Bump Up Your Networking Skills

Here are some networking tips that will help you create stronger and more meaningful business connections. 1. Don’t underestimate the power of a card. When someone asks for your business card, he or she is showing active interest in what you do. Make sure your card is well designed and up to date. 2. Be willing to go out of your comfort zone. Talk to people at industry events, conferences, workshops, and other events that are different from you, or from a different industry. Ask questions and show interest. 3. Treat everyone politely and kindly. You never know who you may work with later. Employees turn into future bosses and customers into partners. You may not always know right away who the decision maker is at any company. 4. Be okay with rejection. People won’t always show interest in what you offer. But don’t let that discourage you from making other valuable connections.

Digital Office Products 1749 Old Meadow Road McLean, VA 22102 703-564-0400 www.doptoshiba.com

What's Your Printing Policy?

 

Businesses are always looking for ways to cut costs and reduce their carbon footprint. But, what if there was a way you could do both at the same time? Well, actually there is.

By establishing a printing policy at your company, you can drastically reduce waste and save money. A printing policy outlines rules and standards regarding how employees can print. This includes everything from establishing limits on how many pages each employee can print, to mandatory default settings, and when color printing is allowed.

Although printing policies can be useful at businesses of every size, they are perhaps most beneficial at enterprise-level organizations, where printing waste is often substantial.

But, printing policies are not a one-size-fits-all arrangement. Before tackling the process of creating printing rules and enforcing them, you need to be sure you’re ready. Here are a few questions to ask before implementing a printing policy.

1. Do we have support from upper-level management? Without buy-in from top executives, you can’t really establish any company-wide policies. But, more than that, you also need management to agree to abide by any printing policies that are put in place so they can demonstrate proper printing behaviors for all employees.

2. Do we have the right equipment? It’s easy to establish rules, but it’s much more difficult to actually enforce them. Do you have the right equipment that ensures users print on both sides of the paper, or only releases print jobs when an employee enters their ID number at the MFP? Some older equipment might not have these functionalities, so it could be time to upgrade to more advanced and energy-efficient hardware.

3. Would a document management solution help? Employees often print unnecessarily because they lack the tools and resources to go “paperless.” Relying too heavily on paper documents is costly, inefficient, and requires the use and storage of lots of paper. But a document management system is designed to automate document processes, thereby significantly reducing the need to print.

Contact us today to learn more about cost-saving printing policies that could benefit your business. 

Digital Office Products

1749 Old Meadow Road

McLean, VA 22102

703-564-0400

www.doptoshiba.com

How Should You Protect Your Brand?

In the corporate world, your brand is your baby. So follow these simple tips to make sure your brand stays safe and sound: • Allow others to praise you. It’s tempting to shout from the rooftops about how fantastic your products and services are, but it’s also dangerous. Let the satisfaction you bring to your clients do the talking. • Under promise, then over deliver. Managing expectations and delivering accordingly is paramount in the corporate world. Whatever you promise, deliver it in spades. • Enhance your customer service. The best product in the world will never be a substitute for human interaction. Be sure to invest in great customer service. • Never slam a competitor. Nobody likes dirty politics, so avoid mentioning—let alone criticizing—other brands.

Digital Office Products 1749 Old Meadow Road McLean, VA 22102 703-564-0400 www.doptoshiba.com

How Digital Signage Can Benefit Your Business

Most people are already familiar with digital signage, generally because it’s all around us. Whether it’s a plasma screen advertising new running shoes as you enter a shopping mall, an LED billboard alerting you to potential road hazards, or an interactive map guiding you to the correct wing of a hospital, digital signage is everywhere, and its applications are as varied as the mediums used to display it.

Digital signage is a term used to describe multimedia displays in public venues. It can be used for advertising, marketing, education, transportation, entertainment, and much more. But, perhaps most importantly, it can be a useful and lucrative business tool.

So, how can digital signage benefit your business? Here are just some of the reasons why you should consider investing in digital signage.

1. Reduced Costs

Although you will make an initial investment in a digital display, you will also save money in the long run by using that same display over and over again. You can change your message as infrequently or as often as you like, instead of having a new display created every time your message needs to change.

2. Ease of Updates

Need to change the start time of an event? Or, update the pricing on your digital display? No problem. Digital signage can easily and instantly be updated to match your message, no matter how often it changes.

