Productivity Tools for 2023
Elizabeth Orley - Seifert Technologies • January 19, 2023
Deadlines, information overflow, and tasks demanding constant attention can be draining. This often leads to us feeling unfocused, overwhelmed, and or ineffective. Having these feelings can cause productivity issues in both your work and home life. When this happens in a group or team, a ripple effect also occurs. This means your entire team is at risk of feeling and acting in the same way. Luckily, digital productivity tools are available and are becoming easy to access. These can help you and your team overcome the issues that affect your productivity. Using and combining accessible tools will help you get back and or stay on track. Productivity tools make it easier to stay organized. They also make it easier to plan and focus on tasks. They help you stop procrastinating, schedule with more efficiency, and remember things better.
What Do Productivity Tools Do?
- A lot of productivity apps take some job you would have otherwise done manually, like copying and pasting info from one app to another or transcribing audio, and they do it for you automatically.
- Others improve your quality of life by helping you get organized, so you spend less mental energy trying to remember where you wrote down important details or what you're supposed to do next. They take that weight off your shoulders.
- If you have difficulty remembering things until you check your notes, or you forget key points from meetings and have trouble transitioning between topics, digital tools can help you reduce the wasteful cognitive load while providing aids for your working memory.
- If you have trouble setting and reaching goals, making decisions about what to focus on now versus later, and just getting started on tasks, digital tools can keep you productive and motivated.
- If you’re consistently struggling to keep track of important information and relying on chaotic systems to stay on top of things, productivity tools can help you organize information, thoughts, and ideas.
What Makes Good Productivity Tools Stand Out?
- The main features of good productivity tools will focus on collaboration and project management, so that no matter where any individual is, they can remain in contact with the rest of their team and provide the latest updates and information that everyone needs.
- Management tools are also important to a good productivity tool. They prioritize schedules and work to deadlines, such as time management and task management. The interface also needs to be simple and easy to use so that managers don’t become bogged down in administrating it all. Additionally, everything needs to be presented in a clear way so that contact management information is easy to find and action.
- There are also other good productivity tools that can help improve productivity and efficiency, simply by making complex tasks simpler and easier to do. This could be anything from managing backups to social media monitoring, or customer relationship management.
Top Microsoft Products for Productivity
- Microsoft has been voted best productivity tool leader by not only us here at Seifert, but also evidently by others everywhere. Microsoft Office is a game changer for office productivity. Let’s take a closer look at a few of the other standout productivity tools Microsoft offers.
- Microsoft Teams- Teams allow you to meet from anywhere. You can schedule online meetings with high-quality audio and video or start one instantly. People inside and outside of your company can join from anywhere. It also allows you to keep everything in one place. You can refer to meeting chats and shared files any time before, during, and after a meeting ends. It lets you get things done together. You can easily work together in real-time or on your own time. With free cloud storage included, shared files are always available across your devices. Finally, with Teams you can work with confidence You can collaborate without worry knowing your sensitive information is protected with data encryption at rest and in transit.
- Microsoft SharePoint- SharePoint empowers teamwork with dynamic and productive team sites for every project team, department, and division. You can share files, data, news, and resources. You can also customize your site to streamline your team’s work. SharePoint allows you to collaborate effortlessly and securely with team members inside and outside your organization, across PCs, Macs, and mobile devices.
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM- Microsoft Dynamics CRM gathers social insights, provides cloud-based campaign management, and offers business intelligence. The CRM’s real-time customer data platform provides AI-powered insights. These tell you how to get new leads and customers. They also tell you who your audience members are, what they need, how you can make and keep them happy. They provide insights about your customers based on behavioral, demographic, and transactional data. They also provide insight based on engagement and customer feedback. Your company is then able to use these insights to target sales, campaigns, and support.
- Microsoft 365 -
Microsoft Office is probably the platform most people think of first when it comes to office productivity suites, with the cloud-based Microsoft 365 being the latest incarnation.
What ensured that MS Office became a market leader is the comprehensive way data can be covered by different applications and moved between them, making working more efficient and hassle-free. With Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook forming the core programs, these cover everything from documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and emails - in effect covering most essential office needs. In addition to that, OneDrive offers online saving and backups to keep your files safe.
