Macro Systems Blog

Business leaders and decision makers have a lot to deal with… and that’s before factoring in all the problems and obstacles that arise over the course of their normal operations, especially when it comes to the technology their businesses rely on.

Of course, a smart business owner would want their technology to be as reliable as possible, available without requiring conscious effort. As it happens, one of the modern options for IT support enables circumstances to be as close to this ideal as possible… but the other predominant option ultimately gives you more to worry about.

Running a business can feel like a constant battle against inefficiency. There are innumerable reasons an organization doesn’t meet productivity standards. Fortunately, however, technology offers powerful tools to identify and eliminate these issues. Listed below: how you can utilize technology to find and fix inefficiencies in your business.

Business owners have a lot of responsibilities, and while you can hire a lot of people to cover some of the more stressful ones, it might feel strange to outsource your company’s technology management. You know IT is imperative, so that’s why you feel like you have to do it yourself, or at least in-house, but in reality, you’re the last person who should be working with your technology—and we’ll explain why.

You should want your team to be ready and able to accomplish as much as possible. So, when a team member approaches you with a request for a better laptop or a dual-monitor setup and the wish to do more with their time, you should agree. That being said, there may be that little voice in the back of your head, whispering, “Was that a wise investment?”

It can be hard to balance the need for employee satisfaction with your budgetary restrictions, but it must be done. Listed below are the considerations you need to make… as well as the pitfalls that must be avoided.

A disorganized workspace can lead to a disorganized mind. Whether you're working from home or in an office, keeping your workspace clean and organized can significantly boost your productivity, reduce stress, and even spark creativity. It's not just about aesthetics; it's about creating an environment where you can thrive.

Here are five tips to help you maintain a pristine and productive workspace:

The grind of daily business operations can feel relentless. From overflowing inboxes to endless task lists and scattered information, it's easy to get bogged down in the minutiae. That’s why it's imperative to know and utilize the right technology to transform tedious tasks into strategically streamlined workflows, providing you and your team with more time and clarity. Listed below is a look at some of the technology you can use to take a little stress off your grind.

Has this ever happened to you?

It’s late, after a long day of work, but you’re finally home and able to relax. Just as you get comfortable, your phone dings. You glance at your phone. It’s a work email… and if you’re like most, you’ll be itching just to check it and get it over with. The problem is, each time you do so, you whittle away the line between work and the rest of your life. This “always on” impression our technology offers has contributed to a few significant problems. 

Let’s see if we can address these problems.

You’ve probably heard the saying "work smarter, not harder". It usually describes the use of technology to bring time-and-money-saving advantages to the table that human workers can’t produce on their own. As good as technology is at enhancing productivity and efficiency, it only works if you are able to get your employees engaged. 

While the allure of shiny new gadgets and cutting-edge software is undeniable, the real magic happens when these investments directly translate into tangible productivity gains, transforming how we work and propelling businesses forward.

Time isn't just money; it's the entire vault. The correct tools and strategies can transform not just your IT infrastructure, but your entire workflow. Below we're going to talk about a surprisingly simple, yet profoundly effective, time management method: the Pomodoro Technique. This useful strategy that can keep you focused and on task. 

If you’re reading this on the day it's posted, it's Wednesday. How often have you had to rewrite the same messages, over and over, in your internal reporting and client interactions so far this week? Probably quite a bit, and certainly more than you’d prefer.

This is wasteful: not only does replicating this message over and over cost valuable time, but it also uses up mental energy… plus, simply copy-pasting can easily lead to errors and oversights. Luckily, modern email platforms provide templates that can be utilized to generate consistent and quality messages. 

Productivity is one of the most common modern business goals, with many doing everything they can to optimize it. In fact, today is officially World Productivity Day, highlighting the significant importance placed on this specific metric.

Despite this, productivity can often feel unreachable… regardless of how busy one is throughout the day. Listed below are three habits that will significantly support your work and help make the most of your time.

Business owners have to wear many hats. You're the CEO, the head of sales, the marketing guru, and often, the de facto IT department. It's understandable that with so much to do, dealing with a sluggish computer or a temperamental software program gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. A laissez-faire attitude towards your technology can have serious consequences, however. Listed below: why being lazy with your IT causes more harm than good.

The point-of-sale (POS) system has evolved from a simple cash register into the dynamic hub of your business operations. Beyond that satisfying sound it makes (if you turn on that feature) it now handles inventory, customer data, and more. Your POS is working harder than ever, but is it working smarter for you? As a mission-critical system, choosing or upgrading your POS isn't just about processing payments; it's about future-proofing your success.

It's common that people need to access the same websites repeatedly for their work purposes, including calendars, applications, and portals. Bookmarking these resources offers a simple way to quickly and easily access them on demand.

Listed below are practices that can help you take these handy utilities to the next level of usefulness. 

There are many ways that a modern small or medium-sized business can experience an issue that puts their IT out of commission in one way or another. Each one can hit one of these businesses especially hard in the wallet.

Let’s review some today and discuss how they can be resolved.

How often do you find yourself feeling the weight of your agenda stressing you out, and, counterproductively, distracting you from the task you’re currently working on? One of the best ways to power through and stay on track is to step away and take a minute to get your stress back under control. 

If you feel like you never have enough time to work through your to-do list, you’re far from the only one. If you make small adjustments to the way you tackle everyday tasks and responsibilities, you may be able to change your productivity habits for the better. Listed below are tips on how you can make the most of your workday with simple, easy tricks.

If your company has at least a couple of employees who spend part of their workday in a different location, are you doing all you can to help them be as productive as possible? While remote work is beneficial in so many circumstances, there are a lot of caveats to it that must be considered. Listed below is how you can mitigate risk and keep remote work from becoming a liability for your organization.

Every year, new malware, ransomware, and cyber threats emerge from the depths of the internet, evolving like a villain in a sci-fi movie. One moment, you’re minding your own business, and the next, your company’s data is held hostage and a hacker is demanding you pay them in Bitcoin.

Remote work isn’t a new strategy, but ever since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-office activities for all types of businesses, the amount of remote workers has grown regularly. In 2024, nearly 22 million workers would be considered fully remote, with over twice that amount working a hybrid schedule where they are remote at least one day per work week. This shift in the way that people work has required some adjustments, and this month, we wanted to take a closer look at the employees’ side of the “new normal”

To be clear, this won’t be a comprehensive list of problems that remote workers are dealing with, but we will try to go through some of the challenges and benefits that people deal with when they work remotely.