Content contributed by Briana George, Client Services Manager What is Odyssey Tracker? Odyssey Tracker is an automation tool for proactive tracking which begins with any printer or copier included in our Usherwood agreement. The software can gather your meters, a device used to count how many pages have been printed from the machine, automatically. It also tracks toner usage on printers and copiers. Technicians and engineers are immediately alerted to any upcoming issue regarding toner levels or meters so they may resolve it in a timely manner. Any new equipment and services deployed later in the process will be added to the Odyssey Tracker to monitor after deployment. This process reduces downtime and allows Usherwood to optimize our client’s overall printing strategy. Why is Odyssey Tracker beneficial to have? Usherwood’s Supply Team can see when the device will run out of toner before the end user even gets notified.  From there, the team will ship your supplies automatically, saving you time and money from toners going bad due to age or being lost. Usherwood’s Odyssey Tracker is also used to gather your meters automatically for billing purposes. By using this automated process, you and your team will no longer need to gather meter counts on each networked device and send them to Usherwood yourself. With meters being tracked and collected, this gives you accurate billing and automatic toner fulfillment, all at no cost to you!  How does Odyssey Tracker calculate the empty date for toner? Odyssey Tracker will track toner usage by calculating the yield of the toner versus your usage. It then calculates an empty date that is based on the volume of the specific device and the yield of the toner. This provides the software with a calculated empty date. The empty date can vary based on the usage of the device. Odyssey Tracker alerts Usherwood’s Supply Team when the toner will be empty within 30 days and triggers a shipment of toner to you. Are you a new or prospective client? Our solutions architects can perform an assessment of your print environment and deliver the absolute best options for your environment based on all the information Odyssey Tracker gathers. Usherwood will evaluate your budget, current meter readings, and amount of devices in your environment in order to determine your current cost of printing. From there, Usherwood can design a solution to streamline your printers and save you money.

It is important to ensure a clean and germ-free environment for employees. When it comes to sanitizing offices, one thing that can be overlooked is cleaning office equipment like copiers and printers that are being handled every day by a lot of people. For this reason, we have provided the necessary information to clean your copiers and printers without having to worry about damaging them. Not only will this decrease the risk of employees spreading germs in the office, but it will also keep office equipment looking as good as new! Usherwood suggests these three products when it comes to cleaning your workplace device. Lint Free Cloth Isopropyl alcohol (70% alcohol or higher) Disposable Gloves Never use any products containing ammonia or bleach.  This can cause significant damage to your equipment, often resulting in costly repairs.  The recommended sanitization steps involve antibacterial products such as, alcohol wipes, disinfectant sprays, or disinfectant wipes. A specific disinfectant that we recommend is Isopropyl alcohol. You can start by applying Isopropyl alcohol to a lint free cloth. Never spray directly on any surfaces and if using a cloth, always make sure it is lint free.  Do not soak the lint free cloth with the cleaning solution or it can cause water damage to the equipment. The only product that should be used on glass surfaces are cleaners specifically made for glass applied with indirect application and once again using a lint free microfiber cloth to hand wipe down the device, including the display, keypad, and all the jam release handle and cover. Isopropyl can be used to clean glass, but after cleaning with this product it is a good idea to go over the surface again with a glass cleaner. Note that using bleach or other chemicals to clean the device can be harmful or cause damage. If you are looking for upgraded protection on touch screens and willing to incur a slightly higher expense, then anti-microbial film may be the choice for you.  This is a protective film that can be applied to touch surfaces and can withstand harsher cleaning chemicals. Cleaning your devices properly is not only important for the health and safety of everyone using the equipment but, also for the equipment itself. For any more questions regarding the best way to clean a specific device, call us at 800.724.2119

Usherwood Welcomes Peter Kozakiewicz as Solutions Architect It is our pleasure to announce Peter Kozakiewicz as our Solutions Architect to the Plattsburgh marketplace. In his position, Peter will specialize in the design and implementation of business solutions. Peter comes to Usherwood from WB Mason where he was a Sales Representative for over 5 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration – Marketing/Management from SUNY Albany. In his spare time; Peter enjoys playing golf, going to the gym, and spending time with friends.