3. Web Connectivity

Digital monitors can easily be connected to the Web, allowing for instant streaming of videos, news, blogs, and social media feeds. 

Digital Office Products

1749 Old Meadow Road

McLean, VA 22102

703-564-0400

www.doptoshiba.com

The Value of Print for Your Business

Don’t underestimate the value of print communications. Some people simply prefer physical documents over online browsing, which allows print marketing to open up your business to a whole new demographic. Here are a few things to remember when using print to maximize success for your business: Use print to stand out: Print pieces are special in ways that digital media can’t be. They are tactile and permanent. Print pieces engage our senses of touch, sight, and even smell. They can be glossy, holographic, and even interactive with scratch-off games or giveaways. Use print to be remembered: Print marketing is harder to ignore than digital. Most people are very good at filtering out online advertising, but a printed piece is harder to ignore. People usually at least glance at every piece of mail that comes across their desks, but emails are often deleted based solely on the subject line or sender. Use print to influence: Print has the power to directly affect purchasing behaviors. In fact, 39 percent of customers tried a business for the first time because of direct mail advertising, and 70 percent renewed a business relationship because of a direct mail promotion, according to a survey by the DMA and Pitney Bowes.

Digital Office Products 1749 Old Meadow Road McLean, VA 22102 703-564-0400 www.doptoshiba.com

Avoiding Threats in the Cloud

The cloud’s potential for storage and service options has created countless opportunities for businesses to expand or improve their offerings, without requiring costly changes to local networks. But, the cloud is not perfect, and it poses some security challenges. Cloud-based applications can be very convenient, especially for accessing or sharing information when working remotely. However, precautions must be taken to protect sensitive information. Here are a few steps you can take to protect your cloud assets: Educate the masses. Cloud services are often adopted at the top levels of a business or within specific workgroups, without consulting individual department managers or IT staff. But, it’s critical that end-users understand how to safely use cloud applications before they are adopted to avoid any potential threats. Proper employee training and frequent email reminders regarding secure use of cloud-based applications or files helps to ensure the safety and security of your network and your business. Know your cloud use. Many companies are unaware of the cloud services their employees are using. According to cloud security firm Netskope, 90 percent of all cloud applications are not sanctioned by IT. This opens the door for data breaches, data loss, and account hijacking—which, according to the Cloud Security Alliance, were the top three threats to cloud computing in recent years. Organizations and employees should be aware that simple Internet registration systems, phishing, and fraud schemes can allow a hacker to take control of your account. Thankfully, keeping firewalls updated and teaching employees about best practices regarding cloud usage can easily prevent most of these threats. Protect your files, wherever they are. You can lock down access on mobile devices, but this won’t protect your information if it’s synced to the cloud. Instead, focus on protecting the files themselves with consistent security encryption policies to ensure control. You decide who can view, modify, or print your files, whether they are on a laptop, mobile device, or desktop computer. As hackers continue to experiment with new ways to attack, it's important for all businesses to mitigate the risks associated with cloud computing by educating stakeholders, investing in data protection, and using encryption safeguards when possible. Cloud security is serious business, so make sure you take the time to get it right. Contact us today to learn about cloud-based applications that can help grow your business, and the security solutions that can keep them secure.

Digital Office Products 1749 Old Meadow Road McLean, VA 22102 703-564-0400 www.doptoshiba.com

Toshiba Places Record-Setting Providers on ENX’s Elite Dealer List

ENX Magazine Recognizes Two Dozen Toshiba Dealers for Overall Excellence A record two dozen Toshiba America Business Solutions independent multifunction product (MFP) dealers today were named 2015 Elite Dealers by ENX magazine. This signifies the highest number of dealers representing one manufacturer ever selected to ENX's annual list, which was first assembled in 1988. This year's complete list of 76 Elite Dealers—representing dealerships ranging in size from more than $150 million in yearly revenues to those with less than $5 million annual sales—appears in ENX's December issue. The highly-regarded industry publication's Elite Dealer list celebrates entrepreneurship as well as innovative marketing and sales initiatives, company culture, corporate citizenship, and community involvement. ENX is a print and online publication for dealers and resellers of office technology, solutions, and services. Click here to read the full press release.

Digital Office Products 1749 Old Meadow Road McLean, VA 22102 703-564-0400 www.doptoshiba.com