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CCG Welcomes James Beeson as Executive Cyber Advisor

CCG Welcomes James Beeson as Executive Cyber Advisor

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Cloud Communications Group is thrilled to announce the appointment of James Beeson as Executive Cyber Advisor. With over 34 years of experience in cybersecurity and technology, Beeson will bring unparalleled expertise to our team, providing strategic and operational advice to our clients.

About James Beeson

James Beeson has had a distinguished career as an award-winning Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). His accolades include being named Dallas CISO of the Year in February 2024 and his induction into the CSO Hall of Fame in 2022. Beeson has been recognized as a Top 100 CISO by CISO Connect in 2021.

Beeson recently retired as Senior Vice President and Global Chief Information Officer at The Cigna Group. His prior experience includes a 20-year tenure at General Electric, where he honed his skills in cybersecurity, infrastructure, governance, and risk management.

Education and Certifications

James holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University with a focus in finance, a BBA in Management and Leadership from Amberton University, and several industry certifications including CISSP, CRISC, and Six Sigma Quality.

A Word from James Beeson

“By joining CCG, I’ll be able to help expand and drive its cybersecurity capabilities and to assist companies globally to strengthen their cybersecurity postures while simplifying their cyber strategies and roadmaps,” Beeson said.

Leadership Endorsement

“James Beeson’s appointment underscores our commitment to providing outstanding technology advisory services to our clients,” said Keith Hatley, co-founder of Cloud Communications Group. “His expertise and leadership, combined with our strong customer-focused approach, will help our clients address their most pressing technology challenges and transform their IT infrastructure.”

Learn More

To read the full press release, click here.

About Cloud Communications Group

Cloud Communications Group is a technology expense management and IT advisory firm that serves as a trusted advisor for clients, helping them design, deploy, and manage technology solutions for their business. Leveraging former CIOs on staff and industry-leading methodologies, CCG provides actionable insights, advisory guidance, and empowers clients to make faster and better decisions. To learn more about Cloud Communications Group, please visit our website at www.cloudcom.net.

For Media Inquiries

Kelly Hunter
Sunwest Communications
Phone: 972-489-4361
Email: [email protected]

What Exactly is a Trusted Advisor? Exploring Insights from 27 Years in Sales Leadership

What Exactly is a Trusted Advisor? Exploring Insights from 27 Years in Sales Leadership

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Keith co-founded Cloud Communications Group in 2009. He leads the company’s vision and strategy execution and has a track record of building high-performing teams that have successfully delivered profitable growth to public and private equity shareholders.

He has held various executive leadership positions in sales and operations over the past 26 years. Most recently, Keith served as Senior Vice President of North American Sales at Masergy where he led sales through two successful acquisitions. Prior to Masergy, Keith served in several senior sales leadership roles at McLeodUSA, PAETEC, airBand, as well as Senior Vice President of Sales at Allegiance Telecom.

Keith earned a Masters of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business and a B.A. from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Striking Out to Strike Gold

Throughout my 27-year career in sales leadership within the technology sector, I’ve had the privilege of working with remarkable companies considered best in class. Despite this, the products and services I represented often fell short of solving the precise problems my prospects faced – whether due to budget constraints, implementation timelines, billing issues, or simply not being the right fit.

In my pursuit, I always sought to grasp the business impact of my clients’ challenges to determine if we could provide a solution. If not, we aimed to disengage swiftly, recognizing the value of not wasting time. When I sit back and think about it, I’m actually reminded of the game of baseball in that I would lose more than I would win. Derek Jeter said baseball is “a game of failure. If you fail seven out of 10 times people think you’re great.”. Sales, it seems, follows a similar pattern, or at least it did.

However, there’s a current shift in technology, particularly in procurement models. Rather than merely selling a service, a new breed of solution providers known as Trusted Advisors has emerged. These advisors don’t represent specific products but rather an entire spectrum of industry services. They function as extensions of your team, focusing on delivering tangible business outcomes and guiding you through the complexities of the rapidly evolving IT landscape. They collaborate closely with your team, from design and procurement to implementation and ongoing support. In essence, a Trusted Advisor becomes the ultimate ally for a Chief Information Officer (CIO).

