How To Safeguard Your Company Data

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article | How To Safeguard Your Company DataIt doesn’t matter what kind of business you run, you will need to take steps to safeguard your company data, and that of your customers, from cybercrime and data loss. Losing important business information or having it stolen by a hacker could easily spell the end of your enterprise altogether, and it will certainly have a negative impact on your reputation. Therefore, it makes sense to put in safeguarding measures to protect the information and yourself. Here are some ways to do it.

Back Up

Backing up your information is simple and effective. Although it won’t protect against an attack by a cybercriminal by itself, it will allow you to restore the potentially missing or corrupt information left in the hacker’s wake, or as a result of a system failure.

If you can restore the information then you can continue working, even if there are other problems that still need to be dealt with. Without a backup of your work, you may well lose everything and have no way of continuing your business at all.

The most important thing to remember about making backups is that you will need to use a reliable external source to do it. There is no point in backing up your information to another computer on the same system; this is not going to keep it safe. Ideally you should use the cloud as not only will the information be protected but you can access it from anywhere – this is perfect if you are unable to get to your office or if there was a fire, for example, that destroyed your computing equipment.

Use A Firewall

A firewall will give you an extra line of defence against cyberattack. It works as a barrier against any malicious software that you may have inadvertently downloaded. This barrier, when correctly installed, will ensure that the virus cannot reach the more vulnerable and important parts of your computing system, blocking it completely.

The idea is a simple one, but there are many different types of firewall and it can become confusing and even overwhelming when you start to look more deeply into it. Because of this, it is best to have IT services Birmingham find the right firewall for you and install it – that way you know you are protected.

Password Protection

It is possible to set passwords on some programs such as Adobe Acrobat and the Microsoft Office suite. This adds an extra layer of security so that only those who have the password are able to open the document.

You can even password protect entire folders and networks if you want to and feel that this would be a useful protective measure that will safeguard your company data. When you are choosing a password, it must be something unique that cannot be guessed easily; never use phone numbers or birthdates or names. For the best password, you should use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Although this will be harder to remember, it will also be harder to guess, so your information will be much safer.

Mastering the Tech: 4 Strategies for Getting the Most of Your Medical Cart Computers

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Mastering the Tech: 4 Strategies for Getting the Most of Your Medical Cart ComputersThe modern medical cart is a lot more than a cabinet on wheels, it is an advanced system that combines digital processing power, safety, and efficiency-enhancing physical features.

Despite the power and potential that the best computer-equipped medical carts bring to the table, many organizations end up sticking to the absolute basics. Use the following four strategies to ensure your hospital, clinic, or other facility can make the most of your medical cart computers.

1. Stay Organized

Medical carts were invented to make sure professionals would always have access to important resources like medications, bandages, and instruments. Even the simplest, most traditional Med Carts from Capsa Healthcare and other leading producers include plenty of features that make the organization of their contents easy.

The mere fact that a med cart includes a computer should never be seen as a reason to fall behind in this important respect. In fact, adding a workstation to the equation makes it even more important to stay on top of physical organization.

It also means the digital contents of each computer will need to be made just as accessible. Should the users of a fleet of medical carts end up struggling to find the software features they need, productivity and efficiency will suffer.

A medical cart that makes its contents readily available but never gets in the way will always be welcome in any facility. Make organization of both physical and digital kinds top priorities and your medical carts will serve your organization very well.

2. Keep Things Secure

Concentrating potentially dangerous or theft-prone supplies in a small area can be problematic. Medications that are normally held under lock and key sometimes end up becoming vulnerable when they get loaded aboard medical carts.

The same goes for the valuable, important information that med cart computers often hold. While laws like HIPAA provide appropriate guidance, some organizations fail to keep up.

Medical cart computer security should be seen as every bit as important as any physical sort of protection. That means making sure workstations on wheels receive plenty of attention from digital security experts.

3. Streamline Your Processes

Medical carts of all kinds allow healthcare professionals to provide care more efficiently. Adding a computer to a med cart, though, sometimes means slowing down experts who could be working more quickly.

