Category Archives: Office / Technology

By Andrea Harwood

Trends in small business online marketing are leaning toward social media and Google Ad services. But an often forgotten tool is email marketing.

“One of the most overlooked but simplest thing any business can do is email marketing on a regular basis,” said Sara Mannix, president and CEO of Mannix Marketing digital marketing agency in Glens Falls. She has been in business since 1996. 

“I think people are afraid to email too frequently. But if you’re doing a good job collecting emails and getting to know who your customers and target market are and reaching them with relevant information, it’s incredibly cost effective.”

People are aware of what social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram can do for a business, she said. Often overlooked is the social media platform TikTok, a short-form video hosting service and social media platform. For the right person going after the right customer, particularly the younger demographic, the platform is a good avenue for exposure. 

By Mark Shaw

Although it’s the end of 2021, it seems like 2020 all over again, right? Well, this year will have some new challenges.

Don’t let the last quarter of the year leave your business unprepared for growth and support. There are things you can do now to ensure that in the world of technology you are not left out in the cold come December.

During this time of the year, budgets are being built and the last of the year spends are getting planned out. In a perfect world, companies would finalize those purchases in late November or early December, just in time to get the hardware, software, or service in play and being used before Jan. 1.  Every business I know, StoredTech included, finds those final hour purchases to help with business financials.

In 2021, with the supply chain tightened and stretched in some areas, a wait-and-see approach cannot be taken.

Right now, chip shortages with car makers are the most visible to the public. The dealership lots are filled with many empty spaces. Go to your local grocery store, or even Walmart, these gaps in the shelves and lack of variety is now commonplace. Years ago, shelf space was at a premium and brands would pay extra to be at eye level. Now retailers are just trying to fill the shelves.

Although, it may seem normal to pick up alternative items when grocery shopping for your family, there are more consequential results when it comes to your business and how it can be impacted. The lack of materials visible in supermarkets, are visible in business technology as well.

Tech hardware is back ordered, slow to arrive, and ship dates keep being missed. The more ‘unique’ the hardware, the harder it is to find.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

The business of providing professionals with a functioning workspace outside of their home or office is a gowing one.

In Glens Falls, the work away from home and office workspace has found its way into a business owned by Christy Alexander.

Alexander is the owner of WorkSmart, now located inside the former First National Bank in downtown Glens Falls. Alexander was also an entrepreneur ahead of the game, opening her business in 2018. She describes it as a co-working and meeting space designed to provide small businesses and remote workers with a sense of community.

“People need to be around other people, to feel connected, especially when they share common goals,” said Alexander.

While it may be something more and more people are seeking in the wake of COVID-19 and the unanticipated work from the home era, places like Saratoga CoWorks have actually been around for years.

Co-owner Dorothy Rogers-Bullis said her business first began in 2014, and has been thriving ever since.

“We have always been busy. The pandemic didn’t really seem to change that, however we do know that people don’t generally like to work from home. In business, it’s always better to be around others, other professionals, and that is what our business is known for, a place for professionals,” said Rogers-Bullis.

By Jill Nagy
As business owners prepare to re-open in a changed world, many are turning to office designers for guidance in meeting new requirements for minimizing the spread of COVID-19.
Dorothy Rogers-Bullis and her business drb Business Interiors in Saratoga Springs offers her own office as an example. Several employees are still working remotely. She encourages others to work in the office at alternate times. When clients arrive, they are asked to sign in and out, wear face masks and have their temperatures taken.
“People want to get back to work,” she said. “Some people work really well at home” but, in general, “not a lot of good work gets done at home.”
There are too many distractions. In addition, people working at home miss the connections, collaboration and creativity of a shared workplace.
Lisa Boyle of the Boyle Group in Ballston Spa advises clients on how to reorganize their work space.
For example, in an open office plan with everybody at eye level, desk and tables have to be moved apart, she said. Often, barriers are needed. The result is a reduced capacity.

NBT Bank has expanded its services to include full branch lobby access with the implementation of protocols to protect the safety of its employees and customers.
The bank had its lobbies closed for business due to the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing ATMs, the internet and drive-through windows for services.
Appointments are no longer required for customers to visit a branch lobby.
“NBT has spent weeks developing a careful approach that both expands branch access and ensures that our employees, customers and communities remain safe,” said NBT Bank President of Retail Community Banking Joseph R. Stagliano. “Thoughtful consideration has included a market-by-market analysis of conditions, close coordination with local government and health officials and strict adherence to state and federal guidelines.”
Customers visiting NBT lobbies are asked to follow new protocols to ensure customer and employee safety. Face coverings are required to be worn inside and all customers must bring valid photo identification.

By April P. Weygand
Are you welcoming people into your business for the first time in a while and need some help navigating New York state rules on how to do that?
New York state is tough, and they want us to be prepared. There are some common-sense rules: wash hands, use hand sanitizer, wear masks, use tissues, and clean and disinfect surfaces.
The words cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting, electrostatic spraying, and fogging are being thrown around a lot lately. However, they are not the same and should not be used interchangeably. “Cleaning” is the act of removing soils and germs from a surface. It doesn’t usually kill anything, but it does remove them by washing them away.
“Sanitizing” means reducing the number of bacteria by 99.9 percent to a level considered safe by public health organizations. Many over-the counter products sanitize in less than 30 seconds. It’s important to note here that Sanitizing kills bacteria, but it does not kill viruses. That’s where Disinfection is necessary.