Realize business potential with Gen AI this holiday season

The holiday season is quickly approaching, and retailers are gearing up for one of the biggest shopping seasons of the year as customers sort through a deluge of promotions across retailers. Email inboxes overflow with offers, and customers face overwhelming choices as they try to identify the best deals, which come in generic promotions for items they’ve already purchased – all of which just adds to their frustration.

This is where Artificial intelligence (AI) can deliver exciting opportunities for retailers to elevate their game this holiday season. Most experts would agree that retailers should approach AI thoughtfully, balancing customer needs, retailers’ immediate campaign needs, and overall corporate goals of growing the business.

Using generative AI to humanize interactions

Customers expect personalized shopping experiences. Until recently, sophisticated commerce, marketing automation, and advertising platforms used what you already knew about your customers to target them for new purchases. While using AI, you can create highly detailed customer profiles based on online behaviors, purchase history, and product reviews to predict future needs better, we are seeing an increasing need for humanized interactions.

Generative AI presents an enormous opportunity to uplift the customer experience by having human-like conversations with customers. This can take the form of online assistants that engage in human-like conversations with customers to solve issues and answer various questions. Generative AI can also simultaneously analyze thousands of product reviews and user images to generate a personalized summary tailored to the reader’s interests, level of understanding, and background. There are many applications for generative AI in this context.

Key example: a non-technical grandfather is presented with information and reviews about a product that generative AI tailors to his understanding while buying a technology gift for his grandson.

Establishing generative AI readiness

While AI can unlock big opportunities for the holiday season, retailers should identify high-value use cases to test the technology and take the key learnings from technical, functional, and business standpoints. As generative AI evolves, it may learn to use such data to dive further into other elements of the business, such as production and resource planning, and even direct collaboration with suppliers. Consider using these key steps to lay the proper AI groundwork and drive generative AI adoption for your company.

Resources: Put the right team in place, as AI requires a different type of technical resource. This team should be comprised of professionals who understand data science, AI models, and their outputs, data ethics, and the details behind algorithms.
Data: Carefully evaluate data sources since AI depends on high-quality data. Before embarking on your AI journey, analyze available data on inventory, customers, pricing, promotions, etc.
Data Governance: You’ll need to document the data used for AI and implement access controls and policies to ensure quality, privacy, and compliance.
Testing: Testing AI models is essential to fix issues before going live.
Data/AI Ethics: Adopt AI responsibly, be ethical, and set realistic expectations about what AI will deliver.
Security: AI comes with its own unique security risks your team needs to be ready to handle, things like AI-enhanced cyber attacks, data poisoning, model theft or inversion, evasion attacks, and more – all of these risks mean your team needs to be ready.
Infrastructure: Plan for future growth by implementing the technical infrastructure needed for the continued development and expansion of AI capabilities.

Let us work together to achieve your AI vision

We are focused on helping you overcome business IT challenges that relied on our:

Expertise and Experience: With a focused practice on AI and machine learning frameworks, we are a forward-thinking company with expertise to understand complex systems and recommend data-driven solutions tailored to your unique needs.
Industry Insight: We understand the pressures businesses face today and how emerging technologies like AI can drive real impact.
Commitment to Transformation: We view AI as a journey of continuous learning and improvement and are constantly expanding our capabilities to transform operations with AI.
Trusted Governance Approach: With rigorous processes like an annual ISO 27001 audit, we can provide the governance required to ensure customer data ethics and privacy.

Tap into our expertise to turn your organization’s AI vision into reality. We have helped many customers across all verticals realize theirs. Contact us today to see how we can do the same for you.

Strengthening your business strategy with data, analytics, and AI

During the recent meeting at American Chamber of Commerce in Costa Rica (AmCham), I shared the evolving landscape of data, analytics, and AI (Artificial Intelligence), emphasizing their role as pivotal tools in modern business strategy and decision-making to 40 participants. In this blog, I added analyst observation and two use cases on the paradigm shift in using AI.

Today, every click, every transaction, and every interaction is a treasure trove of insights. The digital age is amassing data at an unprecedented rate. We harness the capabilities of data, analytics, and AI, to help our customers extract invaluable insights to drive innovation and operational efficiency.

As Chris Howard, Distinguished VP Analyst and Chief of Research at Gartner, highlights, “For example, generative and other types of AI offer new opportunities and drive several trends. But deriving business value from the durable use of AI requires a disciplined approach to widespread adoption along with attention to the risks.” This disciplined approach towards AI adoption underpins the transition from a reactive stance to a proactive one, fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation.

The synergy of data, analytics, and AI allows businesses to transition from a reactive stance to a proactive one. It’s not just about understanding what has happened but predicting what will happen next. Predictive analytics, a shining star in this new era, is empowering businesses to anticipate market fluctuations, customer behaviors, and operational dynamics, enabling pre-emptive strategies and agile business models. Moreover, real-time data processing is transforming the way businesses respond to evolving situations, allowing for immediate actions, adjustments, and uncovering unmet needs.

Highlighting the real-world impact of AI with Beyondsoft

Our journey in harnessing AI began over five years ago, to drive sales growth through machine learning. One exemplary case is our collaboration with a Seattle-based premium cruise line. Through behavior-backed analytics, we were able to garner insights into the profitability of various amenities, enabling the cruise line to make informed pricing adjustments. This not only increased revenue but also enhanced their ability to upsell new services to passengers with similar profiles and consumption behaviors.

Moreover, our endeavor with a leading low-cost airline showcases the potential of AI to generate more revenue. Utilizing purchasing behavior patterns, we helped the airline identify passengers most likely to opt for additional purchases. This enabled highly targeted campaigns and dynamic pricing strategies, thereby increasing sales. Further analysis revealed new revenue streams, exemplifying how data, when utilized effectively, can significantly impact a business’s bottom line.

