Business First Family Business, Accounting, Finance, Investing, Marketing And Management
After all the hoops you go through to establish your business, the one thing you should make your top priority is protecting it. It’s unfortunate that we have to assume that we will be hacked, robbed, or any number of problems that could arise. You have come way too far to allow anyone to cause your business harm, so we are going to share with you our tips and tricks for securing your business.
Alarm Yourself
Having an alarm system, such as ADT, is a gift from the heavens when it comes to business security. These alarms are designed to sense motion, sound an alarm, and notify the authorities. Always request that the alarm company calls the authorities first and then you. Many of the systems come with various plans that include extras such as protection from cyber hacking, mobile access, remote activation/deactivation, and event history. Some are also including camera systems in addition to the alarm. Cameras are great for identifying people and witnessing exactly what happened. All of these things will ensure that your merchandise, sensitive information, and peace of mind are well cared for.
Virtual Protection
Every business uses computers to create documents, sales receipts, track finances, store customer information, and so on. A lot of this information can lead to identity theft and cyber theft of your finances. That makes protecting your computer an important one. Security strategies vary wildly from the simple to complicated enough for hiring a professional. Always make sure you know who has access to the information and monitor how much they really should see. A salesperson does not need to see banking information and your accountant doesn’t necessarily need to see inventory. Limiting access is an easy protective measure and one that is often overlooked. Anti-virus and malware security software on all devices, including personal devices used for business, also known as a bring-your-own-devices, should be mandatory. Buying an anti-virus program that allows you to use on multiple devices is a fantastic solution. Otherwise, be prepared to reimburse your employees for the protection.
Keep It Simple
Securing your business is not that hard, many steps are quite simple! Best of all, most common sense security measures do not cost much. Here are a few suggestions to get started:
- Background checks on all employees
- Credit checks on all employees (especially important in the financial sector)
- Limit access to keys
- Never swap passwords
- Choose difficult passwords
- Motion detecting lights outside the building
- Talk with local crime prevention units
- Update all locks
- Shred banking documents after scanning them onto the hard drive
Mind Your Surroundings
It doesn’t matter if you are in the real world or the virtual one, always be mindful of where you are and who is there. If your brick and mortar store is on a dark corner surrounded by bushes and trees, it may be time to consider how you get to your business car at night. If you are hanging around social media promoting the business while shopping and emailing your accountant, take a moment and do one thing at a time so that you don’t accidentally put the information in the wrong place.
Some of this may sound like common sense but it is something people forget about. Always take a few moments to think about your actions and if they can leave you vulnerable to theft. It is always better to be safe than sorry so don’t worry about going too far with protecting the business. It’s your livelihood and we want to see you in business for a long time.
Image from http://www.securitynewsdesk.com/securing-your-business-data-with-native-encryption/
