This is mostly a recycle and update of my column from March, as much of it’s still timely and relevant (I hope). So if some of this sounds familiar, it should, you saw it last month. And if it’s all new information, forget what you just read about me recycling it (grin). I’m still getting bombarded with LOADS of COVID-19 emails, and now it’s every TV commercial, every billboard, every everything. So, once again, I’ll try not to rehash here any of those mostly redundant messages. Hopefully, this article will be helpful – and you haven’t stopped reading because you’re already as tired of virus news as I am.
Snuck in with all that extra email, there’s STILL some Coronavirus-related emails that are spreading viruses of the computer kind. The usual email precautions are especially important now. Keep your antivirus up to date. Consider the sender, and is it the type of message you’d expect, written in a way that’s normal? Don’t click through links in suspicious emails. Don’t open attachments you aren’t expecting. The bad guys are first to exploit a crisis; don’t help them. We’ve found that people sitting at home are tending to leave their natural guard down a little – and some bad guy tricks that normally wouldn’t work in the office are sneaking past people now. Stay alert and stay safe.
For the last month, we have really limited our in-person visits, doing distanced deliveries and on-site support visits when needed. For our clients on IT Vigilance remote monitoring and management plans, that’s not been a big change -- we were already doing much of our work remotely. Even as things begin to open up (not going to comment on opening specifics because that could change before you read this), our ‘social distancing’ will no doubt continue to include some ‘professional distancing,’ but we’ll do what you need and are comfortable with.
By now, if you’ve been working from home, you’ve identified the parts of that that are, and maybe are not, working so well. As things begin returning to normal, reviewing that and thinking about creating or updating a business continuity plan for remote work would be a terrific idea and one we can help with. If you know of businesses still struggling with work from home, we’d love to help them, too.
The availability of equipment is starting to improve, but there are still real shortages of desktop PC’s, laptops, display monitors and servers. Delivery lead time estimates from our manufacturers are scarce and, by their own admission, not necessarily reliable. While that will eventually correct itself and supplies will return to normal, it’s affecting pricing and the ability to deliver equipment predictably.
If you need help checking a suspicious email, working from home, or any other business IT need, please reach out; we’re always here to help.
