Verify you have chosen the paper sort you are utilizing as a part of your product settings. Cleaning the spout and adjusting the print head will again help to enhance print quality.

You may be running low on one shading which may foundation for stained prints, in which case now is the right time to change the cartridge. It is likewise important the old ink cartridges ought to be checked and supplanted where fundamental.

9. My Printer Continues Jamming the Paper

Paper jams are a standout amongst the most widely recognized and most irritating of printer issues. The most well-known foundation for paper getting stuck is the point at which the paper is not adjusted legitimately.

Verify the heap of paper is squared before placing it in the plate and don’t over-fill it. On the off chance that the printer is as yet getting stuck, you can counsel the investigating segment on the printer’s client manual or find a helpful paper jam control here.

10. My Multi-Function Print won’t Scan Anymore

On the off chance that your MFP’s scanner quits working, it might be down to the product. Take a stab at reinstalling the product, however in the event that the issue continues, check the client guide or check the makers bolster page. Once in a while confused inbuilt machines like scanners can simply fizzle, so it’s vital to counsel with the maker first.

This decade witnessed a big transition in the corporate culture. Even a leading men’s clothing brand recently explored it in their advertisement, showing how entrepreneurs are now changing the working rules. They or their workforce don’t need to be confined to the four walls of an office to get the job done. With the advent of smartphones and Internet, the time and location are no more a constraint. People have shunned the 9 to 5 timeline, traffic halts and long drives as they can work practically on anytime and from anywhere, be it a coffee shop, their living rooms or even their cars. They can conveniently share plans, send documents, inquire statuses, hold meetings, check mails and do a lot more. This flexibility promises some relief in today’s fast paced life, giving them some “me-time” and in turn better productivity.

All rosy? Not really. This new working culture has posed a number of challenges for Project Managers. The major being:

• Keeping their distributed teams or team members on the same page
• Monitoring the project when the whole team is actually not at a single place
• Touching deadlines
• Encouraging and motivating teams virtually so that they meet standards, and
• Sharing ideas, information, guidelines and such. surmounted

An agile project management solution with mobile capabilities can help overcome these sore points. It can help Project Managers materialize projects, while staying on time and in budget, to the satisfaction of all. And, the mobile compatibility feature of the project management tools allow seamless embracing of the new working culture that is driving the change in many business processes.

Simply said, a Project Manager has a number of tasks to do, beginning with laying project plans and setting scope and timelines for the project. Within the confines of these scopes and timelines, they need to break as well as assign tasks and sub tasks, set schedules and milestones, compute costs, check progress, and provide status reports. With a project management tool, all this information can be managed and accessed from at a single central repository; providing a single version of truth to all internal/external staff, beyond borders and time zones.

Being a cloud based application, it bridges the disconnection between the Project Managers and their teams. It facilitates collaboration through inbuilt communication and notification tools. And through mobility, it fosters a day-to-day support essential for steady progress of the project. The whole team can on-the-go update task sheets, discuss problems and together work on the solutions. While the Project Manager can track each change and update, check statuses, modify plans to accommodate deviations, hold online meetings or send notifications to share the same and thus keep everyone in the loop.

A successful Project Manager is not just lost in the minutiae of project delivery, but initiates, inspires, supports and motivates its team all through to work for the best. He has to work on keeping his virtual team real. The off-site team should be, at the very beginning, endowed with a clearly defined goal in order to direct and measure their work. In a typical office setting this and great amount of other information is communicated informally – through conference meetings, hallway conversations and chats at a cubicle. Your remote staff craves for similar information. Managers should take a more organized effort and document project expectations, changes, standards, and updates in writing and distribute them regularly. A project management tool can be used to upload such documents and send an immediate notification for the same via e-mail or an SMS. A regular interaction by any means with the team can keep their spirits up and quality high.

A simple reality is that the mobility is here to stay. Every sector is realizing its importance and coming ahead to embrace it. But to overcome the challenges it serves, a project management tool with mobility is the right mix of technology and communication that every Project Manager needs. Such tools and their wealth of features support each phase of the project life cycle and enable leveraging your remote team efficiently and to the fullest. It works well for both the sides by letting the managers have a real communication with the virtual teams, keep a tab on their everyday progress and lay clear goals plus standards for them. The teams on the other hand, through their mobiles, laptops and tabs can work happily, stay engaged, access conveniently and prove cohesive plus high-performing from anywhere and at anytime!

To ensure the success of your Office 365 migration project, you need to make sure you achieve the following objectives:

• No data is lost during the transition process;
• No system downtime – your business still needs to operate; and
• It’s done quickly and cost-effectively.

In other words, an Office 365 migration that is stress-free! These objectives can be achieved by following these 7 steps:

1. Review your current email system

If you’re like most people, the primary reason for migrating to Office 365 is because you want to move your email to the cloud. Accordingly, it’s important to start by collating the technical details on your current email server and run an audit report that identifies all the active users and groups as well as the size of their email boxes.

2. Review your current Microsoft licensing status

Office 365 has number of technical prerequisites that you need to be aware of before you migrate. The main one that catches people out is that Windows XP and Office 2003 are not supported. As well as making sure your operating system and browser will work with Office 365, it’s also important to take stock of the versions and licenses of the Microsoft Office software you already have. Like most organisations, you are probably using a mixture of Microsoft Office versions, which is just fine – but it’s important to understand what you have currently so that you can make the right decision on which mix of Office 365 plans are best suited for your organization.

3. Review your current data storage locations and size

Office 365 offers two main locations for the storing of your data – Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint. In order to make an informed decision on how best to store your data once you migrate to Office 365, it’s essential to review and record the locations and size of your data.

4. Decide on the best mix of Office 365 plans

You’re now at the point where you have information on your email system, you’ve got a detailed report on your current Microsoft licensing and you know how much data you have to migrate. Congratulations – you’re now at the point where you can review the different Office 365 business and enterprise plans and decide which ones are best for your organization. Note that Microsoft now allow Office 365 plans to be mixed and matched which is great news for all businesses large and small. It means you can maximise your existing investment in recent versions of Microsoft Office as well as cater for the different requirements your staff may have, depending on their roles.

5. Technical preparation for your Office 365 migration

It’s now time to get all your ducks in a row and that means collating all the technical details you will require to conduct a smooth migration. For example, the last thing you want to do is start your Office 365 migration and then find out you don’t have the right username and password to update your domain name record. An important part of this step is to update all computer software to the minimum specification and also consider whether you want to change the design of your email groups and the way you structure your data.

6. Perform your Office 365 migration

The big day has arrived and it’s time to start your Office 365 migration. This is the critical step, but with the lead-up work all done, you should feel confident that the process will go smoothly. Typically the email system and data is migrated over a weekend to minimize the impact on internet performance and to reduce the impact on normal business operations.

7. Perform a post-migration cleanup

With the actual migration complete, there are still a number of clean-up tasks to perform before the project can be deemed a success. The number and types of tasks will differ for each migration but a common example is the decommissioning of the existing Exchange software from your server. This not only reclaims disk space, but it will also increase the performance of your server and ensure that your server runs reliably going forward.

Is a DIY Office 365 Migration a Good Idea?

As you can see these seven steps collectively require considerable knowledge of your existing systems as well as a good understanding of the Office 365 platform. There are a number of third-party software tools that can be used to assist in this process – the tricky part is to know which ones are of value. In addition you need to carefully consider whether it is worth using internal staff to learn and perform a one-off multi-step project.

It may well be that the best way to assure your organization of a successful Office 365 migration is to use the services of a Microsoft Partner that has Office 365 certifications and real-world experience in performing Office 365 migrations.