Fast forward to today, we’ve enriched our AI toolkit with a chatbot, machine learning, and generative AI, striving to provide accurate and contextually relevant information. The integration of BIOPs™, a familiar AI foundational engine to many of our customers, that houses the auto machine learning framework and facilitates the creation of a diverse range of AI services to the multifaceted AI platform.

AI: The unfurling horizon of possibilities

AI is not just about automation; it’s a canvas of creativity, personalization, and a wellspring of continuous learning and innovation. It enables businesses to craft bespoke customer experiences, and tailor products, services, and communications to individual needs, enhancing customer satisfaction while fostering loyalty and long-term engagement.

In the realm of strategic planning and decision-making, AI acts as a visionary, enabling businesses to foresee opportunities and challenges, and facilitating strategies that are both resilient and forward-thinking.

Next steps

At Beyondsoft, we don’t view data, analytics, and AI as mere tools but as catalysts for innovation. Our approach is holistic. By intricately weaving data strategy, AI, machine learning, and business intelligence, we aim to create solutions that are tailored, efficient, and future-ready. It’s not just about data; it’s about crafting narratives, telling stories, and driving meaningful change.

If you are looking for a leader in data and analytics and would like to consider exploring AI to strengthen your business strategy, tap into our expertise to shape your business outcomes. We’ll help you translate concepts into tangible applications and develop an AI strategy to secure leadership support. Reach out to us today.

References

Beyondsoft unveils Cloud Center of Excellence as a Service

Digital transformation has evolved in recent years and cloud technology is more than an enabler in business transformation. It is a key component to drive business forward. Cloud technology powers applications, data infrastructure and AI. The next wave of digital transformation is to embrace the concept of the Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE) to expedite the adoption and governance of cloud solutions.

A Cloud Center of Excellence is typically a multidisciplinary team that provides leadership, best practices, standardized operational processes, as well as support and training to help you quickly address business problems with the adoption of cloud technologies.

According to Gartner research, more than 85% of organizations will adopt a cloud-first approach by 2025 and will not be able to fully execute their digital strategies without using native cloud architectures and technologies. This underscores the importance of robust adoption and governance strategies for these technologies for businesses.

“As a Service” Approach

Beyondsoft’s Cloud Center of Excellence serves as an extension of your team regardless of the stage of your cloud adoption. With CCoE you adopt cloud technologies quickly and securely to meet your business objectives. We are your ally to optimize cloud costs. CCoE is a viable alternative to those who need just-in-time expertise for a short or long-term cloud project. Our suite of Microsoft specializations validates our expertise in delivering scalable cloud projects with measurable outcomes.

“Choosing a Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE) as a Service provides you with immediate access to expert guidance, speeding up the adoption and optimization of the cloud without the prolonged setup and costs associated with establishing an in-house team. By using external experts, you reduce the risks associated with costly cloud implementation errors, allowing your team to focus on their core business functions while running cloud operations efficiently,” says Alexandre Perazza, global leader of solutions and services at Beyondsoft.

The CCoE plays a crucial role in security, establishing practices and controls that ensure data and applications are protected in the cloud and complies with your internal governance, regulatory requirements, minimizing risks and promoting secure usage.

Integration with AI

The unification of generative AI into a CCoE creates a dynamic and personalized approach to cloud management. With AI-driven insights, infrastructure implementations are rigorously tailored to specific needs, ensuring efficiency and cost savings. AI’s ability to proactively generate security policies in response to evolving threats ensures robust and compliant cloud environments. Moreover, the rapid generation of ideal solution architectures and proactive problem-solving skills reduce the time between design and implementation, reducing potential disruptions and ensuring customers have a simplified and resilient cloud journey.

Here are some specific examples of how AI enhances the CCoE’s capabilities and provides real value to customers:

Dynamic Resource Optimization: AI can continuously monitor cloud resource usage and apply predictive analytics to optimize resource allocation based on demand. This means that you pay for what you use. This leads to significant cost savings and more efficient cloud operations.

Predictive Maintenance and Security: AI can detect anomalies in cloud infrastructure and data, predicting potential system failures or security breaches before they occur. By proactively identifying and addressing these issues, AI helps prevent downtime, data loss, and security incidents. This not only cuts down on downtime cost but also enhances the overall security stance.

Proactive Problem Solving: AI-driven insights can help CCoE teams rapidly generate ideal solution architectures and proactively address potential issues. This reduces the time between design and implementation, minimizing disruptions, and ensuring you have a smoother and more resilient cloud journey. You can benefit from solutions that are continuously refined by AI, leading to greater efficiency and innovation.

Compliance and Governance: AI can assist in establishing and enforcing governance standards, ensuring cloud adoption aligns with regulatory requirements. By continuously monitoring compliance and automating policy enforcement, AI minimizes risks associated with non-compliance and ensures secure usage of cloud resources.

“By integrating AI in our CCoE approach, we offer responsive, tailored services. AI-driven insights lead to efficiency, cost savings, and innovation, benefiting you and your team,” emphasizes Perazza.

With CCoE, WeVets, our customer, improved IT environments and saved up to 40% on total operation costs. WeVet adopted governance practices on financial efficiency which led to cost predictability, risk mitigation, and accurate decision-making process.

Next steps

Tap into our expertise to strengthen your organization’s cloud operations and security posture. We have helped many customers across all verticals to improve their cloud operations. Contact us today to see how we can do the same for you.

Cybersecurity: 8 proven ways to level up your security management operations

This blog is co-authored by João Labre – Director of Modern Work and Security, and Antonio Briceño, Country Manager for Costa Rica.

