If you think a promiscuous client is a scantily-dressed customer, you're in trouble. And I'm not talking about having an affair.

Think an evil twin is a horror-movie villain? Wrong again. The horror you should be bracing yourself for is not on the silver screen and it's not from a rolling pin flung at you from across the kitchen, for that matter. Rather, the trouble is in the airwaves and targeted to Wi-Fi users.

Both the "Promiscuous Client" and the "Evil Twin" are two of the latest wireless threats to your small business. If you haven't heard of them, you probably will soon.

"What would happen to your business if your strongest competitor gained access to all of your data?" asks Greg Phillips, chief executive for AirTegrity Wireless, Inc., a Stateline, Nev. wireless security company. "Unfortunately, it is a very real possibility if appropriate controls against these new threats are not exercised."

So what's out there?

Why is my computer so slow?

Why is my hard drive always running when I'm not doing anything?

Why does it take so long to start up and shut down?

Why does it take so long to open and scroll through web pages?

Vista
No matter that running Windows XP is like wearing an old, comfortable shoe, Windows Vista is the reality for most of us purchasing a new PC. It has gotten past many of its initial growing pains and now most software programs have been updated to run with it.

Many users have called to ask about tweaking Vista for improved speed, or even going back to XP. Here are some things I learned with my Vista laptop. I'll also let you know how to get the most speed out of Internet Explorer 7.

Warning: Some of the recommendations require adjustments to your computer that you may not be comfortable doing yourself, or may be prohibited or locked out by your company's IT department. Consult a certified IT professional if you aren't completely confident in your abilities, or if you don't have Administrator rights to your computer. Also, it's a good idea to create a Restore Point just before making changes, so you can go back to a known-good configuration if necessary.

Read more

In the business world, good customer service often isn't good enough anymore.

Customers and clients are becoming increasingly disenchanted with the merely adequate. For them, extraordinary service is the rule, not the exception. Anything less, and they're happy to vote with their feet and their wallets.

That makes extraordinary service necessary, not just desirable. And that, in turn, mandates a strategy to help ensure that your business matches that standout service standard on a daily basis.

Here are seven ideas and tips to help your business establish and maintain an ongoing climate of service excellence.

September 2008
In this issue

       ■  Wireless Threats
       ■  Don't Have to Hate Vista
       ■  Excellent Customer
           Service
       ■  Microsoft Demo