Author: Scott Asai

Helping people develop their leadership skills to advance in their career

How To Build A Strong Business Reputation

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In business, reputation means everything. It’s the output you gain from your company’s hard work. It’s the perception your clients have about your business, and it’s what shall determine whether your establishment shall sink or swim. And so focusing on reputation to a degree is essential. Although we can’t instantly change others’ opinions of our business, we can manage expectations, feedback, and strive to consistently improve in the common areas that denote whether your business is deemed reliable and professional.

Brand Consistency

One of the things that creates a shaky ground for a business to rest upon is a brand without consistency. If your business’s missions and values aren’t threaded throughout your company’s imagery, content, premises, website, social media pages, and so forth, it tears away any prospect of your clients having familiarity and confidence in your business. As with most successful companies, you can identify them from a commonly chosen song, or slogan or picture of their logo without their name being mentioned. This is because their marketing teams have ensured that their brand is consistent and recognizable anywhere by everyone. Part of building a good reputation is creating a brand that people can link to your products and services with ease.

Customer Service

The critical link connecting your customers to your services or products is your customer service team. And so the connection needs to be a pleasant one for the customer in all scenarios. Whether they have a list of questions about a product, or they want to return faulty goods, your customer service team shall make the difference between persuading an upset customer to remain loyal to your brand or putting them off trusting your company altogether. The latter has dire circumstances on your reputation. So with each customer query, your staff should be equipped to handle whatever is thrown their way. This is mostly down to the training and time you spend on creating and taking care of your team. 

Manage Reviews 

Reviews for many customers spell the difference between the likelihood of them buying something or shopping elsewhere. So you must manage both good and bad reviews to your advantage and take any feedback on board. If you or your team members have the time, allocate a slot to read through and reply to reviews. Whether appreciating good reviews, looking at how to remove fake Google reviews or apologizing to customers for any fair, bad reviews. This shall show other customers reading through the reviews that your company takes an active interest in what your customers think. Plus it inspires confidence in uncertain clients to buy from you knowing that your business is accessible to speak to and accepts accountability for reasonable issues that arise with your products/services.

Above is a non-exhaustive insight on how to create a strong business reputation amongst existing and potential customers. Your company’s reputation is a combination of multiple elements all working holistically to create a picture to your audience. It’s up to you to orchestrate these elements to ensure they work to your company’s advantage.

Building Your Home-Based Business From Scratch

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Building a home-based business takes a lot of time and effort. You might have the passion and professionalism necessary to create your own business, but it takes more than that to achieve success. You need a strong business plan, above all else. Remember, you’re not just an employee anymore – you’re the employer, too. As a freelancer, you have to be able to run your own business, so this is much more than a career. So, let’s talk about what it takes to start building your home-based business from scratch. The following points should help you out.

Find your avenue.

First of all, you have to figure out how you’re going to make money. You might have many skills, but you have to decide which skill you’re going to turn into a profitable business idea. Most importantly, you have to decide which skill you’re going to turn into an exciting business idea. So, your goal is to find your avenue. Perhaps you could sell your old belongings, or perhaps you could write marketing articles for online clients. Some people even use freelancing sites such as Fiverr to sell bizarre services; there are freelancers who sing birthday messages in silly voices and so on. You could also become a blogger to make money from adverts and sponsored deals.

You should make a list of possible business ideas to help you find the right fit. You might want to use skills that you’ve developed in the working world, or you might want to focus on personal skills that you think could be turned into viable business services. Maybe you’re a creative person who could become a freelance photographer, for example. Finding the right avenue is about finding your strengths. Just remember that it should be enjoyable. You’ll struggle to build a successful company if you don’t enjoy what you do. As your business’ sole employee (for the meantime), you’re responsible for its success.

Start shaping your office.

You might have a great business plan and a laptop, so nothing’s stopping you from getting started. However, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of a good home office. Your environment has a big effect on the way you think and feel. If you want to build your home-based business from scratch, then you should also start shaping your office from scratch. You might already have a room with a desk that you’ve set aside for your company and its activities, but you need to make it feel professional. It should feel separate to the rest of your house; there needs to be a division between home and work. You might even want to get a skip bin if you’re going to have to declutter the room or even your entire house to make the place look good. Clearing out your old possessions to create a new design for your home-based office could help to freshen up the place.

Research the market.

