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Computers. They make our lives easier. Tasks that once took days can now take seconds. Why then is the news filled with stories of lost data, hacked data, cyber security, ransomware, viruses, and computer systems being attacked or destroyed? It’s easy: because the systems are not being protected to the necessary levels.

Who is at risk?
The statistics are startling, but the simple answer is: everyone. All too often small businesses find themselves to be a common target. After all, small businesses don’t always have the budget or see the need to spend on technology. And even though they’re smaller targets singularly, they’re massive targets as a whole. The most common issues for small business revolves around lack of knowledge and the inability to invest properly in the right infrastructure.

Lack of knowledge is another issue. Small businesses often put themselves at risk but the solution is simple: find a good information technology partner and listen to what they have to say. A good IT partner will not let you hold on to old equipment or systems that are a security risk unless absolutely necessary, nor will they allow a network without a firewall, a computer without antivirus, and so forth. Instead, a good IT provider will guide a small business to a plan that works for their business, not for the technology.

Investment criteria can be harder. Mass numbers of small businesses consider themselves at lower risk and don’t consider backups and infrastructure as major risks. The result can be a complete disaster. We’ve seen many businesses close their doors because of ransomware, cyber security attacks, or failing hardware. The cause is simple: the companies did not assess their dependence on technology or consider how to function if that technology were gone. You may only look at day to day savings, but you need to understand that in the event of a failure the result might be detrimental.

So how do you assess cybersecurity risk?
Simple. Consider the tasks that bring in daily revenue. Now look at those tasks and remove the technology. Is there a win? Is there a possibility for collecting the same revenue? If not, calculate the revenue for a day lost. How many people will be unable to do their work? How much will it cost to replace the system? How much will it cost in labor to restore the system. Estimate your average daily sales. Now add all those numbers up and consider the total – that is your actual daily labor loss.

The numbers can be staggering, but the soft impact has an even heavier effect. A person wants to buy from a small business, if the business is unavailable it’s doubtful they wait. Every customer turned away is a customer looking elsewhere that may never return.

When creating a cost-effective IT strategy, here are the top 3 IT services you need. 

If you take a moment and look at your technology footprint, you’ll see that technology is no longer just a secondary item, it’s a functional part of businesses. When small businesses have less budget, they may be at higher risk unless they take the time to ensure their business resilience. As a small business, don’t ignore your technology, keep it current and remain successful in the marketplace.

Ransomware and cybersecurity threats hit a company every 40 seconds. Couple that with the fact that nearly 75% of companies don’t have sufficient security to prevent such an attack and we can make a simple conclusion: a disaster waiting to happen. Let’s talk about the multiple security layers we can put in place for your business; including security training, layered protection, and a solid backup strategy. Give us a call today at 616.837.6930.

We’re providing solid backup plans and cyber security measures to customers throughout Michigan, including the areas of Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Traverse City, and Kalamazoo. Give us a call today to see how we can keep your business backed up.