In just about every such case, thinking about ways to simplify common processes will enable plenty of progress. From single sign-on systems to improved user interfaces, medical cart computers should support productivity and never interfere with it.

4. Don’t Forget Training

Handing computer-equipped medical carts to staff members without preparation is always a recipe for disaster. Plan your roll-out carefully and be sure everyone who will work with a computerized medical cart receives appropriate training.

Anytime a system is to receive a major update, it will be wise to hold a refresher session. Making sure that staff members are always comfortable with the technology they are to use will emphasize the benefits and keep the drawbacks to a minimum.

A Great Addition to Many Healthcare Facilities

Medical carts with integrated digital workstations are becoming more and more common. In some cases, hospitals and clinics fail to make the most of their potential. Keep the four tips above in mind and your own organization should benefit greatly from its use of medical cart computers.

8 Reasons Why Workplace Safety Training is So Important

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StrategyDriven Talent Management Article | 8 Reasons Why Workplace Safety Training is So ImportantIf you’re new to running a business, or even new to a leadership position, you might be in charge of developing or delegating some kind of workplace safety training. Depending on your form of work, though, this might not seem super important.

Why does your staff need workplace safety training? Are they working in particularly dangerous environments? Do they work with hazardous materials?

Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t benefit from instruction on how to be safe in a work environment. Employee safety training doesn’t just protect the employees; it can also protect your business, your equipment, and your customers.

If you’re interested in just a few reasons why workplace safety training is so essential for your business, keep reading.

1. Workplace Safety Training Makes Employees More Productive

A strong focus on workplace safety can actually increase the productivity of your employees.

Employees who know how to use their materials and equipment safely and properly are able to do so with more ease, making them more productive at work.

Proper safety training will go over how to avoid any simple mishaps that are easy to prevent. With this in the back of their mind, the employee can do things more efficiently and avoid any mistakes that will set back their workflow.

It also creates an environment where people want to be safe. Focusing on safety in the workplace fosters an idea that safety is an integral part of the job. Teaching them safety training topics ahead of time allows them to be productive both on and off the job site.

2. A Safe Environment Earns You Customers

While customers might not know for sure what’s going on behind the scenes at your business, they can likely sense a safe and comfortable environment when they’re in one.

When all employees are functioning like a well-oiled machine, it makes the business more trustworthy as a whole. A trustworthy business earns and maintains their clients, which helps your company.

Safety also reduces downtime in the business, making it more reliable to customers (and potential customers). If they have to worry about possible lapses in safety, causing them to be impacted, they may choose a different business to patronize.

3. Employee Protection

A good workplace safety training system ensures that your employees are safe from harm in the workplace, or at least safer.

Your employees are the backbone of your business, and keeping them safe and supported is crucial to your success.

Safe employees mean a lower turnover rate. It costs a lot to hire a new employee if one leaves due to an unsafe environment, and not all businesses can shoulder that cost.

4. Higher Standards for Work Areas

Employees that are properly trained in safety will know the reasons as to why keeping a clean workspace is so important, and they’ll feel more motivated to maintain their space.

A clean workspace helps to avoid any misplaced items that could cause an employee to trip and damage themselves or the item in question, which could be a valuable work object.

Employees who aren’t trained in the importance of work safety may not see the importance of a tidy workspace, seeing it more as extra “busy work” to be left to the bottom of their “to do” list.

5. Fewer Worker’s Compensation Claims

An employee who gets hurt on the job is going to file a worker’s compensation claim so that they’re able to receive care and treat their injury.

More claims over time can mean higher premiums and rates for your worker’s compensation insurance. This is bad for your business, as it will cost you a lot of money.

While worker’s comp is great for protecting employees, the hope is that you don’t really need to use it in a safe workplace. Proper safety training will help you work towards that goal. However, no matter what you do or how you prepare, sometimes accidents still happen, and it’s crucial that your team is aware of the help they can get when it comes to a work-related shoulder injury, for example. Some worker’s compensation claims are absolutely necessary and should not be avoided.