If you want your home-based business to be successful, then you need to research the market. Your company is entering a competitive landscape, so you need to find your place. That’s why entrepreneurs always talk about gaps in the market. If you can find problems that your competitors haven’t solved, then you’ll have found opportunities to differentiate yourself from other businesses in your industry. Make sure you keep doing your research. Keep talking to existing and potential customers to figure out what they want from companies such as yours.

Broaden Your Horizons and Build Your Career with One Perspective Change

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When we talk about things like work/life balance or work vs play, we immediately assume that the two things are opposed and competing. This is a huge problem, firstly, because it means that it’s pretty well accepted that you hate your job but stick to it because it funds your lifestyle and, secondly, because life doesn’t have to be like that at all. 

When you change your perspective and begin to think of work as a part of your life, and not an inconvenience you have to put up with, you give yourself a chance to push for something more compelling and more fun. If you’re not convinced here are two stats to change your mind: American spends 90,000 hours at work over their lifetime and yet, 87% of Americans have no passion for their jobs. 

Convinced now? Here’s what you should do.

Make Contacts Wherever You Go

If you want to improve your social life and your work life, building your contacts is essential. Now, how you do this is up to you but it’s a good idea to go to a mix of different sorts of events. Meeting friends of friends is a good way to broaden your social group but going to events for people with similar interests or networking events for more industry-specific stuff is a good idea too. 

Building your contacts is especially important if you want to move up the job ladder without sending a million applications out. Executive search often comes down to who you know and how much they rate you, and not who is lucky enough to see the ad online. 

Follow All Your Interests

Your career probably comes with a few prerequisite skills and if you are going down a particular niche pathway, you could be forgiven for focusing on building those skills and nothing else. But increasingly, life isn’t like that. Our jobs tend not to last our entire career and you could go through a wide range of roles and industries in your working life.

If you want to enrich your career and your life, a better approach is to follow your interests. Sure, flower-arranging or tinkering with an old motor might not have anything to do with your job in IT but both hobbies could lead you elsewhere. Plenty of people get into jobs by accidentally becoming an expert in a hobby or interest. You’ll only get there if you pursue your interests first.

Be Determined But Flexible When Setting Your Goals

Life goal setting is difficult because what you want to achieve isn’t often a concrete thing but a more complex idea. For example, everyone wants to be happy and that’s a worthwhile goal. But how on earth are you going to achieve ‘happy’? 

Having big, undefined goals is actually a good thing as long as you can identify achievable, smaller goals along the way. Setting smaller goals will help you see your progress but they can also be more flexible and change as new opportunities present themselves. 

There’s no one way to live your life but once you allow yourself to broaden your horizons, you’ll find that more good things come your way.

Make Your Customer Service Stand Out

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Ask any consumer, and they’ll tell you great customer service is hard to find. Research conducted by Accenture in 2016 revealed that 83 percent of American consumers prefer dealing with people over digital channels to resolve customer service issues — and a whopping 52 percent of them switched providers that year because of poor service. For many people, the quality of customer service is just as important as price and quality when making a buying decision, if not more important. Organizations that excel in customer service are more likely to earn new customers, earn new business from existing customers, retain customers, command better prices, and generate more and better referrals.

The accompanying infographic, 10 Essential Customer Service Tips, is a useful, visual reference for customer service teams doing a great job, a not-so-great job and everything in between. You’ll see a few suggestions most people know (even if they don’t always execute them), along with ideas that even talented, well-trained teams may not have considered.

The infographic is not meant to replace in-depth customer service training, but it is a powerful supplement, one that is concise enough to be reviewed once a day or once a week. The goal is to give customer service providers that extra edge — and turn proven customer service techniques into deeply ingrained habits that ensure every customer gets top treatment day in and day out. 

10 Essential Customer Service Tips from Service Skills

Author Bio: David Friedman is Managing Director of ServiceSkills.com and Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training, proven training brands that improve the way your staff communicates with customers and co-workers. He has 35 years of experience producing and marketing in the corporate learning and development spaces.

Best Places To Buy Property In South Carolina

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South Carolina since it’s formation back in 1729, has been on the real estate investors list. This is mostly because of the geographical location of the state along the Atlantic Ocean. From retired personals to young investors, everyone looks towards South Carolina, for its low cost of living and pristine landscape.

If you are also looking forward to purchasing a property in the state of South Carolina, here’s a list of the best places you should check out.

1. Charleston

You can find properties for every need here. Charleston and its surrounding communities offer everything from luxury waterfront homes to condos and apartments in dense downtown. The city is a little pricier as compared to the median price of the overall state and more suitable for people seeking leisurely experience.