While there are alternatives to MS Office, most rivals attempt to play catch-up with Microsoft rather than provide innovative new features, and MS Office still remains the office suite with the most comprehensive range of features. And even if you do use one of these alternatives, the chances are you are going to be working with document formats created specifically for MS Office, and handling data from customers and suppliers who are using the MS Office platform.
While MS Office does have its critics, the bottom line is that nobody does office productivity better than Microsoft, and the core applications in Office have yet to be bettered. We stand by this as Microsoft Gold Partners.
Seifert Technologies is a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner.
We trust Microsoft for our productivity tool needs, and you should too. Accessing and using productivity tools might just be what your team needs. Our team of IT professionals is here to help you find the right productivity tools for your team.
Let us help you make your work and home life a little bit easier by finding the right tools for you.
Contact us today to learn more!
AI isn’t just a buzzword anymore, and it’s not just for Fortune 500 companies. It’s quietly reshaping how businesses—especially small and mid-sized ones—manage their IT, protect their data, and improve productivity. Yet for many business owners, AI still feels like something out of reach. Maybe you’ve heard of ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, but you’re not quite sure how it fits into your world. That’s where we come in! We’re breaking down what AI means for your IT operations today—and how Managed IT Service Providers (MSPs) like us are helping businesses like yours get ahead without getting overwhelmed. What AI Is Doing for IT Management at SMBs (Right Now) From cybersecurity to automation, AI is already making IT faster, smarter, and more secure. Here’s how: 1. AI-Powered Cybersecurity AI tools are becoming essential to detect and stop threats to your business before they become disasters. 24/7 threat detection : Tools like SentinelOne and Microsoft Defender use AI to monitor your systems in real-time and spot suspicious activity—even before a human could. Phishing protection : AI analyzes emails and links to catch impersonation attempts and scam messages. Automated response : If a threat is detected, AI tools can automatically isolate infected systems and prevent spread—within seconds. This is key, pairing your 24/7/365 threat detection with 24/7/365 action! 2. Smarter IT Automation AI isn’t just about fighting cybercrime—it’s helping businesses save time, reduce manual work, and operate more efficiently. Here are some examples of how AI is automating key IT functions behind the scenes: Predictive maintenance : AI can flag hardware or software issues before they cause downtime. User behavior analysis for better permissions control : AI tools can monitor how employees use systems and flag risky access patterns—helping prevent accidental data exposure or insider threats. Intelligent alert prioritization: Instead of flooding your IT dashboard with noise, AI filters and ranks alerts by severity—so real issues don’t get buried under false positives. Self-healing systems : In some cases, AI can detect and fix common problems (like restarting a frozen service) without any human involvement. These aren’t hypothetical tools—they’re already in use by MSPs and IT platforms supporting businesses like yours every day. 3. Productivity Gains with Tools You Already Have If your business uses Microsoft 365, you already have access to AI—and probably aren’t using it fully yet. Microsoft Copilot (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams): Draft emails, summarize meetings, or create reports with just a few clicks. Summarize long threads and documents Build presentations or clean up Excel data without formulas or formatting headaches. Outlook Suggestions : AI can suggest meeting times, draft responses, or flag important messages. Teams AI features: Transcripts, highlights, and action items from meetings—delivered directly after the call. These tools don’t require a tech degree to use—they just need someone to turn them on, configure them properly, and show you how to use them. That’s where we come in. Our job is to make it easy, secure, and practical for you so you can focus on what you know best…your business. Why Business Owners Shouldn’t Wait AI isn’t going away. And for businesses that get ahead of it, there’s a real opportunity to: Outpace competitors with faster decisions and smarter tools Protect against modern cyber threats Reduce costs through automation and efficiency Empower employees with tools that make work easier, not harder The good news? You don’t need a full-time IT team or a PhD in machine learning. You just need the right partner to guide you. Let’s Talk About AI for Your Business Curious about what AI could do for your business? Overwhelmed by options and don’t know where to start? Let’s fix that. Schedule a call with our team to discuss your business, your systems, and where AI could make the biggest difference—today and in the future.
