Rus King

Is "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" the new norm in the service industry? The link to the full podcast can be found in the first comment below. Logrus IT has been recently asked by a long-term client to lower our rates. Again. Without changing the process… In a world of rising labor, energy, and other costs and leases, our margins were already paper-thin. We had a choice: - Quietly cut corners (cheaper resources, skipping reviews, …). - Quietly replace the process and use our AI-powered PRISM process to maintain human-like quality at a lower cost. - Say no. We chose transparency. We explained that we could offer symbolic rate reductions for certain languages. But to meet their budget without sacrificing quality for some others we needed to use our robust, RAG-based PRISM process that integrates AI with human quality checks. The result? The client said no. They insisted on "human-only" services at the same highest quality level, but at the lower price point. They (or their end client) took the business elsewhere. I know for a fact that whoever took that work is either losing money or, more likely, implementing the very shortcuts/alternatives we were honest about, but without mentioning them. The math doesn't add up otherwise. Feels like a return to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, when clients require “pure human services and impeccable quality”, but don’t bother to ask “awkward” questions or go into details, while suppliers pretend to follow these requirements and are cutting corners behind the scenes. We lost a part of a project because we refused to lie about our process and true costs. Now, I’m left wondering: What would YOU do in my shoes? Would you stay transparent and potentially lose the business, or would you deliver the results the client wants and keep the "how" to yourself? Better yet, what should I do next time when a similar question is presented by a different client? The kicker that makes this whole story look like a parable? We just found out from independent sources that the end client is planning to move everything to AI internally next year and cut out all human intermediaries. We offered a bridge to the future; they wanted a ghost of the past, at a discount… I’d love to hear your thoughts and/or stories in the comments. 👇 #Leadership #ServiceIndustry #BusinessEthics #Transparency #LanguageQualityAssurance #LQA #Translation #Localization #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #PRISM #FutureOfWork #MachineTranslation #BusinessStrategy #LogrusIT #Storytelling #ProjectManagement #ContentCreation #ChangingApproaches #MTPE #LogicOfLeo #HumanInTheLoop #LanguageTech #LLM

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💭 What happens when you have a Cybersecurity incident, and your insurance doesn’t cover it? Cyber liability insurance is a vital safeguard, but many organizations only discover its limitations after a breach. Understanding what it covers, how to qualify, and what insurers expect is key to protecting your mission. Join us this October for a dynamic event featuring insights from three critical perspectives: 🛡️ Cybersecurity Expertise – What insurers look for in your technical posture 📄 Policy Guidance – How to navigate coverage options and exclusions 💬 Claims & Underwriting – What happens when theory meets reality We’ll explore: ✅ What cyber liability insurance really covers ✅ How to prepare your organization for underwriting ✅ Common pitfalls and how to avoid them ✅ Tips for choosing the right coverage for your risk profile This session will help you make smarter, more informed decisions about protecting your organization. Stay tuned for more details! #CyberSecurity #CyberLiabilityInsurance #RiskManagement #CyberAwareness #InsuranceInsights

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It’s the middle of the workweek, perfect timing to check in on something most businesses assume is handled… but often isn’t. 👀 In this teaser from Episode 76 of The Business Owner’s IT Podcast, Tony and Ryan break down Microsoft Copilot for Business, including pricing, bundles, and why your Microsoft Secure Score matters more than you think. Many businesses sit in the 30–50% Secure Score range without realizing it, which is basically like leaving your doors or windows wide open. 🏙️🔓 At Unique Computing Solutions, we aim higher, 70% and above, because security should be intentional, not accidental. 🎙 Full Episode Drops this Friday, February 20th. 👉 Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss it: https://ow.ly/vNee50XW9i5. 👉 Interested in getting started with Microsoft 365? Visit our website and unlock your free business consultation: https://ow.ly/aLBJ50YbIgk. #businessowners #smallbusinessowners #techtips #cybersecurity #podcast

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The K–12 SaaS model is broken. Schools get enterprise leftovers repackaged as "education solutions." Think Forward Solutions is the first IT consulting firm to build custom apps from the inside out — designed from your reality, owned by your school, supported by people who've actually been in your buildings. The game just changed. https://lnkd.in/ecDs6XaA

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It may be April 1st, but this is no joke: your nonprofit could be saving hundreds, if not thousands, through Microsoft Volume Licensing!