2. Columbia

Home to the University of South Carolina, Columbia is the largest community across the state. One of the major reasons why this city can yield higher rentals is the military installations in the city. Also, there are jobs in the healthcare and education sectors. The city offers highly affordable property options to cater to all communities.

3. Hilton Head Island

Hilton Head Island is ranked as the most expensive real estate in South Carolina. Popular amongst retirees and seasonal residents, this popular vacation destination offers some of the highest returns on rental properties. You can expect around 9-10 percent return on your investment just by renting out your property to tourists during the spring and summer months.

4. Lake Keowee

If you are looking for a home away from all the hustle and bustle of city life, then Lake Keowee is the place for you. With less competition and more options at hand, this artificial reservoir offers some pristine scenic experiences to its occupants. According to Matt Roach from Top Guns Lake Keowee Real Estate, the location offers a variety of recreational activities. One can enjoy, swimming, fishing, and kayaking in the lake.

5. Greenville

The home prices have risen by 8.2% over the past year in the community of Greenville. The community presents interesting opportunities for real estate investors. The city now has more expensive housing in the state with the median home value of $186,900.

6. Sumter

Not everyone desires to own a lavish home. For the ones looking at more affordable options, the smaller community of Sumter offers some of the least expensive opportunities. The median value is well below the state’s average value at $83,300 against $165,500. The city witnessed a whopping 14.9% increase over the years, and further predictions suggest that it will continue to rise by another 9% over the next year.

It’s always smart to partner with a real estate agent who is rated top amongst the local community. This would help you acquire the hottest properties at affordable prices. Although the internet offers some information regarding the properties in almost every region, the local market expertise of professionals cannot be replaced. Investing in the wrong property with no returns on your investment can be avoided with the help of a seasoned realtor.

Branding For Beginners

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When it comes to owning a business, and ensuring that enough people know about your Business, plus its service and products, then you will need to think about Branding. Not necessarily the logo, which is required, of course. Branding has many aspects to it that you may not even think about. But also how your Business looks to people from the outside. First impressions count.

What is Branding

What is Branding? Basically, it’s what your Business is known for, the recognizable features and themes surrounding the Business showing the quality. You can simply hugely improve your Branding by making sure your Business is delivering its promises. Making sure that your customers are happy with the service is the best thing you can do for your brand. If you’re not able to keep up with demand, then it’s best to gather a support network of people and outsource some services such as vinylcuttingmachineguide best vinyl cutting machine

Social Media 

Social media can play a big part in your branding efforts, the attitude and friendliness that you want to portray are easy to do with some short messages and stories. All you need to do is be authentic, stick to your plan, and make sure everybody is close to the Business by sharing so much, they will feel right at home when they walk in. You can also use social media to create some noise surrounding the Business, by way of sharing events, and creating competitions.

Graphic design

This may be something that you would want to outsource, especially if you don’t have any experience of designing previously. But after all it is incredibly essential so worth mentioning, you need to think about your color palette, what you’re trying to portray, how you want to go about that and then action it ready for potential clients. Find all the inspiration you can for this one, set the mood board, get magazines and cut out pictures because once you’ve changed the script, it’s not entirely easy to set it back

Survey

Check with friends and family, and even possibly a control group of people, to find out if your new graphic design is working. Print a couple of sample leaflets and send them around to you about this and also just go over and above with the recycling and growing new plants. 

Personal

If your Business is based around you or something that you do personally, then ensuring that the Business you’re running shows precisely what the Business is all about is an important task! Creating a personal brand can be as straightforward or as difficult as you make it, you can just allow your own personality shine by setting up some small videos on Facebook, maybe even launching Facebook live Videos and Instagram stories. This is one of the best ways to build your Branding because people always trust a person above a faceless business.

So, in a nutshell, Branding is just the first look of your Business, it’s the thing that will help people settle on whether to become customers of yours or not, and it is compelling so expect to spend time on this aspect of your new Business.

Brand Building Process Tips

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You want your brand to be recognized globally. Or maybe just in the local area. That doesn’t happen by accident (unless you are fortunate), it happens with hard work, dedication, and knowledge. As a small business, you are competing against more prominent companies, local and global, plus freelancers. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t be seen. It just means you have to do more with less. And that is no bad thing. Learning how to turn a shoestring budget into a well-branded company is going to pay off when you do have big money later on.

Let’s talk about the basics:

What is a brand?

