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I don’t even know where to start. If you’d have told me two months ago that we’d be debating over which businesses are “essential” and that millions of Americans would be sent home to work overnight, I would’ve told you you’re crazy. But here we are.

More than a decade ago, the U.S. economy was hit by the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression.  In the early months of the recession, American businesses lost an average 800,000 jobs per month as the economic growth declined at more than 8% during the 4th quarter of 2009 and the 1st quarter of 2009.

Whether your company has 15 employees or 50,000, it is imperative that your technology consistently works how it’s supposed to. You need a clear vision of where technology is going in your business, and you need to get rid of roadblocks that are holding the company back from achieving its goals.

Many business executives see IT as a necessary evil. You definitely need it to get your job done – emailing, processing orders, billing, etc. – but it’s just something that keeps the business humming along. These executives are missing out because the most successful companies today are the ones that see a clear relationship between a well-executed IT strategy and its power to help move the business forward. What if there was a way to go from “humming along” to using technology as a competitive advantage – an advantage that could move the needle toward growth, increased profitability and improved customer satisfaction?

When you think about getting a better handle on data management for your manufacturing, distribution or logistics company, your train of thought might take you immediately to getting new software. While this is a step in the process, putting it at the front-end is the wrong place because data management isn’t about the software. It’s about changing the way that your employees and your business operates on a day to day basis.

As we move closer to the end-of-life date for Windows 7, Microsoft support for this popular operating system will be going… going… gone before we know it. January 14, 2020 might seem like it’s a long way off, but hopefully you’re already convinced that you need to upgrade. Here at Accent, we’re feeling a sense of urgency to get the word out that the transition process to Windows 10 needs to begin ASAP, and here are the two biggest mistakes that we don’t want you to make.

Do you have an Alexa or Google Assistant at home? How about a fitness tracker? Does your doorbell have a security camera that lets you know when someone's on your front porch? Will you get an alert if there’s a water leak in your basement? Will your window shades automatically close when the sun reaches a certain intensity? Does your car parallel park by itself? All of these technologies are a part of the Internet of Things (IoT) and, as consumers, we’re jumping on the IoT bandwagon because of the conveniences and new capabilities this emerging technology provides. It’s only natural that we want to utilize IoT technology in our businesses, too. Before you start plugging a myriad of devices into your network, make sure that IoT fits into your IT strategy to ensure it's a good investment.

Have you ever wished you were better prepared for something? It all turned out okay, but I had a moment like that this week. Some of you may know that I’ve been a private pilot for about 10 years now. I didn’t fly much in the first few years, but the last two years have been much more active. The reason is mostly because we now have data center operations for our clients and ourselves in Las Vegas, as well as employees in Central California, Arizona, Colorado, and Louisiana.

General support for Microsoft’s Windows 7 Operating System was discontinued in 2015, so there has been loads of time during the current extended support season to plan for an update to Windows 10. Unfortunately, many companies haven’t felt the urgency to move forward and have delayed making a move in that direction. With shortages of labor and hardware predicted as we move closer to the January 14, 2020 end-of-support date, and security issues looming, the time to start planning is now. Need another reason? Your planning process is probably going to be more complex than you think and here’s why.

Here in Southern California, we take it for granted that growing season extends throughout the year. Did you know that our state leads the nation in agricultural production? Food grown here makes its way to grocery stores and food processors, not only all over the country, but all over the world. The reason why California has been able to become an agricultural leader is largely due to the climate, and conditions that are conducive to growth. As you seek to grow your business, it’s vital that you create conditions that are conducive to business growth. Here are seven ways that managed IT services helps you to do that.