April is the first full month of spring, and it’s the perfect time for business owners to “clean up” their systems and employee workstations. Just as individuals can benefit from spring cleaning their homes, businesses can improve their efficiency and security by decluttering their digital footprint. Digital spring cleaning for businesses involves organizing, optimizing, and securing digital assets.
Here are some of Waterdog’s top tips to help your business get started:
Spring cleaning is a good reminder to go through your website and make sure it’s up to date with the most recent SEO guidelines.
Consider a Password Manager to assist with creating strong passwords, managing the passwords used on each workstation, etc. This is a basic form of cyber hygiene that can enhance security. If an employee leaves unexpectedly, all the passwords are still there.
Archive any emails in your inbox that you don’t currently need but want to store for future access. While you’re in organizing mode, evaluate your email folders and filters and decide whether they are sorting messages in a way that is helpful or if you need to update your system a bit. Not organizing and updating your inbox can cause a failure when sending/receiving.
It’s important that you keep your customer information up to date. Carve out some time to touch base with your existing customers to verify contact information like email addresses, mailing addresses, and phone numbers. This is also an effective way to ensure your primary business contacts are still employed. Finally, cleaning up your customer data is an opportunity to check in with your existing customers to see if there are any additional products you can provide.
Microsoft, Apple, and Google release new versions of their operating systems every one to two months. These updates not only provide critical security patches but can also improve your device’s functionality by increasing speed and providing new features.
Spring can be the perfect reminder that it’s time to inspect and refresh your data backup solution. Even more so, it’s the perfect time to reevaluate your overall storage needs. You might realize that your data backup is almost full. In that case, it’s either time to start cleaning or time to upgrade your data backup and recovery solution.
Did you get new hardware over the holiday season? Maybe you took advantage of the Section 179 tax credit and made some necessary upgrades for your business. If there’s a clunky old workstation taking up space in your office, consider recycling or donating it to a local organization. Not only will this help you clean up your office, but you can make a difference in the community too. If donation isn’t an option for your business, many hardware manufacturers also offer recycling programs.
Waterdog offers a Wipe/Clean/Recycle program – we will take in the device(s) (no monitors, keyboards or mouses) and wipe the HD and recycle the device. The cost is $47.50 for 1-2 computers. Give us a call at (484) 580-8568 to learn more!
You can also find additional recycling and donation options using the below resources:
Electronics Recycling Collection Programs – Pennsylvania EPA
*Note: Healthcare, financial services, and other compliance-based businesses must destroy data when recycling or donating hardware. It’s a good idea for any business to clear all data when recycling or donating hardware, but healthcare and compliance-based businesses have more at stake. These businesses can face expensive fines or jail time for not erasing sensitive data.
Businesses should educate employees on the importance of digital security and the role they play in keeping the organization’s digital assets safe. Waterdog offers security awareness training as part of our Cybersecurity Services, as regular security awareness training sessions and workshops are a powerful way to protect your business from cybercrimes.
Need help with Spring Cleaning? Schedule a Technology Compliance Review with Waterdog!
Current clients can give us a call at (484) 580-8568 today to set up a video conference or in-person meeting!
Not a Waterdog client yet? Contact us to learn more about the complimentary services we provide when you become a business customer!