A brand is everything that people will use to identify you and your business. It will be everything from your logo, and your website to your stationery and your content. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, says, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” 

It is your reputation, and what that looks like on paper. 

Building Brands

This is the bit where you begin to generate press and recognition. Awareness about you and your brand will drive sales. Sales mean profit. All of your marketing campaigns should have goals attached to them, and there should be no money spent where it won’t give you a decent ROI. Ideally, you are looking for the following activities in your building model:

  • Social media marketing
  • Email marketing
  • PPC
  • SEO & Content generation and marketing
  • UX – on your website or apps

The combination of these is a potent way to see your channels gaining both brand awareness and growth. 

Process:

Audience

Before you start building, you need to know who or what you are building for. You can’t sell to everyone, or at least not in the early stages. You need to get in depth over who you are talking to and trying to attract. And be specific too:

  • Talking to young women who want to work in the tech space
  • Working with family men who want to side hustle
  • Selling to executives who have a lot of disposable income and none/one child

Who is it, and what do they want from you? 

Mission

What is it that you brand whats to accomplish? Again go into detail about your brand mission. “My company is designed to bridge the gap in childcare for families where both parents work,” or “My company will provide the freshest salads delivered to the office.” It defines your purpose. 

Research

Start looking at what brands like your brand do. Who are they targeting, what are their most famous ad campaigns, what kind of content do they produce? Don’t copy them, but find a way to replicate their success in your own way. 

Logo & Tagline

Visuals matter. After all, you want to be recognizable and distinguishable. The logo will appear on everything that you produce and should be something that over time, people see and know it’s you. Think of the icon sports brands – simple but effective. You might want to hire in help from a designer and a sign company to get this done to the highest standard. 

Voice

This is how you communicate with customers and potential customers. It should be in keeping with the persona that your company has and hold tight to the mission too. Authenticity will win people over faster than being a fake. 

Stay True

The logos and brands that you know best are the ones that stick fast to their mission, they always think about the future of the business and how they can make what they do work for more people. Always be your brand’s most prominent advocate too. 

Building a brand is a process that deserves the time and effort to get it right. Once you do, you will feel confident as you go forward and will see the rewards too.

How to Find the Right Career and Be Your Authentic Self

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The Compass – How to Beat the Rising Employee Quit Rate

A recent Gallup study shows that the employee quit-rate (the percentage of employees quitting their jobs) in the US is at an all-time rise. The study results reflect characteristics of Millennials and Z generation so there is no reason to think the situation is different in other countries. The phenomenon is relevant to employees at all levels and all company sizes, from small start-ups to Fortune 100 companies. It is as relevant to entrepreneurs that have doubts about the future of their business.

There is little need to expand on the significance of key-talents (or any talent for that matter) leaving an organization – as the study points out – it’s better to keep a star than hire a question mark.

For the employees themselves, whether they are already halfway through their career or just starting (or even freshly graduated and pondering what career-path to take), making the right decision is paramount to their future fulfillment and well- being.

It is at least as critical for an entrepreneur that finds themselves unhappy and unfulfilled with the direction their business took.

The key to solve those problems is to understand what an effective career and development planning is and to act on it.

Obviously, when one is content at work, this problem does not exist. The challenge begins when you reach a crossroad – a point in time when you need to decide on your next step in your career, or when you feel stuck in your current position or job and you are looking for change.

Unfortunately, many make career decisions without understanding what is involved in it and end-up with a result that may be good for a while – change itself might increase wellbeing – but not for long.

In the absence of this understanding, people oftentimes choose their (next) job based on:

1.   What will give them reasonable results (income, benefits)

  1. What they don’t mind doing
  2. What they are not too bad at

This is a survival, outside-in approach that leads to mediocrity – he level of engagement and motivation is mediocre at best; The level of added value is mediocre; The result is a disengaged career path, when people just wait for the work-day to go, by counting the hours, for the week to end and so on….

But what if one would focus instead of this on:

  1. What they are really passionate about
  2. What they excel at and always did
  3. What will give them the best possible results and fulfillment

This is an inside–out approach that taps first into internal sources and is called the Greatness Model. It is the model to aspire to for career decision making if you want to be happy and fulfilled.                                                                                                                              Graduates will benefit from applying it when setting their career course. Employers should find a way to help their employees to use it. Entrepreneurs need to utilize it to find the next phase of their business.

The good news is that there is a way, and it’s called The Compass.

