(855) 455-5035 www.azcomp.com
AUGUST 2018
Empowering Small Practices to Deliver the Best Care
4 TACTICS FOR EMPLOYEES That Could Save Your Network From Ruin
Given how reliant businesses are on technology, you’d think that every business owner would make cybersecurity education a company-wide priority. Sadly, that’s just not the case. The reasons for this lack of initiative are numerous. Some business owners mistakenly think that all the cybersecurity training you need to do is hire a quality MSP, set your security system up, and forget about it. Others simply place blind faith in the misconception that their business will avoid being targeted by hackers. The fact of the matter is that unless you make cybersecurity an integral part of your culture, you’re just what hackers are looking for. Hackers don’t care how large your business is; they care about how easily they can penetrate your network. They’ll do whatever they can to break in and take advantage. According to IBM’s Cyber Security Intelligence Index, the most common entry point for cybercriminals isn’t “hacking your main frame” or finding a piece of faulty code. It’s much simpler than that. In 60 percent of cases, hackers gain entry by taking advantage of employees who have little experience with cybercrime issues. To avoid this threat compromising your business, it’s crucial that you teach anyone using your network to practice smart internet behavior and stay vigilant for anything with a potentially nefarious intent. Every single business in the country should make this practice standard, but far too few do. If you need a little inspiration for your security training, here are four great tips to pass along to your team. USE STRONG PASSWORDS It might sound like a no-brainer, but it’s the easiest fix you can undertake. Most people prioritize passwords that are easy to remember over those that keep their data secure. In fact, a survey conducted by TeleSign found that nearly three-quarters of users employ the same password for all of their accounts. Even scarier, more than half of them have used the same passwords for the entirety of their life online.
Your business data is way too important to be guarded by a password like “123456,” or, heaven forbid, “password.” Teach your employees what constitutes a strong password and force them to update theirs regularly. MAKE SECURITY POLICY MANDATORY You can encourage employees to be diligent all you want, but if you don’t make it a mandatory standard operating procedure, it’s just wishful thinking. Your employee handbook should have a section devoted to cybersecurity that includes a number of required actions. For example, every employee should be mandated to install security patches as soon as they become available. CONDUCT AUDITS REGULARLY Once the policy is in place, it’s on your leadership team to make sure it’s put into action. Regularly check up on your team’s computers to make sure all software is up to date. It’s also a good idea to perform password strength tests. However you set up your audits, the most important concern is ensuring that everyone has followed your high standards. EDUCATE CONTINUOUSLY The nature of cybercrime is always evolving. As companies develop new defense mechanisms, hackers find innovative ways to bypass them. You need to provide your staff with knowledge and best practices on a consistent basis. If you want cybersecurity to matter to your team, you have to invest in making it real to them. Education and training are the best ways to do that. These techniques don’t take a lot of time and effort to implement, and they could end up saving your business from ruin. We’re always happy to help provide your business with the tools and tips you need to make your data secure. Don’t hesitate to reach out for more pointers. –Byron Adams
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.TheNewsletterPro.com
(855) 455-5035 AZCOMP Technologies, Inc. www.azcomp.com • 1
KILLER KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS For Increased Productivity
• You don’t need to use your mouse to navigate a drop down menu. If you know the response you’re looking for, you can simply type the first letter of it to scroll through all of the options. This trick is particularly useful for inputting state or country information. • When using a word processor, email client, or internet browser, highlight a single word by double clicking the word. Don’t click and drag to try to highlight the word. To highlight certain parts of a sentence, double click the first word and hold your mouse key down on the second click then start dragging and each word will become highlighted in one-word chunks. Triple click anywhere in a paragraph to highlight the entire paragraph.
We’re guessing that you spend a good portion of every workday behind a computer screen. Given how central computer efficiency is to workplace
productivity, it’s amazing how little training people have in navigating browsers and applications quickly. Every child takes typing classes, but that’s often all the formal training we have with computers. Unless you’re the type of person who looks up shortcuts for fun, you might be surprised to learn how much time you’re wasting fumbling around with your mouse. If you aren’t using the following shortcuts already, now’s the time to start. • Put the scroll wheel to rest and use your keyboard to move down a page. Simply hitting the spacebar will allow you to instantly scroll down one screen length. You can use Shift + Spacebar to scroll back up. • When doing manual entry on forms or web pages, don’t take your hands of the keyboard. All you have to do is hit tab to move from one field to the next. Again, you can reverse the direction with a Shift + Tab.