6. Happier Employees

Employees that know their safety is being considered are going to be happier overall. Happy employees are much more likely to stay with your company, further reducing your turnover rate and increasing productivity.

A happy employee is also good for customers, as they’ll be more attentive, more enthusiastic, and more pleasant to work with.

Happy employees create a more functional work environment for everyone.

7. Protect Your Workspace

Not only are the people in your workplace protected, but the workplace itself will be protected too.

You can avoid damage to equipment or the work buildings themselves by simply instructing on proper safety ahead of time.

Some equipment is expensive and difficult to replace. Hazards in the workplace can also threaten the business itself. A fire or flood, for example, caused by poor workplace safety, could completely ruin a business space.

8. Reduce the Cost of Doing Business

Not following safety protocol can end up being very costly for a business. Aside from dealing with worker’s compensation and the potential replacement of damaged equipment or employees who have left due to an unsafe environment, downtime has to be considered in your costs.

If poor safety habits cause your business to have too much downtime, you’re going to be actively losing money. Teaching safety ahead of time avoids this problem and keeps your business running smoothly.

Do You Have Workplace Safety Training in Place?

Workplace safety training might seem like a hassle, but it can seriously improve the quality of life for your employees and your customers, which will help your business overall.

Safe employees are happy employees, and happy employees want to do a good job for your company.

For more articles on achieving business success, check out the rest of the site.

How Much Does Geofencing Marketing Cost? A Helpful Guide

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article | How Much Does Geofencing Marketing Cost? A Helpful GuideAround 71% of consumers prefer more personalized ad experiences. Examining the cost of geofencing marketing will teach you a lot about the value you’re getting out of a campaign.

About 3 out of 4 consumers complete an action after receiving a message thanks to location-based marketing. With geofencing, you can target exact audiences in precise areas and drive sales your way.

Even if you don’t get sales, geofencing still increases brand awareness, so it’s a win/win strategy. Nonetheless, how can you be sure you’re getting your money’s worth?

Here’s what you should know about the price breakdown of geofence marketing:

Geofencing Marketing 101

A geofence is a virtual boundary that defines a specific geographic area with GPS (global positioning system) or RFID (radio frequency identification). When someone enters this defined area, your business’s advertisement will appear on their device/smartphone. They could also see a message, update, or other notification about your promotion.

Strategically placing geofences around certain hot spots will encourage customers to check out your business. This includes competitors’ businesses.

CPM

Many geofence companies charge based on CPMs. What is the meaning of CPM? CPM stands for Cost Per 1,000 Impressions. Dividing the number 1,000 by the rate will tell you how many impressions to expect.

For instance, a $14 CPM rate equates to 71.428 impressions. This means your ad or notification will appear 71.428 times on people’s devices as they pass through your geofenced area.

Geofencing campaigns usually charge rates between $15 to $17 CPM. Higher-end geofencing services could cost up to $25. However, costs could also depend on the following:

Number and Size of Geofences

Other marketing companies charge based on the amount and size of the geofences they build for you. Some charge $5 per geofence while others prefer a monthly fee of $20 or more.

The cost is largely determined by the size of the geographic area you’re geofencing. A larger geofence typically costs more than a small geofence. For this reason, you could easily get 10 to 20 geofences out of a $1,000 Google geofencing budget.

This is a good option for business owners that have a limited marketing budget.

Take the Professional Route

Using your own marketing software will give you the biggest inside scoop. Square Marketing pricing starts at $15 per month. Researching different kinds of geofencing software also gives you a better idea of pricing rates.

Warning: Learning about geofencing and marketing takes a lot of time and effort. Mistakes could cost you big time.

It’s safer to hire trusted professionals to execute a geofencing campaign for you. Their skills and expertise are worth the money! Feel free to find out more about the top geofencing companies through the aforementioned link.

Let Geofencing Benefit Your Business

BIA Advisory Services predicted that location-based marketing spending in the U. S. will increase to $38.7 billion in 2022. Still, the cost of geofencing marketing also depends on how many other features are included in it. For instance, social media notifications and advertisements cost more in the geofencing world.

