December 2016 Newsletter

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A Message of Gratitude 

It just amazes me how fast the years are passing us by. It seems like only yesterday that we were toasting in 2005, yet here we are with just a few short weeks left on the 2016 calendar!

That’s why I want to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for your patronage and loyalty, and to thank you for being a DP Solutions customer.

I realize that you have a lot of choices when it comes to choosing a technology partner. Yet, you have been loyal to DP Solutions and we are very grateful for it. To that end, we are going to do our best in the coming years to continue to earn your loyalty by providing the absolute best services we can.

We look forward to serving you in 2016 and wish you and your family health, happiness, and good fortune.

Lost Employee Smartphone? Do This!

"Hey boss, I lost my smartphone.” 

How well have you prepared for this moment? It will happen sooner or later. If your company has a plan in place, no big deal. If not, you may suddenly get that sinking feeling in your gut…

And well you might. You now have three big worries:

Compliance Issues – If your employee had access to information covered by any number of regulations, your company could be subject to stiff penalties. One employer we know of wound up with a $900,000 fine.

Data Security – Sensitive company data in the wrong hands could spell disaster. Access to your network, secure sites, proprietary files, work-related e-mails and corporate secrets may now be out of your control. You must move quickly to prevent serious financial harm.

Employee Privacy and Property Concerns – If a valued employee had family photos and movies on the device, and you remotely delete all data on the phone, you may now have a disgruntled, or even uncooperative, employee. Especially if company policy regarding BYOD (bring your own device) and data loss were not clearly stated and agreed to up-front.

So how do you prevent a relatively minor incident from blowing up into a big problem? Here are seven smart measures you can take right now to prepare for the day an employee smartphone is lost or stolen:

1. Install a mobile device management (MDM) system on any employee device to be used at work. This software can create a virtual wall separating work data from personal. It facilitates any security measures you wish to impose. And to protect employee privacy, it can limit company access to work data only.
   
   
2. Determine which devices will be allowed and which types of company data people may access from them.
   
   
3. Require that employees agree with an Acceptable Use Policy before they connect to your network. Make sure these include notice as to conditions in which company data may be “wiped” – i.e., destroyed. Also include specific policies regarding device inspection and removal of company records.
   
   
4. Put strong data protection practices in place. Require use of hard-to-crack passwords and auto-locking after periods of inactivity. Establish protocols for reporting lost or stolen devices. Mandate antivirus and other protective software as well as regular backups.
   
   
5. Designate someone at your company to authorize access to software and critical data. This person can also be your main point of contact for questions about BYOD policy and practices. It might also work well to distribute a resource page or FAQ document to your employees.
   
   
6. Establish a standard protocol for what to do when a device is lost or stolen. Both Android and iOS phones have features that allow device owners to locate, lock and/or “wipe” all data on their phones. Make sure your policy requires that these features are set up in advance. Then, when a device is lost or stolen, your employee can be instructed to take appropriate action according to your protocol in order to protect company data.
   
   
7. And finally, your best protection is to implement a well-crafted BYOD policy in advance. Develop it in partnership with risk management and operations personnel, as well as legal counsel and IT professionals, to come up with an effective and comprehensive plan.

Don’t risk waiting until an incident occurs!
Know where you stand right now with a free BYOD consultation with one of our specialists.  We’ll review your BYOD policy with you to make sure it covers all bases. No BYOD policy yet? No problem. We’ll help you get started to develop a “bulletproof” BYOD policy to keep your data safe.

Contact us today at sales@dpsolutions.com, or call 410-720-3300, to schedule your initial consultation at absolutely no cost or obligation to you. We offer this complimentary service to give you a taste of our high degree of professionalism, and as a way of caring for our community.

Do not delay on this – it is a serious vulnerability that can and must be addressed in order to assure the safety of your company’s data
and systems. 

Guest Article

4 Steps to Become a More Genuine Leader

Andy Bailey

Communication is a skill – one that needs to be practiced to be perfected in a leader. And the root of all effective communication is honesty.

Unfortunately, CEOs and business owners often think that means totally unfiltered “brutal honesty” – however insensitive or accusatory. It’s no surprise that this method usually backfires and, over a sustained period of time, can lead to disheartened employees, high turnover and a lack of trust in management. But it doesn’t have to be that way. When honest communication is positive and constructive, it helps leaders build and maintain strong, loyal teams.

Here are four steps to open up lines of communication and become the “honesty standard leader” for your team:

1. Show the “real you” – Do people see who you really are, or are you playing a role? The fact is, people can see through your “act” more easily than you think. And those around you deserve to know the real you – not just the image you want to present as “the boss.” Admit that you’re human and share vulnerabilities with your team. Be honest about who you are and what’s going on in your life (the good and the bad), and your team will actually trust you more. They’ll begin to share their own stories and become more cohesive.
   
   
2. Take time to listen – You’re a leader. You’ve made it your business to do things the way you envision them in order to start your own company and make your dreams a reality. However, that doesn’t mean you should block out advice from others – especially when it’s coming from your employees. Open yourself up to honest criticism and invite feedback about areas you may be overlooking. By trusting your employees with that kind of critique and seeking solutions that will benefit everyone, you’ll begin to encourage higher levels of truth in the workplace and gather the best ideas.
   
   
3. Surround yourself with honest people – Are you surrounded with lots of “yes” men and women? If people are just telling you what they think you want to hear, there is no benefit – least of all to your business. Ask for regular “truth checks” with your team. Are they providing ideas freely – especially those that might differ from yours – or do they hesitate to voice their opinions? Surround yourself with people bold and truthful enough to disagree with you. Without dissenting opinions, you’ll never exit your comfort zone, which will limit your personal and professional growth.
   
   
4. Accept your imperfections – You may be the one in charge, but you will never have all the answers. No one person can handle everything, and that includes you. Gather a team of truthful people who balance out your weaknesses with their strengths. Empower them to do what they do best, and play to everyone’s strengths – including your own.

Don’t hesitate to be vulnerable and open up in a genuine way with your employees. Genuine leaders don’t need to be “brutal” – just honest. Try it. Your employees – and you – will notice the difference.