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Future planning question for business owners: What technology decision are you putting off that you know you should probably address? We all have them. Those items on the "someday" list that never quite make it to the "today" list. Common ones I hear about: - Upgrading that ancient server that's held together with hope - Implementing proper backup systems - Moving to cloud-based accounting software - Setting up remote access for the team - Reviewing cybersecurity measures - Consolidating multiple software subscriptions - Training the team on tools they're already paying for The reasons for delay are usually the same: "It's working fine for now" "We don't have time to deal with disruption" "The cost isn't in this year's budget" "We'll sort it out after the busy period" But here's the thing about technology debt - it compounds. The longer you wait, the more complex and expensive the solution becomes. That server that's "working fine" until it isn't. The backup system you'll implement "next month" until you need it today. The security measures you'll upgrade "when we have time" until you're dealing with a breach. I'm not suggesting you need to upgrade everything immediately. But having a plan helps. What's on your technology "someday" list? And what would it take to move one item to the "this quarter" list? Sometimes the biggest barrier is just starting the conversation. #BusinessPlanning #TechnologyStrategy #SmallBusiness #FuturePlanning

What’s the #1 question clients ask during a QBR? Budget. In this reel, Keenan shares how strategic IT planning helps businesses review hardware, vendors, licensing, and recurring IT costs to make smarter decisions. Need help building a smarter IT strategy? Reach out to Klos Consulting. #ManagedIT #ITSupport #BusinessTechnology #ITStrategy #CyberSecurity #TechConsulting #ITServices #BusinessIT #ITManagement #CloudServices #ITBudget #SmallBusinessIT #KlosConsulting

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NelsonHall recently completed an in-depth analysis of advanced digital workplace services, in which we spoke to multiple leading IT services vendors and their clients. A new blog post from John Laherty examines key themes from this research, the investments vendors need to make to meet client demand, and the market's evolution over the next 12-18 months: https://sowo.kr/yJdHjWIB #DigitalWorkplace #ITservices #GenAI #AgenticAI #AI #VR #MR #DigitalTwins #EX #Digital #ESG

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Vendor management isn’t easy. Strong relationships matter—trusted partners can and are an extension of your team. But at the end of the day, your responsibility is to your organization and it's goals. That means keeping options open, benchmarking pricing, and making tough calls when needed. The best partnerships understand one thing: trust is important—but so is competition. #CIOLIfe #HodiernusCIO #VendorManagement #ITLeadership #CIO #Procurement #Partnerships #Leadership #DigitalTransformation

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The Most Underused Strategic Asset in Your Organization? Your IT Team. I’ve sat in rooms where IT was called in after the decision was already made. “We need this live in 6 weeks.” “The vendor contract is signed.” “Just make it work.” And every time, the team delivered, because that’s what good IT teams do. But here’s what rarely gets acknowledged: All that capability, spent reacting instead of shaping. All that institutional knowledge, kept outside the room where it mattered most. That’s not an IT problem. That’s a leadership problem. When IT is treated as a support function, you get teams that are excellent at fixing things. When IT is treated as a strategic partner, you get teams that help you avoid building the wrong things in the first place. The real shift isn’t about titles or org charts. It’s about the questions being asked. Support asks: “How do we implement this?” Strategy asks: “Should we be doing this at all?” In practice, that looks like: → IT in the room when strategy is shaped-not briefed afterward → Technology tied to revenue and growth-not just cost and compliance → Leaders who speak business-not just tickets and sprints → Platforms built to scale-not patched to survive the quarter The best IT leaders don’t wait to be invited. They show up with business context, not just technical answers, and earn their seat by creating impact. But even the best teams can only go so far without organizational alignment. If IT is only visible when something breaks, you’re underutilizing one of your most powerful strategic assets. Technology is rarely the bottleneck. Positioning is. Is your organization ready to make that shift? #CIO #ITLeadership #DigitalTransformation #TechnologyStrategy #EnterpriseIT #BusinessTransformation #Innovation #Leadership #StrategicThinking #TechLeadership

