There is an important distinction in business between knowing what a problem is at the moment versus what a problem might be in the future. It’s crucial that businesses understand how to assess the risk of situations and determine what must be addressed immediately. Today, we want to help your business determine these problems and flip the script on them, turning them into opportunities for improvement.
Risk Management for Small Business
In short, risk is the potential for something bad happening to your business—and managing it is crucial for a small business.
Businesses will always have to contend with risk, but you can manage it effectively and reduce the impact it has on your operations. You’ll have to take into account various disasters such as data breaches, natural disasters, regulation and compliance, and even damage to your organization’s reputation. In response to these issues, businesses tend to build a continuity plan that helps them determine their acceptable level of risk.
SMBs often have trouble identifying what is a legitimate risk, though.
Granted, large companies tend to have higher profiles and experience greater risk as a result, but SMBs still have much to think about. Just look at the COVID-19 pandemic and how it impacted all businesses, not just large corporations. Many SMBs did not have the capacity to respond to the pandemic as it should have been handled, which led to their losing profits, productivity, and even their reputation.
In the end, the businesses that were able to manage risk were the ones that survived.
Determining Acceptable Risk Levels
Acceptable risk levels will depend on the business.
For example, insurance companies thrive on taking risks with their clients, and that’s where their money comes from. Small shops and restaurants, however, could have their entire operations shuttered by the wrong kind of disaster. Businesses that cannot respond to risk or effectively identify the risks to their operations are doomed to fail.
This is why risk management is so important: your business’ future is at stake.
Businesses utilize technology, which brings with it all manner of risks in and of itself. Today, we want to highlight some of the most notable ones.
Data Breaches
The last thing any business wants is to experience a data breach.
If your data and infrastructure are exposed to threatening situations, you have to do what you can to shore up these weaknesses ASAP. This includes arming yourself with antivirus, access control, and multi-factor authentication solutions. Training your employees on proper security practices also goes a long way.
The goal here is to prevent the breach proactively, not react to it.
Poor IT Support
If a business lacks appropriate IT support, it will be unable to adapt to problems that surface, thereby increasing risk factors.
Proactive IT support can help you mitigate challenges to your organization’s technology troubles. If your IT cannot handle issues that surface, downtime is a near certainty, and we all know how expensive that can be. Hire a team of dedicated and knowledgeable IT professionals who can address issues well in advance.
It might just save you from a devastating downtime incident.
User Error
Business technology is complicated, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
This complexity is what leads many employees to make mistakes they might not otherwise make. If you take the time to train employees, they will be less likely to experience the type of user error that leads to downtime. A healthy business depends on its employees, and you can make them more productive and efficient by training them.
Of course, providing training and resources to your team also makes your business more secure, so there’s no downside to doing so.
Compudata can help your business minimize risk as it relates to your IT. To learn more, call us today at 1-855-405-8889.