When you're exploring cost-effective solutions for your office solutions, it might be confusing whether its best to lease or buy equipment. For example, should you buy or lease a copier? If so, what are the terms in copier lease agreements, and how do you identify the best copier leasing companies? There are great arguments in favor of both purchasing and leasing options. Here are the pros and cons of leasing vs buying, and what to look for in quality copier equipment leasing companies. Pros of Purchasing Printers and Copiers Many businesses opt to buy office equipment instead of leasing. Some of the upsides to purchasing a copier machine or multifunction printer include no interest payments and the flexibility to switch managed printing services. No Interest Payments Purchasing a device can be a great decision if you have sizable cash reserves. A purchase involves a one-time payment for the price of the equipment. This eliminates the need to make interest payments over the course of a payback period, resulting in a better Return on Investment (ROI). Flexibility to Switch Technology Partners Purchasing gives you the flexibility to change your maintenance contract to another vendor. At any point if you become dissatisfied with the level of service you are receiving from your current vendor, then you can make a change at will. When you go through a copier leasing service you can still switch providers. However, the ease of switching is contingent on whether it is a value lease (includes print allowance in payment) or a straight-up lease (which bills equipment and service separately). Cons of Purchasing Office Technology Despite the positives of buying equipment, there are some downsides to buying equipment. Large Business Expense Purchasing equipment can require a large upfront investment that many organizations cannot readily afford. When it comes to tax implications, you can take only a small fraction of the purchase value as a depreciable expense each month. This reduces your tax liability, but not nearly as much as it does with an ongoing lease. For your specific situation, we recommend consulting with your trusted tax professional. Outdated Equipment Your organization tends to hang on to equipment for too long, sometimes even up to 7-10 years too long. Within this amount of time, the equipment becomes outdated, unreliable, and in need of repairs. If there is a delay in purchasing or repairing equipment, your organization can be caught off guard with an unplanned large expense. This uneven cash flow is not ideal for business growth, so it might be better to lease if you're unwilling to roll the dice. Not to mention that after 5 years it can become exceedingly difficult to find replacement parts should they break. You will likely also pay more for maintenance on older equipment. Upsides of Leasing There are many reasons why printer or copier rental/leasing might be your best option. low upfront costs and having updated technology are among a few. Low Upfront Cost Leasing can allow your organization to acquire a multifunction device with little or no upfront cost. From a cash standpoint, leasing allows you to spread out the cost of the equipment over a set period of time. This allows you to plan all payments on a monthly basis, removing the uncertainty of unexpected repairs or replacements that were not budgeted for. Finding a part that goes with an older piece of equipment can be a timely and expensive process. By updating your equipment on a regular basis, through a lease, this issue can be eliminated. Newer Technology Leasing enables you to ensure equipment is regularly updated. It’s best practice to update your equipment every 3-4 years. This helps keep your business at the forefront of newer and better technology, including better security, longer life for supplies, and less visits for repairs, which keeps you consistently up and running. It is the best avenue for those who want to stay current in a rapidly evolving technology landscape. Downsides of Leasing Leasing is not for everyone. Factors to consider include lease terms, lack of ownership, and interest payments. You Don’t Own the Equipment When you lease, you don’t own the equipment and therefore have no equity in it. At the end of its usable life, you are unable to sell the equipment and receive any of your investment back. Lack of ownership may exempt you from certain tax benefits simply because the value of the asset is not on your financial books. High Interest Payments When leasing, you will have to pay a higher cost over time than you would have paid with an upfront purchase. This is due to the interest that is incurred in each payment which will cause the overall cost of the equipment to be more expensive for the business. These interest payments can vary. For instance, it is important to keep in mind that interest payments on a lease will be higher if it is a dollar buyout lease vs Fair Market Value. These details will be outlined in lease agreements that vary depending on different copy machine leasing companies. How to Find Copier Machine Leasing Companies If you need more information before deciding between leasing and buying office equipment, check out our blogs: Leasing vs Purchasing Copiers- which is right for your business? How Do I Get Out of My Copier Lease? Best Time For a Business to Purchase a Printer 3 Things to Review Before Purchasing a New Copier If you're ready to speak to a managed print expert about your business' unique office technology needs, click the button below.

Congratulations Carlos Acevedo for 5 successful years representing Usherwood Office Technology! Your dedication and loyalty to this company is appreciated and we want to recognize you on this important milestone.

