Imagine putting money into an ad plan and having a tech issue cause costs to skyrocket. This issue hit many businesses when Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, faced a large glitch. The unexpected surprise On April 23, 2023, a tech issue caused problems for businesses using Facebook for ads. This glitch forced companies to spend more money than planned. Though the glitch affected many, the impact was not evenly distributed. Big businesses that spend about $200,000 per month have a direct link to Meta and personal account reps. But smaller advertisers do not get the same luxury. Reimbursements Amid Controversy To rectify the situation, Meta began issuing refunds. This initiative provided some comfort, but it came with its share of skepticism. Some say the distribution of reimbursements appeared imbalanced. Reports hint at favoritism, suggesting advertisers with stronger connections with Meta received refunds readily. However, Meta maintains that refunds are determined case-by-case based on the unique circumstances of each issue. The Struggle of Small Advertisers The heart of the controversy lies with smaller businesses, many of whom felt the effects of the glitch profoundly. These businesses spend a lot on Meta’s platforms but lack the same support as the bigger ones. Some received refunds beginning on May 12, 2023. But the process has been slow for many, causing considerable anxiety. In response to the backlash, Meta promised to address the technical problem swiftly. Meta is focusing on improving the automated systems that originally caused the delivery mishaps. What can you do? As business owners, you should always keep an eye on your ad spending, especially on social media platforms. Remember that vigilance is key. If something looks off, reach out to customer service right away. Checking the return on your ad spending can also help you spot any issues faster. In the Middle of It All: Getting Trust Back As Meta continues its refund initiatives, the focus remains on regaining trust. It’s crucial that smaller businesses also receive the attention and support they need. By providing transparent processes and equitable treatment, Meta could do much more to rebuild trust with advertisers. This situation serves as a stark reminder: glitches can and do occur, and their effects can be far-reaching. If you spend time on these platforms, stay aware, be ready, and prepare your business for these issues.
Essendant, a Staples-owned wholesale distributor of office supplies and stationery, paused its operations recently because of a multi-day, network-wide outage. The system disruption has prevented customers from placing orders online or contacting the company’s customer care unit. While Essendant has yet to disclose the reason behind the outage, many think someone had hacked into the company’s system. Customers are expressing their frustration over the company’s lack of transparency. Essendant’s Outage Is Preventing Fulfillment of Orders The network-wide outage started on the night of March 6, 2023. Essendant then began notifying customers about it the following day. Because of the disruption, the company can’t accommodate new online orders or fulfill existing ones. Aside from customers and suppliers, the incident also affects freight carriers. The company has told them to postpone pickups for now. Essendant carries more than 160,000 items and caters to around 30,000 resellers. The disruption has a significant impact on its supply chain. What Is Essendant Doing to Address the Issue? Since March 20, 2023, Essendant has taken significant steps to recover its operations. The company has restored at least a hundred systems and performed end-to-end testing. It is currently in the pilot stages of its pick, pack, and ship efforts. Here’s what customers can expect from Essendant at this point of its recovery: Empower users now have new login credentials and can place orders through the portal. Aside from Empower, customers can access other Solution Central applications. That includes List Assistant, ICAPS, Essendant Marketing Studio, and Market Xpert. Essendant’s customer care team is only accessible through email. Request volumes are high, and turnaround time will be longer.There will be longer shipment times because of higher order volumes. The Bottom Line The Essendant outage highlights the importance of data backups. Losing large amounts of information, whether employee, customer, or systems data, can cripple a business. But with a data backup strategy, you have a duplicate of your systems and can recover faster. Secondly, it’s a reminder for business owners to have a contingency plan. If your supplier can’t deliver for whatever reason, having a backup plan will save your business.
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Sunair Awnings is a family-owned sun product company based in Jessup, MD.They were originally founded in 1880, and are proudly American manufactured – a rarity this day and age. Jim Wills is the technology owner of Sunair Awnings, and a valued clients of Hammett Technologies for almost 10 years.In the following, Wills will elaborate on his pains and triumphs in the world of IT – and his experience with Hammett Technologies.
Poly-Planar Group, LLC is a well-known manufacturing company in Hanover, Maryland.Their Primary role consists of producing and installing high-end spa audio systems.Tim Conroy is the owner of this fantastic business, and a client of ours for the past two years and counting.In the following, Conroy will elaborate on his painful experience with his previous IT service provider and his transition to Hammett Technologies.