Reginald Chan

Category: Strategies

Find the best strategies to get more traffic, sales, and revenue from affiliate marketing, blogging and becoming a leader in today’s world.

  • How Your Business Can Better Manage High Call Volume

    How Your Business Can Better Manage High Call Volume

    We are, as this is being written, coming into the Christmas period. For many businesses, this is a prosperous time and a very busy one. However, because of the SARS-CoV-19 pandemic and the restrictions around it, many businesses are unable to open physical stores, and instead, are reliant upon eCommerce. Because of this, companies are expecting call traffic to rise and need to deal with this high call volume effectively and efficiently. If they do not, it can hinder their performance and deter their customers from wanting to return to do business with them.

    In this article, we will tell you how your business can better manage high call volume and improve the efficiency of your call centre [or call handling team]. By the end of this article, you will be appropriately equipped to handle the Christmas period and will not have to worry about the underperforming staff and lacklustre call centres.

    If you want to improve your customer experience this winter, you need only read this page, for we will tell you everything that there is for you to know so you can improve your call centre’s performance by 110%.

    Here is how your business can manage high call volume.

    Call Centre Management Platforms

    For many businesses, the problem does not lie with the call centre itself, nor the staff, but rather the management thereof. Thankfully, many platforms offer call centre solutions that enable you to manage the progress of your call centre remotely and digitally. These platforms allow you to check your analytics, call volume, and responsivity. These platforms are often suited to all types of call centre, from small to large, and can be used to great success in any business type. For the benefit they offer, we have included these platforms at the number one spot.

    Assign Your Team Properly

    A problem for many call centres is that they are assigned other duties, which can hinder their progress and slow down their performance. If you want your team to run at maximum efficiency and effectivity, it is essential that you assign them to the call centre and the call centre alone. If your staff is bogged down with other tasks not relating to answering calls, their performance will be hindered massively. When in a busy call centre, they need only answer phones and deal with the calls directly. Trying to have them multitask will not be successful.

    Alternative Self-Service

    With call centres, it is not uncommon, as your staff will attest to, for customers to ring and ask the same questions over and over. Because of this, it may be easier to set up an alternate self-service program on the internet for your customers to use. This self-help program will mean they do not need to call into your call centre and suggests that they will be able to answer their own queries a lot quicker, working out better for every single person involved.

    Data

    Analysing your data is very important should you want to predict when the largest surges in calls will be. For many, as we have mentioned throughout this article, Christmas is a very busy period. It is safe to say that you can expect to see a surge during this period [in some businesses]. However, there are other periods throughout the year when a business may surge. By reading your data, you can predict when these surges may be and designate more staff into your call centre for the duration of those periods, thereby improving your call centre’s efficiency.

    Automation

    There are many tools with which you can automate your staff’s work. Automating their work enables them to focus on the real issue – the phone calls. We previously mentioned that you should not assign them to work not relating to the call centre itself, but even so, the work from the call centre can still become too much when the phone is ringing every few minutes. Instead, automate many of the functions relating to the call centre, such as the ticket system. By automating these, your staff will be able to focus on calls and calls alone and improve the customer’s experience.

    Call Back

    Call back services have been very successful for many major companies and their call centres. As the name may indicate, a call back service is when you call into the centre and are given a designated slot. This slot is when the call centre staff will phone you back. During very busy periods, this can be a great help to your team and your customers. Instead of them having to sit on hold for hours, and instead of your staff having to rush to pick up calls, they can be called back later, which is convenient for them.

    Voice Response Systems

    Voice response systems, or as you may know them, ‘the annoying call centre robots,’ are a must for every single call centre. Voice response systems are much more developed than they once were, which means you can provide a more seamless and fluid experience for your customers. Your customers should hear a voice immediately upon ringing, even if it isn’t human. These voice response systems will enable you to direct your customers to the right department without having them block up phone lines or having to employ someone to handle calls.

