Cybersecurity – Go CTC

November 6, 2024 In Business, Cybersecurity, Product

Don’t Let Slow or Unsecure WiFi Drive Away Your Customers

Your customers want WiFi—we all do. Your business wants to boost sales, improve customer loyalty, and stand out from competitors. By offering and promoting fast, secure, and seamless connectivity at your business, your customers will benefit from an enhanced experience, convenient connectivity, and improved satisfaction. WiFi is a smart investment for your customers and your business.

Here are some consumer data points that shed light on the customers who want free WiFi from your business:

Demographics: According to a study by Accenture, customers who are most likely to seek out free WiFi are millennials aged 18-24 (60%) and 25-34 (55%), followed by those aged 35-44 (43%) and 45-54 (33%).
Reasons for Use: A survey by iPass found that the most common reasons customers use free WiFi are to check email (81%), browse the web (74%), and use social media (62%). Many people use their smartphones and laptops to access the internet and expect to be able to do so while they are at a business. If a business does not offer free WiFi, customers may be less likely to come back.
Purchase Decisions: A study by DeviceAtlas found that 75% of customers would choose one coffee shop over another based on the availability of free WiFi. When looking for a place to go, they often check to see if free WiFi is available. If a business does not offer free WiFi, it may miss out on potential customers.
Importance of Speed: According to a Weebly survey, 96% of customers consider fast and reliable WiFi important, with 31% saying it is very important.
Security Concerns: A Norton study found that 58% of customers are concerned about the security of public WiFi, with 43% saying they have been a victim of cybercrime while using public WiFi.

Overall, these data points suggest that customers of all ages are more likely to seek out free WiFi and commonly use it for basic internet activities such as email and social media. The availability of free WiFi can also be a significant deciding factor for your customers when choosing one business over another, and the speed and security of the WiFi are important considerations for many customers.

Smart Biz from CTC is made for business. It includes:

Full installation of the fastest, most reliable, and secure network.
Business-Grade Cyber Security:
- From POS to staff and customer guest networks, built-in firewalls, and proactive
  network security traffic monitoring, SmartBiz protects you from cyber threats.
Unmatched Network Solutions
- SmartBiz fits your needs. From securing business-critical POS network systems
  to business-optimizing staff networks to branded customer portals for customer
  networks, SmartBiz has you covered.
Always On Connectivity
- Network resiliency keeps your business running with a cellular connection if your
  fiber connection ever goes down.
Content Filters
- Provide a safe and secure WiFi experience by blocking access to restricted
  websites while being able to view employee usage.
The CommandWorx app
- Puts the power of SmartBiz in your hands. Monitor and manage each element of the
  SmartBiz solution to match your small business’s unique needs. Set up service-specific
  networks, enable network security, create a branded customer WiFi portal, and minimize
  costly disruption during network outages with cellular-based network resilience.

November 1, 2024 In Cybersecurity, Information

Protecting Against Fraud: Recognizing Scams and Staying Safe in a Digital World

Fraud is “wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain.” With almost everything nowadays being connected to technology, it is easy for criminals to attempt to target and deceive unsuspecting people.

One type of fraud that is becoming more common is elder fraud. Seniors can be targeted for various reasons, specifically because they are considered trusting and polite, have savings and good credit, and are less likely to report.

Criminals choose to contact victims through various channels, but they typically do this through online schemes, phone calls, mail, TV, and radio.

Typical schemes may include romance, tech support, home repair, sweepstakes or lottery, government impersonation, TV and/or radio. They may pretend to be a grandchild or child who needs financial assistance.

With fraud, it is essential to protect yourself to stay safe. It’s important to recognize scam attempts, look for their contact information and see if it seems legitimate, take your time in responding – do not act quickly, be cautious of any unsolicited contact, do not send any personal information, update anti-virus software, unplug your device if pop-ups won’t go away, be careful of what you download, and monitor all accounts.

If you should ever find yourself in a situation where you believe you have been a victim of fraud, it is imperative to call the local sheriff’s office or the FBI. Any documentation that you may have, including names that you were given, dates of the contact, the method of communication, phone numbers, websites, email addresses, method of payment, where you sent funds, and descriptions of the interactions, is important for law enforcement to know.

If something seems too good to be true, it likely is. If you ever receive a questionable message from CTC, please contact our Member Services Department at 218-454-1234 to verify.