According to a recent U.S. Small Business Administration’s report, more than 90 percent of companies in the U.S. are small businesses. As these small businesses continue to recover, adapt and evolve in the ways they operate, we thought it helpful to include a few tips below to help keep your business thriving this summer.
Digitize, Digitize, Digitize
Whether motivated by habit, budget, or a sense of security and control, many small businesses utilize analog processes that may put them at risk. For example, retaining hard copies of sensitive documents can lead to the misplacement and or the exposure of company and client information. Investing in new tech solutions, such as advanced scanners to digitize records, contracts, and other data within an organization, can prove helpful. Many of today’s scanners have built-in security features such as the cloud, adding an extra layer of protection and peace of mind for small businesses.
Other devices come fully equipped with solutions that enable Print via Cloud capabilities. These offer greater flexibility and allow employees to print and share information across multiple devices and locations from approved network servers. Additionally, some new solutions prioritize employee convenience, with the ability to access Microsoft Teams accounts directly from the interface of certain scanners and printers. This minimizes exposing organizational data to security risks.
Enhance Employee Authentication
Employee authentication has become vital for businesses, especially those that have adopted Hybrid work environments. Monitoring the whereabouts and activities of employees can be challenging when working remotely, as the changes in locations can pose potential security risks for the company. For example, employees working out of the office may be working on unsecure networks from their homes or local coffee shops.
One way to combat human error among employees — which many public and private-sector IT executives cite as a cybersecurity threat — is to require multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA grants access to a place, solution, device, or other specified information only after a user successfully presents two or more pieces of evidence. Many workflow solutions, such as Google Workplace and Microsoft, have the option to add this into the sign-in process. From a physical security perspective, consider investing in a dual-sided ID card printer for the agility to produce cards on-site that can govern building access authentication.
Curate Cloud Solutions That Are as Resilient as Ever
Cloud utilization has soared among businesses of all sizes during the pandemic. With the ease, flexibility, and various applications, employing the cloud as a service can have a positive effect on business goals. The cloud as a service helps keep up with customer demand and streamlining efforts in the new hybrid workplace. In fact, 94 percent of small businesses have reported security benefits since moving to the cloud. Cloud for Workplace, developed by Canon’s Hybrid Workplace Solutions, can arm employees with increased productivity and create better working efficiencies. For small and medium businesses, uniFLOW Online can help manage entire print environments. The solution helps to reduce printing costs and offers the latest security features by automatically deleting unreleased print jobs and reducing information-technology overheads by rolling out just one printer for an entire device fleet.
Adopt a Security Mindset
In today’s digitized world, it is regrettably common for businesses to face potential cybersecurity threats. Companies must vigilantly and proactively guard against these threats, by enforcing secure business practices and implementing technological security measures. Running a business is no small feat, especially during these tumultuous times. Moreover, no business is exempt from potential security risks. Find the solutions that work best for your company needs, and put them in place to stay cool this summer.