You’re navigating the ever-changing threat landscape, and you know that building the muscle for robust security operations is paramount. Protection from a technology or SaaS solution only takes you so far. You need to develop a culture of security awareness to seriously understand and honestly assess security awareness at all levels.

We share our tried and tested strategies to enhance your organization’s security management posture. As cybercrime becomes more prevalent, adopting a reactive approach could not only divert resources away from your core objectives – it could also inflict irreparable damage to your credibility.

1. Cybersecurity is an Organizational Priority

Effective defense strategies against cyberattacks begin with acknowledging that security is not just an IT concern. CEOs and senior executives must lead by example – modeling that security is everyone’s responsibility and aligning strategies and resources accordingly. Budget allocation is a crucial aspect, and cybersecurity should be seen as an investment rather than an expense. Allocate a budget that allows your organization to acquire the necessary resources to protect itself effectively. Make sure that the C-Suite understands the importance of this investment in securing your organization’s future.

2. Comprehensive Security Management

The demand for cybersecurity industry workers continues to fall short of the supply of skilled practitioners – with 3.4 million unfilled job vacancies. The chances are that your in-house security team is stretched thin managing your current cybersecurity operation. Security management covers a broad range of activities, from continuous education, risk assessment, and compliance to incident response and monitoring. To fortify your security management operations, adopt a holistic approach that covers all aspects of security. Work with an experienced, trusted partner such as Beyondsoft to develop a robust framework that integrates all aspects of your approach, to ensure that no vulnerability is left unchecked.

3. Time to Adapt to Remote Work Realities

Remote work has introduced new attack vectors for organizations. With approximately 40% of employees now working a hybrid model or full-time remotel y, security management operations must adapt to this new reality. In parallel hackers are leveraging collaboration tools beyond email — including Slack and WhatsApp — to carry out attacks. Provide your remote workforce with the necessary tools and training to maintain security standards, scrutinize suspicious communications, and remain vigilant regardless of their location. Security operations must extend beyond the office to ensure comprehensive protection.

4. Partner for Managed Detection and Response

When dealing with prevailing and emerging cyberattack vectors, seeking expert guidance is essential. Teams benefit greatly from the insights of specialists who can tailor strategies to your organization’s unique needs. A partner with a global cybersecurity track record of putting their managed detection and response provision to the test is invaluable as you navigate complex, local regulatory requirements. Choose an ISO 27001 certified partner that has maintained their credential over a sustained period to protect against the most common – and emerging attack vectors. Similarly, security specializations from Microsoft Azure require business case traction – another solid indicator of a partner that specializes in cybersecurity operations and management.

5. Culture and Training

Building a human-centric culture of security awareness is the most important defense against cyberattacks. Every member of your organization must understand their role in preventing and thwarting cybercrime. Your employees need to understand what to scrutinize so that they can detect phishing scams in their emails and WhatsApp messages, and they need to know how and when to store and share sensitive data. Training sessions need to be refreshed and conducted quarterly to ensure everybody is educated on the ever-changing threat landscape.

6. AI: A Double-Edged Sword

It’s no surprise that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used more frequently by cyber criminals to design, personalize, and distribute malware. Defenders need to be as adept as attackers in leveraging the latest tech. The good news is that AI can assist defenders with innovative automation that facilitates and expedites incident response. Note though, that there is no substitute for human decision-making. The most effective approach to applying AI to your security management is to build a ‘Fusion Team’ comprised of developers, users, and business users to take a multidisciplinary approach to applying AI to your security operations and threat management.

7. Monitoring and Response

Vigilant security management involves continuous scrutiny of your existing security approach and tracking your data governance. Given that cyber threats evolve and shift, you need to revisit your security management plan and test your incident response plan regularly to maintain its effectiveness. Don’t assume that ‘no news is good news’ – it takes a concerted effort to stay ahead of the bad news. It’s no longer ‘if’ there’s an attack, it’s ‘when’ – and you have to be prepared with monitoring and proactive mitigation practices. Exercise sapiency – in other words, be educated and self-aware of the gaps in your security management plan, and ensure you’re up to date on the trends, methods, and technologies both in cybercrime and cybersecurity.

8. Shared Responsibility

Security management is akin to a change management exercise: how do you keep vigilance top of mind? Remember that your cloud providers know how to handle security better than an in-house team – they face attacks of every type every day. Cyber security is a joint effort, so understand the cloud services you’re buying, where you’re responsible, and fine-tune your security services for your needs. Work with your security operations partner to define roles and responsibilities.

Tap into our expertise to strengthen your organization’s security posture. We have helped many customers across all verticals to fortify their security operations. Contact us today to see how we can do the same for you.

How Beyondsoft unlocks IT innovation and business success with Microsoft specializations

Microsoft is one of the premier IT cloud providers, offering an array of technology to meet business needs. But even with Microsoft solutions in place, there is the uncertainty of not understanding all the capabilities and underutilizing the tools. In addition, familiar IT pain points still present themselves with Microsoft implementations, such as software compatibility, maintenance, storage, network, and data security.

Working with us, an IT consultancy with extensive experience in Microsoft solutions can help immensely. We have earned many Microsoft specializations demonstrating our in-depth expertise and commitment to be your first-rate partner for digital transformation.

Here we discuss what Microsoft specializations mean, why they are important, and how we can help you leverage Microsoft tools to the greatest extent possible.

Why is Microsoft specialization important to you?

It is as true for Microsoft as it is for any IT technology – most companies utilize only a small percentage of the full capabilities of Microsoft solutions. A specialized Microsoft solution partner can help your organization increase that percentage, ensuring you are making full use of the product features and realize cost savings fast.