    Outsourcing

    If you simply cannot keep up with the high call volume, outsource. Outsourcing has become the most popular way for businesses the world over to improve their efficiency in recent years. Outsourcing is when you source your services from abroad. Overseas call centres are an excellent way for you to improve the efficiency of your call centre and ensure you have a twenty-four-hour phone line for your customers to call into. Outsourcing agencies are everywhere, so you should have very little trouble finding an agency to outsource from. We recommend outsourcing very highly, although it can be expensive.

    With the help of this page, you now know a few ways to deal with high calling volume in your call centres. The solutions that we have listed here are recommended by experts and said to be the best way to improve your call centres. We hope this page helped.

  • How Day Traders Can Improve Their Skills To A Whole New Level?

    How Day Traders Can Improve Their Skills To A Whole New Level?

    Many ingredients go into the art of trading, key among them being cold-blood analysis skills and some precision. Contrary to what many people insinuate, trading has nothing to do with chance. Skill will always override chance and luck. 

    Therefore, every trader should devote more time to sharpening their skills and preparing for the next move of the day. We’ve prepared 10 of the most popular tips that will significantly take your skills to the next level. Keep reading to learn more!

    Create a Trading Journal

    Many people create a false impression that the experience of having traded for a while means they are aware of most of their steps. This is simply not true. Time changes our memories, and the complex analysis that goes into decision-making makes it harder to remember every previous step. Therefore, don’t rely on just hunches. Have some historical data. 

    Everyone that is in this field should make it a habit to have a trading journal. The journal will have two elements. The first covers your past activities in chronological order. Have the results calculated in an excel spreadsheet and record all the data and accomplished goals in the journal. The second part helps you understand how you determined your past trades. 

    Essentially, it is a printout of previous analysis charts. It offers you a detailed analysis of stop-loss levels, entry levels, and profit levels. Simply put, a trading journal will help you make a present decision based on historical facts and data and help you advance to a professional investor in a shorter period. Monitoring your trading journey will help you turn good decisions into a good habit.

    Get Trading Software

    We all know that technology takes our expertise to the next new level. Actually, it only sharpens the skills you have, so it only makes sense to look into the latest trading software. Trading software offers great benefits, including research and technical analysis. Having Bookmaps data visualization software by your side allows you to perform visual tests before investing in real-time. Results from the visualization ensure your trading decision is more informed and minimize the risk of cash loss. 

    Seek Help

    We would be lying to say mistakes are not part of the trading workflow. What’s most irritating about trading mistakes is that someone else could have easily spotted the error had they had a closer look. And, even professional traders often make such mistakes. 

    These minor mistakes could be as a result of feelings, stress, or simply distracted attention. To avoid such little yet costly mistakes, be sure always to ask a friend to take a closer look at your trading strategy. They might notice something you didn’t- you never know. 

    Practice Makes Perfect

    Even professional traders with years of experience understand that regular practice is one of the most effective tricks. There is a risk of losing perspective on some of your strategies in real action without practice. And, a loss of perspective is a costly mistake. But, a demo account from a reputable online platform allows you to practice your strategies without the risk of losing money. And, if they prove worthy, then making a real investing move becomes more rewarding for you.

    Study the Big Fish

    What are the big names doing? As investors trade over time, they gather some skills, and historical data have obviously made them successful. Your trading skills could use this knowledge. The stories from such people not only inspire but also enrich your trading perspectives. Some of the big names in trading include Warren Buffet, George Soros, Benjamin Graham, and many others.  

    Take Affordable Risks

    The rule of thumb in trading is to trade with what you can afford. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, you always make sure you can afford your chances. And explore all the techniques that reduce the risk before making the trading move. Trading should always use expendable cash from your account. Simply put, the account that supports the family, or pays the mortgage, or college tuition should not be in your trading plans. Use only your spare resources. 

    Have a Trading Activity Standard

    There are thousands of trading opportunities daily. Every single one will have its unique potential for success, depending on your budget. But, going for all of them isn’t advised. There’s the right type of trade and the right time to invest- you just need to be patient. 

