They say the customer is always right. But, was anyone really doing the Emperor any favours when they remarked how wonderful his new clothes were?
If a customer approaches me and says “We need a new system,” my first questions are often “Are you sure? Can we talk this through?” This may surprise you as it might appear to be suggesting the customer is not always right. Although it could be interpreted as being unhelpful, there is method to my madness.
You have a business problem. You know IT could help you solve it. But you don’t know where to begin. Have you ever been in that position?
The starting point is often to think about whether someone has already invented a solution that you could purchase and configure for your needs. These are often referred to as ‘off-the-shelf’ or ‘third-party’ solutions.
Online accounting packages are a good example. Every business from the smallest to the biggest needs to understand its income and expenditure. Type “Online accounting software” into any search engine and you will see that there is a lot of competition for your business.
The threat of cyber crime is a very real one. However, there is a big difference between being sufficiently concerned that you take action and being so terrified that you behave irrationally or do nothing at all.
The problem with fear is that it sometimes drives the wrong behaviour. Faced with a predator, our instinct can be flight rather than fight. Cyber crime is not a challenge from which to run away or bury our heads in the sand and hope the aggressor picks on someone else.
We all know what bank robbers and burglars do. Understanding their common tools and techniques helps us to design appropriate defence mechanisms. Cyber crime is no different. Recognising the different tricks of the trade empowers us to implement the cyber equivalent of locking the door or fitting an alarm.
How many of the following 8 common tactics employed by cyber criminals have you heard of?
I once heard said that 60% of lost business is through “perceived indifference” on the part of the vendor. I have never been able to verify this figure, but looking back on my own dealings with various companies, I can well believe it. Hours spent listening to a recorded voice assuming me how valuable my call is, promised calls not returned and quotes that take days or weeks to arrive; usually after numerous calls to chase. I have walked away from numerous suppliers because what makes them looks bad reflects on your dealings with your own clients. “Sorry, but I am still waiting for the information” only washes for so long.
You will have doubtless seen the media frenzy surrounding the recent exposure of private pictures of high profile celebrities, reportedly obtained through compromised Apple iCloud accounts, which has generated many headlines recently; all very embarrassing for the individuals concerned and for Apple.
The cloud is increasingly being used not only by celebrities with a proclivity for naked selfies, but also by businesses large and small for services ranging from simple file storage to complete CRM (customer relationship management) and other databases.
Whilst the security of cloud based data stores for general business are nowhere near as interesting or sensationalist to the headline writers, they certainly are to the owners of the files which can often include financial, confidential and commercially sensitive information, the type that most of us would really rather not see in the hands of unauthorised individuals or competitors.