Microsoft awards specializations to solution partners who have demonstrated technical expertise with Microsoft tools within specific contexts. Just as a professional driver can bring out more of the capabilities of a race car than an amateur, an IT consultant with Microsoft specializations can help you gain more benefits from the Microsoft technology you already have in place.

Beyond better use of existing solutions, your organization also may be able to unlock more opportunities by implementing additional Microsoft tools. Microsoft has a full suite of technologies, ranging from desktop applications to cloud solutions such as Azure, and all of them are fully integrated and secure. A company can gain a large competitive edge by moving more workflows and processes to Microsoft solutions, and a Microsoft solution partner, like us, can help you do so.

Our suite of Microsoft specializations

We have earned the following Microsoft Azure specializations: (1) Infra and Database migration to Microsoft Azure, (2) Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop, and (3) Microsoft Azure VMware Solution, where our company is one of the few companies worldwide to hold this specialization.

As for the Security specializations offered by Microsoft, we hold all four: (1) Cloud Security, (2) ID & Access Management, (3) Information Protection & Governance, and (4) Threat Protection.

In addition, we have the Microsoft Solutions Partner designation in 5 of the 6 areas offered by Microsoft: (1) Infrastructure (Azure), (2) Digital & App Innovation (Azure), (3) Modern Work, (4) Data and AI and (5) Security.

The process of obtaining a Microsoft specialization is demanding and arduous. After meeting the prerequisites, we must comply with a third-party audit, requiring substantial time and resources for preparation. The specializations must be renewed annually, requiring annual audits. We maintain these specializations to demonstrate our commitment to keeping on top of our game in these areas of focus.

Of special note, we were recently awarded the Azure Expert Managed Services Provider (MSP) badge, only given to the most high-fidelity cloud managed service providers. This designation requires an even more intensive training and audit process. The payoff is that you have the confidence of working with the most capable partner possible for all Azure-related issues.

How we drive customer success with Microsoft specializations

We are a catalyst for our customers with respect to their cloud migrations, system upgrades, and other major IT events. Our Microsoft specializations serve as a demonstration of our ability to do so. In addition, our specializations result in Beyondsoft working on more IT projects, thus giving us more experience delivering results – yet another benefit for our customers.

“It is rewarding to be able to rely on a technical team like Beyondsoft, which offers the highest quality, knowledge, agility, and a focus on customer satisfaction.”

Eduardo Ângelo, WeVets, Director of IT and Customer Experience

As the business landscape changes, Beyondsoft has future plans for additional Microsoft specializations. Specifically, the Beyondsoft team is seeking to obtain three more specializations soon: (1) Analytics on Microsoft Azure, (2) AI and Machine Learning in Microsoft Azure, and (3) Low Code Application Development, to better assist customers with the Microsoft Power platform.

Tap into our expertise to maximize your company’s Microsoft capabilities

Make the most out of Microsoft cloud and IT technology by tapping into our expertise. With Microsoft specializations, we helped numerous organizations accelerate their business success. Contact us today to see how we can do the same for you.

Strengths, Challenges and Future Growth: A Q&A chat with Beyondsoft Consulting Inc.’s CEO

I had the privilege to chat with our CEO Marshall Ma about the company’s vision, employee training, and his go-to method for de-stressing. Throughout our candid conversation, I have gained valuable insights into his experience, challenges, and aspirations.

Tell us about yourself.

Marshall: I am one of the founders of Beyondsoft and have worked for the company for 28 years. In 2015 I moved to the U.S. to drive the company’s most important market – North America. Our vision is to establish Beyondsoft as one of the top IT services companies in the Americas and Europe regions, focusing on cloud services, data, AI, infrastructure, cybersecurity operations, cost optimization, and business process management. I am grateful to work with a diverse team of talents who are rooted in customer success. I am proud of our achievements so far and look forward to conquering new sales wins.

“It is a team effort that has allowed us to expand our footprint in Costa Rica, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. It has been an incredible journey, filled with challenges and triumphs.”

–Marshall Ma

Many employees perceive you as an introvert and a man of few words. Do you agree with their observations?

Marshall: <Laughs> I am a former engineer who prefers deep thinking. As I grow in my role as a CEO, I am learning to listen more and ask a few clarifying questions. I now learn more from employees and dig deeper to help them adjust and adapt to changing circumstances. Like Bill Bradley, the American basketball player said: “Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.”

What do you think is the biggest strength of our company now?

Marshall: Have you done your homework, Sharon?

Sharon: <Laughs> Yes, and I want to hear your perspective

Marshall: We have a strong heritage in technology services, and a proven track record with many mid-sized and enterprise customers. We have a flat hierarchy in this organization and remain agile in helping our customers to be successful. We keep pace with innovation and commit to continuous learning from customers, partners, analysts, and our competitors. We bring local and overseas expertise to work with our customers to build a sustainable digital journey.

Every customer has unique needs, and there is no one-size fits all solution. We unpack the must-haves, the changes and improvements needed, based on our customers’ company culture, business requirements, and technology readiness.

“I am confident that collective knowledge from data, intelligence, and humans will accelerate business growth for our customers.”

–Marshall Ma

In addition, I do want to point out that we know Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we live, work, interact and use insights to improve decision-making processes. We’re glad to have invested in AI more than five years ago, enabling our customers to automate repetitive tasks, get actionable contextual insights for accurate forecasting, and provide a more personalized user experience. Our team of data scientists are also leveraging OpenAI’s ChatGPT to enhance our AI Ops platform. We’ll share more news about that soon.

What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced, and how would you change them?

Marshall: A challenge is an opportunity, and an opportunity is a challenge. I face challenges and opportunities daily. I have open, honest and tough discussions with my leadership team regularly. I don’t have all the answers, and I do my best to remove barriers and work with my leadership team to break down challenges into actionable tasks or opportunities to achieve the outcomes we need. John C. Maxwell, a popular American author, says it elegantly: “Leadership is about transforming challenges into opportunities for growth.”

