Blog Posts for From Our Experts

Business leaders never seem to get a break. It’s non-stop work to stay ahead in all aspects of business — from corporate policies and employee engagement to technology solutions and customer needs. But every successful business leader knows, this is the exciting part  — and it’s actually what they crave! Thinking about growing a business doesn’t stop … and it really shouldn’t.

This doesn’t need to be a negative aspect of being an SMB owner. The trick is, how do you keep your business constantly moving forward to ensure profitability? There is no magic formula. Every organization has its own unique set of challenges and needs. It’s about having a growth mindset, that’s for sure! We know all too well that your priorities can quickly change direction due to factors out of your control, and you have to be ready. Fortunately, there are key strategies that businesses today can incorporate into their growth plans to provide as much stability as possible… and perhaps, it’s easier than you think!

Every day, technology is pushing our world ahead, but with the right combination of initiatives, your organization can continue on its trajectory towards success. So keep doing MORE!

Machine Automation

Opportunities for Sustainability Partners

Revenue Bottom Line Investments

Employee Experience and Talent Acquisition

How to do MORE

Machine Automation

AI is here. We cannot hide from it any longer. We need to recognize the pivotal role AI plays in modern business operations. It has now transitioned from a trend to an essential tool across various functions, and it’s imperative for every business owner to actively strategize integrating AI to foster a thriving and future-ready organization.

For small businesses especially, embarking on the journey of pinpointing needs and finding solutions can be a daunting task. Begin by assessing your daily operations and functions to lay the groundwork for making well-informed investment decisions that deliver maximum ROI.

Doing MORE means:

• Paper reduction is a great place to start. By uncovering areas of our business that could potentially use less paper, you can easily implement intelligent information solutions that are driven by AI technology.
• Now, delve into your daily operations. How efficient are the processes and how productive are your employees? Consider where machine automation can be implemented to save you time and money.

Opportunities for Sustainability Partners

68% of consumers report that a company’s sustainability practices have “at least somewhat of an impact” on their purchasing decisions. This is an amazing opportunity to deliver on customer experience and satisfaction — it’s all part of your brand.

Small businesses may not fully grasp the significance of adopting a sustainability plan and ensuring operational efficiency, including the impact of their choice of partners and vendors on consumer perception. Both consumers and employees prioritize sustainability, making it a pivotal factor in decision-making. With more than 99% of business in the U.S. being small to midsize enterprises, it’s more important than ever to give your organization that voice. This not only enhances brand reputation but also fosters economic resilience critical for long-term company stability.

Doing MORE means:

• Discover methods to enhance the efficiency of your operations to reduce environmental impact. This not only boosts sustainability but also effectively mitigates risk.
• Keep an open line of communication with your employees and what they value. They are key players in building your brand. Help them understand how sustainability builds brands and impacts purchasing decisions. Consumers want to feel good about what they are buying.
• Check out Konica Minolta’s own sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and get inspired!

Revenue Bottom Line Investments

Continuous growth is vital for the survival of every business, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. In the midst of ongoing forecasting and tight budgets, showcasing revenue growth and profitability requires careful consideration.

Each dollar must be carefully monitored, leaving many SMBs hesitant to embrace new investments — a crucial strategy for growth. To leverage opportunities effectively, they must uncover efficiencies, streamline operations and establish a robust financial foundation before venturing into new initiatives.

Doing MORE means:

• Set your ideal business outcomes for growth, where you can streamline processes to better support your workforce.
• Stay ahead of inflation and industry market trends and consider economic impact — from your customers to employees.
• Monitor your digital transformation and what stage you are in. Are you investing in the right areas that save time and lower costs, ultimately increasing your revenue?

Employee Experience and Talent Acquisition

People make the world go ‘round. Did you know that happy employees are up to 12% more productive? Customer retention is also tied to employee happiness. It may seem obvious, but it’s not always black and white. There are many factors that play into what determines happiness for employees. So, what can employers do to ensure a thriving workforce?

When strategizing for growth, business leaders must prioritize their employees as a critical factor. A stellar customer experience originates from a satisfied internal team. For businesses, it can make or break their success. Building a robust and positive workforce enhances your company’s brand, rendering it more appealing to potential candidates. With the right strategies, SMBs can successfully navigate this area of their business growth.

