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When An Employee Loses A Laptop, Phone Or Other Device, Who Should Pay?

Here’s a little quandary for you to consider: If you have employees using

company-owned laptops, phone or other devices, who is responsible for

replacing them if they get lost, stolen or damaged? This is a sticky question

and one that needs to be addressed BEFORE Joe walks into your office to

sheepishly admit he has left his laptop at Starbucks last night.

Under federal law, an employer has the right to deduct the costs of a lost or

damaged device from their employee’s paycheck PROVIDED that deduction

doesn’t drop the employee’s compensation below minimum wage. However,

California considers the loss and damage of electronic devices to be a cost of

doing business and will only allow you to charge back your employees if they

were negligent. Other states may have similar laws - so the first thing you

should do is check with an attorney who specializes in employment law for

your state to know what you can and can’t do. (I know the best employment

attorney firm in the U.S.!)

Next, decide what your policy is going to be on this topic and

communicate that in writing to your employees. It should outline what care

they should take with company-owned mobile devices as well as the

consequences of losing or damaging them. Yes, the term “policy” makes us

all cringe, but it’s important to make sure you and your employees have a

written understanding of what your expectations are, as well as what their

responsibility is.

A BIGGER Loss To Consider The cost of replacing a lost device is actually insignificant compared to the

bigger cost and risk of the data it contains. Of course this opens up another

can of worms all employers need to think about – security on mobile devices.

And since some employees are using their OWN devices, you’ll need to

think through what the rules are for company owned AND employee

owned devices. (Aside, putting your data in the cloud can help).

But one thing is for sure: if you and your employees are storing sensitive information like passwords, credit card information, client or

patient data on mobile devices, extra care MUST be taken to ensure the

security of that data if the device is stolen. As always, if you need help in

determining what your policy should be and how to secure mobile devices,

give us a call. This service is free to all CMIT Marathon Flat Rate clients.

“As a business owner, I know you don’t

have time to waste on technical and

operational issues. That’s where we

shine! Call us and put an end to your

IT problems finally and forever!”

- Debi Bush, CMIT Solutions of Denver

Volume VI, Issue II

February, 2012 Denver, Colorado

Inside This Issue…

When An Employee Loses A Laptop, Phone Or Other Device, Who Should Pay?.…..…...…

Hackers Are Now Targeting Macs……….………...….….. Page 2 How To Say No And Stop Dam Failure …....………..…Page 3 Why The Customer Isn’t Always Right…….......…......Page 4

How To Get More Done By Unlocking The Secrets Of Microsoft Office ………...…Page 5 Is Your Data Really Secure In The Cloud………..……...Page 6 Great Attitude Coupled With Great Posture Yields Success…………...…..……...Page 7


Hackers Are Now Targeting Macs

Until recently (i.e. the past year), Mac computer users have long enjoyed relative freedom from hacker attacks; however,

researchers at Symantec Corporation say online criminals are now setting their sights on Mac users.

Online porn hunters are the latest target. Visitors to

certain web sites are led to believe they can download a free video player when in fact they are installing malicious code onto their Macs.

Once the users authorize the transaction, the hackers can

redirect the users’ future browsing to fraudulent web sites and possibly steal the users’ information or passwords.

Sometimes they simply send ads for other pornographic web sites. This results in thousands of dollars in income for the criminals.

While you may think that Macs are essentially more secure

than PCs because they are built better, security experts would argue differently. They believe that the Mac is actually

no more secure than a PC. In fact, they note that the relatively low number of viruses, exploits and other cyber attacks directed at Mac users is due to Apple’s relatively

small share of the computer market.

―I don’t think that the Mac OS is more secure than Windows — I think it is safer than Windows because there are less

people trying to attack it. There is a big difference,‖ Natalie Lambert, a senior analyst at Forrester Research shared with MacNewsWorld.

With that said, the fact remains that for every single attack

on a Mac, there are at least 100 attacks on Windows-based systems.

So what should you do if you own a Mac?

Use the same safe online surfing practices as PC users

Keep your anti-virus software up-to-date Never open strange e-mails from unknown sources Only verify user names and passwords by phone with

your bank or other financial institutions.

So far, so good with the New

Year and getting things accom-

plished at work and at home. Not

only has it been busy at CMIT

Denver HQ, but the family has

been keeping my calendar full as

well. Sure glad that Debi and I

found an oversized 2012 calendar

to hang up at home that has space

for all the activities of each

family member.

