The Datamax Thinking Blog

To maintain both their livelihood and their credibility, SMBs must be aware of, and must be prepared for, this persistent, potentially disastrous cybersecurity threat.

Anyone who thought the Ransomware storm that hovered over businesses for years had passed, should take a look at the radar. The forecast calls for more severe weather.

Do their values reflect a commitment to maximizing your return on technology investment? Is their communication – and their approach – crystal clear?

Pardon the inevitable pun. But does your technology partner have a 2020 vision, at least for your business? Does their vision match your's?

In other words, can they:

• Speak to the true challenges of your industry and your specific organization?
• Identify opportunities for creating more efficient business processes, and make relevant technology recommendations that are relevant to YOU?  
• Maintain accountability with proven results?

This is not a sophisticated scam. However, it is an effective and profitable one and it happens to an increasing number of companies across America each year around tax time.

Tax season is here. Are you safe? That seems like an odd question to ask; nevertheless, with the increasing sophistication of cybercriminals it must be considered and answered.

Here's to continued thought leadership, collaboration and relevant content we can provide to help you maximize your return on technology investment.

The header on our Datamax Thinking Blog Page spells out our commitment to our readers: “Educating, collaborating, and sparking ideas for maximizing the technology that matters.”

In 2019, we added another dimension with “You Ask, We Answer.” We understand that today, readers often need swift, concise answers to specific technology questions they’re facing, which is the focus of this new blog initiative.

Essentially, Section 179 of the IRS tax code allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment and/or software purchased or financed during the tax year. That means that if you buy (or lease) a piece of qualifying equipment, you can deduct the FULL PURCHASE PRICE from your gross income.

It’s the end of the year. Businesses are busily reviewing their bottom line and – perhaps – scanning every corner of their organization for any sort of competitive boost as 2020 looms around the corner.

Small business owners or managers may not be aware of an incentive that could forge a huge technology and productivity boost in their immediate future: Section 179 Deduction of the IRS Tax Code.

Here’s a step-by-step approach to getting the most out of your new cloud communications system — with a fast roll-out and zero downtime.

Your communications system represents the lifeblood of your business. So switching to a new phone system can be a big challenge for a small or medium-sized company.

The first step on the road to success is removing risks by choosing a service provider with a proven track record. Look for a partner (not just a provider) with a robust network and many satisfied, better yet, raving business customers.

Thought-leading communication is shared. Key decisions are made. Innovations change the game entirely. But to borrow a tired, old advertising cliché, the customer must still come first.

We can learn a lot from our own history, as well as those around us. It’s true in politics, in pop culture, and certainly in business.

By developing – and deploying – enterprise-wide print strategies now, businesses can over time, through the eight methodical steps, make a positive impact on the environment and their bottom line.

Texas Politician Rick Green had this signature witticism, ‘"That’s Green, like money!" Being "green," of course, also refers to corporate programs launched to help organizations be environmentally proactive.

What Green – and many businesses today – may not know, is that both initiatives (the environment and your bottom line) can be achieved simultaneously through a series of Printing Best Practices.

Canon’s UVgel technology, as featured in the Océ Colorado Wide Format Series, is retaining the advantages of prevailing printer technologies while eliminating many of the compromises.

What constitutes a game-changer?

Atari’s ball-swatting back and forth game Pong spawned a $22 billion home gaming industry. Michael Jordan leapt from the free throw line for a spell-bounding dunk. The IBM PC Model turned personal computers from a hobby into a legitimate business tool.

Game-changers exist across all professional endeavors. They introduce a new direction and have immediate impact. They breed change. They strike fear.  They literally change the game. Print technology is no exception. Enter Canon’s signature UVgel technology.

As your business game plans for every scenario that could come your way with a Business Continuity and/or Disaster Recovery strategy, thorough planning is essential. Communication is essential. And testing your plan is of utmost importance.

Legendary Dallas Cowboys Coach (and also B-17 Pilot) Tom Landry, the author of the Doomsday Defense, was the consummate planner.

Unequivocally calm, cool and collected under even the most overwhelming of circumstances, Landry carried with him a philosophy that if his players executed the plans he laid out for them, if coaches stuck to a rigid, to-the-minute itinerary every week, the final outcome would be favorable.