How do you see Beyondsoft change in the next few years, how would you prepare and what do you expect from your employees?

Marshall: New technologies will continue to develop over the next few years, especially in the field of AI, security and governance. This will bring profound changes to the IT services industry. Not only will our customers’ needs evolve, but traditional business models will also change, many jobs will be automated or replaced, and new jobs will emerge.

As a leader, I’m always on the lookout for investment in new technologies, keeping the organizational structure agile, and exploring new technology partner ecosystems to accelerate growth.

As we keep up with these changes, striking a balance between long-term growth and agility is a delicate move. I want to continue creating a culture that nurtures creativity, allowing us to leverage experiences from the past to better navigate future challenges. I also want to encourage employees to improve their skills and set aside time for training. I know our HR team has recently sent out a free training resources guide to employees

What is the ONE thing that you do regularly to maintain good mental health?

Marshall: I run 5km weekly . Exercise is a good outlet to de-stress and improves my concentration at work.

Sharon: Thank you for your time.

Four advantages of IT managed services you might not know about

Keeping pace with the fast-evolving technology landscape while maintaining your applications and ensuring your systems are secure, scalable, and efficient can be daunting, particularly for organizations with limited resources. And few businesses have the budget to hire experts with every emerging skill set they require. That’s where an IT managed services provider can help.

As a strategic partner, an IT managed services provider supplies a dedicated team of professionals with specialized skills and knowledge to oversee one or more day-to-day parts of your business, such as IT operations support, application management, or a global contact center. As a result, you gain access to a pool of experts, the latest technologies, and industry-leading processes and best practices without breaking the budget. You also free up your in-house experts to focus on accelerating your business.

But did you know that there are lots of other benefits of an IT managed services provider? Below, I’ve shared some of the lesser-known advantages.

1. Work smarter with generative AI

Managed services providers that integrate generative AI into their service models can help you unlock new levels of efficiency and productivity. Generative AI can help optimize resource allocation, automate routine tasks, and improve decision-making processes. In addition, it can analyze data to identify patterns, trends, and security threats and predict potential issues and anomalies. Such insights can inform preventative measures, ultimately reducing disruptions and improving system reliability.

Furthermore, generative AI such as ChatGPT can power chatbots, using natural language processing capabilities to respond to user queries, saving time and improving customer satisfaction.

2. Improve financial predictability and accountability

With managed services, you get a clear and predictable cost structure, allowing you to budget and plan more effectively. This can be particularly valuable if your business has variable workloads or seasonal demand. Managed services providers can help your organization identify areas for cost optimization and greater efficiency to maximize your IT investment and increase ROI. Furthermore, engaging with an IT managed services provider enables you to allocate internal resources more effectively and make more targeted investments in staffing and training.

3. Strengthen security and compliance

Partnering with a reliable IT managed services provider can enhance your organization’s security measures. You gain access to a team of professionals with expertise in the latest security threats, industry standards, and best practices, which may not be available in-house. They can recommend strong security measures by deploying advanced firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and automated updates and patches. Moreover, they can use advanced monitoring tools and technologies to respond to security threats immediately and take swift action to minimize the impact and address vulnerabilities.

Additionally, a managed service provider can help you meet industry-specific compliance and regulatory requirements, such as GDPR, SOX, and HIPAA. They can help you identify gaps and areas of non-compliance and recommend and implement the necessary controls and measures your business needs to ensure compliance.

4. Enhance business availability

Increased business availability is another advantage of partnering with a great IT managed service provider, ensuring your applications and data are available when needed. Proactive monitoring helps prevent system downtime, performance bottlenecks, and other potential issues. When issues do occur, your managed services provider can quickly diagnose and resolve issues to minimize the impact on operations. They can also perform regular maintenance and backups to enhance system availability and reliability.

Furthermore, your managed services provider can help you develop robust disaster recovery and business continuity plans and processes. They can identify gaps and issues and create backup and recovery strategies, incident response procedures, and system redundances to ensure maximum system uptime.

Trust Beyondsoft IT managed services for your business

As a global, full-service IT provider, Beyondsoft has helped countless organizations accelerate business, including Brazil-based veterinary care center, WeVets. Beyondsoft takes a data-driven approach to IT managed services, leveraging advanced automation technologies and AI to drive greater efficiency, productivity, and impact. To learn more, contact us today.

Simple strategies to find a job you love

There’s been a lot of talk about the Great Resignation, a term that describes an uptick in employees changing roles in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. But did you know that up to 70% of people have Great Resignation regrets? To find a job you love, it’s important to nail down exactly what you’re looking for. In this article, explore some key strategies to help you find a job you love. Plus, I’ll share some of the latest Beyondsoft career opportunities—just in case you’re ready to make the leap to a fantastic global company.

Evaluate what’s truly important

While it may seem obvious, knowing exactly what you’re looking for in your next job will help you make the best decision possible. So first, it’s important to make a list of the aspects you love about your current role. These things might include responsibilities, such as project oversight or cross-team collaboration.

Additionally, consider what you appreciate about the company itself, such as its size, your connection to the company’s values, or a vibrant company culture.

Next, list the additional things that you want from your next role. Perhaps you’re seeking new or expanded responsibilities or you’d like to learn a new technology. Maybe you’d like a role with greater flexibility or expanded growth opportunities. Whatever these factors are, write them down.

Finally, combine these lists and reorder them, with the highest priorities at the top. This exercise will give you a much clearer sense of your ideal company and job and the qualities that appeal most to you.