The Transformative Landscape of Technology Procurement

Several factors are facilitating this shift:

  • Technology providers are moving towards utilizing sales agents/partners to cut costs, stepping away from dedicated sales and support.
  • Enterprise clients are outsourcing services to concentrate on their core competencies, relying on experienced partners for strategic advice and support.
  • Services are evolving rapidly, with new offerings such as Cloud, Zero-Trust, IoT, and SD-WAN. Businesses are increasingly seeking comprehensive solutions or as-a-service options due to the swift pace of change in IT.

These dynamics are prompting an evolution in the partner ecosystem, ultimately benefiting today’s businesses through increased competition.

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Empowering Enterprises through Trusted Partnerships

Enterprise clients must acknowledge this transition and recognize the value Trusted Advisors bring. By entrusting advisors with technology audits, solution research, provider selection, and ongoing account management, enterprises can focus on innovation while ensuring a high return on investment.

For me, the focus has shifted away from whether my product or service fits the bill. Now, I have the opportunity to truly listen and learn from my clients, striving for a perfect batting average. By collaborating closely with clients, I can help deliver technology solutions that address real business challenges, which is an immensely gratifying experience.

Revolutionizing IT Procurement: Cloud Communications Group’s Role

Cloud Communications Group, as a technology expense management and IT advisory firm, serves as Trusted Advisors to our clients. We are revolutionizing IT procurement by saving our clients time and money, leveraging cutting-edge as-a-Service platforms to drive key business outcomes. Contact us today to embark on your journey towards transformative IT solutions.

CCG’s Keith Hatley Honored with Ranking in Channel Futures’ Best Technology Consultants 2024

CCG’s Keith Hatley Honored with Ranking in Channel Futures’ Best Technology Consultants 2024

DALLAS, March 4, 2024 – Channel Futures recently published Technology Advisor 101, a list that highlights 101 technology advisors across the nation who are recognized for their expertise and commitment to delivering high-quality customer experiences. This year, Keith Hatley of Cloud Communications Group was officially recognized as one of 2024’s top performers in this space, and he believes that this recognition further validates the IT advisory business model.

This year’s winners were selected via a unique peer nomination process that factors in nominations from both channel suppliers and last year’s Technology Advisor 101 honorees. This ensures that every nomination features inputs from people who work directly with the nominee and from industry experts who recognize the quality of their work. To qualify for this recognition, nominees must work as customer-facing partners in a company that operates with an agency model.

“Customers are increasingly turning to advisors for their technology road maps, especially as they embrace as-a-service software and infrastructure,” said Keith Hatley in an interview with Channel Futures. “We’re excited for the advisory model to gain more notoriety in the larger indirect sales channel among IT vendors.”

Cloud Communications Group is the brainchild of Keith Hatley and business partner Chris Moffett; both were veterans in the IT industry for over 20 years before founding CCG in 2009. Their goal was to build a team of IT industry experts who act as long-term partners for businesses looking to optimize their IT infrastructure, and for the past 15 years, they’ve helped organizations across the nation reach their business goals with their technology solutions. CCG also uses a vendor-agnostic approach to IT advising that allows them to create customized solutions that deliver maximum results with minimum spend.

CCG’s success in this space hasn’t gone unnoticed; both industry leaders and colleagues alike have high praise for Keith Hatley’s work as an IT advisor.

“Keith is an industry veteran who supported the channel in his days at Masergy only to transition to be a successful TA (technology advisor),” says Courtney Humphrey, CEO of Opex Technologies, a technology advisory firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina. “His focus on the enterprise space sets him and his organization within a small group of elite TAs.”

Channel Futures will honor Cloud Communications Group and the rest of the 101ers at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, where they will join last year’s finalists at an exclusive reception recognizing the best technology advisors in the nation.

For more information on this year’s official winners, visit the official Channel Futures website: https://www.channelfutures.com/connectivity/best-technology-consultants-2024-a-k

Navigating the AI Revolution: A Strategic Guide for IT and CX Leaders

Navigating the AI Revolution: A Strategic Guide for IT and CX Leaders

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TylerDool

Tyler Dool serves as the Vice President of Business Development at CCG, an IT Advisory and Expense Management Firm dedicated to optimizing IT planning, purchasing, and implementation processes for companies. With a decade of experience in designing innovative solutions, Tyler has focused on leveraging AI-powered technologies to transform customer experiences and increase operational efficiencies in various industries. 

