Many Internet users have been receiving fake email messages informing them that parcels shipped to them via FedEx could not be delivered to them and were being held at the local FedEx office (or Post office). These messages are an attempt to lure recipients into clicking on a link to download "postal receipts" which could be used to claim the undeliverable package.  Below is an example of what the email might look like:



These emails are fraudulent!  FedEx posted an Alert on their web site to notify customers that such message were bogus.  If you receive a message like this DO NOT OPEN THE EMAIL, ATTACHMENT OR CLICK ON THE LINK.  You can forward suspected fraudulent emails to abuse@fedex.com.  FedEx does not send unsolicited emails to customers requesting information regarding packages, invoices, account numbers, passwords or personal information. 

For more information about email scams see our January 2013 Newsletter.

The Hunger Task Force is facing a time of unprecedented need in Milwaukee.  In fact, 2013 is shaping up to be the year that the Hunger Task Force could fail to keep their commitment to the community.  Last year's drought, government funding cuts, rising food prices ... these are all contributing reasons.  This could mean widespread hunger for local families.

They are doing everything they can to keep the safety net intact for children and families, but the road is going to be hard in the coming months.

To help Milwaukee get through this tough time, we want to let you know about an incredible upcoming opportunity to help the hungry and the Hunger Task Force's mission.  Greater Milwaukee Foundation is hosting Match Day on March 14.  All online donations made to Hunger Task Force on Match day are matched by the foundation.  It's a one-day opportunity to make a huge impact in the fight against hunger.  For more information go to www.hungertaskforce.org

Swick Technologies has been named as a finalist for the "Best Service Based Company" for the ActionCOACH 2013 Business Excellence Awards.  ActionCOACH  is the world's largest business consulting firm.  "The Business Excellence Awards are the premier awards for small businesses in the world."  ActionCOACH created these awards to recognize the "Best of the Best" in the small-and-medium sized business (SMB) sector to recognize the achievements and accomplishments of business owners and their companies in industries and categories from around the world.  Winners will be announced Jan 25-26 at ActionCOACH's Busines Excellence Forum in Las Vegas.

Sponsoring GrowthClub

Swick Technologies jumped into 2013 as a continued Silver Sponsor at ActionCOACH’s quarterly GrowthClub workshop for the third year running. ActionCOACH of Elm Grove held this quarter’s GrowthClub  at the Majestic Cinema of Brookfield which provided a welcoming venue for sponsors and motivated business owners alike. This quarter’s workshop focused on what we need to “BE” to achieve success in 2013 and the challenges we have to overcome to meet our goals.

 

Guest Speaker: Gary Swick

As a leader of Milwaukee’s small business community, Gary Swick, president of Swick Technologies, was invited to be a guest speaker on GrowthClub’s discussion panel. He provided his perspective and advice based on years of experience earned from establishing and cultivating his burgeoning IT company from a start up to a staff of 16 strong.

 

Let It “BE”

As business owners, we sometimes get caught up in all the “doing” that it takes to run a successful company and we forget to focus on who we need to “BE”in order to fulfill our visions.

 

Gary says that this year, he has to “BE” a leader and a mentor for his staff. As a business owner, one of the greatest challenges is letting go. He has to stop focusing on doing all the technical work, which he loves, and focus his time on passing down his company’s values and making sure his staff is able to run the company as he would, with his vision. The vision of Swick Technologies is to provide stability and peace of mind for all its clients.

“No man is an island,” he says. You can’t do it all, and a capable, knowledgeable staff of 16 providing security and stability is always better than one. As a business owner, Gary’s best advice is that if you always put the customer first, you can never fail. The lifetime value of any customer renders substantially greater profits than a quick sale any day. His core focus is always on the company’s integrity and reputation with the client.

Customer Service is Paramount

Swick’s number one goal for 2013 is to focus on customer satisfaction, as always, and survey clients to improve their customer service to a point beyond those high standards which they have already implemented. Swick Technologies should set the highest standard in the industry for providing efficiency and customer satisfaction at all times.

On Thursday, January 10, 2013, the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) which falls under the Department of Homeland Security advised people to temporarily disable the Java software on their computers to avoid potential hacking attacks. The recommendation came in an advisory following up on concerns raised by computer security experts. Experts believe hackers have found a flaw in Java's coding that creates an opening for criminal activity and other high tech mischief.

 

On Sunday, January 13, 2013, Oracle released Java 7 Update 11 to address the recently disclosed security vulnerability. Java 6 was not updated as the bug was limited to Java version 7.

 

To determine if you have Java 7, open the Control Panel Programs and Features. Scroll to Java. If you have version 7, you should install Update 11, which you can download here: http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp. For Swick Technologies customers, if you have any questions or problems, please contact us at 414-257-9266.