Business owners are often overwhelmed by the technology required for their small to medium-sized businesses. “And understandably so,” says Chartered Accountant James Belesiotis, CA∙IT, a practitioner in Toronto.
“Companies rely on technology to get business done, yet most owner/managers are not trained technology professionals.”
Belesiotis offers these tips to get business owners started:
1) Put disaster-recovery plans in place. Because your business must continue to operate in a disaster and may not have the same access to IT expertise as larger corporations:
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Retain the recovery CDs provided when you purchased your computer.
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Pay attention to how you back up your data, especially specialized software that is not on your recovery CDs. Back up weekly for work you have completed, and daily for work that is critical to your business.
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Use rewritable CDs or a USB key – both inexpensive devices available at office-supply stores.
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Consider a semi-annual offsite backup to avoid worry and you can then access your files worldwide, any time. Mozy.com is an example of a popular offsite service using the Internet – after the initial backup, it takes less than 30 minutes per day.
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Retain versions of your backup if you need to go back to an original file.
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Always back up your e-mail – you never know when you will need it.
2) Save costs by using voice-over Internet protocol, or VoIP – hardware and software that allow telephone conversations over data networks in real time, on either the Internet or intranet. VoIP (such as Skype or Vonage) even provides services including call log retaining, electronic delivery of voicemail, and call conferencing with recording. But beware of two disadvantages: the possibility of lower voice quality and potential security issues – hackers can sniff out sensitive data from a call.
3) WIFI – Smart phones and virtually all computing platforms offering WIFI capability also present risks such as eavesdropping and illicit entry into your network. (YouTube actually shows videos of hackers and their step-by-step instructions!) Take precautions by:
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Using a password or ‘Key’ that combines upper and lowercase letters as well as numbers, with no words or sequential dates. Introducing a period in the middle makes all the difference –
‘may181.997’ is more secure than ‘may181997.’
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Changing the Key twice a year or even more frequently, if you have a turnover of consultants and (senior) employees over a short period of time.
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Limiting access to the network – terminated employees should be removed from the systems immediately.
4) Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools may help you enhance and manage customer service and gain market share, but they also introduce risks including the potential disruption of vital operations, violations to customer privacy and confidentiality, and potential security breaches.
5) Security – Assess your IT risks and determine a response. Risks can be both internal and external and originate from certain applications. Never leave a door open for strangers to simply “walk” through your network.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario is the qualifying and regulatory body of Ontario’s 33,000 Chartered Accountants and 5,000 CA students. Since 1879, the Institute has protected the public interest through the CA profession’s high standards of qualification and the enforcement of its rules of professional conduct. The Institute works in partnership with the other provincial Institutes of Chartered Accountants and the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants to provide national standards and programs that are used as examples around the world. </em>