Investing in cutting-edge digital tools to attract and retain top-tier talent is a valuable initiative that can significantly impact overall success.

Doing MORE means:

• Productive workers are happy workers. Improve employee experience with the right technology solutions.
• Be forward-thinking with your remote/hybrid workforce with the right network and devices.
• Give your employees a voice. Align your company benefits programs with your mission and CSR strategies. It all works together to strengthen your workforce.

Keep MORE top of mind

Stagnation in today’s dynamic environment can pose risks to a business. Small and medium-sized business leaders, in particular, are juggling multiple responsibilities to drive productivity and efficiency within their teams and operations, which can be quite challenging. This is where Konica Minolta can make a difference! By providing expert guidance and insights, we assist our customers in crafting strategic growth plans through tailored technology investments, propelling their organizations towards the future. The year 2025 is approaching swiftly, so keep striving for MORE!

In a digital age infused with cyber threats, it’s not enough to just have IT services; security services have become equally, if not more, essential. Both MSP and MSSP represent vital layers of defense for modern businesses.

In this blog, we will explain the difference between MSP and MSSP, what sets them apart and which one speaks to the specific needs of your organization.

What is an MSP?

A Managed Service Provider (MSP) is a third-party entity that offers IT services to other businesses, such as network management, cloud computing, backup and recovery, software installation and maintenance, and help desk support. An MSP can help you reduce your IT costs, improve your efficiency and free up your staff to focus on your core business.

Spring is in the air, and so is the buzz of spring cleaning!  It’s not just the weather that’s warming up. We’ve shaken off the winter chill and can’t wait to embrace the sunny days ahead. Also on the spring cleaning list for 2024 is re-evaluating our Q1 business achievements and investments. As business leaders, it’s time to brush up on our strategic growth plans and expect a prosperous season ahead.

So, how will your business continue to evolve, grow and innovate? We bet all of these key business objectives are on your 2024 list! But before you start investing and implementing those exciting new systems and programs, have you considered the safety and protection of your organization? No, not cybersecurity and data protection (however we hope that this is just as high on your list as well!) We’re talking about the physical protection of your business and what that means for your success.

The importance of cyber risks cannot be overstated in this digital age. This year, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has highlighted the theme “Secure Our World,” emphasizing simple yet crucial steps to enhance online safety for individuals and organizations alike.

In a work setting, everyone within your organization needs to be proactive and scrutinize their personal security practices. This ensures they align with your organization’s protocols to help prevent a major data leak, or worse (think: ransomware attack). More and more business operations are moving to digital technology, and as you transform your own operations, it’s essential to make sure they’re secure from bad actors. Fact is, there’s a new scam every day. Educate everyone so that your users – and your organization – don’t become victims.

The annual celebration of International Women’s Day reminds us of the profound influence and contributions women have made to our society, our industry and our organization. The day shines a light on the challenges women face in the workplace, including bias, stereotyping and discrimination, all of which are counter to Konica Minolta’s core values (open, honest, inclusive, collaborative, innovative, passionate, customer-centric and accountable).

It was recently brought to our attention just how many female leaders exist among our print production and industrial print customers. Through Konica Minolta’s International Women’s Day Campaign, we asked some of these women to share their stories. Read on as these individuals reflect on their journeys and in doing so provide powerful insights as leaders.

Get ready to be inspired as we introduce you to some strong, show-stopping women leaders of our industry.and help us celebrate the experiences and wisdom of these women leaders.

Meet our Women in Print Leaders

• Joy Gendusa, CEO / Founder, PostCardMania
• Audrey Jamieson, President, marketing kitchen & 5am Lemon Inc.
• Britnea Martin, Vice President of Operations, Kodi Collective
• Christine Yardley, President, Print Panther Direct
• Diane Fischer, President, L & D Mail Masters, Inc.

Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword; it’s the driving force behind innovation and change. And at Konica Minolta, we have 150 years of experience focusing on just that: innovation driven by a vision to see and do things differently, for our planet and our people. The best part? We’re just getting started.

At Konica Minolta, preserving our planet is part of our business. It is also part of our philosophy: Creating new value for our customers and our society. We believe that technology plays a vital role in making work more fulfilling and enriching while reducing our environmental impact. In this blog, we will explore Konica Minolta’s sustainability efforts over the years and our plans for the future.

