By now, you have likely heard the phrase “Internet of things,” or IoT. It has become a hot topic of discussion both inside and outside of the workplace. But what exactly is the “Internet of things?”

IoT is the concept of connecting everyday objects (so long as they have an on/off switch) to the Internet and then to other connected devices. This can include a number of devices from cellphones, coffee makers, washing machines, wearable technology and almost anything else you can think of. 

This network of devices with built in sensors are connected to an IoT platform, which collects and shares data about their environment and how they are used. These platforms can then determine what information is useful and what can be disregarded. The gathered information can be used to identify patterns, provide recommendations, and expose possible problems before they arise.

How Can the Internet of Things Help my Business?

The IoT represents a tremendous opportunity for businesses of all sizes. It’s not only large companies that can utilize these devices—small businesses can, and should, use the devices to improve their operations. So, where do you start? Here are some ideas to get you started.

Automation. For small businesses, leaving the lights on overnight or forgetting to lock the doors can have severe consequences. Automating your office routine with IoT devices can help take some of the pressure off.

• Using smart lighting and thermostats eliminates the need to constantly set and rest your thermostat or worry about turning the lights off when you leave the office. Not only does this eliminate stress, but these devices can also offer significant cost savings.
• Smart locks increase security by giving users access to a building instead of using a physical key. Businesses can monitor and control a smart lock from anywhere and can also tell if a door is open.
• Smart Cameras are great for security. Many of the top connected cameras come with large amounts of cloud storage so that you can go back and review your security footage if needed. A reliable internet connection is necessary to achieve good quality footage.

Improve Space Efficiency. Wasted resources can be a huge burden on a small business budget. IoT can help to maximize your office space by using sensors to pick up activity and heat to monitor which area or areas of your office are used the most.

This information can then be used to figure out when conference rooms go unused or if your office needs to be restructured. For example, perhaps certain departments need to work closer together, or additional workspaces are necessary for meetings. Sensors can tell all of this information and help organizations, large and small, maximize their space. Combined with smart lighting and smart thermostats, offices can use IoT to maximize productivity and savings.

Virtual Assistants. Virtual assistant such as Google Assistant, Alexa or Siri can be connected to task management systems and calendars. These devices can communicate with other smart devices and eliminate tedious tasks like scheduling and research. Taking advantage of these free assistants can simplify your day and boost productivity.

Automatic Inventory Tracking. Maintain an accurate inventory while maximizing efficiency by using RFID tags for merchandise. Small retail businesses can benefit from the use of smart RFID tags on their merchandise. These tags can automatically update inventory as items are sold. You can also set up the sold items to be reordered automatically.

Mobile Card Readers aren’t just for mobile operations. Many small businesses use them in place of cash registers. Similar to credit card processing companies, you are charged a processing fee for each transaction, however the card readers are typically much less expensive to purchase and maintain than a traditional POS system.

The Internet of Things can greatly improve the way we work, helping to make more efficient use of our resources and space. For small businesses trying to grow and compete with larger enterprises, this efficiency is critical. As the IoT continues to automate office tasks, organizations should take advantage of these offerings to help their business stay competitive in the market.

You’ve worked hard opening and running your business. Losing it to a disaster would be financially devastating for you — and for your employees. Would you know what to do if disaster struck your business? One of the most important steps you can take in running your business is creating a disaster preparation, prevention and recovery plan.

The following guide can help you to determine what you need to include in your plan to make sure your business is protected against common threats, prepared for natural and other disasters and can quickly recover should an unpreventable event occur.

Make a list of assets. First, you need to make a list of all your physical business assets that could be lost in a disaster. These may include;

• Building(s)
• Equipment
• Furniture
• Vehicle(s)
• Product inventory
• Cash
• Financial, customer and other operational data
• Physical documents
• Network and Data equipment

Identify Risk. Determine which types of threats can damage or destroy your assets. Some of the following may not affect your area, but any that could impact the operation of your business need to be considered.

• Earthquake, tornado, tsunami, or hurricane
• An electrical surge or outage
• Fire
• Hacking, viruses, and other cyber attacks
• Rain and flooding
• A spill of hazardous substances
• Terrorism

Determine the steps you will take to protect your assets from disasters. Take each threat and each asset, then analyze how you can prevent or prepare for the variuos disasters that might affect those assets.