Ask the right questions

Now that you have narrowed down the qualities of your ideal job and company, it’s time to develop questions to help you evaluate roles more objectively. Bonus points for geeking out and creating a spreadsheet!

Questions you might ask about company culture in advance of an interview include:

What are your contacts and others saying about the company culture?
How does the company support advancement?
What are the company’s views on diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and giving back to the community?

Questions to ask an interviewer might include:

What makes you most excited about coming to work?
What learning and mentorship opportunities does the company offer?
What is the company’s approach to mental health and helping employees preserve work-life balance?
How much autonomy would I have?

If you’re looking to expand your income and benefits, be sure you understand what you’re being offered—and do your best to get it in writing. For example, while the income may be on target, you also need to consider other benefits:

Does the company offer a 401K match?
How are annual bonuses and pay increases calculated?
What are the healthcare benefits, and what portion does the company pay?

Do your homework to find a job you love

Whether you’re seeking growth opportunities, greater flexibility, or a more fulfilling role, doing your homework upfront will help you find a job you love and prevent any Great Resignation regrets. So, make sure you know why you’re leaving and what’s most important to you. Then, ask the right questions to ensure you’re making the right move.

Find a job you love at Beyondsoft

Since you’re here, check out the latest career opportunities at Beyondsoft.

Marketing Manager (Bellevue, Portland/Vancouver, or Dallas areas): Put your marketing know-how to work managing Beyondsoft branding and marketing activities in North America. In this role, you will analyze the market and partner with leaders to develop cross-channel strategies to drive brand awareness and demand for Beyondsoft offerings.

Program Manager (Remote): Partner with clients to support business objectives in an efficient yet consensus-building fashion. You will successfully manage and deliver multiple, simultaneous projects from discovery and design through delivery and completion, meeting the agreed-upon schedule, budget, and scope.

IT Support Specialist (Bellevue, WA): Work with internal employees to support and troubleshoot the technologies used daily. Responsibilities include asset management, web portal maintenance, information security, and workstation setup. You’ll also support technologies such as voice over IP, phone hubs, Network Phone Connections, servers, printers, and Microsoft Office 365.

Mechanical Engineer (Fremont, CA): In this role at one of our top clients, you’ll handle end-to-end product design and manage projects from concept through fabrication. You will create and own design documentation, including CAD models, BOMs, design packages for machine shops, test requirements, and final release for production.

Software / Process Developer Support (Boise, ID): Create and deliver HP office printing solutions, extensibility software, and SDK components intended for third-party partners and developers. You’ll also help design and deliver infrastructure and qualification tools and processes required to develop extensibility platforms.

Test Engineer, Mobile Applications (San Diego, CA): If you have expertise in testing mobile applications, join our team supporting Hewlett Packard. You will be responsible for communicating with teams in different locations, developing and executing test cases on mobile applications, and performing special requests from the developers.

Sr. Project Manager (Remote): As part of a high-performing group, you will lead, develop, and land key business programs and support our clients in successfully delivering their technology initiatives.

Senior Backend Developer (Remote): Are you self-motivated and interested in working in a highly dynamic environment? In support of the Compliance Finance team, you will design creative solutions using skills in Service Oriented Architecture, real-time systems, data processing pipelines, machine learning, graph algorithms, feature visualization, and payments technologies.

Mechanical Drafter (Boise, ID): In this role, you’ll create and edit design documentation to comply with company and industry standards and provide hands-on construction of tooling, prototypes, and test fixtures. You’ll also analyze and troubleshoot mechanical issues, coordinate project activities, and provide mechanical solutions to aid in LaserJet R&D activities and testing.

Sr. Full Stack Engineer / Architect (Remote): We are looking for an experienced engineer well versed in architecture, cloud, and networking to handle full-stack development and envision entire systems end-to-end. This role requires a solid development background with front-end and backend technologies.

Compliance Test Engineer, RF (Redmond, WA): Play a vital role on the compliance team through RF Regulatory compliance testing of ITE products. In this role, you will perform RF/EMC Regulatory testing on ITE, unlicensed, and licensed intentional transmitters and support EMC regulatory testing for unintentional transmitters.

Associate Business Development Manager (Remote): Drive growth within assigned territories, working closely with solution consulting and delivery. Chief responsibilities for this role include analyzing the client’s business operations, determining strategies for meeting goals, and ensuring products and projects are ready on time.

Software Engineer (Boise, ID): Oversee enhancement development and maintenance of existing web-based programs in support of data analytics. You will support database connectivity, data loads, and reporting and collaborate with customer assurance team members. You will also integrate data, train users, and participate in quality meetings.

Dynamics Technician (Vancouver, WA): Work onsite at a high-profile technical client to maintain and troubleshoot equipment and systems. Responsibilities include interpreting mechanical drawings, schematics, and test procedures and performing testing tasks and defect characterization. You must be familiar with Technician 1 and 2 activities.

Chemistry / Materials Science Lab Technician (Vancouver, WA): In this technical role, you will recommend, evaluate, and set up new analytical instrumentation, help mentor and train personnel, perform chemical laboratory procedures, develop experiments, and author reports.

Printer Test Technician 1 (Vancouver, WA): Break into the technology field! In this role, you will perform tests to determine the functionality of mechanical equipment. You will run test scripts according to guidelines, observe printer behavior, and compare results with predetermined parameters.

Printer Test Technician 2 (Vancouver, WA): In this position, you will perform tests to determine mechanical and computer equipment functionality. You’ll also ensure instruments are calibrated and verified regularly and work with engineers to test, debug, and troubleshoot equipment and products.

Mechanical Printer Technician (Vancouver, WA): Work onsite at a high-profile technical client, running test scripts, observing printer behavior, collecting test data, maintaining accurate logs, troubleshooting equipment, interpreting drawing and schematics, and more.