The Real-World Benefits of Keeping It All In-House
For many businesses with up to 100 employees, in-house IT management is a constant balancing act for leadership. You need reliable technology, strong cybersecurity and fast support, but hiring an in-house IT team can be expensive and difficult to scale. Plus, simply making a quality IT hiring decision can be challenging when you or your team don’t possess excellent IT skills yourself. The key decision to keep IT in-house vs. outsourcing is often a financial one. Many business owners assume that keeping IT in-house is more affordable than hiring an IT Managed Service Provider (MSP)—but that’s not always the case. In fact, outsourcing IT to an MSP can provide real cost savings while also delivering substantial incremental value. Let’s break down the numbers of the outsourced MSP vs. in-house IT decision so you can make the best choice for your business. The True Cost of Hiring an In-House IT Team If you're considering hiring an internal IT person, it’s essential to understand the full cost of employment, not just the salary. Here's what you can expect to pay for a single IT manager (estimates only, may vary by geographic location):
In today's competitive market, efficient design and build processes are crucial for manufacturing and maintenance success. Partnering with an engineering services firm that utilizes the latest technology, software and tools can offer significant advantages.
Seifert Technologies recently partnered with the Stark Education Partnership (SEP), Fairless High School and Perry High School and provided a career day for the students. The objective was to provide an insight to local area high school students on the careers and opportunities available right here in Stark County. Our presentations focused on the services which we provide to our clients related to Engineering, IT, and Staffing. We featured interactive displays on Robotics, Machine Design, 3D CAD, PLC Motion Control, IT Infrastructure, Power BI, Software Development, and Career Services. Jaecey Hudson holds the position of Career Champion at Stark Education Partnership (SEP). Her role places her within several local High Schools including Fairless and she counsels the students on their career paths. Jaecey was instrumental in scheduling the day with Fairless High School. SEP is a catalyst, engaging and collaborating with education, business, civic and community stakeholders to drive sustainable improvement and innovation to provide all students with education and career success. SEP serves education, business, and community organizations in the Stark County region as a connector and partner. SEP collaborates with local foundations to ensure a continued focus on meeting emerging needs and works in complementary fashion with other nonprofits throughout the region. Stark Education Partnership’s vision to build generations of successful individuals who fulfill their potential and grow roots in Stark County is brought to life by engaging students in real-world workplace experiences. We also worked closely with the Robotics / STEM department at Perry High School to plan the day for these students. Stephanie Laskey and her team from Perry were the high school coordinators for the event. The Perry Local Project Lead the Way classes emphasize various engineering aspects, spanning from introduction to engineering design, computer manufacturing, digital electronics, aerospace engineering, to principles of engineering. Students were enthusiastic and actively involved in witnessing engineering principles in action at Seifert Technologies. They gained insight into the structure of engineering firms and the key attributes of successful engineers. They left Seifert Technologies with new information, eager to apply their newfound knowledge in the world of engineering. To learn more details about the services of Seifert Technologies, contact us at (330) 833-2700 or sales@seifert.com. Please visit www.seifert.com for more information on our full range of capabilities. For more information related to SEP, please visit www.edpartner.org .
Manufacturing can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution changed the way that manufacturers worked all over the world. There were inventions of new machines and technology. The new production made manufacturing cheaper, faster, and more efficient. The Industrial Revolution changed manufacturing for the modern world. In the First Industrial Revolution, which began in the late 18 th century was a significant change in human history. It transitioned to industrial societies, fueled by innovations in textile manufacturing, steam power, and iron production. This period increased efficiency in the mass production of goods. The invention of the steam engine led to the increase of railways. The First Industrial Revolution was the first step in modernizing the world. The Second Industrial Revolution is known as the Technological Revolution. This happened in the mid-19th century and was known for the adoption of electric power. This transformed the manufacturing process in steel. It led to the invention of the telegraph, telephone, television, and radio. Advancement in transportation was drastically improved leading to increased urbanization. The Third Industrial Revolution is known as the Digital Revolution. It happened in the late 20 th century with digital technology. This was the rise of the internet and digital computers. This changed the way people interacted with each other. The World Wide Web was developed. This led to the digitalization of every known modern aspect of life. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is referred to as Industry 4.0. This revolution is known for technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, and robotics. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is expected to have impacts on society to increase quality, production, and drive economic growth.