    Most importantly, be aware of your strengths as they play a defining role in the chances you take. Shape your trading personality based on this. Once you master one trading style, it will sharpen your skills and proficiency to take your expertise to a whole new level.

    Differentiate between Data and Rumors

    Trading is a highly volatile field. This gives rumors based on suppositions room to thrive. But rumors are just that- noise that has increasingly come to represent the trading environment. 

    But, an excellent trader is always on the lookout for such rumors. They’ll always stick to data-based analysis. 

    The irresistible temptation that comes with rumors is high. It is for this reason that feelings have no place in the trading business. Work with the numbers and the data. The success will be slow but sure. 

    Explore New Strategies

    While playing safe is a great strategy, it doesn’t often mean you can’t sharpen your skills further. To revolutionize your skills, you should embrace new techniques. In fact, flexibility is vital in staying on top of things. This is because, in trading, there are no one-size-cuts-all approaches to success. Besides, most trading styles are unique to individual personalities. There’s always more to learn from the other. 

    Confidence is Everything

    In the trading business, confidence and success are more related than you think. Investing grounds are always shaky, and the moves are risky. The only constant agent is you. Therefore, never take failure personally or let it get to you. 

    In fact, failure is the greatest lesson in trading. The difference between big names in trading and unsuccessful ones is how they handled their losses and what they learned. As you gather more data and experience, your skills are bound to get better and make wiser moves. These tips are amazing to help you achieve success in trading. All it takes is dedication, focus, and hard work.

  • Effective Ways to Help Grow Your Small Business

    Effective Ways to Help Grow Your Small Business

    Small businesses face a lot of challenges throughout their journey towards success. Being able to overcome these obstacles and persevere through the hard times is what gives a business the ability to succeed. While there isn’t one fixed blueprint to follow to grow your business, there are tons of different tips and tricks that every successful business out there utilizes to their advantage.

    Research Who You’re Up Against

    One of the first things that a small business should do is to study their opponents in the market.  It’s more likely that they’ve been around for much longer and have more experience. This can give you very good insight into vital information like their prices, product quality, and marketing strategy. Doing this makes it much easier to tell what the standard in the market is while also highlighting any possible advantages that your business has over theirs.

    Go The Extra Mile For Your Customers

    An issue that most small businesses can’t overcome is their low customer retention rates. It’s very easy for customers to be swayed away by the larger businesses in the market, so making your customers feel valued and appreciated at your business can make a big difference in developing their loyalty. This requires your business to be very fast with resolving any complaints that the customers may have or answering any questions regarding your products/services.

    Have A Clear Picture Of Your Target Audience

    Large businesses spend millions of dollars every year researching their target audience’s behavior and there’s a very good reason why. Understanding the people you’re trying to sell your products/services to makes all the difference in how you’re going to market yourself to them. A business that doesn’t accurately figure out what their target audience likes ends up failing to grab their attention, rendering all their marketing efforts useless.

    Utilize The Power Of Social Media Platforms

    The average person spends around 2 and a half hours a day on social media, which means that there’s an opportunity for your customers to be searching for a product that you offer at any given moment of any given day. Using social media isn’t as simple as it’s perceived to be as a lot of time and effort is required to be able to create good social media content that grabs people’s attention. Every social media platform has its own set of tricks that you need to learn, so find out which ones your customers use the most so that you can begin creating content there.

    Participate In Local Events

    Making your business known in your neighborhood can be a great way to acquire a good amount of customers in a short time, as the location will be convenient. Making yourself known to your neighborhood community can be done easily if you either participate in local events, sponsor these events, or even host them yourself. This can be a great way of improving your reputation locally while also potentially attracting customers through word-of-mouth.