The premise that lies at the heart of The Compass is rather simple – whenever at a crossroads, one should ask themselves 4 questions:

  1. WHERE do I want to go? And in the employment context – what is my best next version?
  2. WHY do I want to go there? In other words, what are my drivers, values, passions and motivations?
  3. WHAT is stopping me? What are my limiting beliefs, internal barriers and inhibitions that prevent me from getting to my desired destination?
  4. HOW do I get there? What is my road map? My plan?

And in a bit more detail:

The NORTH – What is my genuine direction? What is the next best step on that path? Where can it lead me in 5- or 10-years’ time? Will I be happy and fulfilled there?

The EAST – Why do I want to go there? Is this my dream or someone else’s (parent, spouse, myself when I was a child)? How authentic is it? Will this truly make me happy or just fulfill a need (financial, societal?)

The SOUTH – Why have I not done it so far? What might stop me from doing it in the future and how do I break through these barriers?

The WEST – what is the practical plan to get where I want to get? What do I need to do tomorrow, next week, next month, next quarter to get to my destination in the timeframe I have chosen?

The Compass is a tried-and-tested award winning methodology that has so far helped tens of thousands of people all over the world find their True North and actually get there.

Globally recognized thought leader in personal and organizational development, Aviad Goz is the founder and Chairman of N.E.W.S.® Coaching and Training, and the founder of Momentum Group.

Aviad started his career as a facilitator and coach in 1986 and has worked successfully since then with key-talents, managers and executives in more than 2,000 organizations around the world. Some of the companies he has helped navigate through crossroads to achieve success include Fortune 100 companies such as PwC, Microsoft, Intel, Cisco, IBM, GE, HP, Pfizer, P&G, and Coca-Cola, to name a few. Alongside that Aviad has led many unique projects such as certifying military commanders as coaches, working with religious leaders, coaching famous artists for international careers and more.

Over the course of the years, Aviad notices that individuals and organizations struggled to manage themselves effectively when they are at crossroads. He managed to identify four main reasons why individuals, teams and organizations usually get stuck in such circumstances:

– no clear direction or a vision for their future;

– lack of motivation and drive in moving forward;

– poor planning and execution capabilities;

– and inhibiting beliefs and fears;

This realization provided Aviad with the inspiration to create the N.E.W.S.® Compass™ in 2003. After an extensive research and study, he designed a unique compass-like structure where obstacles that prevented people and organizations from reaching their goals could easily be identified, and practical solutions could be put in place to help them overcome their challenges and lead them toward new heights.

Recognizing the N.E.W.S.® Compass™ huge potential for impact, Aviad used the insights gained through his experience as a coach and facilitator, working with industry leaders, to skillfully construct additional need-based, customizable solutions for navigating through changes and challenging times. To date, in response to the needs of industry, he has created 8 programs and solutions based on the N.E.W.S.® Compass™ for different applications, all relating to various aspects of development for greatness. These programs are now being used around the world in over 30 countries.

Through all these various ventures, Aviad’s mission to lead individuals and teams towards evolution and breakthroughs in their development has remained steadfast. His deep motivation and commitment continue to propel his creativity to new levels. To add to his visionary success, Aviad has also authored and published 12 books and numerous articles on development in Human Resources and Organizational Development magazines. His most recent book – The Compass: How to Navigate Your Life and Career in Times of Change was published in 2013. Over the span of his career, Aviad has trained generations of trainers and coaches all over the world and helped millions to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.                                                       

You are welcome to visit Aviad’s website: http://www.aviadgoz.com

The Ultimate Guide To Achieving Work Life Balance Enlightenment

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For many, the idea of having enough free time to enjoy yourself outside of work while still achieving job satisfaction and an excellent wage is the stuff of dreams. However, this scenario is possible. You simply need to know how to go about it and be proactive. Things will never fall into your lap; you need to make them happen.

In the twenty first century, our lives have become busier than ever. Your boss may become unbearable with unrealistic targets to meet, leading you to work all hours under the sun. This can lead to burnout, mental health problems and a devastating impact on your quality of life. You have to consider what is most important to you. Can you put up with the lack of social life, never seeing family and a fraught relationship at home if it means that you earn a fortune? The chances are that you yearn to be comfortable with your financial situation, have your weekends free and to enjoy quality time with family and friends. Read on to find out how you can achieve work life balance enlightenment.

What Do You Love?