It’s a very exciting time for my

business. We grew significantly

in 2011 and are poised to grow

some more. To help us with this,

we continue to tweak and

enhance our solutions that we can

make available to our clients to

help their businesses grow as

well. Our branded solution of

CMIT Guardian has been made

more robust to increase the level

of protection of a company’s

data and therefore its livelihood.

Also, we have a solid partner in

Thinking Phone Networks which

works with us to provide tele-

communications services which

creates greater efficiencies. Last

but not least, CMIT Impression

has officially launched with its

visual collaboration solution.

I get dizzy about all the exciting

opportunities we have for our

clients and prospects! Thanks to

our strategic partners for helping

to make it all happen.

Phil’s In The Corner


How To Say No And Stop Dam Failure Are you about to experience dam failure? Let me explain what I

mean. As a CEO Coach, I have conversations with leaders of companies from a variety of industries, shapes and sizes. Yet one pattern that nearly all these business leaders share is that they say

“yes” too often. Think about your schedule like a reservoir with the dam. Every

time you say yes to something, you’re adding more and more water to that reservoir. Say yes too often and pretty soon you’re going to have to open the spillway to let something else out. Keep

this up for a while, and eventually you’ll experience dam failure. To protect your reservoir of time, I’m going to give two tips that

you can use to help you say “no” more often than you say “yes.”

The first deals with saying no to others. The more successful you become as a business owner or a CEO, the more people will be drawn to you. They’ll want you to be involved in their projects.

That’s not to say that you should say no to all of them, but you need to be judicious in the “yeses.”

A simple way to handle this is to ask for requests through email. Email allows you to review their request in a calm environment, away from social pressure, and view it in relation to

your calendar. Then, if you decide to say no, you can take your time to craft a diplomatic response.

The second tip deals with saying no to yourself. Most entrepreneurs, business owners, and CEOs are great idea generators. They have many ideas about business improvements

or maybe even new business ventures. However, when they say yes to too many of those ideas, pretty soon they have to open the spillway of their time reservoir, causing them to neglect other

things—or, even worse, experience dam failure. I recommend using a perhaps list. A perhaps list is a running

list of all those great ideas that you have. Put ideas on that list, and then set up a schedule—perhaps once per month—to review that list and decide whether it’s time to add something new to your

already busy schedule. These two simple tips will help protect your precious time and focus. Follow them consistently, and you’ll go a long way toward avoiding dam failure.

Shiny New Gadget

Of The Month:

The Mo-Tool

Everyone knows the fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but do you know the second fastest way? With tools! So, here’s the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. It’s not just any tool, this is like a Swiss Army knife on steroids. The Mo-Tool (short for “more tool”) is power-packed with:

Axe blade

Hand-crafted red oak wood inlay handle

Hammer head

Screwdrivers

Knives

A can opener

Wire cutter

File

Pliers

A wrench It’s perfect for the garage or even as an emergency tool set to keep in your vehicle. Give one to your dad, your uncle, your best friend or your son. It’s a handy tool anyone would appreciate having. They can be found at Amazon for around $40.

Guest article provided by: Dave Crenshaw is an author, speaker and CEO coach. He has

appeared in TIME magazine, Forbes, SIRIUS XM Radio, and the

BBC News. His first book, The Myth of Multitasking: How ‘Doing

It All’ Gets Nothing Done, has been published in six languages

and is a time management best seller. His latest book,

Invaluable: The Secret to Becoming Irreplaceable, is also an

organizational behavior and motivational bestseller. Dave has

helped thousands of clients worldwide harness chaos, get

focused, and build invaluable businesses. For videos and articles from Dave, visit www.DaveCrenshaw.com


Why The Customer Isn’t Always Right

Three counter-intuitive strategies to maximize service for your best customers You know the adage “The customer is always right?” Sometimes they’re not. Attracting and keeping the right customers is more important than pleasing a small group of complainers. I hate bad service as much as anyone—probably more, since I’m in the business of improving it—but that doesn’t mean you need to rework your whole operation for the people who complain. The question every leader needs to ask is: Do I want to improve life for my best customers? Or do I want to spend my time responding to the needs of my worst customers? If you only listen to the loudest voices, you wind up becoming very reactive to a small, non-representative group of unhappy people. But when you improve life for your best customers, you elevate your position in the market. Here’s why. Customers in bad circumstances tend to complain more. They’re under lots of pressure, and they pass it on to you. It happens in the business-to-business market, and it also happens in the consumer market. The one-time customer comes in with all the complaints, but the loyal, bigger-volume customer is the one who doesn’t say anything. Here are three techniques to help you improve service for your best customers and stay in front of the complaining curve. Warning: these are counter-intuitive to the way most people think. That’s why they work. 1. Do double time on the biggies. For every minute you spend listening to a complaint from a small customer, double that time and ask questions of your big customers. What are their goals and how do they plan to get there? Make a list of your top 10 customers and come up with at least five ways you can help them get better. 2. Don’t let today’s circumstances dominate your thinking. Customers tell you what they need today, but you want to be thinking about how you can improve their lives in the future. If you only respond to what people say they want today, you’ll become a commodity. If you think about how you can make their life or (continued on page 5)

AS SOON AS You Get Frustrated With a

Computer, Network Or Some Other Issue, SAVE TIME, MONEY & MORE

UPSET…..

