Does it feel like you have an ideal relationship with your IT company? Do they keep you up to date on the risks facing your business or how they’re keeping you protected? If not, you might have a problem. One of the major benefits of outsourced IT is the partnership you get from working with a team of experts – but it’s no help to you if they’re not keeping you in the loop. That’s why you should get monthly risk reports detailing the threats facing your system and how your team immobilized them.
Regular Meetings are Key
- Whether or not any major threats were stopped, you need to know what your business is up against. Whether it’s a flaw in your line of business code or a thwarted malware attack – any threat is significant.
- By knowing what you’re up against, you can better understand methods of precaution. If someone in your office is constantly receiving shady emails or clicking on bad links, you need to educate them about proper email security and conduct. Likewise, if your IT team thwarted a virus or malware attack, you need to know what patches they’ve applied and how your systems are running since it happened.
Take all The Necessary Steps
- Make sure, along with monthly reports, you know exactly what your IT company is doing to keep you protected. You should be monitored 24/7 so that as soon as threats emerge, they’re dealt with before they can cause downtime.
- Are you set up with the best firewalls, anti-virus and anti-spam protection? You should be!
- Backup is key – today, businesses need to be prepared for anything. Talk to your IT company about how they’re accounting for your future and ensuring that breaches or disasters won’t cripple your business. Having your files encrypted and backed up is a great way to keep them secure and ensure that you’re still functioning after an issue.