The Baker Doesn't Make Candles For A Reason

I went to a trade show recently and have to marvel at the flexibility of some companies and the focus of others. There were companies that could help you with all your marketing needs, from concept to print to web and beyond. They were very versatile in their industry and impressive in their presentation. There was another company that only did search engine optimization. Anything else you might need they could refer you to a great company they have either worked for or with. Then there was this one table of CPAs.

Now I have a certain level of respect for CPAs because they have a tolerance and understanding of numbers I will never achieve, but this table of CPAs didn’t seem to understand what CPAs did. See, in inclusion to your regular CPA services, they also listed tech services. Upon close inspection I read “Deinstallation/Reinstallation.” What? When I asked what that even meant, they explained to me that they had “taken some stuff off and reinstalled it on a bunch of machines for” a large bank chain. With that weak, best effort, explanation they now considered themselves expert techs. Mouth agape, I walked on.

End of story, I promise not to do your taxes if you promise to hire true techies to take care of your technology needs. You might also want to ask your bank who they hire to “Deinstall/Reinstall” their stuff. It could say a lot about who you’re trusting your money with.

What Is A Security Policy And Who Needs it?

When I was a kid in Brooklyn my mother taught us kids how to be city dwellers. We learned how to walk while being completely aware of all our surroundings, never talk to strangers no matter how much candy was being offered, walk down the street in the opposite direction the cars go, yell fire instead of help and only answer the door only when we heard the secret knock. This in effect was our family’s security policy. A couple of decades later I find myself unscathed with all limbs intact. Mission accomplished. A security policy can work just as well for your business as well.

A written security policy detailing instructions about not sharing passwords with others, locking the computer when leaving their desks and more can go a long way towards preventing data from being improperly accessed. Of course many other security policies can be automatically implemented, such as a change of password policy, restricting sensitive areas to data and programs. Security policies can be centrally managed through a server ensuring uniformity and proper implementation. You can even run a report to see whether any one has been trying to access anything they shouldn’t be.

End of story, there are certain things that are only meant for management’s eyes and not others, but without security policies in place, you can never be sure if that’s truly the case. It does not take a lot of effort but a certain amount of expertise. You may want to consider it if any of your data requires any level of confidentiality. Knock, knock. Does your data know just when to open the door?