The Hack Newsletter - Edition 31 Think Cloud
Welcome to the Hack Newsletter! This month's newsletter is packed with tips and tricks that will help you succeed through digital technology.
đĽđŁEdition 31 of The Hack - 2 Decades Strong- Transform Your Business by Asking These 4 Crucial Questions
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Welcome to our monthly newsletter,
2 Decades Strong- Transform Your Business by Asking These 4 Crucial Questions
This month marks an exciting milestone as we celebrate being in business for 20 incredible years. It's amazing to reflect on the boundless potential we've witnessed throughout our journey. While we take a moment to appreciate how far we've come, we must also keep our sights forward. To remain at the forefront of our industry for another 20 years and beyond, we can't stand still.
I'm always excited by the boundless potential I'm blessed to witness each month in our senior leadership team strategy days. As we gather to be fully present and dedicated to raising our standards, we kick off each meeting by answering four important questions:
1ď¸âŁ What are we succeeding at? We celebrate our accomplishments, recognising areas where we own and truly excel.
2ď¸âŁ What can we improve? We acknowledge areas where we may have gotten it wrong.
3ď¸âŁ What roadblocks stand in our way? We identify challenges and obstacles, brainstorming strategies to overcome them.
4ď¸âŁ How can we support each other better? We emphasise collaboration as the route to success as a problem shared is a problem halved.
We also revisit our service delivery vision:
âWe canât promise that technology won't fail or that we will always be perfect. What we can promise is that if something goes wrong, then it's our time to shine.â
With an unwavering dedication to building industry-leading best practices, embracing innovation, and delivering unmatched expertise, we strive to bring unique value to guide clients through the ever-changing world of technology.
Just imagine the transformation if these four questions anchored your strategy meetings. Reflect on implementing this approach to elevate your business. It's amazing what you can achieve when brilliant minds unite, as the horizon is truly limitless and just a couple of questions away. đ
Planning digital transformation? Donât forget your people
Have you heard of the term âdigital transformationâ? Itâs where you introduce new technology across every part of your business to help you sell more, deliver better customer service, and be more efficient/profitable.
That word âtransformationâ sounds impressive, doesnât it? Itâs like your business is a caterpillar, ready to emerge from its cocoon as a dazzling, tech-savvy butterfly. But hold on a minute; letâs not forget about the most important part of this metamorphosis â your people. Yes, you read that right. Itâs not technology
that should be at the heart of any digital transformation⌠itâs people.
Businesses often make the mistake of getting caught up in the whirlwind of âcool new techâ
and forget about the human element. How many times have you heard of a company rolling out a major new software system, only for their employees to struggle with
the change?
The truth is that the success of any digital transformation hinges on your teamâs buy-in. You can have the most cutting-edge technology in the world, but if your people hate using it; itâs going to fail.
So, how do we put people first in digital Transformation?
It starts with communication. Your team needs to understand why change is happening and how it will benefit them. This isnât just a one-time announcement but an ongoing two-way conversation. Next, you need champions.
These are individuals at all levels of the business who are enthusiastic about the change and can help others get on board. Enthusiasm is contagious! And finally, you need to break down silos. The digital world thrives on collaboration, and your business should too. If departments are working in isolation, youâre not harnessing the full potential of your team or your technology. Letâs not forget about the role of AI in all this. Generative AI systems, such as ChatGPT, have been making waves in the media, highlighting the importance of the human element in the digital transformation debate. After all, technology should serve people, not the other way around.
The pace of technological advancement is dizzying, no doubt about that. But amidst all the change, one thing remains constant - the importance of putting people, processes and
culture at the centre of your digitaltransformation.
Get in touch if we can help you with any kind of technology project.
THE HACK PODCAST
Celebrating Two Decades of Innovation: Think Cloud Marks its 20th Anniversary!
As we embark on Think Cloud's 20th Anniversary, it's time to pause, reflect, and celebrate the incredible journey that has led us here. Over the last two decades, Think Cloud has pioneered ground-breaking solutions, driving digital transformation across industries. Today, we are thrilled to have Scott Clark, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Think Cloud, join Leon, Dean, and Paul as they delve into the fascinating story of how it all began. Scott envisioned taking a start-up from humble beginnings to becoming a market leader in proactive cyber-risk management, comprehensive business, and end-user IT support.
From early on, Scott Clark's path was illuminated by pixels and code. In his youth, he was captivated by Atari 2600 and Spectrum 128K and yearned for the days he'd own a Commodore Amiga. Many nights, he sat in front of the soft blue glow from new computer screens and user interfaces, diving deep into the worlds of games, tools, and emerging tech.
Yet, for Scott, it wasnât merely about using the devices; a deep curiosity drove him. Disassembling machines to unveil their inner mysteries, he'd challenge himself to reassemble them. By the time he left school, his technical skills outstripped that of many of his tutors. This fascination with tech has never waned. Today, as Managing Director and CTO of Think Cloud, Scottâs enthusiasm for cutting-edge digital technology mirrors his love for video game consoles of the early '90s.
Yet constructing a flourishing MSSP required more than mere enthusiasm. Truly, five unique strokes of Luck (Or Genius) have marked Think Cloud's journey, each elevating the company to newfound heights of accomplishment.
NEW TO MICROSOFT 365
Outlook for Windows to replace Mail and Calendar apps Microsoft is shaking things up again, this time with Outlook.
By this time next year, the Mail and Calendar apps will have been replaced with a brand new Outlook for Windows. If youâre subscribed to Microsoft 365, youâre all set. But even without a subscription, you can use it with your personal email accounts like Gmail. Itâs already got some cool features but heads up, offline support isnât available yet.
NEW TO GOOGLE WORKSPACE
Duet AI is a suite of AI-powered tools that can help you write, organise, and collaborate more effectively in Google Workspace. This article will walk you through the steps to enable Duet AI in Google Workspace. We will also answer some common questions about Googleâs AI tools.
Google Workspace is a suite of productivity and collaboration tools. It includes Gmail for business, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, etc. If you are looking for a cloud-based productivity suite that is secure, reliable, and easy to use, then Google Workspace is a great option.
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE MONTH
âItâs fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to
heed the lessons of failure.â
Bill Gates, Co-founder of Microsoft
TECH FACTS
30% of techies lie about their jobs to friends and family to avoid giving technical support for free⌠we would never do this!
More than 570 new websites are created every minute.
A single Google query uses 1,000 computers in 0.2 seconds to retrieve an answer
Tech Update
Introducing âPeople Viewâ in OneDrive
Microsoft is at it again with more innovative features. This time, itâs releasing âPeople viewâ in OneDrive Web. Itâs designed to make it easier to access shared files and is integrated directly into OneDrive. This is perfect if you regularly receive files from different people and need an easier way to locate them.
The best part? Using People View is a breeze - just select a file or folder like you would with any other item in OneDrive. Itâs designed to keep you organised by grouping shared files. We believe itâs both user-friendly and intuitive.
MEET THE TEAM
Zoe McQuade - Marketing Administrator
What Do You Do At Think Cloud?
I handle various marketing activities. This includes managing our social media accounts and creating engaging posts that highlight our expertise in cybersecurity. I also curate informative and relevant content for our newsletters, ensuring subscribers receive valuable updates. I am responsible for editing our podcast episodes to ensure they are polished and ready for publication.
What Is Your Favourite Movie?
Practical Magic is my all-time favourite, but I love to watch all Harry Potter Movies and any Marvel Movies; End Game is my Fave..
What Do You Enjoy Doing When Not At Work?
Spending time with my family and making memories, I also run a ladies' Mental Health Group on Wednesday evenings from Hull Uni- Libary called First Ladies Club.
What 3 Items Would You Take On A Desert Island?
While being stranded on a desert island might be my worst nightmare, these three items - a knife, strong string, and My Husband Leon so he could help build a raft to get off the Island.
What's Different About Working At Think Cloud?
Our team and the values that Think Cloud stands by create a great work environment.
Using ChatGPT or Google Bard
Prompt Tutorial: Using ChatGPT or Google Bard
Act as a Student of History
80/20 Learning Prompt
"I want to learn about the Roman Empire. Identify and share the most important 20% of learnings from this topic to help me understand 80%."