When you consider morphing your professional life from being a full time employee to a self employed individual, you need to follow a passion. There has to be something in your life that you adore that will keep you motivated when you set out to launch your own startup. This could be accounting, importing ball bearings, designing and selling custom made tee shirts, or baking vegan cakes for the masses.

When you have stumbled across the thing that kick starts your mojo, you need to run with it and work at establishing yourself within your chosen sector. This will be difficult because every niche is saturated with would be entrepreneurs. However, working for yourself gives you the drive to get on social media, publicize your brand, go to trade shows and put in the hours. While it may seem that you are working long hours, they are dictated by you. If you want to take a Monday off and work Sunday instead, you can. If you are a night owl and work better from 12 until 8, do it. Having the flexibility as an entrepreneur is something you rarely see as a full time employee.

Get The Basics Right

If you have chosen to produce your very own customized jewelry aimed at 18 to 24 year olds, make sure that you have a wholesale approach to selling as well as retail. Getting your items into shops that are household names will increase exposure of your brand. This allows you some breathing space when it comes to fulfilling end user orders.

Your work life balance will improve as you are no longer sitting at a desk lining the pockets of a fat cat. Instead, you are working to earn your own living. If you can, supply some wholesale sellers via Amazon, eBay and other online shops. Be careful with choosing your stockists wisely. Some will try and devalue your items by putting their own discounts on them. This can make your items look inferior to your competitors. To combat this, look into MAP enforcement, where you can set minimum prices for your products. Find out how you can enforce MAP pricing rules by clicking here. You can send out violation messages to stockists and even prevent them from selling your items again, if they don’t heed your warnings.

Take A Breather

While the first few months of setting up your new venture may be a little more stressful than you expected, the ability to take a step back and see what you have built will emerge. Soon, you will be able to have the odd pajama day at home. You can work from your home office rather than suffer through an arduous commute. You no longer have to miss your little one’s parents evenings because you have to work late to prepare for a presentation. Your time is your own to control.

While your salary may take a hit in the first instance, consider what it is that is really important to you. As long as you have enough money to live, you can then enjoy the free time that you have, the more quality family moments that you can enjoy as well as the feeling of not having as much pressure or stress bearing down on you from an employer. You are in charge now. Follow this guide and you will achieve the ultimate work life balance enlightenment.

Tips To Improve The Cybersecurity Of Your Business

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As a business owner, you’ll know that the security of your data is paramount. Data breaches can be inconvenient, costly and risky to say the least. As the cybercriminal moves with the technological times; so should you! With this in mind, let’s consider some essential tips to up your protection game. 

Multi-factor authentication 

Gone are the days when a strong password was enough! If you want to improve your security, it’s a good idea to go for multiple layers of authentication. A strong password is the first step. The next is authentication via a code; this code can be sent to the users iPhone for example. Some businesses go for a third method of authentication as well as these two steps. The third method is generally more advanced, for example, fingerprints or voice recognition. Security is especially important when employees are accessing your network on the go and from multiple devices. It’s also a good idea to use mobile device management so that you can monitor the devices which access your network.

Cloud-computing 

IT solutions like cloud-computing arrive with plenty of benefits, one of which is improved security. Cloud-computing systems use robust security regulations and have inbuilt antivirus software. These systems are encrypted to protect your data continually. It’s also simple to remotely wipe a device if it’s lost or stolen. With cloud computing, it’s easy to access your network anywhere and any time. Such features will increase the productivity of your business. You’ll also save money on IT equipment due to the use of remote servers. Cloud-computing can improve your communication as you can integrate your voice calling, messaging and email all on one platform. When you take steps to improve your productivity, you’ll have more time to spend on top priority tasks. 

Update your software

Software updates seem to pop up constantly, so some find them a bit of a bother. The fact is, it’s essential to install every update that comes up. Running software on older versions only makes you more vulnerable to security threats. Don’t be tempted to ignore software updates even if you’re really busy. It’s well worth the time it takes to update rather than risking a breach or a virus. Strong anti virus software should help you to decrease these kinds of risks. 

Train your staff

Your staff are the hub of your operation, so it’s vital that they are adequately trained on security. Ensure that they understand all the ins and outs of your security policies to minimize mistakes. You could also invest in a cybersecurity training course if you wish to help your staff further. Straightforward advice about not writing down or sharing passwords can go a long way. Password management tools can also come in handy to keep everything safe and sound.

Security breaches can put your company at risk and waste your time. It’s best to sit down and create a well designed policy and action plan to protect yourself. With a little research you’ll find the solutions which best suit your company and your current needs.