By Tyler Dool

Navigating the New Frontiers of IT with Generative AI

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, the role of IT leaders is increasingly complex and critical. Tasked with navigating through continuous innovation, these leaders must identify and leverage technologies that offer tangible business value. Generative AI stands out in this context as a key technological advancement, offering substantial potential to enhance business operations and strategy. It represents a significant opportunity for IT to assert itself as a vital contributor to enterprise-wide growth and efficiency.

At CCG, we envision a world where IT leaders are empowered to make faster, smarter decisions. We demystify complexities and illuminate the path forward with generative AI, enabling IT to lead the charge towards innovation and growth.

The Transformative Impact of Generative AI on Customer Journeys

Generative AI is revolutionizing customer journeys, bringing unprecedented personalization and efficiency. It shifts customer service from a reactive model to a proactive and predictive approach, transforming interactions and elevating customer satisfaction.

Personalization at Scale

Businesses are leveraging generative AI to drive personalization, which is crucial in sectors like retail and eCommerce. AI models analyze customer data, including purchase history and browsing behavior, to provide personalized shopping recommendations. This level of personalization not only enhances the shopping experience but also significantly boosts sales. In healthcare, generative AI aids in patient data generation and analysis, contributing to personalized treatment plans and clinical decision support, thus improving patient care and outcomes.

Predictive Problem-Solving

Generative AI’s predictive capabilities are being used to proactively solve customer problems. In eCommerce, AI-based chatbots collect reviews from various domains, assisting customers in making informed purchasing decisions. AI tools also notify customers about low-stock items and provide dynamic notifications, enhancing the shopping experience. Price matching with generative AI offers customers cost-effective decisions by comparing prices across platforms, thereby improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Expanding the Scope of Conversational AI

Generative AI is increasing the scope of conversational AI. An example is Nuance, now part of Microsoft, integrating ChatGPT into its conversational AI platform. This integration allows virtual agents to provide informed fallback responses when encountering untrained queries, helping to automate more customer queries and keep self-service interactions on track. Such advancements in conversational AI demonstrate the technology’s growing versatility in customer service applications.

Automating Complexity

In sectors such as banking and retail, generative AI plays a pivotal role in automating routine customer inquiries, thus allowing human agents to focus on more complex and high-value tasks. In banking, AI-driven solutions manage customer queries efficiently, leading to reduced operational costs and improved customer satisfaction. In retail, AI-powered chatbots handle basic customer service tasks, from answering FAQs to processing transactions, thereby streamlining customer service operations and providing a responsive and engaging customer experience.

Strategic Implementation for Business Growth

A strategic approach to implementing generative AI is crucial for realizing its full potential. According to Deloitte, the most productive uses of generative AI focus on enhancing employee productivity, knowledge, and creativity, driving enterprise innovation. This approach is favored by 64% of CEOs who are under pressure to speed the adoption of generative AI to stay competitive. However, shoehorning generative AI into processes without a clear strategy is unlikely to yield significant benefits. Instead, a focused implementation that leverages generative AI’s unique capabilities can solve existing problems and help businesses differentiate themselves from competitors.

AI-Infused Call Centers and Customer Service

AI-infused call centers are a prime example of how businesses leverage generative AI to enhance customer experience. Bots, powered by AI, can handle certain aspects of customer experience directly, improving service speed and quality. For instance, AI bots can effectively manage the first line of contact in customer calls or online engagements. These bots use and understand natural language, routing customers to the correct human agent or assisting them directly. This technology not only provides better and faster service to customers but also offers businesses more granular data about their customer interactions, leading to more informed decision-making.

Reshaping Business Functions with Generative AI

Generative AI can deliver 30% to 50% efficiency and effectiveness gains across various business functions, including customer service, marketing, and software development. For example, a bank’s call center that implemented generative AI reduced the duration of its customer-service consultations by nearly 50%, enhancing both employee and customer satisfaction. Technology is also extending to fields like field services and engineering, demonstrating its wide applicability and transformative potential.

The Role of Governance in Scaling AI

Effective governance is crucial for scaling AI implementations. This involves defining the business’s vision, identifying potential risks, and validating performance. For instance, CarMax employed a systematic, enterprise-wide approach to generative AI, prioritizing governance to ensure controlled and effective usage. One of their prominent applications is a tool that adds AI-generated content to vehicle research pages, summarizing thousands of customer reviews to inform potential buyers quickly.

