Happenings January 17, 2025

    In this issue:

• National Day Spotlight
• Acumatica Tip
• ISV Spotlight
• Managed Services Tip
• Events, Blogs, Movies
• Webinars, Community
• Points to Ponder

The purpose of a newsletter is an opportunity for the ASWi team to provide you and the rest of our clients with information on all the new ASWi an Acumatica related things (or “happenings”) that you may not otherwise be aware of.

Please feel free to share this newsletter with any/ all of your team. Pease let me know if anyone on your team who would like to be added to the mailing list for the next issue and removed.

You can always have a look at back issues of Happenings on ASWi’s web- site at: https://aswiblog.wpengine.com/category/customer-newsletters/

“When snow falls, nature listens.” H.S. Jacobs

Today is a great day to make lasting memories with winter sports like snowboarding, cross country skiing, ice fishing, skating, sledding and making snow people.

For those of who are a couple of days away from our first snowfall, we can celebrate with snow cones, making paper snowflakes and home made snow globes.

About the photo: December 2016 in Austin, Texas. RIP to the beautiful agaves at the end of my driveway who didn’t survive that snow storm.

Q: What was Jack Frost’s favorite part of kindegarten?
A: Snow and Tell.

Q: How do polar bears make their beds?
A: With sheets of ice and blankets of snow.

Q: What did Olaf ask the waiter after dinner?
A: Do you want to bill a snowman?

Q: What do snowmen have for breakfast?
A: Frosted Flakes and Ice Krispies.

Q: What do the elves eat for lunch at the North Pole?
A: Cold cuts and chilly.

Q: What do you call a ghost in a snow storm?
A: Casp-brrrrr!

Q: What do you call a snowman with a six-pack?
A: An abdominal snowman.

Q: What’s a show skier called?
A: A slope poke.

ASWi is very humbled, privileged, and proud to be able to serve some of the most innovative organizations in the country as their trusted advisor business systems and managed services.

Today, I want to spotlight Midland Industrial Services, LLC.

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Elkins, Arkansas, Midland Industrial Services provides Milwright and Fabrication Services, Electrical Services, Civil, Structural, and Architectural Services, UL Panel Shop Services, Engineering and Commercial Construction.

Midland Industrial Services works all over the country with 5 locations in Arkansas, Texas, and Georgia. In 2016, they were awarded the Tyson National Contractor of the Year and is one of the only vertically integration companies for food processing plants in the country.

Summit Breakout Customer Sessions with ASWi Presenters
We are getting very excited about the upcoming Acumatica Summit 2025 on January 26 – 29 and that members of the ASWi team have been asked
to present in 2 of the 80+ breakout sessions that are available:

Shuttle to the 1/27 ASWi Customer Appreciation Event
FYI: Please meet us at the Wynn’s Tour Bus Lobby Monday night at 5:45pm for the 6:00 pm shuttle to The George for our offsite event. Please Let Us Know If You’re Going to Acumatica Summit

If you have not already done so, please let our Customer Success Manager Keith Wood know (keithw@ASWiUS.com, 717-581-1226) if you planning on attending the upcoming Acumatica Summit 2025.

We have a “Golden Ticket” awaiting your arrival to Summit, which will let you self-identify as being a member of the ASWi ecosystem. You can pickup your Golden Ticket at the Welcome Reception on Sunday, January 26 that starts at 6:00 pm by reaching out to Keith or any of us with a golden lanyard on our neck.

NSSF SHOT Show 2025, the premier show about the business of shooting sports, hunting, law enforcement, and armed forces industries, is right around the corner, and we’re thrilled to invite you to connect with us in Las Vegas!

Join us in the Supplier Showcase at Booth 51510 on January 21 and 22 to see firsthand how ASWi FirearmsERP can elevate your business.

What to Expect at NSSF SHOT Show 2025:
• Exclusive Demos: Discover our powerful software designed to streamline firearm retail operations and increase efficiency.

• One-on-One Consultations: Meet our experts to discuss how Firearms ERP can support your business goals.

• Live Presentations: Learn about the latest trends and best practices in firearm retail management and compliance.

Find us at Booth 51510 in the Palazzo Ballroom, 5th Floor, Venetian Expo

If you would like more information on SHOT Show, please let our
FirearmsERP Senior Sales Executive Jonathan Council (jonathanc@ASWiUS.com, 832-289-0733).

As remote and hybrid work models become the new norm, securing your organization’s data and systems is more critical than ever. Cybersecurity measures need to adapt to the challenges of distributed work environments to protect against potential threats.

