With the internet of things, chances are, your small business conducts a sizeable chunk of its transactions online. Lucrative transactions equal impressive revenue figures. But if you are unable to establish a trustworthy and authoritative presence digitally, prospective clients are unlikely to take any special note of your products or services.
Small business IT consulting firms in Toronto unlock a whole slew of opportunities for your business. Whether you are a startup or have been in business for a while but are struggling to gain traction, it may be time to turn the lens on your strategies and analyze where you’re lagging behind.
2019: The Year Cybersecurity Became #1 on the Agenda
In 2019, malware attacks are a major concern even for large and established multinationals. Small businesses have that much more ground to cover to stay abreast with the latest security tools. This helps combat the ever-evolving vectors used by hackers to breach network infrastructures.
In fact, digital theft is reportedly the most common type of fraud in the 21st century to the extent that it usurps physical theft. Small businesses often have haphazard strategies to ward off cybercriminals – tactics that are poorly communicated to the employees – to the business’s detriment.
As an owner, you must empower your business with the latest technology to enhance its security and earn consumer confidence. No matter what computing tools you use for your day-to-day needs, right from cloud computing to email subscriptions, you must fully realize the impact of cybercrime on your business – lest your customers be the victim of phishing attacks or your network be the object of prolonged downtimes.
How does cybersecurity attract new customers? We reveal that below!
Protects Your Customers’ Confidential Data
Your customers need to be able to bank on your business at all times. To ensure that their confidential data is well protected from Ransomware and Adware, only advanced cybersecurity measures can get the job done right. It also prevents your employees from being exposed to potential threats as they surf the web. If a virus were to get ahold of personal information, it could be sold or misused, thus putting one of your clients’ most valuable commodities in harm’s way.
In this day and age, word of mouth is the best marketing tactic. If you impress your existing clientele with superior services and protect all their transactions as far as personal and credit card information are concerned, they will provide excellent references to their friends and relatives, thus boosting your existing roster of customers.
Fosters Employee Confidence and Productivity
If your startup lacks a solid cybersecurity solution, your employees are just as much at risk as your customers. If an individual computer gets hacked by a malware vector, chances are it will spread to the entire system. This severely stunts employee productivity and may even lead to a catastrophic loss of data.
As newer and more advanced security software is being developed to curb digital threats, you have to go the extra mile to ensure thorough safety. This is why it is helpful to hold seminars every now and then that educate employees about safe browsing habits and what protocol to employ in the event of a potential attack. That way, the losses will be restricted to a minimum.
Prevents Website and Network Downtimes
The first point of contact between you and your customer will most likely be your website. Ergo, it stands to reason that you would go all out to protect it at any cost. Why should cybersecurity take the back seat in this regard?
As a website owner, you may or may not host your own site. If you do, and the system gets breached, your website will experience severe downtimes. This could even be to the extent that your business is backlogged by several days if not weeks. In business, time is money. With every minute your website is inaccessible, that’s a couple more dollars out of your pocket.
In essence, a poorly protected website loses you customers and their confidence. New customers are unlikely to cast their lot with a business that’s known to be prone to malware attacks.
Ensures That You Have Your IT Provider On Call 24/7
Cybercriminals are much more experienced than your average employee. With an on-call designated support team, you won’t have to worry about locating a new contractor and briefing them on your infrastructure before they can begin damage control tactics. Your existing provider will be well equipped with all the information and tools needed to handle any breach – as soon as it transpires.
This is why it is immensely important to maintain a good relationship with a reliable support team, and ensure they give you the latest upgrades to combat evolving digital threats.
Don’t Be Unprepared: Protect Your Customers and Your Business!
2019 is the year for newer online threats and newer security measures to combat these threats. Is your business prepared to tackle cyber criminals? When there’s this much at stake, it’s always best to be certain!
M.I.T. provides up-to-the-minute IT support tools, designed to keep your infrastructure two steps ahead of malware attacks. Contact us for more information.
