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As the new year rolls in, most of us commit to changes that make life easier, more efficient, or more intentional. Businesses aren’t any different. If you’re choosing just a few resolutions that could genuinely streamline your operations in the months ahead, here’s one that deserves a spot on your list: partnering with a managed services provider (MSP).

Instead of juggling server management, software updates, security patches, and day-to-day troubleshooting on your own, an MSP can take that weight off your shoulders and do it with a level of consistency and expertise that’s hard to match internally.

A business owner spent one hour in late December auditing every technology tool her 12-person company used. What she discovered was staggering.

Her team used three different project management systems – none talking to each other. Two separate document storage solutions because half the team refused to switch.

Every January, tech publications release breathless predictions about revolutionary trends that will “change everything.” By February, most business owners are drowning in buzzwords – AI this, blockchain that, metaverse something-or-other – with no idea what actually matters for a company with 15 employees trying to increase revenue by 20%.

Here’s the truth: Most tech trends are hype designed to sell expensive consulting services.

You’re three hours into a five-hour drive to visit family for the holidays. Your daughter asks, “Can I play Roblox on your laptop?” Your work laptop. The one with client files, financial data and access to your entire business. You’re exhausted from packing, you’ve got three more hours to go and, honestly, keeping her entertained sounds pretty good right now.

You know that drawer in your office filled with old USB drives, tangled earbuds and tech gadgets from conferences you attended three years ago? That’s where most “tech gifts” end up – forgotten within a month, gathering dust alongside the branded stress balls and cheap power banks that never held a charge.

Thanksgiving is a season of gratitude, generosity, and, for businesses, a boost in sales. But along with the hustle and holiday cheer comes a heightened risk of scams that take advantage of busy operations. Between seasonal hires, increased transaction volume, and year-end pressures, fraudsters see an opportunity to strike.

When you think about cybersecurity, it’s easy to picture complex software and high-tech tools. But in most small and medium businesses (SMBs), the first line of defense isn’t a piece of hardware — it’s the people who notice when something doesn’t look right.

The holidays are stressful enough without technology tripping you up. Customers are trying to squeeze in last-minute errands, employees are juggling family schedules and everyone’s expectations are cranked up to 11. The last thing you want is to accidentally frustrate people with avoidable tech slip-ups.

Even in good times, scammers circle around generosity. But during the holidays, when giving increases and emotions run high, they truly pounce.

A few years ago, a massive telefunding fraud was shut down after authorities discovered that the perpetrators had made 1.3 billion deceptive donation calls and collected over $110 million from unsuspecting donors.

Every year, there’s a new flood of apps, gadgets and “game-changing” technology. Most of it feels more like a distraction than a breakthrough. But this year, a few simple tools actually lived up to the hype – saving small business owners time, money and the occasional headache.