    Prioritize Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

    Under 6% of people who search for things on the internet visit the second page on Google and only under 1% visit any page after the third. If your website is buried under hundreds of other websites then the chances are that no one’s visiting it when they search for products that you offer. SEO changes that through optimizing keywords using effective SEO management that causes your website to shoot up the results, potentially making it the first result that your target audience sees whenever they search for things related to your business. This significantly impacts the traffic that your website gets so make sure it’s capable of handling it without any speed issues.

    Always Be On the Watch For Trends

    The market can shift very quickly towards a specific direction and if your business isn’t ready to adapt then it might lose out on a big opportunity that can help its growth. Jumping onto new trends as quickly as possible can greatly boost sales throughout that period, just make sure that the quality doesn’t drop due to hasty manufacturing. Some trends are seasonal, like Christmas, while other trends can appear out of nowhere, so you’ll have to always be ready when one of them appears.

    Expand Your Team Whenever Possible

    As your business grows, it’ll be harder to maintain the same quality of work without hiring more people to lessen the load on your existing employees and yourself. This can benefit the quality of work immensely as having more people makes it easier for everyone to put in all their effort into a small number of tasks rather than having a small set of employees that compromise quality by focusing on way too many tasks.

    Remain Goal-Oriented

    After creating short-term and long-term goals for your business, maintain them by regularly checking if you’re on track to achieving them by the date that you’ve set. This can easily be done through proper data management as setting it up correctly will automatically cross-reference the results that you require with the results that you’re currently getting. If you’re failing to achieve your goals, figure out what the problem is, and solve it. If you’re on course for achieving the goals that you’ve set, then keep up the good work and start planning your next set of goals.

    Partner With The Right Businesses

    Some products/services synergize very well, like cereal boxes and milk, making it very beneficial for businesses from each industry to partner together to create new products and promotions that attract customers that would be interested in both businesses simultaneously. Search for a business that offers products/services that complement the ones that you offer and begin thinking of how you could utilize this to your advantage. Once you come up with a good plan, set up a meeting with the business you’re interested in and make your proposal.

    It can be quite a frustrating journey for a small business to grow while battling against large businesses that offer better quality products at lower prices.  However, thousands of businesses have turned the odds in their favor by using different tricks to acquire a loyal customer base. Patience plays a huge role in achieving that success that most businesses desire, as most businesses will tell you a lot more about the trouble that they’ve encountered throughout their way rather than what they currently have.

  • How to Measure Performance of Your Business’ IT Efforts

    How to Measure Performance of Your Business’ IT Efforts

    The world of Information Technology, or IT, has changed immeasurably over the last few decades. Businesses have gone from using fixed-line telephones, fax machines, and physical document storage in the 1980s to email and server-based storage in the 1990s. The 21st century, however, has seen the biggest change in the way that IT works, with cloud-based computing has become the norm and companies switching from email to business communication platforms that all employees can use no matter where they are on the planet. These tools allow advanced efficiency as different teams in different locations can communicate and share information with each other much more easily than they could with email. 

    These modern IT symptoms are tricky to run and require careful management to work properly so it is important to be able to measure the performance of your systems to ensure that you are not wasting money and manpower. In this article, we are going to take a look at how to measure your IT efforts with KPI’s so that your business becomes as streamlined and efficient as possible, so read on to find out more. 

    Cost Per Ticket

    This is one of the easiest KPI’s to understand yet is also one of the most important as it gives you the raw data in terms of efficiency. Basically, it measures the entire monthly cost of your service desk against how many tickets they had in that month. All costs are taken into account from the salaries of employed personnel to technology and telecom expenses. Your utilities and rent will also be taken into account, effectively every expense relating to the IT side of your business. Once you know the ticket cost you can work out whether the related project was a success or not against the costs spent. 

    Customer Satisfaction

    This is one of the key metrics when it comes to measuring performance because as every business knows, keeping your customers happy is one of the most important ways of making money, and it is also easily measured based on the number of complaints that you receive. If customers are complaining about something as simple as your website’s poor readability on a mobile device, then you have immediate feedback on which to improve your IT infrastructure. Asking customers to comment on your performance is the best way of measuring whether this department is operating efficiently or not.

