Tag: business security

GAGE Employs AI for Enhanced IT Security and Rapid Customer Support

GAGE AI

 

Baton Rouge-based managed technology service provider, GAGE, is integrating AI (artificial intelligence) systems to detect potential malicious activity in IT. Their AI, termed knowledge management, gathers diverse, yet similar, data to build comprehensive datasets related to customer and product activities. 

 

This AI will enhance customer support by offering predictive insights and facilitating effective IT solutions. The incorporation of AI is expected to reduce customer service response time by 30%, achieved through pattern recognition in plain language for improved technical support. The primary aim is to enhance the detection of security-threatening events for users and their systems. To learn more about this article, visit the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report

Arctic Wolf & GAGE Conducted a Webinar Explaining the Risks of Cyber Attacks on Businesses

In case you missed it, Arctic Wolf and GAGE conducted a joint webinar explaining the risks of cyber attacks on businesses, big and small.

What would happen to your business if you fell under a cyber attack? Do you have backups? Do you use cloud-based systems? Are you insured against cyber attacks? If you answered no to any of these questions, you might need to consider securing your business against cybercriminals.

It’s not a level playing field, cybercriminals are not some far-off entity you never have to worry about. They are businesses set up in foreign countries that target individuals and companies of all capacities to cause financial damage. Attacks are increasing and the level of security around what companies are doing to protect themselves is starting to heat up. Insurers are reducing coverage and increasing the costs of policies against these attacks and will evaluate your technology similar to a credit check.

So, what do you do? Educating and preparing your employees to stop social engineering attacks like phishing is critical since 90% of attacks target employees. Cloud-based systems such as DropBox, Google Drive, etc., and having backups make it harder for hackers to manipulate. Most importantly, having a company with the right resources in place to help you stay secure is vital to keeping your operations running. With GAGE and Arctic Wolf partnering together, we are constantly looking for cracks and monitoring the dark web to help customers and manage their vulnerability. Pick a framework, and be proactive about risk management to protect your business.

Gage Helps Businesses Deduct Up to $1M on Qualifying Equipment Expenses

Equipment Expenses

Baton Rouge, LA – October 2020 – Gage a leading managed technology services provider (MTSP), announced today that it is helping customers take advantage of a substantial tax deduction, outlined by guidance issued from the IRS, also known as Section 179. Section 179 allows businesses to completely deduct the purchase price of qualifying equipment and/or software purchased or leased during the 2020 tax year. However, the technology or equipment must be operational by the end of the calendar year, December 31, 2020, and with the deadline fast-approaching businesses must leverage its benefits quickly.

Cope With The Unforeseen And Sizable Expenses

Gage is advising its clients about this tax-benefit in order to help businesses cope with the unforeseen and often sizable expenses the pandemic has forced upon them. This comes at a time when many small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are searching for ways to restructure their operations to accommodate for remote workplaces, work-from-home scenarios and/or hybrid-offices, and have discovered how important security is to make this transition happen.

As business owners have done their best to comply with mandatory work-from-home policies, there are often significant costs in making these transitions work. Gage is doing its part to keep the business community informed on how they can reduce their tax liability and weather the storm.

“Small and mid-sized businesses have taken the brunt of this pandemic,” stated Jason Landry, VP of Sales of Gage. “Section 179 is too good of a deal to ignore. It’s a huge discount. If a business is restructuring itself or making an investment in technology or software, they need to know about this exemption.”

What Is Section 179?

Section 179 is affording businesses a golden opportunity to reposition themselves for success, by making investments much more feasible than ever before. The IRS is firmly behind this incentive and has even expanded the maximum expense deduction in the recent years, For tax years beginning after 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) increased the maximum Section 179 expense deduction from $500,000 to $1 million.” (IRS.gov)

As businesses have been confronted with mandates to operate remotely, Section 179 offers a much-needed tax-break to make this transition financially possible. The TCJA also amended the definition of “qualified real property” to mean qualified improvement property and some improvements to nonresidential real property, including roofs; heating, ventilation and air-conditioning property; fire protection and alarm systems; and security systems.

Working Remotely

As a provider of various security-based technologies, Gage is thrilled that businesses can more easily access the security tools they need making their teams more productive and secure as they work from home, and with the assistance of a government subsidy, business owners don’t have to do it all alone.

For example, let’s assume that a business owner wants to invest $125,000 back into their company through qualifying expenses. In the first year, they can deduct the entire $125,000. This means that effectively they would save $43,750 (assuming a 35% tax bracket) on those expenses. This would drive the net cost of the new equipment down to $81,250. Regardless of which equipment the business invests in, Section 179 is a phenomenal program that should not be wasted.

 


For more information or questions about this tax deduction, please call (225) 753-4243 or visit www.gagetelephone.com.