• If you keep multiple browser tabs open, you can use Ctrl + Tab to scroll through them easily. To move from right to left, add a Shift.
Once you start using these timesaving techniques, you’ll never go back to pointing and clicking again. And these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to productivity-enhancing shortcuts. You can find dozens more with a simple Google search.
Need Support? Call (480) 497-7480 if you have a support contract. Don’t Have Support? Plans start at just $99/month. Call us at (855) 455-5035 to get started with support, training, electronic claims, electronic health records (EHR), hosting, backup, and more. We have so many tools and services to help your practice be more efficient, keep your network protected, and remain a thriving independent practice. MEDISOFT, LYTEC & NEXTGEN OFFICE SUPPORT PLANS FOR HOSTING, BACKUP, AND MORE
SPOTLIGHT ON GAVIN REAVES Gavin Reaves, a member of our technical support team, has made a huge impact in his year at AZCOMP. A multi-time winner of both our “We Deliver Phenomenal” and “We Care About the One” awards, Gavin excels at meeting our customer’s needs.
“I love building a relationship with our customers and helping them out in whatever way I can,” Gavin says. He credits his success to the welcoming coworkers who trained him. “I’m the type of person who learns by doing. The team here really let me get after it while providing coaching and advice. I was so grateful to feel accepted and a part of the team from the minute I started here.” When Gavin’s not working, he’s got more than enough hobbies to keep him busy. A former professional gamer, Gavin still enjoys hopping on his PC for a casual round (or five) of “Fortnite.” He’s also an avid biker always on the hunt for a great ride. In the past, he’s put his love form motorcycles to good use helping worthy causes. “When I was in Texas, I set up a motorcycle ministry. After a tornado, my wife and I organized a ride to benefit those who suffered as a result of the tornado. You can imagine our surprise when 200 riders showed up on 72-hours’ notice.”
We want to help your practice perform at the highest possible level by providing services that allow you to get the most of your software. Be sure to check our website often at azcomp.com/events to learn about upcoming trainings and other events we host.
2 • (855) 455-5035 AZCOMP Technologies, Inc. www.azcomp.com
HIGH-TECH SNEAKERS That Combine Style and Performance
Ever since Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman decided to press rubber soles in a waffle iron, sneaker companies have developed innovative
HOW TO BE ‘GREAT AT WORK’ A Guide for Peak Workplace Performance technology to improve performance. The results from these experiments have ranged from the sublime (Nike’s Air series) to the ridiculous (the Reebok Pump). These days, sneaker tech is more advanced than ever before. Here are some of the latest and greatest advances from the world of athletic footwear. ADIDAS BOOST SOLES This German apparel giant worked with chemical company BASF to develop a sole made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The goal of the technology, known as BOOST, is to provide optimal energy return for runners. Hundreds of tiny TPU capsules are pressed together to create BOOST soles, which you can now find in dozens of Adidas sneaker designs. NIKE FLYKNIT UPPERS Nike debuted its Flyknit line at the 2012 London Olympics. In its first iteration, Flyknit technology allowed for knitted, one-piece uppers that were lightweight and breathable. This year, Nike debuted the latest version of Flyknit, with uppers “constructed in a complete 360-degree form that wraps the entire foot.” In addition to comfort and responsiveness, the Flyknit design allows for a multi-colored aesthetic unlike anything else on the market. At some point in your career, you’ve probably heard the well-worn maxim to “work smarter, not harder.” While it’s catchy advice, what does working smarter really entail? Early in his new book “Great at Work: How Top Performers Do Less, Work Better, and Achieve More,” Morten T. Hansen provides a precise definition of what working smart looks like. “To work smart,” he writes, “means to maximize the value of your work by selecting a few activities and applying intense targeted effort.” Hansen spent five years studying scores of companies and thousands of documents in hopes of pinpointing the principles underlying exceptional performance. “Great at Work,” though, doesn’t read like a dry, theoretical dissertation. The book contains compelling examples from the past and present. Hansen deftly discusses how Michelin-star sushi chefs and Alfred Hitchcock illustrate the seven practices he identifies as key components of excelling at work. Among those seven principles are “Do Less, Then Obsess,” and “Redesign Your Work.” Each of these concepts is explained fully and backed by reams of data. “Great at Work” is no quick cash grab designed to capitalize on a trend; it’s a comprehensive analysis of the traits behind performance. If you’ve ever felt like you’re working harder but not getting as much done, “Great at Work” will prove insightful, compelling, and transformative.
