More than 90 percent of consumers said they would consider taking their business elsewhere instead of working with a company using outdated technology, according to a survey by Microsoft. In addition, 49 percent of consumers said they would never return to a business if they heard it had been hacked. Using outdated technology costs you customers and productivity, and it drives the best and brightest recruits to your competition. Stay ahead of the curve and update your business technology instead of being left behind. Here are a few technology updates to tackle first.
Windows 10
New to Windows 10, the digital assistant Cortana accesses your personal information and uses it in your online searches to customize the content that best suits you. Ask Cortana to help hunt down an app or document, and she'll use natural language intelligence to search through your hard drive and files. Cortana also sets your alarm clock for you and shares a few jokes to put you in a better mood. Windows 10 also employs functionality like Live Tile to easily access apps and shortcuts from your desktop. Plus, apps in Windows 10 open in a desktop window with a clickable toolbar across the top, which makes looking at documents and photos easy.
There is a downside to switching to Windows 10, though. All upgrades to the Home and Pro editions must install every feature Microsoft requires or you face having its security updates eliminated. It's inevitable that you'll need to upgrade at some point, and if you're a Windows user, you have until July 2016 to upgrade for free before paying for it yourself.
EMV
It's easy to take your EMV payment processor for granted and assume it's compliant, up to date and going to work when you need it. EMV stands for Europay, MasterCard, and Visa, and it is the global standard for just about any payment processor. But starting October 1, EMV regulations will shift credit card fraud liability to business owners if they aren't using compliant technology. That means merchants need to adopt new chip and PIN technology to accept credit cards or assume liability for fraudulent transactions. Switch to a service like Sage for a compliant and EMV-enabled debit and credit card processor to grow your business without worrying about fraud. On top of protecting your business from the risk of fraud, Sage's Payment Solutions handles everything in-house, from service and support to integration with your accounting or ERP software.
Firefox
Mozilla warns that all Firefox users using a PC need to upgrade to its latest 39.03 version due to a security threat. Mac and Android users aren't impacted. A security flaw could allow hackers to search and upload information from your hard drive back to their servers. However, the issue isn't strictly a Firefox problem and lies in the interaction between the browser's PDF viewer and other browser features. Protect your business assets and private information by making the update and checking that your firewall is on for good measure.
iOS 9
Upgrade your iPhone to iOS 9Â for more streamlined productivity and smarter apps. Two of the biggest improvements for business use is an additional hour of battery time and three additional hours when you switch to Low Power Mode. The software also only requires 1.3GB to upgrade instead of over 4GB like previous versions, which leaves you more room for documents, videos and photos. The Notes app can now create checklists, add photos, download maps and links and doodle out a sketch with the use of your finger. Maps also houses a public transportation option for some worldwide cities, like New York.
These are just four items your business needs to look into upgrading. No matter what technology you use, you need to stay up to date or risk losing customers as you fall behind.