Safety and security are huge concerns for businesses of all sizes. When you’re running a small business or startup, it’s easy to forget these vital areas. You’re busy forging ahead with a business plan. You’re putting out fires, balancing the budget and making new connections. The very essential aspect of security can often fall by the wayside. It’s really important that you bear it in mind.
Security breaches have devastated businesses. Recently, big companies like Sony and eBay have found themselves victim of cyber hacks. They lost thousands of users’ data causing embarrassment and criticism. If it can happen to the bigger companies, it can happen to smaller tech startups too. Is your small business as safe and secure as it could be? Let’s take a look.
Physical security
Safety and security all starts with the physical element. When you’re a small business, your equipment, tools and inventory matter more than ever. You cannot risk a theft or burglary as it could decimate your finances. No matter how small, it’s worth taking steps to improve the security of your business assets.
There are plenty of ways to secure your premises, vehicles and equipment. Kit your business out with security essentials at http://www.tag-guard.com/. We suggest good quality CCTV cameras to protect your office and premises. Your vehicles should be fitted with GPS tracking devices and immobilisers. If you have particularly expensive equipment, it’s worth investing in full security solutions.
Digital security
Nowadays, your biggest threat comes from online infiltration. If your small business handles data of any sort, it’s vital that you work to protect it. Hackers and spammers have become more and more sophisticated in infiltration. The first thing to do is encrypt any sensitive data. This could be customer information or confidential employee files. Encryption scrambles the data into unreadable code. Only those with the encryption key can access it.
We also suggest making secure backups of all your important documents and files. The best practice here is to make three copies. One on a secure hard drive, one on the cloud and one hard copy on paper. This may seem excessive but if your security is breached in any of these areas, you’ll be pleased you did. Small business can’t afford the expense involved in a cyber attack. More importantly, they can’t afford the reputation hit that comes with it.
Insurance
Finally, if the worst does happen, it’s important that you are appropriately insured for it. A good, all round business insurance should cover most eventualities. This will include theft, intellectual property and liability cases from customers and employees. When you run a small business, you are responsible for the wellbeing of all employees and customers. If any injury is suffered in your care, you could be sued. As you can imagine, this will have devastating consequences on your finances as a startup.
Safety and security is paramount for new businesses. If your company is not water-tight from the early days, it could come back to haunt you. Take steps to strengthen the security from day one and you’ll avoid any problems. Stay safe!
