1. An operational plan for a number of disasters that could happen in your geographical area. The plans should cover occurrences as small as computer hardware errors and as large as massive natural disasters.
2. A succession plan for you or your top management.
3. Training for substitute employees on important tasks.
4. Cross training of your employees on the basics of different roles so they will be able to take over if need be.
5. A communication plan focused on different crises, including ways of communicating if networks are down.
6. Off-site meeting places for staff and managers.
7. A focus on safety. Foster partnerships and communication with local and emergency response services: Fire, Police, National Guard, Search and Rescue. Ideally, all employees should at least know basic first aid. If you have employees who are volunteer members of local Emergency Response Services, ask them to be responsible for teams.
8. Daily plans to backup your Enterprise systems, along with training and testing of recovery of systems.
9. Training and testing of all employees to practice recovery activities in situations as realistic as possible.

1. Disable your WiFi adapter when not using your wireless device. This ensures that your device does not connect to any wireless hotspot without you knowing it.
2. Connect only to secure hotpots. In many places, open networks implement no password and no encryption, potentially exposing everything you send out from your computer to malicious hackers. Therefore, whenever possible it’s best to connect in places where some encryption—either WEP or WPA, is employed. Often your device will show a lock icon to identify secure, password protected and encrypted hotspots vs open and unsecured ones.
3. Use VPN or Virtual Private Networking. VPNs allow you to establish a secure channel of communication to your office network over the public Internet.
4. Use only secure software. The use of software is also something you should be aware of—some browsers , instant messengers, email clients, and online services are more secure than others. So use the more secure ones such as those that implement some sort of encryption or similar methods whenever possible.
5. Disable sharing. If your device or operating systems share resources such as folders, printers, and other items, consider turning them off to lessen the possible entry points into your system which malicious hackers or software can exploit.
6. Use a firewall. For example, most modern desktop computers have a firewall built in which acts as a barrier between your device and malicious software and hackers. These can bar from entry or filter out any attempts to access to your system without your approval.
7. Encrypt files. If you have sensitive files on your computer, consider encrypting them so you can avoid having them fall into the wrong hands if your system does get compromised.
8. Remove sensitive or confidential information from your device before using hotspots. This is the safest way of ensuring that your valuable data isn’t compromised when connecting to hotspots.

• Have a website: It’s a good idea to have a solid website with information about your company, contact information, products and services. Most potential customers will look at your website after looking searching for you online, and before they choose to do business with you, so your website needs to provide the relevant information they are looking for. If you don’t have a website, or feel yours is lacking, it’s easier than ever to get a professional looking site. With a quick search you will be able to find some competent designers.
• Get educated: It will be beneficial to educate yourself on current trends regarding social media. This can be done by simply going to social media websites, taking the free introduction tours and reading blogs related to the sites. Beyond that you should also research your competitors’ websites and Internet presence. Observe what content they have online, and more importantly: what they don’t have. It will also help to connect with and observe industry experts, see what they post online, and note the style and tone they use. This will help provide you with a sound knowledge base from which you can then create a more effective online presence.
• Set goals: As with any step in business, you should have a plan with realistic goals. Aim for results that are achievable for your company. If you’re a small, local IT company that focuses on providing support for banks, don’t expect to have the same massive hype that Microsoft and Apple do. Clearly set objectives and review periodically.
• Develop a focus: In real life, you can’t be all things to all people. The same goes for social media. You need to develop a focus on what type of online content you would like to share. You should aim to create content that your customers will want to share with people.
• Stake a claim: You should to go to the main social media websites – Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube – and reserve your personal and business usernames. This is important because it will make you look more professional by having the same username across all sites, and users will be able to find you easier.
• Ask for help if you need it: While some companies make social media sound easy, it can be deceptively hard to master. If you feel lost, or are having a tough time with it, there are knowledgeable consultants out there who are happy to help.

Don’t just take my word for it – hear what other respected leaders have to say about this book…

“What I like best about The Fred Factor is that Fred’s story is true! In addition to Fred’s own story, the book introduces us to many other real people making a difference in the world. I urge you to do something special for others and yourself – incorporate the Fred Factor in your life.” – John C. Maxwell, Author of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

“Mark Sandborn is a phenomenal speaker and an outstanding storyteller.  This work is a superb extension of his wisdom and substance.  It’ll only take you a few minutes to read but it’s guaranteed to give you a lifetime of value. Enjoy the book and share it with everyone in your organization for maximum benefit.” – Nido R. Qubein, Chairman, Great Harvest Bread Company & President of Highpoint University

For more details, call Betsy at 678-730-5527 or visit http://www.mis-solutions.com/about-us/referral-program.

Start Time: 2:00pm EST

End Time: 3:00pm EST OR until all questions are answered, whichever comes first. 

This webinar is open to all Greenlight clients. 

On the call you will learn: What is cloud computing in simple, non-geek speak language, FAQs about security, what does it cost, what happens if the Internet goes down, and top reasons companies are considering moving to the cloud. To register, got to: http://budurl.com/June13Webinar, call Betsy Wynkoop at 678-730-5527, or email at bwynkoop@mis-solutions.com. Space is limited and Registration is required.

  Sandy is a 14-year old German Shepherd Lab mix that came into our life when my husband and I were dating in college. She was found in a dumpster with her sister where they were dropped off near our apartment complex. We took them to the vet and got their wounds treated and the necessary shots. We found a home for her sister and we decided to keep Sandy.

  She is scared of most things like thunderstorms, rain, and loud noises, but she is the one dog I would consider to be the protector of our family. When I was pregnant with our son, she would follow me everywhere and when he was born she would stay in his room as if she was guarding him from any harm.

  Sandy can be found in the kitchen most times in the chance that a scrap of food can be found. When we have dinner guests over, she likes to snuggle her head in their lap for a chance that would give her a bite. Most people can’t resist her big brown eyes and her Oscar-winning sad face.

  This past March, there was a mass the size of a grapefruit in her spleen. She had to have emergency surgery but we are very excited to report that the mass was not cancer. She is healing and is starting to act like herself again.

   Thanks Shannon and Jason for sharing Sandy with our readers of Tech Times. As this month’s Grand Prize Winner, Sandy won a $40.00 Treat Basket from Pooch N Paws Pet Boutique and Barkery in Suwanee and she will be featured on our MIS Blog. 

If you want free stuff for your fabulous pet, enter one of these 4 ways:

1. Call Betsy at 678-730-5527

2. Email at bwynkoop@mis-solutions.com

3. Checkout the enclosed Pet Contest Flyer

4.  Go online to https://budurl.com/petofthemonth and submit your pet’s picture and story.