CCG is Leading the AI Revolution in Customer Experience

As generative AI continues to advance, it offers businesses unprecedented opportunities to enhance customer experiences, streamline operations, and drive innovation. At CCG, we are committed to guiding IT leaders through this transformative journey, helping them to integrate AI into their existing IT infrastructures effectively.

In this new era, IT leadership is redefined. It’s about leveraging AI for not just efficiency but strategic business outcomes. CCG stands ready to partner with you, ensuring that your organization not only keeps pace with the AI revolution but also leads it.

The future of IT in the AI era is an opportunity for transformative growth and innovation. We look forward to being your partner in this journey, helping you harness the power of AI to create a future where technology and human experience converge to create something extraordinary.

  • Deloitte Insights. “Generative AI for business growth.” Deloitte. Deloitte Insights
  • BizTech Magazine. “Leverage AI Customer Service to Drive Business Outcomes.” BizTech Magazine. BizTech Magazine
  • BCG. “Turning GenAI Magic into Business Impact.” BCG. BCG
CCG Officially Recognized in 2023 SMU Cox Dallas 100 Rankings

CCG Officially Recognized in 2023 SMU Cox Dallas 100 Rankings

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DALLAS, November 10, 2023 –For the first time in company history, Cloud Communications Group has been officially recognized in this year’s Dallas 100™ as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area. The SMU Cox School of Business has hosted the Dallas 100™ every year since 1989 to celebrate DFW-based companies that have displayed rapid growth in the previous three years. For CCG, this honor signifies that the company is moving in a positive direction.

“We believe that earning this recognition further validates CCG’s business model,” said Keith Hatley, one of the co-founders of CCG. “Working with trusted and industry-experienced IT advisors that serve as an extension of their team rather than working with salespeople that need to make a quota allows our clients to achieve their technology objectives more efficiently and more cost effectively.”

Based out of Dallas, CCG specializes in providing IT advising and technology expense management to companies across multiple industries. Rather than acting as a service provider, CCG’s experienced team helps optimize businesses by gaining a thorough understanding of their long-term goals and providing actionable insights into their existing IT infrastructure. CCG works closely with its clients’ leadership teams to integrate the right solutions for their unique goals.

“We often see businesses looking for point solutions without realizing the potentially negative consequences absent an understanding of a longer-term vision,” said Keith Hatley. “We’re able to collaborate on that longer-term vision and map out solutions and processes to get our clients where they need to be.”

For more information on the Dallas 100 and the complete list of 2023 winners, visit their official site at https://www.smu.edu/cox/Centers-and-Institutes/Caruth-Institute-for-Entrepreneurship/Dallas-100 

Contact:

For media inquiries, contact Keith Hatley at [email protected]

How CCG Compares to Traditional IT Advisors

How CCG Compares to Traditional IT Advisors

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For businesses that rely on technology platforms to help them accomplish their goals, having the right IT Advisor by their side is essential. Trusted IT Advisors who source solutions and specialize in implementation support can make a difference in the optimization of your business’s operations. There are thousands of IT companies around the world that offer similar services, but our team at Cloud Communications Group stands apart thanks to a skillset that we have carefully developed since our inception 14 years ago. Here’s how our unique business values stack up compared to traditional IT Advisors. 

Our Seasoned IT Expertise Drives Business Outcomes

At CCG, we take pride in the collective experience we bring to every client. Our team is composed of experts who have built up years of unique skill sets in several fields, including sales, engineering, and cybersecurity, giving us a diversified outlook on delivering unique solutions. With former CIOs, CSOs, and other knowledgeable staff by your side, we’re confident that we can help you see a more macro perspective.

Years of seasoned IT expertise reside in our team, and we use our diversified industry expertise to formulate future-proof solutions for our clients. Looking to implement AI or automated business technology platforms? With CCG’s experienced team, we help companies drive business outcomes by offering unique perspectives on their IT infrastructure while discovering new ways to reduce costs.

We Optimize Businesses by Establishing Relationships 

Every business has a unique way of operating, and this also applies to the business technology platforms used to complete day-to-day tasks. We believe that the IT solutions we provide should be just as unique as your business, so we strive to establish relationships with your leadership team. This relationship-driven business model incentivizes us to formulate the strategies needed based on the time that we spend with your team. No matter where your business is on its digital journey, our team has the ability to meet you there and provide long-term consulting.

