(This post originally appeared on Forbes)
Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 — Microsoft says that multi-factor authentication blocks 99% of account hacks.
If users want to block 99% of automated attacks, Microsoft is saying that enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) will do the trick. The strategy will work for profiles other than Microsoft accounts as well, and it is recommended that MFA is enabled no matter what other security measures— simple or complex— are in place. Google also echoed the advice this past May, explaining that users who choose to provide a recovery phone number were strengthening the security of their account, making it seem like multi-factor authentication is the way to go. (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your business:
If your employees are gaining entry into their systems using just a password then you’re asking for trouble. Most of the big tech companies – like Microsoft – say that multi-factor authentication (where a text, fingerprint or email is also required periodically) is 99% effective. You need to make sure you’ve setup the same type of security on your system.
2 — Google will shut down Google Hire in 2020.
After launching a mere two years ago, job application tracking system by Google— called Google Hire— will be shutting down. The idea behind Google Hire— which was geared mainly toward small to medium-sized businesses— was to streamline the process of hiring individuals in a way that seamlessly combined those steps with the capabilities in G Suite, such as scheduling interviews through calendar, etc. Google announced that— despite the system’s success— they would like to focus more on other elements of Google. (Source: TechCrunch)
Why this is important for your business:
Two lessons here. The first is that Google Hire is going away so if you’ve been using it you’ll need to consider other similar applications like LinkedIn or Indeed. More importantly, it never ceases to amaze me how willing Google is to send apps or products that aren’t performing up to expectations right to the graveyard. We should all be as decisive when it comes to our products and services, right?
3 — QuickBooks simplifies health insurance for small business owners.
QuickBooks Online Payroll customers will now be able to easily and affordably support their employees from within QuickBooks through their integration with the online platform SimplyInsured. The integration will now allow small businesses to compare plans in order to find the ones that best suit their budget and— once they have chosen a plan— easily apply. (Source: Business Wire)
Why this is important for your business:
Intuit’s focus is on helping streamline and simplify insurance benefits for businesses owners in an effort to encourage them to offer quality health insurance for your employees. It seems to be a potentially good way to simplify the choices we face and help us make better decisions. Given so many of us use QuickBooks, it’s a service worth looking at.
4 — Verizon will automatically opt Android customers into its anti-robocall app.
Verizon will now be automatically enrolling Android users who are deemed eligible in their Call Filter Service, which will help block incessant robocalls and spam by either forwarding calls right to voicemail or detailing that the call could be spam in the caller ID. Android users who pay-as-they-go and those users who have iOS will still be required to manually download the app. (Source: Engadget)
Why this is important for your business:
I’m a Verizon customer that receives dozens of robocalls a day and can’t wait to see this feature enacted.
5— Yelp will let users personalize their homepage and search results.
Yelp users will now be able to personalize their homepage and search results based on what they specify in their personal preferences. Unlike other apps that also personalize user experience, Yelp isn’t using an algorithm. Instead they are explicitly relying on your answers to the questions they give, allowing for users to change their preferences as needed. (Source: TechCrunch)
Why this is important for your business:
Rather than having to reenter information each time a search is done — such as dietary restrictions or lifestyle— once preferences are updated, Yelp will keep those moving forward, filtering out unrelated or unwanted results. This should be a faster and more accurate methodology for keeping your Yelp pages current.