Printer Test Engineer (Boise, ID): As a contributing member of the Printer Certification team, you will support the test strategy for security certification. Activities include manual test execution, test design, test infrastructure support, and test results documentation for HP’s printer family.

Physics Lab Technician (Vancouver, WA): In this technical role, you’ll perform complex testing tasks at the direction of the engineering staff. You’ll observe and analyze test results for 3D X-ray machining to identify voids or cracks in components and parts. You’ll also perform minor repairs and preventative maintenance.

Meet Rachel Warren

Welcome back for another month’s Employee Spotlight. For those of you new to this, we choose a Beyondsoft employee and ask them questions about their role in the company, as well as a few “just for fun” questions, so our readers get the chance to learn more about the incredible people who make up our team. This month, we are featuring a member of our recruiting team! Meet Rachel Warren!

Marketing: Hi Rachel, thanks for agreeing to be this month’s spotlight! How long have you been with Beyondsoft? What does your role entail?

Rachel: Hi! I’ve been here since July of 2019. As the Corporate Recruiter, I handle all corporate hiring and oversee/maintain our Applicant Tracking System iCIMS and other recruiting tools/processes for all company staffing. I also get to work on many HR projects outside of recruiting.

Marketing: What do you like most about your job? Is there a unique (or fun) project you’ve been working on that you can talk about?

Rachel: First and foremost, I love my team (shoutout to the best HR team in the game!). I also love the flexibility to work on projects that I find professionally fulfilling, like the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) program, which I am now running (keep your eyes peeled this year for more DEI initiatives).

Marketing: We can’t wait to see what you have up your sleeves! What advice would you give to recent new hires?

Rachel: Don’t be afraid to ask questions and take notes! I still sometimes reference notes I took during my first week of work.

Marketing: Do you work in-office or remote? What are your biggest productivity tips for that environment?

Rachel: I work remotely for the time being and have been for a vast majority of my tenure at BCI (I started just six months before the first COVID case in the US…and happen to live in the same city where that case occurred). Working remotely is not for everyone, but I love it! My best productivity tip is to have a routine, make yourself an excellent area to work from, and TAKE BREAKS!

Marketing: If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see cast as you?

Rachel: Hmmm, well, I look nothing like her, and I’m not British, but Emily Blunt was the first name that popped in my head…I love her sense of humor!

Marketing: What is your philosophy?

Rachel: Kindness, respect, common sense, and laughter rule all.

Marketing: Not a bad philosophy. What do you like to do in your spare time? What is something you’re good at? Is there something you’re terrible at (that you feel comfortable sharing, of course!)

Rachel: I’m a pretty laid-back gal. In my spare time, I love just being with my friends and family, and I’ve lived in the Pacific NW all my life, so any time there’s sunshine, you’ll find me outside!

Marketing: Are you messy or organized?

Rachel: ORGANIZED! I can tell you where every item I own is at this very moment. It’s a problem, actually, haha.

Marketing: What books are at your bedside?

Rachel: I’ve got two right now – The Storyteller by Dave Grohl and The Book of Hope by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams.

Marketing: Recommendation time: Is there anything you currently love and want to share? This can be a podcast, book, tv show, music, activity – you name it!

Rachel: I just discovered After Life with Ricky Gervais (on Netflix), and I think it’s a beautiful commentary about humanity, love, and grief – all set to laughter! Otherwise, you’ll find me watching Schitt’s Creek or Ted Lasso on an unending loop.

Thanks for letting us get to know more about you, Rachel!

To read more of our Employee Spotlights click here.

4 tactics to fuel a growth mindset and expand your potential

Do you believe intelligence, talent, and other personal attributes are innate, fixed qualities? Or can hard work plus an appetite for learning improve performance?

How you answer these questions marks the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset—a distinction that can influence the trajectory of your career. To summarize, a growth mindset is the conviction that one’s talent, skills, and intelligence can be increased through time and effort. A fixed mindset is the belief that such attributes are innate and cannot be changed.

Put the power of a growth mindset in your corner with these four tactics. Ready to exercise your growth mindset in a new role? Check out the latest career opportunities at Beyondsoft, listed below.

1. Embrace the power of yet

Just because you don’t learn something quickly doesn’t mean it can’t be learned. In fact, mastering a new skill can be a struggle, requiring persistent effort and resilience. A person with a fixed mindset might say, “I don’t know that,” and give up. But a person with a growth mindset will say, “I don’t know that…yet,” and press on, believing in their ability to learn. That’s the power of yet.

2. Challenge yourself to reach beyond your limits

When you hit the breaking point of your personal limits, your mindset determines whether you push harder or give up. Learning to view challenges as opportunities to grow rather than roadblocks is essential to expanding your potential. Personal growth requires pushing past your comfort zone regularly. Seek out challenges that expose you to the risk of failure, and realize that if you never fail, you’re probably not challenging yourself. In fact, some of the world’s most successful people use failure as a springboard to success.

3. Become a lifetime learner

Fuel a growth mindset by integrating learning into your lifestyle. Start with your goals and go from there. Interested in taking on a more challenging role or making a career shift? Look at the skills required for the job you want and create a plan. Talk to your manager about training opportunities or stretch projects. Find and take an online course in your spare time. You can even dive into a side project.

And let’s not forget about books. Turns out that 85% of successful people read at least two educational books every month. In fact, Bill Gates reads a book every week.

4. Be open to feedback

Growth-oriented individuals embrace feedback and criticism. While those with a fixed mindset might get defensive, those with a growth mindset use feedback and criticism to learn and grow their skills.

Don’t wait to get feedback: actively seek it out. Use feedback from credible sources like your manager, colleagues, even your customers to help you make improvements. Then, apply the information you’ve gained to cultivate and refine the skills and qualities you desire.