Phishing, Smishing, and Vishing are all ways that people try to get sensitive information from other people. They are all done in similar ways, but they have different ways of getting this information. It is important to know the difference between the three and how it looks when someone is getting targeted. Phishing Phishing is an online scam that gets sent to email accounts. It consists of getting sent a link or attachment from an unfamiliar email domain. When a user clicks on the link or attachment that is when the sender gets access to data. There are many different types of phishing to watch out for. Some of include spear, email, and whaling. Spear phishing is when someone specifically targets one person. They do this by adding their name, job, or social life. Whale phishing is when someone targets a big target like a manager, owner, or celebrities. They target these people since they have a lot of information on companies or other people. Smishing Smishing is a scam that gets sent as a text message (SMS). Scammers send a text to a target. The text that the target receives looks like a text from a trustworthy company. The scammers make the message look like it is the real company, and they send a link that they want the target to click on. There are different ways that these messages look. It can look like you won money or a prize. It can also look like a tax report or bank statement. Vishing Vishing is a scam where the target gets called over the phone rather than receiving a text message or email. The target is selected, and they call trying to convince them to download software for their device. How To Protect Yourself from All Three There are many ways to prevent these things from happening. Most importantly, do not click on links or attachments from unknown sources. Report suspicious emails, text messages, or calls that you receive. When you report these, you protect yourself and others from getting information taken. Seifert Technologies’ IT Division is your source for cybersecurity awareness. We are a registered agent of KnowB4 Products ( www.knowbe4.com ). These products implement sate of the art programs which: Send fully automated simulated phishing attacks, using thousands of customizable templates with unlimited usage Train your users with access to the world's largest library of always-fresh awareness training content AI-Driven phishing and training recommendations based on your users' phishing and training history Use Assessments to gauge proficiency of your users in security knowledge and security culture attitudes Easy user management using Active Directory Integration Contact our IT Service Team To learn more details about cybersecurity training contact us at (330) 833-2700 or sales@seifert.com. Please visit www.seifert.com/itservices for more information on our full range capabilities.
For over 10 years the team at Seifert Technologies has participated in the Toys for Tots program. Every year, our employees show their support by donating new toys which are then delivered to local area families. It is an awesome way to give back to our Stark County community. We also want to thank all of our employees for their wonderful donations. Way to go team!
Last month we celebrated a very special evening. Leslie Callahan, who has been with our firm since the beginning years, celebrated her 30th year with the organization. Team members from both our offices in Massillon and Nashville gathered to celebrate this well-deserved accomplishment.
At Seifert Associates, we have been meeting the challenges of hiring technical talent for decades. Finding the right candidate for the right position can be a challenge. Thus, we have put together a list of the top questions we get from HR and give ideas on how to overcome the challenges we face in today’s job market. What Are the Top Hiring Challenges Today? First, we must talk about current hiring challenges. Today, employers encounter new recruitment hurdles as the job market progresses. Employers' obstacles and difficulties arise when it comes to recruiting and hiring qualified candidates. These challenges can come in many forms, such as a shortage of skilled workers, a highly competitive job market, or a lack of diversity and inclusion in the hiring process. The rapid changes in both technology and the evolving job market also contribute to these hiring challenges. Employers must overcome these hiring challenges to attract and retain top talent, as well as build a thriving workforce to drive organizational growth and success. Here is a List of the Top Concerns for Hiring: Finding Quality Candidates Attracting the right talent for a technical position is an employer's foremost concern. The more skilled the requirements are, the more the employee is sought after. With a limited workforce and intense competition for top-tier candidates, employers struggle when it comes to finding technical talent. Along with that, employers struggle to engage with candidates who are not actively seeking a new position. We spoke about the importance of collaborating with a recruiter who has strong experience with finding technical candidates in a previous blog, which you can review HERE . Attracting the Right Technical Talent Another challenge that employers face is attracting the right talent for a technical position. Highly skilled candidates today look for more than just a competitive salary. Candidates want to collaborate with a company that has a quality work culture. But they also want to seek employment with companies who share the same values, as well as have great benefits and a good understanding of work life balance. In fact, 46% of job seekers cite company culture as very important when choosing to apply to a company, and a shocking 47% of employees cite that company culture is the driving factor when looking for a new job. Skills Gap and Training
