How ready is your company for what’s on the horizon?
As business technology experts, we talk a lot about resolving IT issues and creating efficiencies for your organization. And we’re certainly no stranger to preparing your company to grow in the future. But operational success isn’t the only thing the right technology can ready your business for.
As we enter what could be considered turbulent economic times, today we unpack how the right mix of tech services and solutions can bake resiliency into the very fabric of your organization.
Let’s get into it:
When We Say Business Resiliency, What Do We Mean?
To be resilient is to overcome challenges quickly.
Much more than simply being prepared (although preparedness is important, too), resiliency allows your business to bounce back from that which you cannot possibly prepare for or predict. From economic downturns to global challenges, building resiliencies into your business’s operations via innovative technology solutions now can ensure that the organization survives in the future. It’s about being proactive rather than reactive with your technology.
What’s more, resilient technology solutions and strategies can also provide your business with improved flexibility, stronger cybersecurity, and better positioning overall, giving you the leverage you need to succeed even if the worst doesn’t come to pass.
The State of the Tech
What might you need to be resilient to? Some of the potentially disrupting issues team EMPIST feels that business owners should have on their radar right now include:
- Growing inflation & looming economic recession
- Ongoing challenges from Covid-19, RSV, and the flu
- The popularity of remote work
- Large-scale changes to the digital landscape (we’re looking at you, Meta, Twitter & TikTok)
- Challenges in the financial sector, including disruptions with cryptocurrency
- Regulatory changes in data management, privacy, and AI
- Continued unrest or conflict
- Cultural & generational shifts in purchasing
Crafting Your Resiliency Plan
So, what does your business need in its resiliency tool kit? Here are the proactive solutions and services we recommend:
As-A-Service Solutions
As-a-service solutions like cloud software or even hardware leasing provide your business with the resources it needs to be competitive while maintaining maximum flexibility. Many as-a-service solutions offer pay-as-you-go billing structures, meaning that your organization can grow or shrink as needed without much lead time. This feature is great for resiliency as it eliminates costly infrastructure and decreases capital expenditure.
Clear BYOD Policies
BYOD (bring-your-own-device) policies have exploded in popularity in recent years. And whether you like them or not, having a clear BYOD policy for your own organization is one simple way to start building technological resiliency. We’ve already seen a number of supply chain issues in recent history that have held up device production, putting businesses in a bind when onboarding new employees or upgrading technology.
Not only will a meticulous BYOD policy help combat this issue should supply chain problems persist, but chances are high that your employees are already connecting to your network with their personal devices anyway. Outlining how and when they can do so safely will improve your overall security as well as ready your team for future issues.
Layered Security
There is no silver bullet for cybercrime.
According to the experts, the only successful way to approach cybersecurity today is with a multi-layered plan that does not stop with antivirus and spam filtering alone. Proactive security solutions like dark web monitoring, password management, MFA, vulnerability scanning, and patch management, along with enterprise-level innovations like Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) or Managed Detection & Response, create a stronger barrier – and better possibility for recovery – than single-solution security.
Backup & Recovery
Speaking of recovery, crafting a regular and reliable backup & recovery system for your organization is key to building any kind of resiliency. Working closely with your IT provider or MSP to construct a plan that works for your business’s unique processes, products, services, data, and storage needs will ensure that a hiccup does not turn into something more disastrous.
Training, Training, Training
If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a million times, the biggest cybersecurity risk to your organization isn’t a hacker collective or a bad link; It’s your employees.
A resilient organization is a knowledgeable organization, and keeping your employees up-to-date and aware of the cybersecurity issues they face is essential to overcoming potentially business-ending threats. Enrolling your whole team – and yes, we mean everyone – in regular security awareness training is key to your business’s overall strength and can help you recover if you do fall victim to an attack.
Process Improvement
The more efficient your current operations are, the more resilient they will be to disruptions in the future.
Taking the time to interrogate, analyze, and properly structure your internal processes will form a strong base upon which your organization can confidently build. Simple automations, reduced redundancies, regular process audits, and more can inspire resiliency from the inside out.
Brace for Impact with EMPIST
We may not be able to tell what the future will hold, but we can help you get in a position to handle it nonetheless.
For over 20 years, team EMPIST has been guiding businesses on their growth journey by building resiliency into every facet of their technology plans. Our team of experts prides itself on taking a proactive approach to IT managed services, cybersecurity, cloud management, and more.
To learn more about building a more resilient business with EMPIST, visit us online at empist.com. To get the ball rolling a bit quicker, contact our team here.