    Feedback Resolution

    When you receive negative feedback, the next step that you want to measure is how long it takes to resolve the complaint that you received, because customers expect action today, not tomorrow. You can easily measure this based on response times to the initial complaint, and then how long it takes for the whole issue to be resolved. Obviously, major IT issues such as a cyber attack will take longer to resolve than others, but you should keep your customers in the loop so that they are aware that you are doing all that is possible to rectify the issues as quickly as possible. 

    Use an Outsourcing Firm

    Sometimes measuring all the metrics that you need to understand your IT performance can be exhausting both in terms of the man-hours required and the sheer number of metrics to measure. Professionals from onestopit.com recommend that you use a firm that can manage your IT services to ensure that they are run as efficiently as possible. They will look at your strategy and security as well as measuring performance based on uptime, response to queries, and the difference between desired performance levels and actual performance levels, which will give you a perfect metric to understand where your IT efforts are failing. This will free up your staff to concentrate on making money whilst at the same time giving you the data that you need in order to improve your IT performance. 

    Technician Utilization

    Whether you employ technicians in-house or you outsource and use freelancers, it is vital that you measure their utilization as labor is expensive and this will be your biggest cost relating to them. If they are not working at 100%, then why not, and this is why you need to measure their labor efficiency. If you employ two technicians and they only work 50% of the time, then it is time to consider whether you really need two or not. If you get busy in the future, you could always outsource one role in order to keep your utilization high, and therefore your costs low, so it is integral that you have their utilization per ticket data to hand. 

    Technician Satisfaction

    IT technicians can be a funny bunch. Given that they are so vital to your IT function and infrastructure, the higher their job satisfaction rating, the lower the staff turnover, absenteeism, and ticket times meaning that they will be much more efficient at their job. So, by measuring their satisfaction, you have a perfect bellwether for the rest of your IT performance. You should be measuring their satisfaction at least biannually as they can be fickle as the last thing you need is a disgruntled technician as your ticket times will increase and morale will drop. Staff training schemes are a great way of incentivizing as well as offering a clear path to career progression and coaching when it is needed. Make sure you do what you can to keep your technicians happy as they are the heartbeat of your IT infrastructure. 

    As we have learned there are many different ways to measure the performance of your IT efforts. KPI’s are always useful, but perhaps the most important is the cost per ticket analysis as it tells you whether you are being efficient or not. Customer satisfaction and complaint resolution should feature highly as well as the satisfaction of your IT technicians. If you are overwhelmed by your IT efforts, then outsource to a firm that can measure performance for you, allowing you to free up your staff for more important matters. Ensure that you never rest on your laurels, and then you will have an IT department that functions as efficiently as possible.

  • 7 Essential Tech Solutions for Small Businesses

    7 Essential Tech Solutions for Small Businesses

    Technology can always improve businesses and their daily activities, streamlining every step to save time, effort, and money. Implementing tech solutions can empower your employees, making them work harder and focus better. 

    If you’re thinking about taking your business to the next level, then read on to learn more about seven essential tech solutions that can be beneficial for you and your company.

    1-Artificial Intelligence (A.I) 

    One of the most effective tech solutions that any business should utilize is artificial intelligence (A.I) because it effortlessly streamlines every task. Implementing it will transform small businesses and help them compete with bigger corporations. The benefits you gain include machine learning, which means processing large amounts of information, tasks, and data quickly. Automation protocols that finish trivial and repetitive tasks quickly, giving your employees a chance to finish their important duties. A.I should be managed and set properly to ensure that it continues to minimize mistakes for you, eliminating human errors that can be easily missed.