We’re Committed to Providing Long-Term Service 

At CCG, we do things differently; we’re committed to providing long-term IT solutions that extend long after the initial appointment. Although our team is capable of providing quick fixes to your business technology integrations, we specialize in creating long-term strategies for your business model. We also evaluate nonstandard solutions that have the potential to yield effective results; these solutions are formulated based on what our team gleans from learning about your business and team. Our relationship-driven approach to providing IT solutions ensures that you receive consulting that is tailored specifically to your business. With this, our team of experts can formulate a strategic vision for your business that can prepare it for long-term success. 

CCG Is Ready to Work with You 

With our team of experts at CCG, you can leverage the benefits of the technology solutions that we tailor to optimize your business operations while gaining an extension of your existing IT team. We use technology to solve problems; our consulting process involves us getting to know your business to provide the right solutions and support you through procurement integration and live cycle support. We’re in for the long haul, and with our expertise in the technology landscape, your business will never be left behind. Contact us today to begin your IT journey with CCG.

CCG Ranks No. 1513 on the 2023 Inc. 5000   

CCG Ranks No. 1513 on the 2023 Inc. 5000   

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With Three-Year Revenue Growth of 381 Percent, CCG Ranks No.1513 Among America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

DALLAS, August 15, 2023 – Inc. revealed today that CCG ranks No. 1513 on the 2023 Inc. 5000, its annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The prestigious ranking provides a data-driven look at the most successful companies within the economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent, entrepreneurial businesses. Facebook, Chobani, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other household name brands gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. 

“We are thrilled and honored to join the ranks of the Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing companies! At CCG, our agnostic approach as trusted advisors enables us to deliver unparalleled value-added services to our clients. This recognition not only affirms our unique business model but also underscores our unwavering commitment to exceptional service. A heartfelt thank you to our incredible team, our esteemed clients, and our dedicated service provider partners for making this prestigious award possible.” – Keith Hatley

The Inc. 5000 class of 2023 represents companies that have driven rapid revenue growth while navigating inflationary pressure, the rising costs of capital, and seemingly intractable hiring challenges. Among this year’s top 500 companies, the average median three-year revenue growth rate ticked up to an astonishing 2,238 percent. In all, this year’s Inc. 5000 companies have added 1,187,266 jobs to the economy over the past three years. 

For complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, location, and other criteria, go to www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc. magazine, available on newsstands beginning Tuesday, August 23. 

“Running a business has only gotten harder since the end of the pandemic,” says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. “To make the Inc. 5000—with the fast growth that requires—is truly an accomplishment. Inc. is thrilled to honor the companies that are building our future.” 

CCG has been delivering exceptional IT solutions to clients throughout the United States for the past fourteen years. At CCG, we take pride in guiding you through the entire process of acquiring cloud services that are tailored to meet your specific business needs. At our company, we value ongoing relationships with our clients. Even after agreements are signed, we remain committed to supporting them throughout the entire service cycle. Our goal is to maintain a strong and mutually beneficial customer/vendor relationship. Being included in the Inc. 5000 and ranked 89th for IT services in the southwest region is a testament to our expertise and dedication. We attribute our success to our partnerships and amazing clients who have put their trust in us with their technology needs.

CONTACT:

For media inquiries contact Keith Hatley at [email protected]

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 

Methodology 

Companies on the 2023 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2019 to 2022. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2019. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2022. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2019 is $100,000; the minimum for 2022 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to four decimal places. 

About Inc.  

Inc. Business Media is the leading multimedia brand for entrepreneurs. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of our community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating our future. Inc.’s award-winning work reaches more than 50 million people across a variety of channels, including events, print, digital, video, podcasts, newsletters, and social media. Its proprietary Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to rank the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The recognition that comes with inclusion on this and other prestigious Inc. lists, such as Female Founders and Power Partners, gives the founders of top businesses the opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. For more information, visit www.inc.com. 

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala, slated for October 31 – November 2 in San Antonio, visit http://conference.inc.com/.

The Channel Champions Podcast Interviews CCG

The Channel Champions Podcast Interviews CCG

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Channel Champion’s Channel Marketing Manager Zak Anderson interviewed our very own Keith Hatley and Chris Moffett! In case you missed it, we recapped the highlights of the cast and expanded on the origins of Cloud Communications Group (CCG), our unique approach, and the state of the industry.