Sustainability Over the Years

Over the years, Konica Minolta has continuously worked toward reducing our carbon footprint, improving waste management and conserving resources. Since 2003, we have integrated sustainability into our core management practices, delivering products and solutions that address social and environmental issues aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Hello, fellow unofficial researchers! Are you often the go-to person among your peers for the latest industry updates? Do your colleagues dub you the in-house ‘numbers whiz’ or the ‘human Google?’ Well, this time of the year, you must be on a mission – to uncover the key focus areas your organization should track in 2024. Whether it’s to stay ahead of the game, steer your clients right or attract the crème de la crème talent, let’s dive in and explore together.

You’re in the right place to learn everything you need to know about 2024 trends for organizations of all sizes.

Let’s dive right in and discover everything 2024 has in store for all of us.

Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) here to stay? 

Threat actors continually come at you and your employees. Here’s how to protect your business.

• Thoughts from the experts
• Deeper dive into SMB’s silent struggle with evolving cyber threats
• SMBs need to watch out for phishing attacks
• Ransomware attacks are on the rise
• Legal, healthcare and financial regulations continue to change in North America
• What are the steps to build an effective cybersecurity framework for SMBs?
• Should you buy cyber insurance?

Hey there, corporate heroes and savvy online shoppers!
The festive season is upon us, and as we deck the halls and dive into the world of online shopping for the perfect gifts, it’s crucial not to overlook the ever-present threat of cyberattacks.

Cybersecurity should be at the forefront of our holiday to-do list, given the increasing number of threat actors eager to exploit any vulnerabilities in the digitized world. In this article, we’ll delve into the reasons behind the need for heightened cybersecurity during the holiday season and provide practical tips to ensure a secure online shopping experience in 2023. (more…)

The end of the year is typically a time of celebration and optimism for the future, but some Canadian organizations were marred by ransomware breaches that had a significant impact on many large organizations throughout Canada. Read on to discover the reasons behind this alarming trend and why tighter cybersecurity measures are needed.

Ransomware attacks are essentially encryption-based data extortion where threat actors block access to your data until a ransom is paid, after which a decryption key is given to retrieve data. According to a ransomware trend report, businesses and organizations in Canada remain among the top 3 most lucrative targets for the threat actors after the U.S. and the U.K.

November 2023 ransomware events in Canada included:

• Toronto Public Library will continue to restore systems well into 2024 after a significant ransomware attack.
• The Government of Canada data breach incident potentially affected information of current and former Government of Canada employees, members of the Canadian Armed Forces, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police personnel.
• Moneris — the payment processing giant faced an unsuccessful ransomware attack, reports no data loss.

Why are ransomware attacks on the rise?

As our lives become increasingly digitized, the rate of ransomware attacks follows suit. Cybercriminals are becoming shrewder and exploiting this shift for financial gain. The rise of cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, provides an untraceable payment method, making the operation risk-free and lucrative. Artificial Intelligence (AI) further empowers these cybercriminals by automating the finding and exploiting weaknesses in security systems. But AI isn’t just the bad guys’ tool; it can be our superhero, helping to detect and block these attacks before they strike.

3 Steps to Cyber Resilience for organizations in Canada

1. Penetration Testing
   Conducting annual penetration tests, or more frequently following significant infrastructure changes, is a proactive measure to discover vulnerabilities before cybercriminals do. This approach offers a high ROI by preventing breaches that could incur substantial expenses.
2. Use Future-proof Tools
   Managed Endpoint Detection and Response (MEDR) is a next-generation solution that protects supported endpoints and responds to neutralize potential threats before they compromise your operations. MEDR is a future-proof response to today’s highly sophisticated cyber attacks.
3. Employee Cybersecurity Training
   Human error often causes cyber breaches. Therefore, quarterly cybersecurity awareness training for employees is crucial. This cost-effective measure could save your organization from significant financial and reputation losses.

Additionally, choosing a competent IT partner is your best bet in this fight. The right partner will build both offensive and defensive strategies around your business infrastructure, catering to your budget. A strong partnership with your IT vendor goes beyond business; it’s a commitment to growth and stability.

Learn more about how Konica Minolta can help here.