Capstone Works Blog

Businesses search endlessly for an advantage. When they are able to acquire one, it can transform their operations, and the way they look at future situations. One of the very best technologies that a business can use is cloud computing. Let’s take a look at some of the best benefits that an organization can see from the use of cloud computing.

AI is suddenly everywhere these days. All of our software is suddenly “powered by AI” or taking advantage of artificial intelligence for new features. Social media posts and videos are going viral about how AI is creating works of art, writing screenplays, and composing music.

That brings up the question—is AI here for our jobs? Will it be replacing employees and saving businesses a ton of money?

We’ve been talking about cybersecurity quite a bit lately, and for good reason. Any organization that doesn’t acknowledge the threat that comes with being ill-prepared in the face of a cyberattack is basically sitting on a ticking time bomb. 

Central Texas, particularly around Austin, is a pretty populous area, with lots of businesses functioning there. Just about all of these businesses will need to use IT, and will therefore benefit from a relationship with a trustworthy consultant who can help them both avoid risk and optimize their operations. Let’s go into what business owners and leaders in and around Cedar Park can do to find the best IT consultants for their needs.

Business cybersecurity, and all its assorted intricacies and requirements, can be a real challenge for organizations of all sizes to deal with—particularly because it depends so much on employee engagement. That being said, there are a few things you can do to help boost your team’s cybersecurity awareness by promoting more secure behaviors.

Last time, we talked about a few different types of device setups you can use when traveling and working remotely. Now we want to discuss how to ensure that your data is always secure, no matter where your staff is.

Whether your job puts you in the office, on the road, or the comfort of your own home, being able to work effectively from nearly any environment can give you an edge. While everyone will have slightly different needs, not to mention preferences, we decided to have a little fun with this and talk about some cool gadgets that you might not realize even exist, and some ways to get more out of the devices you already have when it comes to working remotely.

Here’s the scenario. Your business insurance provider may have reached out to you, asking questions about your IT and overall cybersecurity. In our experience, this has caused some confusion for a lot of organizations, so we wanted to chime in and help Austin business owners get a better understanding on why your insurance provider is even getting into the weeds with this, and what they are actually looking for.

The last few years have seen an unsettling jump in cybercrime rates, with more businesses struck by various attacks, ransomware, and data breaches. Phishing attacks against end users haven’t slowed down, either—in fact, they’ve become effective enough that even the pros can be tricked. Let’s consider some of the cybercrime trends we anticipate to see in 2023.

We talk a lot about how to be proactive and prevent IT issues and data loss when facing bad weather, power outages, and other disasters, but that usually doesn’t help anybody when they are in the middle of a problem. Let’s switch the perspective, since a lot of our state is dealing with cold, wind, and ice right now while we’re writing this, let’s talk about some things your business will need to take care of when things get back to normal.

If you're a business owner in Austin, Texas, you know how important it is to have reliable IT support. After all, your company's technology is what keeps you connected to your clients, your employees, and the rest of the world. Without it, everything grinds to a halt.

Disasters tend to happen when you least expect them to. That’s what makes them disasters. A bad situation is often made much worse simply because you didn’t expect it, and that can be the case here. Let’s say an employee suddenly quits, and deletes all of their files on the way out. This can be a sticky situation, so here are a few ways to handle it when it happens, and a few ways to prepare for it just in case.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a growing problem on our hands, and I don’t think anyone (ourselves included) have been taking the right approach to solving it.

I’m talking about cybersecurity, more specifically, the cybersecurity hygiene of an individual.

We can talk and talk and preach and scream from the rooftops about the importance of this stuff, but I think there is such a fatigue for it, and such a “well what are the odds that it will happen to me” kind of attitude that most people dismiss it.

If you feel either of those ways, this is the article for you. If you read one cybersecurity article and take it to heart, this is the one, and we really, truly hope this sticks for you.

The weather can pull some pretty unexpected punches, even here in Texas. Take the snowstorm we had a few years back. Businesses that lacked any kind of plan to manage this weather suffered as a result… both due to the event itself, and the costs associated with the aftermath.

Let’s cut to the chase: scams are everywhere out there today, which makes it important that you are aware of how to avoid them. Let’s run through a few basic tips we always recommend.

Please listen carefully as our menu options have changed, for sales, press 1…

Come on! Is it just me, or do phone system auto attendants just drive you up the wall? More often than not, they feel condescending, counterproductive, and rarely actually let the customer get to who they need to talk to. Capstone has long done away with the auto attendant, and I’m going to tell you why we are never going back.

While I don’t really want to bring up unpleasant memories, I want you to think back to the winter storms of February, 2021. Now, I want you to consider your current business continuity preparedness…if a similar storm were to strike this winter, how would your business fare?

They say that everything’s bigger in Texas. Unfortunately, as of late this includes the losses that businesses incur to cybercriminal activity. Let’s discuss how serious this problem is, and what you need to do to keep it from harming your business.

While no two businesses are the same, there are usually going to be some common similarities between any two office environments. When you take a typical look at the technology that runs any two offices, you’ll see your standard workstations, phones, printers, and a couple of servers tying everything together. However, if you try to run an architecture, construction, or design firm from your typical office environment, things are going to fall apart very quickly. Why is that?

Austin, Texas is one of America’s tech hubs. It’s a place where many businesses are a few steps ahead when it comes to effectiveness and innovation. That also means there are a lot of different options for computer and IT support for Austin-based companies—which makes it important that business owners weigh their options carefully.