Category Archives: Office/ Technology/ E-Commerce

By Paul Post

The Digital Age has greatly reduced the need for thick, costly paper documents such as annual reports and quarterly financial statements, which can be delivered electronically.

And there’s much less need for office copying because many people work from home following the COVID pandemic.

But two well-known local printing companies continue to thrive by adapting, diversifying and renewing efforts to provide high-quality customer service with cutting-edge products and equipment.

“In the past people would share a large printer in the office. Now their print needs are at home where you don’t have ready access to the office printer,” said Rick Gallup, owner-president-founder of Hudson Falls-based Document Solutions of the North Country. “What’s new and exciting there is the changes in inkjet technology. Years ago an inkjet printer was something you put in your home, it was slow and kind of expensive to operate. Now the newer ones have the ability to do things that most typical laser-type office copiers can do in terms of speed — 40 to 50 pages per minute or more — and reliability.”

“They’re also more affordable because there’s very few parts,” he said. “Typical laser printers have components like drums, fusers and transfer belts while an inkjet printer doesn’t. They have just ink. So they tend to be more reliable than a laser device. We’re really excited about that product and think it’s going to do well for us.”

“A home-based printer is more efficient and cost effective,” Gallup said. “These devices connect to the cloud, which is obviously important because when working from home you use the cloud for everything.”

Founded almost 30 years ago, Document Solutions is the area’s largest Xerox dealer with clients ranging from small business to large manufacturers, non-profits and school districts. For many years it dealt strictly in Xerox before expanding several years ago to include Epson, which makes the new-style inkjet printers.

“We sell supplies for virtually any brand of printer whether you buy it from us or not,” Gallup said.

Recently, the firm started a second related business, Express Pack N Ship, at the same location (3316 Route 4, Hudson Falls) in an effort to provide a more complete line of services to meet customers’ needs.

Empire State University has launched a bachelor’s degree in digital media arts to prepare students for careers in graphic design, content creation, web design, and digital storytelling. 

The program provides students with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in the rapidly evolving world of digital media, officials said. 

Students can enroll in the digital media arts program at SUNY Empire beginning spring of 2024.

The program is designed to be flexible, accommodating both full-time and part-time students, as well as transfer students. Employing the “learner as producer” model, students will learn by doing while receiving personalized support and guidance from mentors and faculty with expertise in the field. The duration of the degree program will vary depending on individual course load and prior credits.

The fully online BA or BS in digital media arts features a cutting-edge curriculum offering courses such as media and visual literacy, digital art and design, information design,  digital painting and web publishing.

By Paul Post

Think of a high-powered speed boat that can do circles around ocean liners still leaving the dock. According to M&M Digital Printing officials, that’s the advantage its small size creates over bigger firms by allowing it to shift gears and get jobs done right away.

 “We get a lot of  ‘I need it yesterday’ type calls,” owner Matt Flint said. “There aren’t many printers that you can call and say, ‘Hey, can you print these and do it today?’ That’s where we specialize—that same-day, next-day service.”

 To keep up with growth and customer demand, Flint moved his decade-old business from 95 Broad St., Glens Falls, to a larger space at 726 Upper Glen St. in Queensbury last year.

 “We added some software and equipment including two of our wide-format printers, which streamlined production and we’ll be upgrading our production presses before end of this year,” he said.

 Flint plans to attend this month’s Printing United Expo, in Atlanta, to keep up with industry trends and technologies, and connect with others in the field as well.

It’s October, which for those in the technology field means it is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. 

Since 2004, Cybersecurity Awareness Month has been designated as a time to raise awareness regarding the impact of cybersecurity. Given the devastating impact of cybersecurity attacks, a month does not seem enough. The year 2023 has seen a drastic influx of not only an increase in attacks, but also large payouts to ransomware operators.

No matter the size of an organization, it is a target. No organization is safe from threat actors. Just look at the recent ransomware attacks affecting MGM Grand and Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. While these large organizations handle money, casinos are not normally on the list for threat actors until now.

With the increase in attacks and potential costs to organizations, now is the time to focus on basic foundational questions.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a popular time for routine tips or practices, but they warrant constant reminders. Traditional guidance holds that organizations should follow several time-tested practices to help protect themselves. They include:

• A safe and secure password.

• Utilize multi-factor authentication when possible.

• Data encryption.

• Routine data backup.

• Keep your devices updated.

• Report phishing attempts.

By Dorothy Rogers-Bullis

If you’re feeling some whiplash with your professional work style and setting, you’re likely not alone. We went from working a traditional five-day workweek in-person in the office, to working a hybrid schedule, to going fully remotely during the pandemic, to today when many companies are requiring that employees return to the office either full-time or for part of the week. It’s been a whirlwind few years.

With this return to the office, companies are looking for fast solutions to upgrade their existing office or outfit new commercial space. They recognize that employees who have grown accustomed to working from the comfort of home need an incentive to come back into the office, which can include updated work spaces.

In addition to that, with the tight labor market, top talent is in high demand. Companies need to put their best foot forward to entice these prospective employees to join their ranks. These human-centric factors, among others, are contributing to the rise of one of today’s hottest office trends: digital component construction. And one of the industry leaders in this popular trend by storm is Falkbuilt.

Digital component construction from Falkbuilt blends the speed of off-site component fabrication with the precision of digital design. Customize walls, doors, offices—whatever your creative vision is for your commercial space.

But these aren’t the low-quality, prefab materials you might be imagining. This is high-design and construction that is built to last. Falkbuilt uses sustainable and recycled materials, reinforced with steel, so it is strong yet less expensive to produce and assemble than a traditional sheetrock commercial interior. Falkbuilt materials also prioritize safety, featuring a one-hour fire rating.

By Mark Shaw

The economy is bumpy, but technology and outsourcing can make it smoother. 

The first thing we all do during uncertain economic times is look for ways to save money and get the most bang for our buck. Just like with anything else, we can seek savings and efficiencies with technology.

All business owners have grown dramatically more dependent on technology to run their businesses, manage their information, and support their remote and onsite workforces. When considering your in-house IT staff, or in many cases what we often call the one-man band, you uncover lack of skills in one area or another. One small team does not possess the knowledge and skills about every aspect of the vastly rapid changing IT world.

Think about the laundry list of items that your in-house IT staff needs to be familiar with to provide daily support for your business. Your IT, telecommunications and security needs go on and on, but below are a few of the items needed to have expertise in:

By Paul Post

In response to rapid growth, 10-year-old M&M Digital Printing has moved to a spacious new location, giving the firm three times more room to work with.

The business was previously housed in the Seeley Office Systems building, 95 Broad St. in Glens Falls, and began operating out of the former Community, Work & Independence building on Upper Glen St., Queensbury, on Aug. 26.

“At the old location we were packed in like sardines, on top of each other,” said Matt Flint Sr., company owner-founder. “We only had 950 square feet. Here we definitely have room to grow. There’s more space and it makes the work flow easier. Buying capability also opens up because we have more warehouse space. At the old location we could only stock so much paper, which means we had to pay more for smaller volumes. Now we can buy larger volumes, so that brings the cost down.”

A former Web Graphics production manager, Flint launched out on his own after tiring of the corporate world. He and his son, Matt Flint Jr., the operations manager, are two of the firm’s four employees. 

M&M’s small size and state-of-the-art equipment gives it the flexibility to turn jobs around quickly, which has fueled unprecedented sales.