AFFORDABLE, ETHICAL FASHION ISN’T IMPOSSIBLE EVERLANE BREAKS THE INDUSTRY MOLD Fashion companies used to fall into one of two categories; You were either a fast-fashion mega-retailer like H&M and Zara, valuing low cost above all else; or a designer line like Gucci or Versace, making no effort to cater to non-wealthy consumers. Shoppers looking for ethically sourced, affordable clothing didn’t have many options. That is, until Everlane showed up and flipped the industry on its head. When you go to the Everlane website, you’ll find the de rigeur tabs for women and men, but you’ll also encounter something surprising: a page devoted to factories. The company carefully selects the factories it works with and provides workers fair wages and safe conditions. Most clothing companies would rather keep information about their labor conditions out of their marketing, but not Everlane. They believe in an attitude of radical transparency, providing customers with as much information about their garments as possible. That philosophy extends, shockingly, to the company’s pricing structure. Every single garment Everlane sells comes with a cost breakdown. You can see how much the materials, labor, transport, and duties cost, along with a price comparison between Everlane and traditional retailers. While traditional apparel retailers normally mark up items 5–6 times, Everlane sticks to a markup of 2–3 times. While Everlane now sells a wide array of garments, they began with one simple, everyday item. “We started with a T-shirt,” says CEO Michael Preysman. “The honest truth is that there are many great T-shirts out there. How are we different? We make them in L.A.and sell them for $16. And that was a really an important part of the mission — to create that great quality product and offer it at a great price.” What Everlane has found is that customers are willing to spend a little more for increased quality and a product they can be proud to wear. The stories behind Everlane’s clothes are as integral to the brand as the items themselves, and their mission of radical transparency has won countless fans.
(855) 455-5035 AZCOMP Technologies, Inc. www.azcomp.com • 3
Give us a call! (855) 455-5035 www.azcomp.com www.azcomp.com/blog
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
2500 S. Power Rd., Ste. 117 Mesa, AZ 85209 i nside this issu e
Are You Taking These 4 Security Steps? PAGE 1 Are You Overreliant on Your Mouse? PAGE 2 Meet Gavin Reaves PAGE 2 The Leading Brand in Ethical, Affordable Fashion PAGE 3 Cutting-Edge Sneaker Tech PAGE 3 AZCOMP Leadership Library: ‘Great at Work’ PAGE 3 Eddie’s Kindred Spirit in Kenya PAGE 4
THE MAN BRINGING WATER TO ELEPHANTS BY SUSAN DEIGNAN
One of AZCOMP’s defining core values is “We Go Where Eddie Would Go.” While the man for whom this value is named, Eddie Aikau, was a big wave surfer and lifeguard, you don’t even need to know how to swim to be like Eddie. Anybody who tackles adversity head on is going where Eddie would go. That’s true whether you live in Hawaii, Siberia, or, as in the case I want to talk about today, Kenya. Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua is a Kenyan pea farmer. In a country where water is already a scarce resource, climate change is drying up the land at an alarming rate. Within Kenya’s Tsavo West National Park, the amount of water has dried up to the point where wildlife like elephants, buffalo, and zebras are struggling to survive. “There is
completely no water, so the animals are depending on humans,” Mwalua says. “If we don’t help them, they will die.”
With stakes so high, Mwalua knew he needed to do something. As a farmer, he has ready access to water. He decided that he could divert 3,000 gallons or so per day to give to the thirsty animals. Even more inspiring, he makes the journey to deliver that water by himself, taking hours out of his day to help save these precious species. “The truck is heavy and doesn’t go very fast,” he says. “We have to be very patient and go deliver water.” Through this incredible work, Patrick came to found Tsavo Volunteers, a group dedicated to conservation and educating young people about the importance of environmental stewardship. If you’d like to support this wonderful cause, you can go to gofundme.com/tsavoelephantguardian. Sometimes, it takes a single brave soul to make a resounding difference to the world at large. Eddie Aikau never let steep odds deter him from paddling out for a rescue. Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua didn’t regard driving hundreds of miles in the sweltering heat as insurmountable. They both took action and made a contribution. That’s what we mean when we say “We Go Where Eddie Would Go.”
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.TheNewsletterPro.com
4 • (855) 455-5035 AZCOMP Technologies, Inc. www.azcomp.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog