The construction and property management industry has been experiencing strong growth and expansion, with additional growth anticipated in the coming years — and with growth comes transformation.

There are a handful of technology trends influencing the construction and property management sector that are important for organizations in these fields to be aware of.

By gaining an understanding of the shifts that are taking place, they will be better positioned to recognize which organizational adjustments and operational strategy changes they need to make to prepare for the future and gain a competitive advantage.

In this post, I'll expand on a few notable trends I've noticed or been asked about in my dealings with clients in this field, including:

1. Increased emphasis on collaboration
2. Internet of Things (IoT)
3. Virtual and augmented realities (AR and VR)
4. Telepresence and automated receptionist systems

Partnering with a managed IT services provider (MSP) for a Hybrid IT approach enhances your internal IT department with much-needed support, specialized skills and more — without the expense of adding headcount.

Not every business has the staff within their existing organization that they may need, especially with today's quickly-evolving technology landscape. 

As Gordon Haff states in his article, Why IT Went Hybrid (And Why It Matters), "it's probably impossible to do everything in-house — and it's certainly not economically sensible." 

Haff is right on target, as more and more situations require specialized skills, such as those specific to cybersecurity, physical security, strategic planning or technology upgrade projects. When these situations arise, a company that attempts to solely handle them in-house, on top of their existing workload, can put too much weight on internal IT departments, leaving them less likely to succeed.

Read on to learn how we partner with many of our clients to alleviate these stresses, because your team deserves the resources and support necessary to succeed.

The biggest lesson I learned while planning my wedding last year is that success is all about partnership. With so many details, priorities and districtations vying for our attention these days, it's more essential than ever to find someone you can trust and work with as a team in the pursuit of mutual goals, interests and success factors. This doesn't only apply to your personal life, though. In fact, it's just as relevant in business relationships, especially those that relate to the technology that drives your business, such as a managed services provider (MSP).

Whether they're offering help desk services, document solutions, hardware, software, managed IT services, or any combination thereof, the “P” in MSP should really stand for Partner. Let’s face it, if it works out we may be talking about a long-term relationship here. So, before you say “I do,” ask some critical questions of any technology suitors vying for your business.

A service level agreement (SLA) with the right MSP can, and should be, mutually beneficial to both parties — in other words, it should be a partnership. Don’t be timid about scrutinizing the intentions of any firm courting your business. Make them pass the three S test: strategy, service and support.

Have you ever wondered how IT vendors get away with hourly or timed billing for maintaining systems they were supposed to prevent from having issues in the first place?

Well, the short answer is simply because they could. Because they held a grip on your technology and everyone else in the profession charged the same way.

But not for long...times are definitely a-changing.

The good news is that the introduction of new all-inclusive business models is driving the market towards a fixed fee culture — though the majority of IT providers still use hourly billing under a "break/fix" business model.

But how exactly does the fixed-fee model work? How can one expect to maintain secure, speedy and scalable systems in the face of relentlessly evolving technology, with a predictable monthly bill?

Managing your office can be a difficult endeavor. It's an ongoing responsibility that involves a lot of working parts.

Between document and network management, there is never a shortage of processes and systems to assess, issues to address or methods to reconsider. However, the key to ensuring the work of your organization gets done as efficiently and as cost-effective as possible all comes down to your workflow.

Business processes are usually created holistically over time. As such, there are often a lot of areas that overlap, producing redundancies and inefficiencies.

These pitfalls, in turn, lead to unnecessary costs and delays, and hamper the overall performance and success of an organization. As your organization grows and evolves, it's important to adapt operations in tandem and consistently evaluate workflows to ensure they reflect the best possible way for work to get done. 

There are a number of ways to create a winning workflow strategy. The first step is to get a clear picture of what processes and systems are in place right now.

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Murphy’s Law states that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, and when it comes to information technology, Murphy was an optimist.

Data is at the heart of any modern organization. If critical data is lost due to accident, database corruption, theft, hardware failure, or even natural disaster, business continuity can come to a halt. Data backup and disaster recovery may not be at the top of the list of topics for discussion at the company picnic, but maybe it should be.

Because data is the heart of any enterprise, it's crucial to protect it and be able to recover data that gets lost or corrupted despite your best protective measures.

Read on for:

1. Why backing up your data matters
2. What data should be backed up
3. How data should be backed up

File sync-and-share apps have become increasingly popular with enterprises, both small and large.

In some organizations, the ability to share and edit electronic documents is essential to their operations. Used properly, file sharing can enhance productivity, creativity, and collaboration. Used improperly, it can cause data security nightmares.

Hackers and other cyber crooks are always looking for the weak spot in any network security system. They're constantly probing and testing firewalls and antivirus software, or going on “phishing” expeditions looking for victims. But, sometimes, they get lucky and an unsecured document or email just drops into their laps.

RELATED: Is Antivirus Software Really Dead?

A mistake in peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing can result in anything from a slight inconvenience to a major security breach. As a member of Meridian’s VCIO Team, I consider secure file sharing to be a top priority. In this post, I'll explain why it should be one of your top priorities, too.

In today's highly digitized landscape, businesses are facing a lot of major changes within their organization. With more applications, processes and operations moving online and to electronic platforms, IT management has become a primary area of focus for many.

The world of IT is incredibly complex and ever-evolving, so if you're a small or medium sized business with relatively limited resources, it's highly recommended that you consult with a managed IT services provider (MSP).

According to IDC, these MSP organizations are expected to account for over $1 trillion in annual revenue in 2018 — a testament to the reliance many companies are, and will continue, to put in them.

But, with so many options out there, how do you pick the right IT partner for your business?

Large enterprises have been utilizing server virtualization for about 10 years, and the benefits of this technology are now available to smaller businesses, too.

Server virtualization creates “virtual environments” that allow multiple applications of server workloads to run on one computer. This flexible method of computing has many benefits to offer, especially for small to mid-sized businesses.

Here are the top 5 ways SMBs can benefit from server virtualization:

1. The Benefits can be Greater the Smaller the Enterprise
2. Maximum Server Utilization
3. Better Disaster Recovery Capabilities
4. Smoother Business Continuity
5. Enhance Security

Read on to learn more about each of these top 5 virtualization benefits for SMBs.

I can’t stop thinking about encryption.

Right after Google announced plans to release an extension to its Chrome browser called “End-To-End”, with the goal of facilitating easier email encryption, I found a postcard on the sidewalk. The postcard was addressed to a house three doors down from where I found it, so I simply took it there and dropped it in their mailbox. But, in the process of searching for the address, I inadvertently read the greeting — “Dear Aunt Sally.”

Having no interest in Aunt Sally, I read no further — but I could have — and that is the point of this blog. Unencrypted email can be less secure than sending a post card via snail mail.