    2-Cybersecurity

    Small businesses need defense protocols against malicious digital attacks and using cybersecurity solutions can keep their data protected. Having the right software programs and the professional IT specialists that can manage it is key, allowing you to prevent cybercriminals from penetrating your system. Kansas has several major companies that can be targeted by hackers and cybercriminals, making protective software programs a necessity. Advice from several digital specialists and IT support in Kansas City suggests that threat monitoring tools that protect networks should be easily managed to eliminate IT frustrations. This means that the right program that is simple to use and effective in protecting data can be worth the cost to have complete digital security.

    3-Electronic Timesheets

    Utilizing electronic timesheets can increase productivity levels significantly in your business. This type of tech solution allows you to monitor the progress of each employee, project, timestamps, history data, and reports. One of the best advantages of timesheets is that it can be customized to fit your business needs and requirements, allowing you to create custom fields that don’t require manual entries. It reduces time and effort, allowing every supervisor to monitor and oversee each project and every department effortlessly. Electronic timesheets allow you to see which project is progressing right and which ones aren’t profitable. The perks of monitoring each task this way will always improve productivity and success levels in any small business. 

    4-Customer Communication Tools

    Another way to improve your company’s practices is by having customer communication tools that make it a hassle-free experience for both your customers and employees. Increasing satisfaction and retention levels should be one of the main priorities of a small business because customers can elevate the company to gain more success. 

    Your business should have systems that allow clients to open a line of communication with you through live chat systems, emails, or virtual assistants. You could either hunt for a pre-made system for that specific purpose or have one custom-made by a programmer. However, make sure you know the right way to find a programmer for your start-up.

    As a result, problem-solving protocols will be easier and customers will be happier, increasing your brand recognition levels significantly.

    5-Employee Collaboration Tools

    Implementing software programs and digital tools that increase employee collaboration can improve productivity levels. Staff members will be able to communicate easily and in real-time, sending important documents or data to each other effortlessly. Team leaders can use these tools to coordinate between every employee, ensuring that everyone is on the right track. Communication and collaboration can streamline your small business and allow it to succeed a lot more.

    6-Cloud Systems

    Cloud systems are quite useful for storage and protection, making the process of saving and sending data a hassle-free experience. Backing up your data on the cloud will always protect your company from system failures or cyberattacks. Even if your main servers and data were compromised or got deleted, you will have the essential backup to ensure that your client and project information isn’t lost.

    7-Mobile Applications for Payments

    Companies can use mobile applications for payments to speed up the process, making it easier and better for both the business and the customers. The idea is to incorporate a tech solution that allows customers to pay using their smartphones, getting funds directly and quickly from them without waiting. Mobile applications will streamline the payment process and save a lot of time because credit and digital payments are easier for the customer.

    Business owners and entrepreneurs must utilize tech solutions for the sake of survival. Customers and clients will appreciate a company that uses technology to improve their experience, increasing your customer retention levels tremendously. When your employees don’t waste time on trivial tasks and finish important activities quickly, productivity levels will skyrocket beyond your expectations. Undoubtedly, technology will always improve and elevate any small business and help it expand for more success.

  • Expert Tips That Will Prevent Your Office From Experiencing Serious IT Problems

    Expert Tips That Will Prevent Your Office From Experiencing Serious IT Problems

    A person can have their hands full setting up a company and keeping it running. There are so many considerations ranging from budgeting, employment, providing goods and services, premises, marketing, and advertising. 

    Virtually every business is dependent on its computers. They provide access to the internet, cloud data, customers, and so on. When a workplace goes paperless, it means the work data has migrated online. This is a very popular thing because it makes offices tidier, but it creates a huge vulnerability too. What if the computers crash or the data is hacked? Could a company survive such a hit? Let’s look at some tips to help protect a business from the unthinkable. 

    Understand the Implications

    If a business doesn’t grasp the full risk, it will not invest in protecting its computer systems. The money will be spent on ‘more important things’ than employing quality staff to oversee the IT.

    Almost one-third of all small business crimes related to malware issues. It’s a sobering statistic that the average fee to recover from an online data breach is $4m. Few small businesses have this much money in reserve! That’s why 60% of businesses only last half a year after encountering a cyber attack. 

