The following sponsored content by Carolina Digital Phone is for informational purposes only and does not reflect the official policy or position of the company. The author's research and understanding of the subject matter is presented, but readers are advised to conduct their own research and seek professional advice before making any business decisions. Carolina Digital Phone does not guarantee the accuracy or endorse any specific products or services mentioned. The company is not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities arising from the use or reliance of the information provided. The world is constantly evolving and so is the business...

After two years of lockdowns, supply chain issues, and other pandemic-related restrictions, businesses can finally start moving forward in the “new normal,” right? Wrong! Because while the worst of Covid seems behind us, there is now another threat to confront: the highest levels of inflation in 40 years. The costs of living are up as is the cost of borrowing. In this article, answer the question: How does inflation affect businesses? We also provide practical tips on cutting costs. Understanding the Basics Essentially, inflation occurs when prices go up. As a result — and this is the crucial thing to keep in mind...

The Dangers of Accepting the "New Normal" January 2020 seems like a lifetime ago for many of us. For business owners, it may feel like a good deal longer. But that’s the last time many of us can remember operating under normal parameters before COVID-19 changed everything. For months we’ve had to cope with crippling uncertainty and ulcer-inducing anxiety. They’ve had to adjust to a state of affairs that’s terrifyingly referred to as “The New Normal”. A state of affairs that’s anathema to the tireless entrepreneur. Business owners from all walks of life have had to make sweeping operational changes on the...

So, your business was humming along nicely. Then, all of a sudden, COVID-19 reared its ugly head and threw the world into a tizzy. Almost overnight, companies were scrambling to find solutions to run their business remotely.The idea of having your employees work remotely is not a new concept, nor is having your team work from home for various reasons like inclement weather, illness, or lack of daycare. We’ve all been there - your toddler is sick and you need to stay at home with them. Or, you live in the south and there is a light dusting of snow...

In today’s relentlessly competitive, fast-moving, and highly uncertain business landscape, the need for CEOs and business owners to find efficiencies and “get more for less” is not just a strategic priority. It is a fundamental necessity. You need to save money. Yet despite this urgent requirement, a surprising number of CEOs and business owners — through no personal fault or failing of their own — are wasting tens of thousands of dollars a year. How? By having their IT Director perform double-duty as their “telephone services guru”. Sound far-fetched? Let’s do the math: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlXSOyS1O_s According to payscale.com, the average total salary for an IT...

Right now, tens of millions of people who would otherwise be working in a corporate office are working from home. This is a good thing. If the COVID-19 pandemic happened 20 years ago, remote working would be far less viable of an option. Yes, people had internet at home back then, too. But connectivity speeds were much slower, and many were still using dial-up modem technology. Imagine taking 15 minutes to download a presentation (and even longer to upload one). And as for real-time video conferences: forget about it! However, the fact that millions of people are working remotely right now...

While 2020 was a very challenging year for obvious reasons, there were some bright spots as well. And one of the most encouraging and uplifting stories was North Carolina being named “2020 State of the Year” by Business Facilities Magazine. This is the first time — but certainly will not be the last time — that North Carolina has earned Business Facilities’ top honor. A title that has been bestowed annually since 2007. North Carolina earned top 10 rankings in several key categories for the "2020 State of the Year": Best Business ClimateWorkforce DevelopmentManufacturing EmploymentForeign Direct InvestmentBiotechnologyInstalled Solar PowerUnmanned Aerial SystemsFastest-Growing States...

We’ve all heard that we are living in “The New Normal.” It’s a term tossed about by the news media and anyone else trying to wrap their heads around how much the world has changed seemingly overnight thanks to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic and, not too long ago, the recession of 2007-2009 - often referred to as “The Great Recession.”The dictionary defines the word normal as “conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; average.” As a business owner, do you want the label of average? Being average doesn’t make much of an impact nor does it drive innovation...

As businesses worldwide begin coming out of their coronavirus induced hibernation, the world is a very different place. Having a plan for reopening your business is imperative. Also critical is having a plan to communicate with your customers what to expect. Even before they walk in your door, your customers are faced with a laundry list of do's and don’ts. They must be made aware of any services you may have (temporarily) modified or discontinued as well as precautions you are taking and procedures they must adhere to.It’s not enough to make sure your business has taken the necessary steps...

Cloud migrations have been increasing rapidly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, companies have been moving more data, services, and applications to the cloud as a means to become more streamlined and productive. Businesses migrating information to the cloud is not a new trend. The move toward cloud adoption, however, has been picking up steam during the worldwide lockdown with some interesting results:A major shift to remote workingReduction in capital investmentInnovative business models adapting to a major shift in consumer habitsWelcome to the CloudWorldwide demand for cloud services is swelling as more people have shifted to telework and...