Fueling a growth mindset can help you achieve your goals and excel in your career. If you’re ready to put that growth mindset to work, check out the latest career opportunities at Beyondsoft.

Explore career opportunities at Beyondsoft

Account Manager (Bellevue, WA): Aggressively grow and manage our Microsoft business by generating opportunities, closing sales, and building relationships with key stakeholders. You’ll be focused on managed and outsourced services, service desk, data analytics, and artificial intelligence/machine learning.

Account Manager, Onshore Accounts (Bellevue, WA): Develop client business relationships and focus on the development and delivery of a broad range of IT products and services, working hand-in-hand with the delivery team to ensure quality and timely execution.

Account Executive, Service Desk (Bellevue, WA): Use a consultative sales approach to understand the needs and process pains of the customer and work with Beyondsoft business leaders to craft winning proposals for long-term, value-add solutions.

Sr. Chief of Staff / Director of Operations (Bellevue, WA): Are you a creative, results-driven professional passionate about organizational effectiveness and building a diverse and inclusive team culture? In this role, you’ll lead the US operations team, fulfilling responsibilities that range from defining strategic direction to ensuring strategic execution.

Project Manager, Regulatory Compliance (Remote): Obtain international regulatory certifications for products in areas of EMC, Radio & Safety Compliance to enable product launches in international markets. Track, manage, and interpret changes in international EMC, Radio & Safety Regulatory Compliance standards.

Sr. Technician (Boise, ID): Work with our client to support analysis and testing of the HP LaserJet family of products. In this role, you’ll support the engineering group with root cause analysis, setup and execution of specialized testing, operational tests, repairs and maintenance, hardware/firmware upgrades, and more.

Sr. Implementation Analyst, Marketing Analytics (Remote): Play a key role in producing business-analytics tracking technologies in the digital marketing field. You’ll work with high-profile clients as well as vendors to define, document, and test the necessary data-collection and tag-management steps required to support site user engagement activity insights.

Back-End Engineer (Freemont, CA): Develop and deploy full-stack solutions with our robotics and industrial automation client. You’ll be responsible for maintaining the automation back-end solution, auto-recovery systems, and test-automation solutions. You’ll also perform field solution deployment, operations, and reporting.

DevOps Engineer (Plano, TX): In this fast-paced role, you’ll design, develop, and operationalize CI/CD solutions. You’ll administer Linux services in AWS, monitor performance, define best practices, automate advanced build and scripting deployments, and perform troubleshooting.

Test Engineer, RF (Redmond, WA): Support the compliance team through RF regulatory compliance testing of ITE products by preparing, conducting, and recording tests such as conducted emissions, radiated emissions, radiated immunity, and more.

Test Engineer, RF (Redmond, WA: As a member of a skilled team of compliance professionals, you’ll perform regulatory testing on ITE products, support EMC regulatory testing, plus record data and work with compliance engineers to fulfill testing needs for proprietary devices.

Quality Assurance Analyst (Boise, ID): Join a collaborative team focused on a warranty cost reduction for the OPS printer business. In this role, you’ll evaluate case data for support interventions and provide insights into product issue trends.

Back-end Developer (Bellevue, WA): Help develop a world-class payment platform. You’ll develop creative solutions using skills in Service Oriented Architecture, real-time systems, data processing pipelines, machine learning, graph algorithms, and more.

Program Manager (Remote): Partner with clients to support business objectives in an efficient yet consensus-building fashion. You will be accountable for successfully managing and delivering multiple, simultaneous projects, from discovery and design through delivery and completion.

Senior Project Manager (Remote): Are you an experienced and innovative thought leader with demonstrated knowledge in strategy, communication, sales, and delivery? Join a high-performing group achieving significant impact. In this position, you’ll lead, develop, and land key business programs and support our clients in successfully delivering their technology initiatives.

Senior UX Designer (Fremont, CA): Join our engineering robotics team and support one of our top clients. In this position, you will focus on research and validation of product design concepts and design simple and elegant interfaces to support the team’s internal products.

Manufacturing Tech (Corvallis, OR): Complete manufacturing assignments in a clean-room environment under limited supervision. Responsibilities include processing manufacturing jobs using automated tools and visual quality control inspections.

Mobile Software Automation Engineer (San Diego, CA): Analyze, plan, and implement test automation standards and strategies onsite at a high-profile, technical client location. This role requires automation experience and a strong understanding of PYTHON and Jenkins.

Printer Test Technician 2 (Vancouver, WA): Determine the functionality of mechanical or computer equipment and ensure instruments are calibrated and verified on a regular basis. You’ll also work with engineers in the testing, debugging, and troubleshooting of new and existing equipment and products.

Printer Test Technician 3 (Vancouver, WA): Put your strong analytical skills to work maintaining and troubleshooting equipment and systems. This position requires electro-mechanical experience and safety certifications, plus familiarity with all the activities of technicians 1 and 2.

Printer Test Technician 4 (Vancouver, WA): In this role, you’ll read and interpret mechanical drawings, schematics, printouts, specifications, and test procedures and perform ad hoc and exploratory testing and defect characterization. This role requires strong analytical skills and a familiarity with all the activities of technicians 1-3.

Solder Technician 4 (Vancouver, WA): Perform testing tasks requiring strong analytical skills and interpretation of test cases and scripts, plus work on complex assignments with minimal supervision. Familiarity with all the activities of technicians 1-3 is required along with strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

Client Partner, Engineering Services (Redmond, WA): Establish new accounts and grow existing accounts within assigned territories, working closely with solution consulting and delivery. You will be responsible for account strategy planning, generating business opportunities, and closing sales with new and existing enterprise clients.