Do you hesitate to call your IT support because you don’t want to bother them? Maybe you think it will cost your company more IF you were to call.

to ensure that our clients’ technology and business needs are tended to properly, professionally and with the “Godiva” touch. And as clients and vendors always comment, one can always depend on Phil to don a smile.

A native of Gainesville, Florida and raised in Oklahoma City, Phil has lived in Denver since late 1992.

Favorite Book: One Minute Manager

Favorite Restaurant: Popeye’s What Phil Would Do IF He Took A Day Off From Work: Organize his stuff at home

Favorite All-Time TV Show: Star Trek – The Original Series

Favorite Place To Shop: Amazon.com

Fear no more! Phil Bush, CMIT Solutions of Denver President, has the mission and goal


business better in the future, you’ll differentiate yourself. 3. Don’t confuse value with price. The reason customers ask for a lower price is because you haven’t demonstrated that your value is any different than anyone else’s. Focus on delivering value rather than lowering price, and you’ll create more long-term partnerships. Customers are a gift. We want to be grateful to everyone we do business with. But the people you should pay the most attention to are people who are going to help you grow.

4 Mistakes Smart Business Owners Make About Customer Service

1. Responding to the loudest voices instead of the most important

voices.

2. Ignoring big customers who never complain.

3. Asking customers what they want today instead of where they

want to go tomorrow.

4. Lowering prices instead of increasing value. Continually responding to your worst customers saps your energy and stifles the

creativity you could be using for your best customers.

Check out www.CMITSolutions.com/BusinessAdvisor

for Lisa Mcleod’s 4-minute video

“Why the Customer Isn’t Always Right”

Guest article provided by:

Lisa Earle McLeod runs the consulting firm McLeod &

More. Companies like Apple, CMI and Kimberly-Clark

hire her to help them create more passionate and

purpose-driven workplaces. She is the well-known

business author of The Triangle of Truth: The

Surprisingly Simple Secret To Resolving Conflicts

Large And Small.

How To Get More Done By Unlocking The

Secrets Of Microsoft Office

I read somewhere that the average Microsoft Office user uses less than 10% of the features available to them in the software. If that’s true, then Office is a treasure trove of shortcuts, tools and features just waiting to be unleashed. Of course, we don’t know what we don’t know – which is why most people never invest in training to learn these features and tools and make shorter work of various projects. To quote an old axiom, “We’re too busy chopping trees to stop and sharpen the axe.”

Of course, not all training is created equal and you DO want to make sure you are getting the biggest bang for your buck; so the first thing you need to determine is, which software applications do you use the most? Word? Excel? Publisher? What do you need to accomplish when using these Office programs?

Next, you need to determine your learning style. Are you good at self-study or do you prefer to have someone walking you through the lessons? If the latter, do you prefer a class/group setting or 1 on 1 instruction? Food for thought.


Is Your Data Really

Secure In The Cloud?

Are you thinking about moving all or parts of your computer network “to the cloud” but worried about who can access your data? You’re not alone – but many security experts, software companies and cloud service providers alike agree that cloud computing offers a MORE

secure way to store data. In fact, the US government's cyber security adviser Howard Schmidt had said that cloud computing will enable businesses to catch up on security issues. That’s because most small businesses do NOT have high-security measures in place for their data onsite and lack tight password protection policies, firewall management and backup procedures. The same business owners who verbalize their concern about putting their data in the cloud are backing up their entire network to a tape drive and leaving it in their car overnight – or are using weak passwords for important access points to their network, which are much bigger security risks than storing it in a highly secure, highly redundant cloud platform. That’s like saying you’d rather stuff your money into a mattress at home than keep it in a bank because you’re not sure who can see and touch your money. Of course, with any data storage there is risk and there’s no way to completely guarantee absolute security. That said, most cloud providers are far more diligent about security and invest millions of dollars into ensuring all aspects of security are as tight as possible. At CMIT Solutions of Denver we have invested a considerable amount of time investigating various cloud solutions and vendors for our clients. If you want more information on cloud security and what to look for, you can always call Debi or Phil at 303-756-2648.