Check out of full video below:

Channel Champions Podcast Interviews CCG

How to Become a Trusted Technology Partner

CCG: From Small Startup to Big Success 

A lifetime partnership between Keith Hatley and Chris Moffett started when they met in 1999. Chris came to work for Keith at Allegiance Telecom in Houston as a Sales Engineer Manager and they have been working together ever since. Over the last 4 years Keith and Chris have been actively growing CCG together and providing customized IT solutions for clients across the country. 

CCG’s Beginning Partnership

Keith and Chris’s approach appreciates the critical importance of relationships and collaboration with peers, competitors, and industry leaders because it allows them to provide resources, portfolios, expertise, and protection for CCG and their clients. These partnerships allowed CCG to provide competitive value that improved clients growth while enabling CCG to empower clients more and more every day through unique and adaptable solutions. 

“I am a big proponent of a rising tide raises all ships” -Keith Hatley

See Our Technology Solutions

Channel Evolution and Positioning

A couple years ago, there was an antiquated approach to IT consultancy. CCG’s business model provides not only a variety of diverse IT solutions, but also enables an agnostic approach to consulting. This trusted advisory role creates a genuine partnership with the client and the direct seller that improves and streamlines the solution.  This role is more critical to end users because of an accelerating pace of changes in today’s market. CCG enables clients by making them strategic assets for their organization using every tool at their disposal to hone in on the growth and innovative potential that keeps them ahead of the curve. This modernized approach to developing IT solutions is helpful when courting clients. CCG simplifies the complexities that come from an effective IT solution by providing evaluations, designs, and engineering work on the front end without cost, creating an impactful environment that helps new clients to reach their full potential.

CCG’s Customizable IT Solutions

When it comes down to it, listening is the key. CCG sells solutions and not specific products. Clients have pain points that require active problem solving to create solutions whether it is to increase revenue or improving the customer experience. It’s all about interpreting the problem and figuring out what the business really needs.

“Nobody has ever bought a quarter inch drill bit, they are buying a quarter inch hole” -Bill Dylan

Bringing in multiple suppliers on a single opportunity does not happen often, however when it does happen CCG helps facilitate the interactions. These facilitated interactions are mainly done to differentiate between option A and option B, enabling clients to select the right supplier.

CCG Experts In The Industry

The Client Experience

CCG has 2 main approaches to enabling and growing the client experience. The first is providing the customer with more than a patched IT solution. It is a common reaction to see a present problem, and develop an expedited solution to fix it. CCG’s approach takes more than the present issues into consideration. CCG takes a deep dive into the past of the client’s IT history to eliminate the cause and issues of the client’s past, while laying the foundations for an enduring solution that builds and grows with the company.

CCG’s second approach is to become an extension of the client’s team and goals, working with them to grow a thriving relationship that delivers valuable solutions. Providing support while working side by side with the client not only improves the client’s business, but also develops a blueprint devoted to discovering solutions that are needed while detailing a roadmap to solving issues that were not acknowledged previously.

Why Choose CCG?

CCG’s key to success has been built on years of experience and relationship building with clients and TSBs alike. These relationships are built on adapting to the unique situations that are encountered, and “getting people the quarter inch hole instead of the quarter inch drill bit”. The solutions created by CCG are given an actionable depth with measurable and recognizable potential that is conveyed through every step of the process. CCG is the future solution to today’s modern problems, so start discovering your solutions today.

 

Want to see more content from Cloud Communications Group? Check out our YouTube Channel!

CCG YouTube Channel
Cybersecurity Reporting Act Ratified 

Cybersecurity Reporting Act Ratified 

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On Tuesday, as part of the omnibus bill, President Biden signed into law the Cybersecurity Reporting Act. This act requires companies operating in critical infrastructure to report to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) within 72 hours after they discover they are under cyberattack. It also requires these same companies to report to the CISA within 24 hours if they choose to make a payment due to ransomware. This is an effort by the federal government to remove the plausible deniability of these companies regarding cyberattacks. Like many companies, these corporations choose to under invest in cybersecurity or rely on cybersecurity insurance to avoid investing in better cybersecurity. This has been prompted by the difference between reported incidents in 2021, amounting to about $29 million, and the much larger amount discovered by Chainalysis Inc. (which tracks cryptocurrency transactions) of $406 million (see Ransomware 2021: Critical Mid-year Update.) 

Cyber Security Solutions

What It Means 

Several line items on this new law have changed the game completely.  