Personnel. Employee safety should be a top priority of your disaster plan. Create a plan for the protection/evacuation of your employees during natural or man-made events that could affect their safety.

• Assign and train employees, based on their personal skills, to be prepared to take specific actions in the event of a physical threat
• Bring in a professional to train a number of employees to perform CPR and other first aid measures
• Determine escape routes and safe areas employees should use, depending on the type of physical threat
• Post a plan of these routes in a prominent place so employees are reminded of them and can know them instinctively
• Include instructions for turning off utilities such as gas, water, and HVAC systems
• Assign individuals to help ensure that an escape or safety plan is implemented properly
• Practice this plan and make sure new employees are trained on it as part of their orientation
• Post emergency phone numbers for police, fire, poison control, etc .
• Add safety equipment — including first aid kits, Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs), fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and shelter-in-place supplies — to your facility
• Maintain an emergency personnel file on each employee with important medical data, and names of emergency contacts

Physical Assets. Meet with your insurance provider to understand what is and is not covered in the case of various types of disasters.

• Determine the cost involved in expanding coverage to make sure your assets are insured in case of each type of loss
• Make copies of important printed documents — such as deeds and other legal documents — and put the originals in a safe deposit box at your bank
• Take photos of all physical assets, put them on a CD, DVD or flash drive, and store it in your safe deposit box. Businesses that have an inventory of their belongings, with pictures, typically receive higher insurance payments from losses and receive them faster
• If your business is in an area threatened by severe natural storms, consider making building enhancements so your building(s) can better withstand these threats

Data. The financial, customer, and operational information on your network is the heart of your operation. Ensuring that it cannot be lost is the best action you can take to quickly get your operation up and running again.

Moving your operations and data to a cloud service provider not only protects that data in case of a disaster, but can also significantly enhance the productivity, collaboration, and functionality of your business.

Cloud services, such as Intermdia, offer business services — including hosted Exchange, Hosted PBX and Securisync® — that let you communicate, collaborate, manage content and run your business applications. Today’s highly mobile environment, with employees accessing data from their PCs, smartphones, and tablets, makes that access easy, yet keeps your data safe and secure and away from your physical location so it’s not affected by any natural or man-made disaster.

Getting Help. There are several governmental and charitable agencies ready to help in times of a disaster. The Small Business Administration is prepared to assist, with programs such as their National Response Framework (NRF), National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) and Disaster Loan Making (DLM) process. Their Disaster Oversight Council/Executive Management Team oversees the direction and support of the disaster loan process during disasters and coordinates DLM and continuity of operations (COOP).

By addressing all the above issues in your plan, your business can prevent damages from some possible threats, be better prepared for other disasters, and be in a position to quickly get your operations back up and running.

For most businesses, email is a convenient and effective communication tool inside and outside of their organization. Unfortunately, it is also the primary avenue used by scammers for phishing attacks. Cybercriminals use emails to distribute malware, phishing, and other attacks designed to defraud individuals and corporations. Phishing attacks use a combination of email and fictitious websites to fool users into disclosing sensitive information. To protect yourself and your business from these scams, it is critical to understand what they are and how to avoid them.

 What is Phishing?

 Phishing is the fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, credit card details, and other pertinent personal information. These messages usually appear as if the user is receiving a legitimate email or phone call from a trusted entity, such as a bank or someone in their company, and typically directs them to click a link, download an attachment, or provide financial information over the phone.

The are many different types of phishing schemes. Understanding and educating your employees about these schemes is key to protecting your business from falling victim to them.

Spear Phishing

Spelling mistakes and poor grammar used to be the tell-tale sign of a phishing attempt. Over the years, phishing has evolved into a much more sophisticated cyber-crime as scammers began to use targeted phishing schemes. Spear phishing targets specific individuals and it’s often difficult to distinguish these emails from legitimate messages, which is part of the reason these cyber scams are so successful.

