Ooma Blog

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The pandemic isn’t completely over yet, but small business owners – in an informal survey of Ooma Office customers – are optimistic about the second half of 2021. We asked members of our Ooma Leaders advocacy program to answer five questions in late June / early July and got 137 responses. The enthusiasm, tempered with caution, came through loud and clear.

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Did it turn out to be a robocall with an “urgent” message about your recent Amazon purchase, an offer to extend your car’s warranty or a student loan? Then you’ve had first-hand experience with a number-spoofing call. The Federal Communications Commission has a mandate that requires phone service providers to use the new STIR/SHAKEN caller ID standards to protect you from these masquerading robocallers.

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Some large technology companies are supporting remote working to a degree. For example, Facebook is allowing some employees to apply to work remotely full time, while Microsoft, after surveying employees, is allowing remote work for up to 50 percent of working time.

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Why should you back up your files? Think about how long it would take to recreate all the work you’ve stored on your computer if the unthinkable happens. A fire, flood, break-in at the office, or a technology failure can wipe out everything in a matter of seconds.

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Do you feel tired after a video meeting? If so, you might be suffering from Zoom fatigue. According to Stanford University research, “Virtual meetings have skyrocketed, with hundreds of millions happening daily.” The research found four reasons why video chats are exhausting and offered some solutions that can help.

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The prospects for a return to the office are increasing as more people are vaccinated and case counts fall. As a result, some business commentators suggest a hybrid workplace as the future of work. A hybrid workplace is likely because relatively few employers, 13% according to a PWC.com survey, desire to switch to fully remote work and give up office space entirely.