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TAKE ACTION: Strong leadership requires clarity, accountability, and the courage to act. Build trust, empower teams, embrace change, and deliver results that matter; consistently, decisively, and with purpose every day.

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Let's Go! Next-gen IT technologies and trends will be covered within five distinct tracks: *Cybersecurity and Network Security *Cloud Communications, Contact Center, AI, and the Customer Experience (CX) *Cloud Strategies, Security, and Best Practices *Data Analytics & Artificial Intelligence (AI) *Leadership Advanced Technology Consulting (ATC)Nick Enger John Manner

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🏭 When Green Bay Packaging’s longtime EDI Coordinator retired, they faced a big decision: rebuild internally or outsource. With 100+ partners, complex maps, and multiple divisions, they needed a partner who could step in fast. GraceBlood delivered: ⚡ 90-day go-live 🛠️ Dedicated Exclusive Managed Services environment 📈 60,000+ transactions processed monthly 🕒 24/7 monitoring and exception handling “It’s such a relief knowing our critical B2B technology is being handled with professionalism and excellence.” — Jeff Wojciuk, GBP See the full story: https://hubs.ly/Q03-_hGv0 #CaseStudy #ManagedServices #EDI #SupplyChain #GraceBlood

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Teams grow faster when tech fades into the background; managed IT in Columbus pairs proactive monitoring with clear SLAs so speed, security, and savings show up daily. Which matters most—speed, security, or savings? #ManagedIT #BusinessGrowth #ColumbusOhio

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Life-Safety in K-12 - there are a lot of priorities and a lot of budget pressures. But Alyssa's Law is pushing location based panic buttons from "someday" to "now" in more states every year, and Wisconsin districts should be paying attention. The technology has caught up. Modern systems like Valcom's V-Guardian Alert, Singlewire's wearable badge, give staff a wearable button they can activate from anywhere on campus, triggering paging alerts, visual displays, mobile notifications, and direct 911 routing with location data, all at once. The team at Heartland Business Systems put together a great breakdown on what schools need to know, from what Alyssa's Law actually requires to what to look for when evaluating systems. https://lnkd.in/gTq3qyPc https://lnkd.in/ge_cDjU2 What questions are you hearing from your district about panic alert systems? Happy to share what I'm seeing in the field. #K12 #SchoolSafety #Wisconsin #AlyssasLaw #EdTech #PhysicalSecurity

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Over the past few months our team has been working on a new AP workflow solution for companies running Penta Software. The first working version wasn’t built by a software developer. It was built by someone on our team who has spent years implementing AP and document workflow systems for clients. He’s not a career developer. What he is really good at is seeing all the little things that frustrate people when these systems get deployed in the real world. *The stuff that slows projects down. *The stuff generic software almost always gets wrong. *The little friction points you only notice after doing this for a long time. Instead of writing a requirements document and handing it to developers, he started prototyping the workflow himself. Then we brought developers in to clean it up, strengthen the architecture, and get it ready for production. But the core idea didn’t start with a development team, it started with operational experience. I think we’re going to see a lot more of this. The people who actually understand the work are starting to play a bigger role in designing and building the tools. It's pretty cool watching this develop, and we are building tools that remove the frustrations of past solutions.

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Your business is growing and you're thinking of how to take your business to the next level. If you're still using a platform like QuickBooks, you could be hindering that growth with basic techology. In this blog from @Acumatica, learn the five clear signs your business is ready to graduate from QuickBooks to a more scalable, robust, comprehensive business management solution. https://lnkd.in/g6PpGwiN

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