Before the scammer sends you any communication, they already know some of your personal information. They’ve researched and learned about your business to pose as someone you do business with, or they’ve monitored your social media for tidbits about your life, i.e. did you post on social media about that big purchase you just made? Once armed with this information, they can craft a carefully worded message that will seem very believable to its targeted recipient.

Whaling

Whaling, or CEO Phishing, is another form of phishing that targets high-level executives and managers. The attackers, in this case, are looking to gain access to their target’s email account. Once they’ve gained access, their possibilities are limitless. They can access personnel files, initiate wire transfers, or gain access to any other information they’d like.

Ransomware Phishing

A ransomware phishing attack will typically be an email that appears to be coming from someone known to the recipient asking them to click on a link or open a file. Once the link is clicked or the file is opened, ransomware is loaded. The file may even appear to be legitimate – maybe it has the company logo – so the target may not realize what has happened until the attacker has locked all files and sent a ransom demand.

Vishing

Phishing is not just limited to email messages. Just as people use email and other technologies for criminal purposes, they’ve also found a way to use your VoIP phone systems to scam businesses and consumers by faking Caller ID.

A typical vishing scam involves using VoIP with a modem to call phone numbers in a given area. When a person answers the phone, an automated recording states that the person’s credit card is showing fraudulent activity. The person is directed to call a specific toll-free or local phone number immediately. The number dialed may show a spoofed caller ID for the financial company the scammer is pretending to represent. When the call is made, the recording on the other line asks you to enter your credit card number and three-digit code, which is exactly what the scammers are after.

Smishing

Smishing is also done over the phone using text messaging. Scammers use text messages to try and trick people into giving them personal and financial information via text message by posing as a bank or credit card company. Often times there is a link to click on or a phone number they are asking you to call where they will try and obtain the information they are after.

Protect Yourself and Your Organization. There are many steps you can take to prevent or reduce the risks associated with phishing attacks.

Educate your employees. Implement security awareness training and teach your employees how to recognize phishing attacks.

1. • If you spot a spelling error or poor grammar, it is very likely the message you received was not sent by the organization it claims to be from.
   • Think before you click. Before you download an attachment, always stop to evaluate whether it is from a legitimate sender. It is easy to make an email appear as if it came from your bank or other financial institutions. Check the actual email address of the sender to be sure they are whom they say they are.
   • If a call appears to be from a bank, credit card company, or other official business and requests financial information, end the call. Look up the official number of that business and call them back on that number. Never provide company credit card or other financial information over the phone unless you are already acquainted with the representative calling.
2. Filter your email. Most email security solutions include spam and virus filters. Anti-phishing protection solutions should check for domain spoofing and be able to flag questionable content.
3. Frequent backups. Because most phishing emails contain some sort of ransomware, it is important to keep your system consistently backed up. This will allow you to get employees back to work quickly by getting them access to the latest versions of their uninfected files.
4. Keep software up-to-date. Regularly updating your operating system and security software helps to fix security vulnerabilities being taken advantage of by hackers. A virus can spread across your network using gaps in security caused by out-of-date software.

Investing in technology and training your employees will considerably reduce your risk and the impact a cyber-attack could have on your business. Contact Chickasaw Telecom to learn more about the options available to protect your business and help you stay better prepared.

With remote teams of employees becoming much more commonplace, employers are tasked with effectively managing their distributed workforce. Many technologies exist to enable and control resources available to remote employees. Voice-over-Internet-Protocol, or VoIP, provides many features at a fraction of the cost including real-time collaboration, call recording, video conferencing and more. These features effortlessly deliver the communication options critical for today’s distributed workforce. Below are just a few examples of how VoIP and business Cloud applications support mobility and the distributed workforce.

Telecommuting Made Easier

Using a telephone system that is hosted by the Cloud, your employees need only an Internet connection to securely connect to the system. Many VoIP products offer communication features specifically designed to improve management of a distributed workforce. Features such as call routing and conferencing allow unparalleled access to employees working in remote locations by allowing them to use their smartphones and laptops as if they were working in an actual office. VoIP also provides a consistent and professional experience for your customers and prospects. Using the Presence Management capability of VoIP, calls can be automatically routed to any number or extension. The call transfers are seamless, making it appear as if the employee they are speaking to is in the office, no matter where they are located.