    Obtain Third Party Help

    It can be very reassuring when certified Microsoft or Apple engineers visit the workplace to make an IT assessment. People often employ the use of manager services so they can have the latest technology and platforms recommended to them. Such IT companies will know how to bring together the different streams of email, data storage, software, and the internet seamlessly.

    On a continuing basis, IT management companies perform risk assessments, look at cost savings, and recommend upgrades and downloads.

    Employ Quality IT Staff

    A business should never cut corners when employing its own computer technicians. If it cannot afford a third party to oversee its IT, everything will depend on them. Computer staff will have access to all company data, so it’s essential they can be trusted. 

    Money should regularly be spent on keeping IT workers up to date because today’s cutting edge computer systems will become tomorrow’s dinosaurs. Spend money on training and let them gain new qualifications. 

    The world of IT is very broad, however, and it’s unlikely one person will have the expertise to cover everything for one business. 

    Manage the Staff

    Every business should have an IT policy. Employees need to be educated that there are risks when a person leaves their computer unlocked. If they leave their workstation to urgently catch someone or make a coffee, anyone can access their data. 

    If access to the work building is gained using security cards, this can be really helpful. Different staff can be given access to different areas. 

    When computer data are held in the cloud, access levels can once again be restricted. Selected folk will be able to open documents, edit them, and share them. This can provide a safeguard against everyone looking at whatever they want. 

    Install a Firewall

    This needs to be an integral part of a company’s IT infrastructure. It will be designed to keep intruders out of the computer network. Firewalls watch incoming and outgoing computer traffic day and night. If it detects something as a threat, it will report and block it. 

    Use Antivirus Software

    These days this protects against more than just viruses. The online world is full of malware, ransomware, trojans, spyware, and more. 

    It’s a sound business decision when a company purchases an expensive version. This is because the more costly software can also tackle such things as online banking or phishing attacks, or spam emails.

    Maintain Passwords

    Just as emails are more secure when they are encrypted, passwords are more secure when they are complex. Staff should have their key documents (e.g. in Excel or Word) password protected. Access to different software should be by password only. 

    Staff should not write down their passwords in a book. This is because the information could easily be found by someone else. The IT policy should advise that people must not share their passwords either. 

    Backup All Data 

    This can be so easy to ignore, yet be perilous in its implications. If people keep key documents on USB sticks or external drives, the data can degrade over time. They can also get lost or stolen. 

    When data is stored on a cloud system, it won’t matter if an individual computer or laptop breaks – the data will still be secure.

    Have a Backup Generator

    If a business encountered a sudden power outage, valuable equipment could be irrevocably damaged. Access could suddenly be lost to email, the internet, and the cloud. Valuable data could be lost at that moment too. 

    Companies should invest in backup generators. The portable versions may work for small businesses, but a fixed one would be needed for something larger. When the equipment has been installed, there would merely be a ten-second gap before the electricity was restored. It would be a totally automatic procedure, requiring no human intervention. 

    An added bonus would be that the electric locks, cameras, and alarms would also be back up and running in no time. The premises would be fully protected once more, including the valuable IT equipment. Staff would be able to continue working normally. 

    Have a Disaster Recovery Policy

    Every company needs to have a business continuity plan. This would be for such events as power cuts, hurricanes, fires, or earthquakes. Perhaps an insurance policy should be put in place.

    Businesses should consider certain scenarios and document how the company could continue. A strategy would need to be put in place. If a third party company is overseeing the IT system, they would be able to help with compiling this report. 

    Companies should look at what is held online or in paper format. What data would be backed up, and could there be alternative premises and equipment available at short notice? These are all valuable questions. 

    We have discussed enough aspects to realize that IT problems can not just cripple a company- they can destroy it. Businesses are not wasting money when they act to protect themselves; they are investing in their future. Everything has to work together, from the equipment to the staff and external companies.