The world of business and commerce has transformed in recent years, perhaps more than any other area of modern life. While tech has undoubtedly changed all areas of our lives, it has upended previously established business practices and heralded a new age of connectivity, productivity and efficiency.
With the seemingly relentless adoption of technology across business, in everything from e-commerce shopping platforms to Big Data analysis and the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the world of commerce is almost unrecognizable to that of even two decades ago, giving rise to both new opportunities and threats.
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Tech’s double-edged sword
Today’s internet and associated tech are opening up markets and leveling playing fields in ways never before possible, allowing even the smallest of companies to compete with much larger, far more established firms. However, while our connected world undoubtedly offers tremendous potential to firms of all sizes, it also presents considerable risks in the form of cyberattacks and malicious data breaches.
Moreover, much of the technology that is helping firms expand and grow is also often the target for hackers looking to exploit weaknesses and steal data. To make matters worse, existing real-world threats have also exploded in recent years as the world has become more and more reliant on computers and data – crimes include credit card fraud, identity theft and even stealing physical devices to gain access to systems.
Steps you can take today to protect your firm
While there is no 100% guaranteed way to safeguard your company, there are some sensible precautions you could take today that will help protect your business, its employees, and your valuable data:
Ensure you have adequate insurance cover
As mentioned, no security mechanism is ever going to be 100% safe, so having comprehensive small business insurance should be a given in the event of the worst happening. Choosing the right business insurance will mean you’re covered for all eventualities, whether you suffer the real-world theft of business equipment or fall victim to one of the multiple dangers that lurk online.
Install security devices at your premises
At a minimum, you should already have locking systems on all doors and windows – plus some form of motion-activated CCTV cameras at your premises. However, if you want to go that extra step further, you could look at installing biometric security systems tied to apps that can also help you monitor employee movement around your building. Today, there is a huge range of security systems you could employ to better protect your physical assets.
Move all your digital services to a cloud provider
By far the greatest risk facing Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) today is the constant threat of cyberattacks. If you’re like the majority of firms, data likely forms the backbone of much of your services and client interactions and is an essential part of each working day. Indeed, data has become of such importance in both our personal and business lives that many industry experts now suggest it is the world’s most valuable commodity. To give the greatest protection to your internal data (plus any information you store about your clients), you should look at entrusting your IT and networking requirements to a professional cloud service provider that will offer unrivaled protection and security 24/7/365.
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