When making a purchase, you always want to feel secure and confident with your buying decision. Check out these three effortless steps to help you choose your new copier:   Step 1. Analyze your current copier To make a regret free purchase, it is important to review the product that you currently have. Think about it, how can you make decisions for the future without evaluating the mistakes or successes of the past? I mean we can, but it usually does not end well. For this reason, become aware of the features you may have liked or disliked about your copier or service provider so that you can plan accordingly for your next purchase. On that note, let us review what type of copier you have currently and gather the information that’s going to assist you in making a purchase that you can be confident in. Look at two costs when reviewing your current copier cost:  The cost of the hardware – This will either be a lease or a purchase price.  Evaluating this expense gives you a good starting point in understanding what impact these investments have on your organizational budget. If you decide a lease is a better fit for your organization, it's important to decide which lease term best fits your needs. The most common lease terms are 36, 48 or 60 months. Service Contract Cost and Volume Coverage- Your service contract and billing invoices can provide you with more information than you can imagine. To upgrade a copier, the very first thing you should do is a thorough analysis of the volume and billing within the last 2 years. Evaluating increases or decreases in volume ensures that the contract recommended is appropriate for the status and provides a hardware solution that is fitting.     Review the functions/features of your current copier. Are all these features necessary? Are you missing any necessary functions? Now that you have reviewed your current costs, it is time to reevaluate what copier functions you have on your current device. This can include printing, scanning, faxing, stapling, hole punching, and a host of other features. The best place to start is by reviewing the original purchase paperwork and then talking with your key users. The goal is to determine which functions are being used by both you and other employees. Even though you may not use a specific function such as, hole punch, someone else may feel this is a critically important feature for preparing items such as board meeting packets or training manuals. Understanding which features are essential and which are not is a great way to save on costs for your next copier. Step 2. Determine What is Necessary from your New Copier   With the knowledge you have gained from step one, you are now ready to dive into your new copier functions. The previous discussions with your key users will help guide you in looking for improvements to your current situation.     Some of the items to discuss in this process are:     Hardware functions: Copy, printing, scanning, faxing, stapling, and paper supply. These are all items that would be hardware consideration. They are functions and features you want to make sure are included in your proposal.     Workflow Solutions: These are solutions that the hardware can provide that impacts how you do your work. For example, where do your documents go after you scan them? When you have incoming faxes, how do they get distributed? With the technology advances in copier capabilities, there may be easy to implement solutions that can improve how you manage your paper. These discussions may seem tedious at first, but the goal is to get the best value from your investment. Step 3. How Do You Choose the Best Copier Company to Purchase From? There are three parts to consider when choosing which company to purchase from: Company Product Sales Representative Within these three considerations, look for valuable traits such as, Stability Longevity Reliability Reputation The Company Choose between a National or Local Provider When determining what company to partner with there are virtually only two types of organizations available. The first is a national company that manufactures and sells their own copiers. The second is a value-added local, independent dealer that chooses the products they sell and support. There can be cultural differences between the two, so it is important that the culture of your provider resonates with your culture as well. Make sure they are a reliable with service You also want to ensure that they are quick to service your equipment and deal with any issues that you may have. For example, when resolving billing or servicing challenges choose the company that will provide solutions quicker and more effectively for you and your employees. Ask these questions: Does the company participate in industry benchmarks and measure results? What future solutions and partnerships can the organization provide? What are the Service Benchmarks in place and what can I expect? When I have service, billing, or network issues- how are they resolved? The Product: Determine the brand you would like: Once you have chosen a trustworthy company to work with, the next step is determining which product to purchase. Luckily for you, if you have chosen a reliable company to work with, then you have already eliminated a great deal of the stress of choosing the product. With a knowledgeable servicing company, you can now rely on them to provide you with the best product options for your specific environment and workflow. One of the best ways to evaluate all the different brands and models is to schedule a product demonstration. A product demonstration allows for the customer to see and feel the differences between products in real time. Some of the brands that you might be considering for your copier are: Ricoh Canon Xerox Konica Minolta Kyocera Kip Toshiba HP Manufacturers can provide detailed market share and reliability indexes. In reference to the dealer relationship with a manufacturer, it may be a good idea to work with service technicians. They know which brands are the most reliable and they can tell you if the manufacturer provides superior support to the technicians when solutions are not readily available at the dealership level. The Sales Representative Honesty, transparency, and responsiveness to all inquiries are strong indicators of a successful business partner. Here are some standard personal commitments that should be expected from your Sales Rep: On-going Customer Training – Training at the point of installation and throughout the life of the hardware. Fleet Management – Committed to working for your customers to develop strategic planning to improve internal technology capability and reduce overall operating costs. The commitment goes beyond the current placement and includes a long-term vision for your organization. Customer Response Commitment– All phone calls and emails are responded to within 24 hours. Any issues or concerns are promptly and cheerfully handled. The Rep’s responsibility is customer satisfaction with the company, product, and services. Service Reviews – Personalized service review of hardware performance, service response times, parts replacement etc. available at any time throughout the life of the hardware. Technology Upgrades – Committed to bringing the appropriate technology to the customer through personal training and understanding of industry trends. Honesty and Transparency – The goal with every customer is to develop a business relationship that is built upon mutual respect and confidence that their word is their commitment.