The Lighter Side…

Funny Love Quotes

There is a place you can touch a woman that will drive her crazy. Her heart. ~ Melanie Griffith Love is grand; divorce is a hundred grand. ~Anonymous I was nauseous and tingly all over. I was either in love or I had smallpox. ~Woody Allen Forget love, I’d rather fall in chocolate. ~Anonymous The great question... which I have not been able to answer...is, "What... does a woman want?" ~Freud Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence. Second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience. ~Samuel Johnson An archeologist is the best husband any woman can have; the older she gets, the more interested he is in her. ~Agatha Christie Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love. ~ Albert Einstein You can't put a price tag on love, but you can on all its accessories. ~Melanie Clark


Great Attitude Coupled With

Good Posture Yields Success Excitement was rampant last month in Broncos country. Despite our significant loss to New England (Note: I have some very happy colleagues and partners in Boston), the excitement was contagious and brought strangers together talking about our Broncos. There were Raving Fans

of the Broncos in the stores, on the radio, TV and press. The King Soopers in Glendale held a pep rally and the cake pictured here was enjoyed by all - including me. I chose not to resist (I got half of a

piece). What I loved about all of this was the positive energy infused into all who cheered and participa-ted throughout our big run. It’s incumbent upon me to witness this unbundled and unbridled energy in myself in all that I do and on a daily basis - at Home, at CMIT and with Rotary. Success breeds confidence and increased energy. A positive mental attitude (PMA) brings a different atmosphere to my environment and that yields positive results. Even the beginnings of success whether it's getting a sales appointment, closing a sale, having a relaxing and stress-free family dinner or making strides in my new role in Rotary -- all of these "baby bites of success" infuse energy. The other day I was extremely productive by using a technique of setting a timer for thirty minutes and then keep resetting it –except when taking a break—and I was simply amazed at how much work I cranked out in less than seven hours of work. I felt at ease leaving at 3:15 to do carpool duty because I had accomplished all that I had set out to do for the day. Remember, this requires planning your day and tasks in advance! One of my coaches always remarked on the significant increase in my presence and energy whenever speaking about Italy. This is the same energy that I need to exhibit and live daily with just

about everything. Yes, it’s much easier said than done. Yet, I know that with the right attitude and posture (physical and emotional), I am much more productive.

I don’t know about you, but for me it makes an enormous

difference and impact on my energy and attitude when I am in a reduced anxiety environment. That could be as simple as

(Continued on back page)

Quotes By People

Born On February 29th

“If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do and you’ll achieve the same results.”

“People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals – that is, goals that do not inspire them.”

~ Tony Robbins, author

“I never wanted to set the world on fire. So I never had to burn any bridges behind me.”

~ Dinah Shore, singer/actress

“Give me a laundry list and I’ll set it to music.”

~ Gioachino Rossini, composer

“The role of the teacher is to create the conditions for invention rather than provide ready-made knowledge.”

~ Seymour Papert, mathematician

“I don’t know if I have a technique. I’m just trying to remember the words.”

~ Dennis Farina, actor

“I’ve tried word processors, but I think I’m too old a dog to use one.”

~ Dee Brown, novelist

“I love to see my family together. That’s what life is about. It’s about family.”

~ Ja Rule, musician


closing the door to my office to impose a quieter tone. Some of

the anxiety comes from me and for that I take ownership. One simple self-acknowledgement to sit up straight and force a

smile or a tweak to my physical environment can change things up and then something in the air changes.

Perhaps I should listen to some Italian music like Andrea

Bocelli with headphones on at work), do some Egoscue e-cises (see book recommendation below) and take a fifteen minute

break and call a friend or even walk across the street to the grocery store to remove yourself from a stressful environment.

Little things like these can put a positive slant or perspective on the tasks at hand. They do for me.

So, let’s bring this article back to the Broncos in order to come

full circle. The successes and positive energy easily over-shadowed the losses. The excitement that emanated from the

can-do, can win attitude will carry them forward into having a successful training camp. What’s your secret to your ―can-do,

can win‖ posture?

Have a magnificent Groundhog’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ weekend and Leap Year day! See you in March if

not before.

Warm Regards,

P.S. In case you are not receiving my monthly e-newsletter or CMIT QuickTip and would like to, please email me at [email protected] to request that your name be added.

Debi’s To Do List for Reading

Pain Free At Your PC – Using A Computer Doesn’t Have To Hurt by Pete Egoscue Pain Free by Pete Egoscue

mailto:[email protected]

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