There are many ways we can look after our business, but what is the most valuable thing we need to protect? Our staff are a valuable commodity, but it’s the information we hold that has the most currency. This is why there is a major awareness campaign on the dangers of internet crime. The laptop seems to be deadlier than the sword now. And as a business, it is our duty to look after our information, and our customers’ information, as best as we can. And it’s not just about making our company a virtual Fort Knox, we need to be able to smooth out our processes as much as we can. It’s all about making our tech work hard for us, and not the other way round. So what can we utilize to get our business tech operating smoothly, and how can we operate in a secure workplace environment?
Cloud Software
Cloud computing has taken a big leap in how we store documents. Instead of using computer hardware we now can store everything in one centralized place which all staff can have access to. It is a great tool in the modern business because of our increased need for flexibility. The Cloud can provide this for people that need to work remotely, and with the many different tools that promote the idea of collaboration, it doesn’t mean that people need to be physically in the room anymore. The Cloud is very likely the one tool that has ramped up productivity in businesses in recent years and not just due to the remote working capabilities, the opportunities for the digitization of documents means that business can take one step closer towards a paperless environment!
Software Protection
An all-encompassing term for keeping your applications and software protected. This can involve antivirus software, which is a must for any developing business. There are schools of thought that promote workers to avoid going on any sites that are questionable or virus prone. The error in that is if we need to scour the internet for research we will very likely land on something that may have a virus, so it is just good practice to have something in place, like a firewall, and if you are operating within a business framework, you can benefit from having a number of firewalls in place for each sector of the business, but this can be one step too far if you are a small startup. However, for large companies, it may be common sense to have more than one. Other approaches include application monitoring, where you can use custom software to isolate a particular cause for an application outage, which is very suitable for system developers when they need to get to the route of the problem. An application being down can cost a lot of time, so having a system like this in place should be a priority, especially if your company thrives on in-house applications and systems developed by your own IT department.
CRM
Customer Relationship Management software is the big tool to help you understand your customers. You can go down the standard route of email marketing and hope for replies, or go to the man on the street and get market research, but the fact of the matter is that CRM is the tool for helping businesses communicate their brand and make positive changes to their advertising, and CRM is a big market in itself. The process behind CRM is a way to make the most out of back-office functions and to get insight from the customer. From analyzing customer purchase habits to tracking sales, personalized emails to customers after a purchase to monitoring customer relationship performance, as well as many other functions. You can use a CRM system to revolutionize how you make your business work with your customers. The great benefit to having this in place is, from a startup perspective, you can make the most of your own staff members. While CRM is bubbling away in the background, you can shift the focus onto other areas of the company that need addressing.
Servers
As data increases as companies get larger, the need to be able to accommodate that data becomes a massive priority. Servers serve other purposes, apart from storing data, which is its primary role, they can be used for file sharing or backing up information. And servers can either take a physical form, or they can be done through a Cloud provider. There are benefits to both. With the Cloud option, you can have service providers on call to help with any queries, but if you have the adequate knowledge in-house, you may wish to build your own, which is a cheaper option. As your business gets bigger, you need to think about how much storage space you need to house your data. There is an issue with smaller businesses to choose a cheap and cheerful server, but this is something to weigh up depending on your projections. The purchase of a server for the benefits of storing information is a big benefit of your company, and it is a worthy backup system should there be a major issue causing everyone’s systems to be wiped. It is always essential to make sure that you backup your data regularly, and this is a reliable way.
Information is the most powerful thing you can have as a business, and you need to make the most of it in whichever way you can. These four tools have done so much for so many companies that it has made the tech revolution more like a clean sweep. The need for tech of this stature now is so high that it seems to be a wonder how so many companies survived without it before. With the amount of speed in which companies are rising and falling, sinking and swimming, it appears that having the best of the best in every aspect, from your workers to your tech, is an essential trick of the tale now.
