No business is immune to potential threats. This includes physical, mental and now technological. At some point, there should be a contingency plan to resolve such situations but apparently not all companies are prepared for it. Assuming there are teams that have been formed and documented as well, nothing beats actually experiencing the real thing. And believe me, the scenario is totally different when the conflict is at hand compared to simulated ones which often do not show the gravity of such a situation.
Why is crisis management critic then for business continuity? Similar to a well-oiled machine, one loophole can direly change the fortunes of a company. Technology has indeed made life easier with all the automation and advanced equipment. However we should not forget the roots that build businesses. Foundations are still essential and chances are people will grope for form to make use of old practices to keep operations at efficient levels.
The folks over at Continuity Compliance highlighted something alarming that should open the eyes of most business management teams today. They highlighted an episode from NCIS where the team had to make use of old hand tools to solve a murder investigation. Advanced devices and gadgets were practically useless and while it may seem funny to some, turning to the old hand gadgets like Polaroid cameras and other supposed medieval ways to perform their duties should be a wakeup call. It may be just a movie but it is reality. Technology can make thing easier and also harder, especially if it conks out on you.
Preparation is a key factor in business continuity. Obviously we cannot sit back and relax if we are to be competent in today’s challenging world. Productivity and resourcefulness are two queer terms but needs that should wake up organization into reality. Technology and computerization can indeed optimize business but they are not completely immune. Be ready at all times since with just one click or stroke of the keyboard, business can disappear faster than the wink of an eye.
Here is that NCIS video. You may want to share it with your crisis management teams as a wakeup call.
Most owners of business are drastically overworked and try to take on far too much. It’s natural to want to do it all, after all if you are the creator the business is your ‘baby’. However his can cause a lot of burnout, which can make anyone little use to anyone. Wile that does sound harsh, it’s also an unfortunate fact of life.
While you may start out and continue full steam ahead with no issues at first, how long can it last? More than likely you will experience some burnout, and while one person may handle it and move on just fine another may not.
Outsourcing some tasks, even simple ones, can limit and prevent a fair portion of issues faced. With technology and the way our modern world works, it can be as easy as can be to find someone to work for you. If you don’t need someone around for the tasks, then consider looking to the internet for your very own digital workforce.
From blogging to accounting, there are millions of people who want an online job for many reasons. They range from new parents to retirees all looking to extra income, no matter what your job offerings.
While there are still some retractors to the internet’s huge grasp over the news and media world, the list below from a Forbes piece on the media elite, (penned by Katie Couric) leaves little doubt:
Biztree, a leading provider of software for business, has announced that its flagship product, the Business-in-a-Box business software, is now being used in over 200 countries worldwide. According to Eric Deziel, one of Biztree’s 1 million satisfied clients, the program is “the key to success: using tools that will make you more productive!”
Not everyone possesses the writing skills necessary to draw up legal documents quickly and accurately, which is crucial in today’s fast paced business environment. In the past, SMBs had no choice but to hire experts to prepare these forms for them which can be too costly for small businesses to afford. Business-in-a-Box however eliminates the need for this costly expenditure by providing over 1,450 legal document templates.
Marc Berouti, director of marketing for Biztree, states that his company’s business software is the “secret weapon that is no longer a secret” now that over a million users in over 200 countries are using it. The program offers such a wide selection of agreement templates, employment forms, and other legal paperwork, that it can literally replace a $50,000 year employee.
TransCard a leading provider of prepaid debit card solutions branded with MasterCard, Discover Network and STAR associations – has added a secure, online document-storage system to its robust online product offerings for cardholders.
Essentially, the TransCard Document Vault is an online safety deposit box that allows cardholders to scan and store anything from their mortgages and car titles to their birth certificates, social security cards or medical and immunization records. This new online system prevents these vital records from becoming lost or damaged due to natural disasters, theft or simply misplacing them.
“With the fast-paced lives that most everyone has these days—juggling full-time jobs, household responsibilities, children and more—paperwork tends to get lost or overlooked,” says Jerry Uffner, TransCard’s President. “The Document Vault is more than a first-rate record-keeping system; it’s an easy-to-use organizational tool that, like all of our cardholder offerings, is designed to make life a little easier and a little less hectic. We want to provide our cardholders with the tools they need to live the life they want—and deserve.”
Portability, security and accessibility are three key features of the TransCard Document Vault. No matter what time of the day it is or where our cardholders are—whether in Europe, away at college or in an unfamiliar hospital—cardholders can retrieve their documents, print them and provide them to interested parties. Cardholders can also be assured that, unlike other companies, these documents are stored safely behind a highly sophisticated firewall that is SAS 70 and PCI compliant.
“We are confident that our cardholders can rely on the security measures we have in place to protect their personal information,” says David Samples, Chief Technology Officer at TransCard. “The document vault resides in a proprietary data management warehouse that is not connected to the general network; the sole purpose of this warehouse is to secure our cardholders’ valuable information, providing them with peace of mind.”