Companies offer different levels of transparency. More information translates it into higher costs. It also might cost more to convert an existing marketing campaign into a geofencing one, but you’re better off late than never!

Boost your business – learn more about the services we offer. We’ll take your brand to the next level.

7 Ways a Senior Concierge Business Can Help Senior Citizens

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StrategyDriven Customer Relationship Management Article | 7 Ways a Senior Concierge Business Can Help Senior CitizensSenior Concierge businesses help senior citizens with some of their day to day tasks that are becoming difficult for them to accomplish alone. They aren’t home health aides or any other type of medical caregivers. Rather, they allow those who need in-home senior care to get many of the things on their to-do list checked off. Think of them as errand services or personal assistants.

There are many tasks a Senior Concierge can assist with. These seven are some of the most popular reasons to use a Senior Concierge.

A Senior Concierge Can Grocery Shop for an Older Person

Grocery shopping can be difficult for a senior citizen. Getting to and from the store as well as maneuvering grocery carts and reaching many items is more than some elderly people can manage.

A Senior Concierge can accompany an older person to the store, assisting them as they do their shopping. Or, the concierge can go to the store for their client, making sure to get all the items the senior has asked them to buy. A concierge can also help to put the groceries away.

A Senior Concierge Can Accompany the Elderly to Medical Appointments

While concierges aren’t medical professionals, they can take senior citizens to and from medical appointments when a family member or friend is unable to. Not only does this ensure the client gets to and from needed appointments, it gives the senior an extra set of ears to listen to the doctor’s instructions.

An important thing a Senior Concierge can do at these appointments is to write down everything the doctor says, making sure nothing gets overlooked. That written information is valuable to both the senior and to any family member or friend who would like to know what happened at the medical appointment.

Medication Pick Up and Organization Gets Done On Time with a Senior Concierge

Getting medications on time is important for senior citizens, and a Senior Concierge can ensure that prescriptions and over-the-counter medications are picked up from the pharmacy in a timely manner.

Another medication service a concierge offers is to organize medications. They can put medications in daily pill boxes to make sure the senior is taking the right medications at the correct times.

A Senior Concierge Can Make Sure Seniors Don’t Miss Face Time with Family

Many seniors delight in the chance to video chat with their children, grandchildren, and other family members, but sometimes technology can be confusing for them.

A Senior Concierge can come to the home to facilitate video calls between seniors and their loved ones so they don’t miss valuable face time chatting with them. They can make sure the chat gets started correctly and help if it becomes disconnected.

Pets Are Easier for Seniors to Manage when a Senior Concierge Helps

Pets offer senior citizens many benefits. They’re great companions and can decrease loneliness and depression in the elderly. It sometimes becomes difficult for an older person to take care of their pets.

A Senior Concierge can help manage pets. They can take dogs for walks or empty cat litter boxes. They can also take pets for their veterinary check-ups.

Seniors Can Continue to Send Gifts the Way They Love to with the Help of a Senior Concierge

When it comes to buying gifts for birthdays and holidays, many seniors would love to be able to shop the way they once could, but physically they are unable to get to the stores. Purchasing gifts from the Internet can be an intimidating task.

A Senior Concierge can help purchase gifts, either by going to the store to buy them or assisting an elderly person to shop online. They can also wrap gifts or address greeting cards. If gifts need to be mailed, they can take care of that, also.

The Elderly Laundry Gets Done Right by a Senior Concierge

Not all seniors have their laundry room on the same floor as their living area. Managing steps makes it difficult to do their own laundry.

Going up and down the stairs is something that a Senior Concierge can do for their clients. They can wash, dry and fold laundry, carrying the laundry baskets that might be difficult and dangerous for an elderly person.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Kelsey SimpsonKelsey Simpson enjoys writing about things that can help others. She lives in South Jersey and is the proud companion to two German Shepherds and spends her free time volunteering in dog shelters.