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389: Pandemic Update With Adam Engst of TidBITS Content Network
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-Adam Engst of TidBITS Content Network joins us once again to talk business during COVID and some new opportunities.
-The last time we had Adam on was mid March, just after the world began to change.
-Joe observes how things are once again going in the wrong direction.
-As the president of his local runner’s club, he is always on the lookout for important news to evaluate risks.
-We discuss the effects this has had on people not just with work or physical health, but mental health as well.
-Adam and the crew kick around many interesting thoughts and ideas about society as a whole.
-What’s going to happen with office space and real estate as a whole after this is all said and done?
-As companies have had to pivot during these times, Adam talks about how TidBITS has begun working with a school in Australia to distribute technical information.
-This opportunity of working with institutions with large IT footprints could be a new avenue for TidBITS Content Network.
359: There’s Billable Work Hiding In that Closet
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Topics:
-We dive right in with Joe telling a story of inadvertently having a client take apart a Magic Mouse. So she can’t use her computer but she can now use the Zoom app on her iPhone. So there’s that.
-Speaking of Zoom, Jerry has a hell of a time trying to use Group FaceTime with friends. So they moved to Zoom.
-Joe has seen an uptick in work this past week. Jerry & Sam can’t say the same.
-Jerry has an odd issue with a client who lost his admin account on the Mac. Sam is now his buddy after assisting via Messages.
-Another interesting development that Jerry is seeing is people pulling old computers out of the closet to work with. He is referring all of those clients to PsiMac. Joe will happily take them.
-Live, during the show, we receive word that Jon Brown of Grove Technologies has returned as a VIP sponsor! Thanks Jon!
-Joe asks Sam for some updates on his MSP contract. He has taken the new approach to itemize all the services he offers. He also hopes that it provides incentive for clients to inquire about additional services that his company offers.
-Sam’s new MSP is going out this week to a potential client
-In recent weeks, Joe sent out a newsletter to offer Watchman Monitoring for free to clients. He provides an update of how clients responded. Just the information alone that he gathered from Watchman Monitoring allowed the beginning of conversations for possible next steps.
-When clients unsubscribe from your newsletter, it can feel personal.
-While on the subject of Watchman Monitoring, enrollment codes is a great way to allow self enrollment: Enrollment codes
-The Aces Conference: The Prequel is on for May 19-20 and Command Control Power will be participating. Sign up to be a part of it all! https://acesconf.com/aces-conference-the-prequel/
-And don’t forget, Aces will be in Atlanta in October: https://acesconf.com
340: Scrooge McDuck Meets Marley's Ghost
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-A merry crimble to everyone!
-Jerry calls Sam Scrooge McDuck
-Alrhough timing is tough, Sam has to let an employee go
-A topic that is born out of this experience is “offboarding”
-Joe has some experience in this arena. He talks about some of the logistics and difficulties that comes with that.
-that experience also caused Joe to tighten up his onboarding process
-One of the concerns of releasing an employee is unemployment benefits
-Does timing really matter that much?
-Business and friendship do not mix
-Access for services and devices, while considered, needed to be re-evaluated
-Sam has one thing to say about Joe’s shared contacts issue: DayliteMac.com
-Replacing the most employee is not on the immediate radar for HCS as of right now
-Since answering calls was one part of Sam’s for employee’s job, he might now look at a virtual assistant service like smith.ai
-Subcontractors can be a good resource to fill company needs with less of a burden
-Data loss is a major topic that is a point of pride for the crew
-The team gets chummy about the support they have for each other