Here are some strategies for secure work protocols:

1. Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A VPN ensures that all internet traffic from remote devices is encrypted, protecting sensitive data from being intercepted by cybercriminals. Make
sure that employees use a VPN whenever they access the company network, especially on public or unsecured Wi-Fi.

2. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to verify their identity through multiple means (e.g., a password and a one-time code sent to their phone). This significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access even if login credentials are compromised.

3. Secure Endpoint Devices
Ensure that all devices used for remote work, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones, have up-to-date security software such as antivirus, firewalls, and encryption. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions can also help monitor for suspicious activity and mitigate potential threats.

4. Strong Password Policies
Encourage employees to use complex passwords and change them regularly. Consider implementing password management tools to help users securely generate, store, and manage their passwords.

5. Current Software and Systems
Keep operating systems, applications, and security tools up-to-date to protect against known vulnerabilities. Enable automatic updates where possible and schedule routine checks to ensure all software is current.

6. Employee Education
Human error is one of the leading causes of data breaches. Regularly train employees on how to recognize phishing attempts, avoid downloading malicious attachments, and follow secure data handling practices.

7. Restrict Access to Sensitive Data
Implement the principle of least privilege by ensuring that employees only have access to the data and systems they need for their job. This minimizes the risk of exposure if an account is compromised.

8. Monitor Remote Work Activities
Use security monitoring tools to track remote access attempts, file transfers, and other activities to detect potential security incidents early. This visibility allows for quick responses to unusual behavior.

9. Establish a Rapid Incident Response Plan
Be prepared for potential incidents by developing a response plan that addresses remote-specific threats. Train your staff to recognize and report potential security issues promptly.

10. Conduct Routine Security Assessments
Regularly review your security measures to identify any gaps or areas for improvement. Keep up with the latest remote work cybersecurity trends and threats to stay ahead of emerging risks.

Please let our Customer Success Manager Keith Wood know (keithw@ASWiUS.com, 717-581-1226) if you would like to learn more about protecting your organization and its assets while allowing your employees the flexibility to work securely form any location.

by Bri Williams
“Introverts don’t feel they know enough about a subject until they know almost everything.”

This hit me between the eyes. Marti Olsen Laney, author of The Introvert Advantage, goes on to explain that introverts:
• Can imagine the vastness of any subject;
• Have experienced brain-lock, so over prepare to avoid going blank, and
• Don’t talk about what they are thinking, so don’t receive feedback and perspective on how much they already know.

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If you want to know why I study and apply behavioral science, this explains it. I go blank when asked questions like “what did you do today?”, or “tell us about yourself”. I even go blank when I enter a supermarket, forgetting what I’m there for.

Behavioral science is a way understand what’s going on and to more confidently and successfully influence myself and those around me.

When to be vague vs precise

Let’s say you are advertising a new product, like a razor. Should you describe it as being “laser-sharp” or “high quality”?

Laser sharp uses concrete, precise language whereas high quality is more abstract. New research has revealed which type to use, when. This matters because ads cost money, lots of money, so you want to make sure what you say has the biggest positive impact possible.

So, what did the researchers find?

In one of their experiments they had 124 hockey fans rate a product (in this case a new hockey stick) and a radio station’s ad BEFORE the game – when the outcome was uncertain, and other fans rate those things AFTER the game, once the outcome was known. Before the game – when uncertainty was high – fans rated the product and radio ad higher when concrete language was used.

After the game, it didn’t matter as much, though abstract messages tended to be preferred.

There are two lessons from this:

1. When your customers are feeling uncertain – like during an economic downturn or health crisis, or even when it’s a new type of product – you are better to be concrete, like ‘laser-sharp’. When things are stable and the product is familiar, you can be more abstract, talking about ‘high quality’.

2. Whether you are engaging the services of a copywriter or ad agency, or writing the copy yourself, be sure to keep on top of behavioral research like this. Just because your copy is beautiful doesn’t mean it will be effective.

Things will never be easier than now

Believe it or not, your job will never be as easy as it is today.

I’m not talking about AI and other technologies.

I’m talking about hindsight.

You’ll look back and think life was easy.

Because things will only get more chaotic, more complex and more compressed.

Nearly every weekday, a motivational quote is posted on X/Twitter by @ASWiDelivered and on LinkedIn by @ASWi.

• “Try to catch people in your company doing something right, then praise them for it.” Tom Hopkins
• “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” Zig Ziglar
• “Just try to get better.” Yogi Berra
• “Starve your distractions, feed your focus.” @Daniel Goleman
• “”A goal without a plan is a wish.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
• “If we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” Vince Lombardi