  1. The CISA has the authority to subpoena companies that fail to report cybersecurity incidents or ransomware payments. Failure to comply with the subpoena can result in the case being sent to the Department of Justice. 
  2. Companies will need to show they are taking cybersecurity more seriously. Those without a CISO will probably need to hire one, and give the CISO veto over the CIO regarding cybersecurity– related decisions. 

In return the CISA is required to warn organizations of vulnerabilities that ransomware actors exploit. The director of CISA (currently Jen Easterly) will need to establish a joint ransomware task force to coordinate federal efforts working with the industry to prevent and disrupt ransomware attacks. 

The sixteen critical infrastructure sectors are chemical, communications, dams, emergency services, financial services, government facilities, information technology, transportation, commercial facilities, critical manufacturing, defense industrial, energy, food and agriculture, healthcare and public health, nuclear reactors (including materials and waste), and water and wastewater systems. For more information about what is included in each sector see (CISA – Critical Infrastructure Sectors). 

 

Controlling Costs in the World of Covid

Controlling Costs in the World of Covid

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We have lived with the new world of quarantine and social distancing for several months and even as parts of our country begin to “open up” many of us in the business world are not certain a return to normal is on the horizon.  Most of our clients are evaluating and experimenting how to continue operations with an economy stopped in its tracks.  Our team and I have fielded countless calls from those looking for ways to contain expenses while revenues plummet and I thought this was a good time to share a few points that are easy to do and can be very effective to help stem the flow of dollars out the door.

*Remove the toll-free call-in option on your conferencing accounts*

Part of our new normal is dealing with online conference and video calls.  Not all companies operate this way but with stay at home orders in place for those non-essential staff, many find their team is spending more and more time using tools like Zoom, GoToMeeting, or WebEx.  Unexpected, and certainly, unwanted bills can show up when your staff is still using toll free numbers as they set up meetings.  Those 1-800 numbers tend to be the culprit of unwanted bills.

Toll free numbers typically come with an additional monthly fee but more importantly they come with a per minute charge for every person using the call.  For example, if 15 people dial into a call for one hour that equals 900 minutes (15 people x 60 minutes) and if the charge is $0.02 a minute, that call costs $18.00.  That fee isn’t high but when you multiply it by the number of meetings occurring over the past few weeks the expense can be extremely high.  Removing that option from your conferencing platforms only takes a few minutes and I have seen it save $40,000 in 60 days.

*Pay attention to wireless data usage*

Bundling wireless devices such as mobile phones, tablets, or hotspots into a corporate account normally saves a company money when compared to reimbursing employees for usage on their personal devices.  Companies buy large data pools that let the tens, hundreds, or even thousands of staff take their small piece of a much larger pie and since all those devices don’t always use the same amount of data, the company saves money by bundling all their staff together.  Rarely do all devices start using high amounts of data all at the same time–until a global pandemic.

Wireless carriers have online tools that allow the administrators to see usage and identify which devices (and thus people) are using a lot.  In times like these it probably isn’t employee abuse, it’s just business as we now know it.  However, that doesn’t mean the company is stuck.  Options such as increasing the data pool, working with staff to find a better internet option, slowing down the automatic updates from some mobile device management tools can all save the data and reduce potential overage bills each month.  Another option many of our clients use is a third party management tool that tracks usage and alerts you before a device crosses an expensive threshold.  A client of ours recently experienced wireless expenses 6 times higher than previous months and most of that growth was preventable.

*Work with your providers*

Most office data networks are seeing greatly reduced traffic right now meaning those expensive Internet or MPLS connections are not providing much return.  Many network operators have deferment policies or programs that will let you turn them down temporarily without a penalty.  Specifically with our clients, we have helped them reduce circuit usage by an aggregate of roughly $250,000 just in the month of April.  In most cases, you can turn them down just by asking.  In other cases, you may be able to trade a few extra months on the end of a long contract for short term relief that reduces the drain on cashflow.  Reaching out and asking the question doesn’t hurt and let’s face it, you will always miss 100% of the shots you never take.

We do believe business will come back and the entrepreneurial spirit will find ways to overcome these troubling times but it never hurts to save some money now.  Some of these actions will carry forward and help the bottom line for months or years to come.  Hopefully at least one of these items is helpful and stay tuned in the next few days. I’ll have some other actions a company can take to maximize cash over the near term and into the future.

Photo by John Guccione www.advergroup.com from Pexels

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