Preferred Blog

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a seriously hot topic. While integrating AI promises significant advancements and efficiencies, the narrative around AI-fueled layoffs—the displacement of human workers by AI—is increasingly met with a surprising twist: regret.

At Preferred, a leading provider of proactive business technology support services, we've observed this trend with interest. It appears that many organizations that hastily replaced human capital with AI are now confronting unforeseen challenges. Managers that famously thought that replacing their paid employees with AI aren’t always happy with the results. Let’s take a look at the particulars of this phenomenon.

The end of Windows 10 support is closer than you think. On October 14, 2025, Microsoft will officially stop providing free security updates, non-security updates, and assisted support for Windows 10. For businesses, this isn't just a minor inconvenience—it's a critical security and operational risk that demands immediate attention.

Do you have that one friend who's still clinging to their cracked, ancient smartphone? You know the one: it's painfully slow, the battery dies in two hours, and it can't run half the apps you use. Now, imagine if an entire company operated like that, with every piece of its technology. It sounds like a comedy of errors, but for many businesses, it’s a silent disaster waiting to happen.

Two-factor authentication can be one of the most impactful security tools your organization has. This is because passwords play a massive part in the security of your most crucial digital assets; and frankly, it keeps passwords as a viable solution to keep apps and data secure. 

How does your business handle the onboarding and offboarding of employees? Depending on your processes, it might involve completing tasks or wrestling with new technology. Whether you like it or not, managing the onboarding and offboarding of employees is a critical part of any business operation from both a security and operational standpoint. Let’s go over how you can make them better.

There are times when you might make changes to a file, only to wish to revert back to the previous version. Sometimes you’ll accidentally overwrite an important existing file, and sometimes someone else will make edits to a document without permission. All of these situations warrant version control, or having the ability to view different iterations of a file. Here’s why you need to have version control in place, as well as what’s at stake if you don’t have it turned on.

Cyberattacks are not to be underestimated. The damage that they can do—even in the first hours—is considerable. This means you need to have a strategy to respond to these incidents, conveniently called an incident response plan.

This procedure should be both tested and documented, preparing you to withstand any cyberattack with minimal damage or disruption. As you might expect, the first hour or so will be a crucial period during this process. Let’s go over what you need to do.

Reliable IT advice is hard to come by, especially for cybersecurity. Whether it's uninformed coworkers or fake online influencers with their guides and platforms, most advice you find these days is bound to be outdated, incorrect, or both. You don’t want to base your business’ security around security myths, so we’re here to bust them today and offer you some guidance you can trust.

A lot goes into a successful network security strategy, and when there isn’t a clear head honcho at the top of the chain of command (from a network security standpoint, anyway), things can get a little murky. The security that comes from a modern firewall, however, is vital, and all businesses should strive to implement it. Here are the four key elements of a modern cybersecurity strategy and how a modern firewall contributes to the digital security of your business.

When something goes wrong with your company’s technology, the last thing you want to do is be the one at fault. Unfortunately, that’s what comes with the territory in the world of business IT. If you’re sick of technicians who make excuses rather than own up to their mistakes and correct their course, read on. We’re going to showcase just what accountability in IT looks like and how we strive to embody it.

Small businesses are incredibly important for the community, but there can be no denying that cyberthreats disproportionately impact SMBs. This is especially true for ransomware, one of the worst threats out there, that has the potential to end unprepared businesses. Ransomware locks down access to your computer systems and encrypts files, demanding a ransom in exchange for restored access. What makes small businesses such ideal targets, and what can you do about it?

How much time do you waste every day while trying to find specific files? Chances are, it’s more than you’d like, and one quick glance at your digital workspace would tell us you have some tidying up to do. Today, we want to share three tips to help you be more organized and productive with your digital workspace.

In business, it’s tempting to think, if it's not broken, don't fix it. This is especially true for technology. Your computers turn on, emails go out, and things seem to work… so why bother with constant maintenance?

What if I told you this safe approach is actually draining your profits? It’s a hidden expense, and understanding it can completely change how you see your IT.

You know your business needs data backup, but do you understand why? Simply put, your business is at risk of total annihilation if it doesn’t have a plan in place to recover lost data, and you don’t want that impending doom hanging over your head. If you’re wondering where to get started, here are three types of data that you should absolutely prioritize with your backups.

That said, you want to back up all data if you can, but these are three that we think are especially important to consider.

For business owners, your most critical assets aren’t your office or your inventory; it’s your data. Every client list, financial record, and strategic plan forms the makeup of your company. Protecting this data, due to its importance, isn't just an IT issue—it's an essential business function.

The sun is setting on an era. On October 14, 2025, Windows 10 will officially reach its end of support. For millions of users worldwide, this marks a significant turning point, prompting questions, concerns, and perhaps a touch of nostalgia for an operating system that has served faithfully for a decade.

So, what exactly does end of support mean, and what should you be doing now to prepare? Let's dive in.

You’ve probably heard of phishing attacks, but if not, the best way to explain it is with the legend of the Trojan horse. In ancient times, the city of Troy fell when a raiding party, hidden within the belly of a constructed wooden horse, was allowed past the gates. The lesson: deception is the most powerful weapon one can employ, and cybercriminals will use it against your business.

Today, few topics are generating as much buzz right now as Artificial Intelligence. It's a concept that can feel both futuristic and, at times, a little intimidating. What if I told you that AI is already working behind the scenes in many businesses, acting as the most efficient, data-driven coworker you've ever had?

Take it from us: technology, for all its benefits, can be frustrating.

That being said, it can bring a lot of value to your business when implemented and maintained properly. 

Let’s talk about some quick habits you can deploy to make your workday much easier when working with business technology.

Data breaches are no joke, and they can be so severe that businesses have a hard time bouncing back. Despite the danger, you can somewhat predict when you are at risk of a data breach, and certain actions can be taken to keep them from being fatal (or prevent them entirely). Today, we want to examine three of the common ways data breaches happen and what you can do about them.