Increased Productivity

Because VoIP is an Internet-based communication system, your employees can make and receive phone calls from anywhere anytime. They can use audio and video conferencing to organize and attend business meetings, make sales presentations, or conduct training remotely.

Even when you or your employees are not in the office, you can:

• Check the availability of others in your business.
• Know when other employees are engaged and should not be disturbed.
• Easily communicate by instant message (IM) with anyone on your team.
• Use a smartphone to access voice messages and collaboration features.
• Get real-time call alerts online.

In addition, VoIP allows you to log a record of all calls. This gives you some insight into how your employees are managing their time as well as the number of contacts made with customers, vendors, and others.

Cost Savings

One of the biggest benefits of VoIP systems is that they are very cost effective. Whether audio or video, so long as it’s sent through the Internet, it’s virtually free. The costs of calls themselves are also greatly reduced as there are little to no charges for long distance or international calls. This is a tremendous benefit if you have a workforce that is spread across the country. And because VoIP systems have flexible and changeable structures, it’s easy to expand or scale back as needed. VoIP also makes it easier to manage your business. You can rely on the system to route calls using the most effective path, increasing your business’s efficiency. It helps you achieve the almost effortless communication necessary to run your business effectively and to ensure that you and your employees can be attentive to the needs of clients and prospects. Additionally, using VoIP to employ a remote workforce, companies can spend less on overhead expenses, possibly even eliminating them altogether.

Collaboration and Teamwork

The video conferencing option of VoIP gives employees a way to connect even when they can’t meet in person. Employees can hold meetings with team members and clients from wherever they are so long as they have an Internet connection. This saves time and travel expenses.
Businesses can also manage critical business data using a Cloud-based file management and backup solution, such as SecuriSync by Intermedia. Employees can instantly and securely access content from any device, share folders with colleagues, vendors or customers, and co-edit files in real-time with multiple collaborators. Your business data is automatically backed up and protected from ransomware attacks, hardware failure, or accidental file deletions.

The flexibility of VoIP systems means they can be tailored to fit your specific needs. Your Ideacom Network telecom provider can help you find and customize a VoIP telephony system that’s just right for your business.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, June 4, 2018 – Chickasaw Telecom, Inc., announced today that CRN_®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Chickasaw Telecom, Inc. to its 2018 Solution Provider 500 list. The Solution Provider 500 is CRN’s annual ranking of the largest technology integrators, solution providers and IT consultants in North America by revenue.

The Solution Provider 500 is CRN’s predominant channel partner award list, serving as the industry standard for recognition of the most successful solution provider companies in the channel since 1995. The complete list will be published on CRN.com, making it readily available to vendors seeking out top solution providers to partner with.

CRN has also released its 2018 Solution Provider 500: Newcomers list, recognizing 26 companies making their debut in the Solution Provider 500 ranking this year.

“2018 is the 8^th consecutive year we have been included in the CRN Solution Provider 500 listing. Guided by our customers’ needs, we continue to adapt to an ever changing digital landscape and provide our customers and business partners with the latest innovations to propel their businesses forward.” said Jeffrey Downey, GM, Chickasaw Telecom, Inc.

“CRN’s Solution Provider 500 list spotlights the North American IT channel partner organizations that have earned the highest revenue over the past year, providing a valuable resource to vendors looking for top solution providers to partner with,” said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. “The companies on this year’s list represent an incredible, combined revenue of $320 billion, a sum that attests to their success in staying ahead of rapidly changing market demands. We extend our sincerest congratulations to each of these top-performing solution providers and look forward to their future pursuits and successes.”

About Chickasaw Telecom, Inc.

Chickasaw is an IT company with more than 100 years of communications-related expertise. From our Oklahoma base, we serve state and local educational institutions and commercial companies, all looking to improve performance through technology. Since our focus is and has always been on Oklahoma, clients benefit in two ways: first, our understanding of the local marketplace allows us to better assess a company’s technology needs; that, combined with our local presence, results in more complete and innovative solutions, designed, implemented and supported with unmatched speed and reliability.

About the Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com