As we say goodbye to a fantastic 2013 we set our sights towards 2014 with goals to make it an even better year than the one prior. And we are already well on our way!

The rise of the mobile platform has opened up a world of opportunity for businesses to engage meaningfully with their customers. The average user is likely to be carrying a smartphone or tablet, and big brands and independent companies alike are leveraging this fact to reach out to customers. Not only are they offering promotions and special offers, but they're using targeted strategies to make their customers' experiences more engaging.

A recent study conducted by Return Path shows that e-mail open rates on mobile devices such as Phones and tablets are at an all-time high. Across all industries, the average chance of a customer opening a promotional or marketing e-mail on their smartphone or tablet sits at an unprecedented 48%.

Many small business rely on Social Media to engage their audiences and restaurants are no exception. When dealing with negative comments some simple rules apply. It would be the same rules that you would use if the person making the negative comments were in front of you in the middle of the restaurant: Stay calm, do not go on the attack, and try to defuse the situation before it becomes a big issue. This restaurant followed none of these steps and ended up in the spotlight for their Social Media meltdown.

In 2012 we moved our data centers to the financial district of Manhattan. Since the move our data center team has done an extraordinary job even during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Actually their performance during that crisis was well beyond extraordinary. We are proud of the work we do but we are always looking to be a better company for our clients.