Why CEOs Need To Be Involved In IT Strategy

Hey, all you CEOs who’d rather not take part in what’s going on with your IT network, listen up! We all know it’s not necessarily the sexiest part of doing business (or is it?), but being fully aware of and engaged in what’s going on with your IT network’s security protocols is as vital to your company’s survival as is having good employee insurance, accounting, or a winning sales force. Why is this? Because your whole company solvency and profitability hangs in the IT balance. Therefore, procuring a winning IT strategy–as well as regularly testing it–is tantamount to doing a successful business in this day and age. “I know, I know,” you say, as you recall recent headlines regarding how even the supposedly tightest IT security defenses in the world have recently been hacked. But, there’s no reason to lament these recent events–capitalize on them by making your IT security grid as ship-shape as possible!

Value vs. Cost

You meet regularly with your CFO or accountant, who keeps bemoaning budget woes; you meet with your sales team, who come back with, “It’s really dried up out there,” or “We almost closed the deal”. You’ve got money on your mind every day of your life, and don’t want to think about “extraneous” costs. Many like you are winging it–just hoping that they won’t get hit by ransomware, fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, or other disaster demanding a costly response. Most are reactive or woefully under-secure on this front. But, actually making the move, spending the money, and getting IT experts in there to evaluate your network, data centers, storage and recovery capabilities, and suggest and implement upgrades, will actually save you future costs. A good IT partner will make your IT upgrade so value-added, the cost will be seen as quite necessary.

Your Business Future is On the Line

If and when disaster strikes–and it can come in many forms–the clock is ticking on when your company can get back up to speed in terms of having the profit and communications channels open. Many CEOs who skimp on IT security end up paying out the nose later on, their data recovery costs far exceeding what monthly IT security management would cost. Entire governments–like those of India and Japan–are spending millions of dollars in equivalent costs to upgrade woefully inadequate IT network defenses andcybersecurity methods. You may even consider getting into the IT business, as “Cybersecurity startups are set to surge,” says Forbes. But, shy of that, just making sure your team is at the very least prepared for IT disaster will do you a world of good.

Cybersecurity Tips on Staying Safe

Hackers work as hard as you do at what they specialize in, and there is no end to what these cyber-thieves will do to get at your sensitive company data. A recent news report in the Dallas Business Journal features professor Brett Landry of the University of Dallas speaking his mind on the current state of cybersecurity and how it is affecting even small SMEs. Landry talks of being uber-vigilant, suggesting HR departments even do background checks on the cleaning people and everyone who regularly enters your building. “Use two-factor authentication when signing in on iPhones,” says Landry. “And, teach your employees the basics of cyber hygiene even when at home.”

Even if you can’t spend on upgrades that give you maximum IT security, you can take common sense precautions in the meantime. Fuelled Networks is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks, and news. Contact us at (613) 828-1384 or send us an email at info@fuellednetworks.com for more information.