It was me. I am writing from the perspective of an intern who fell for a phishing scam, which is a type of social engineering attack, despite having gone through copious amounts of cybersecurity training. I will be sharing my thoughts and experiences on the timely issue in the hope that it will help deter you from making the same mistake. What is Phishing? Phishing, also called credential phishing, is a method that hackers use to gather a person's personal information through deceptive emails and websites. To do this a hacker will send out an email and they will appear to be a user of a reputable company or a familiar contact. The email will usually contain a request or a link that the hacker has set to look like a legitimate website, so that they get you to click on it. The website will ask you to “log-in” or provide personal information. The login credentials and personal information are then captured, and the hacker can begin to use the information they gathered to gain access to your company servers, resources, applications, and more. Phishing Emails are On the Rise Phishing scams are becoming increasingly prevalent, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Attacks have significantly increased on devices as more people begin working remotely. Being a victim of a phishing attack is nothing to be embarrassed about. As technology becomes more advanced and hackers are getting more skilled at sending personalized emails, it is getting harder and harder to recognize. Even the most secure companies cannot block all phishing attempts without the risk of blocking real business emails. For this reason, it is important to spread awareness about different phishing experiences people have had, including my own. Before I get into my story, I will point out that I was trained to look for red flags of phishing attacks and how to avoid getting scammed in both the past and during my internship onboarding. With that being said, I still seemed to find myself a predicament that so many had tried to help me avoid. The Time I Fell for a Phishing Scam Last summer while working as an intern, I had my first phishing scare. It was about one month in my internship, I went into the office, checked my computer, and saw an email from my company's CEO. This is not typical, so I should have been a little suspicious, but coincidentally I had just met the CEO for the first time the day before when he visited our Boston office. For this reason, I thought it made sense that he might be reaching out to ask me for a favor. In the email “Lou,” our CEO, asked me to purchase several gift cards that he would be surprising the sales team in the afternoon. He asked that I not tell anyone so that it could remain a surprise. As a college intern, I was not in the place to make this large purchase, but “Lou” informed me that after I bought the gift cards I would be fully reimbursed immediately. I still did not feel comfortable doing this, but “Lou” insisted and said I would be doing him a huge favor. He was putting me in a very tight spot which did not seem characteristic of him. Before heading out to secretly purchase them, I decided I should run it by one of my co-workers. He came over to my desk, to look at the email I had been sent, and he began laughing. I looked back at him, both confused and unamused. “What’s so funny!?” I said, to which he replied “Sarah, this is not Lou Usherwood- it’s a phishing scam.” I showed him the thread of messages and the signs of a phishing scam quickly began to reveal themselves. He pointed out that the email address did not match his usual company email address. That is when I realized I had fallen victim to my first phishing scam. Lessons Learned Although I was a victim of a phishing scam, the gift card scheme was both a minor incident and a thankfully unsuccessful attempt compared to what could have happened. Clicking on a link and beginning a ransomware attack or sending a wire fraud could have also easily been the outcome. It is extremely necessary to take precautions and become more educated in how to identify and avoid a phishing attack. Training your entire workforce using professionally developed phishing awareness courses will be crucial to your cybersecurity strategy. Everyone from a summer intern to the lifelong CEO should be required to take these phish trainings, as anyone can become a victim. Risk and mitigation of phishing attacks must be top of mind all the time when employees open emails. I hope my story will help you or someone you know prevent harm due to a phishing attack. How to Implement Phishing Tests for Employees Outsourced IT services are great resources that will offer recommended controls/protocols for phishing attacks. Some of the biggest red flags to look for included in the acronym S.L.A.M. or Sender, Links, Attachments, and Message. Read more about these signs in our blog: SLAM Dunk Your Email Security with These 4 Rules to Live By. Updated training modules, tests, and other phishing attack tools can help prevent phishing attacks from becoming successful. Phishing prevention starts at the top, so make sure to educate your leadership on types of attacks targeting high-ranking personnel (whaling attacks or spear phishing). Awareness and education are your first line of defense against cyber attackers. If you're interested in stepping up your cybersecurity game with an experienced security team, click the button below to explore the possibilities.

Congratulations Briana George for 5 successful years representing Usherwood Office Technology! Your dedication and loyalty to this company is appreciated and we want to recognize you on this important milestone.