FUN TECH QUIZ
ANOTHER MONTH MEANS ANOTHER FUN TECH QUIZ!
HEREâS YOUR QUIZ FOR SEPTEMBER
1) What does the GPT stand for in ChatGPT?
2) What name was Windows known by in its earliest days of development?
3) What computer is the best-selling single-model personal computer of all time?
4) What was the Macâs first web browser called?
5) âConfinityâ was the former name of which well-known company?
Answers at bottom of page.
8 in 10 businesses were targeted with phishing in the last year. Was yours?
Despite all the buzz about high-tech threats like ransomware and malware, good old phishing has held on to its title as the number one trick in a cyber criminalâs toolkit.
Phishing is when someone tries to trick you into giving them your personal information, like your password or credit card number. They do this by sending you emails or text messages that look like theyâre from a genuine company.
According to the latest annual cyber breaches survey, 79% of businesses were targeted with a phishing attempt in the past year. And if your employees arenât trained in cyber security awareness, 1 in 3 will likely fall for a phishing attack.
Scary. You might think, âSure, itâs bad, but it canât be that bad, right?â Well, letâs break down the consequences of a successful phishing Attack.
The impact on your business
Letâs set the scene: one of your employees clicks on a bad link in an email. Next, sensitive company data is in the hands of cybercriminals. Youâre looking
at a potential financial loss, damage to your reputation, and one giant headache.
The impact on your employees
Thereâs more⌠itâs not just your business that takes a hit. The employee who clicked that link? Theyâre probably feeling as guilty as a dog caught stealing a steak from the dinner table. This can lead to stress, decreased productivity, and even increased employee turnover.
Turn lemons into lemonade
As a business owner, how you handle these incidents can make a big difference.
Pointing fingers and placing blame? Thatâs a one-way ticket to a toxic work environment. Instead, why not turn these incidents into learning opportunities? This way, youâre fostering a culture of understanding and open communication. Remember, everyone makes mistakes â how we learn from them counts.
How can we show phishing whoâs boss?
One word: training. Regular cyber security awareness training
can significantly reduce the risk of phishing attacks being successful. And it can also help protect you from a host of other cyber security risks. It feels like a no-brainer.
BUSINESS GADGET OF THE MONTH
The laptop cooling pad
When youâre working so hard your fingers are smoking, itâs a good idea to ensure your laptop isnât at risk of smoking, too. Not only is it bad for your battery, but it can slow performance too. And that could damage the long-term health of your device.
Enter the laptop cooling pad. These clever little gadgets cool
your laptop down with fans, and of course, theyâre as portable
as your laptop is. This Liangstar one is our favorite because
it's got quiet fans and an adjustable stand!
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
QUESTION
How do I back up my data?
ANSWER
Backing up data cansave your business from a
catastrophe, so make sureyou do it! Basic backup can
be as simple as connecting an external drive and
copying important files. However, you must then
remember to do it. The most robust solution is using
software that updates all your files securely to the
cloud, all the time. We can suggest a service if you want.
QUESTION
Our network is slowâŚcan we speed it up?
ANSWER
A slow network is frustrating and can halt
productivity. To speed it up, you can upgrade your
hardware, optimise router settings, limit bandwidth-hungry apps, and regularly update network drivers. Again⌠we can help!
QUESTION
Do my staff need USB cameras when working from home?
ANSWER
Most current laptops have great cameras built-in,
so probably not. However, the better the image and
sound, the better they can communicate. It might be
worth investing in cameras, USB microphones and
lighting for staff who speak to clients or prospects on
video calls.
Take a look at our latest blog posts
- AI's Icebox Moment: Like Coca-Cola, Innovate and Protect Your Recipe
- Reaching End Of Life, Windows 10 Says Goodbye.
- The Hack Newsletter - Edition 40 | Think Cloud
Answers To Fun Tech Quiz -
Generative Pre-trained Transformer
Interface Manager, back in 1981
Commodore 64, selling 30 million units between 1982 and 1993
Samba, in the early 90s
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