By David Singletary
As we all continue to face the abrupt changes in the way in which we work and the pressures on all of us to keep our businesses going during this crisis, I want to share with you some key insights and things to continue to think about as we move through this “remote” time.
Please know that I along with our team are here to help you in any way that we can. There are some key elements that each of us needs to ensure are in place to create the most effective way for all of us to keep things moving as best that we can.
Below are some of the items that we have been working through at Wiss along with the types of problems that I have been assisting our Clients with:
- Make sure all employees have the capability and effectiveness to work from home. This is turning out to be a crucial step now. The most effective way to accomplish this is to operate using a secured VPN. A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, allows you to create a secure connection to another network over the Internet. VPNs can be used to access region-restricted websites, shield your browsing activity from prying eyes on public Wi-Fi, and more. If you need help with this, please contact us as we can put you in touch witha trustworthy VPN provider. As an example, Cisco’s Connect AnyConnect is a popular paid VPN option, but there are others we can discuss.
- We have to make sure your current network setup can handle the increased traffic. If you are having difficulties, there are ways in which we can fix this immediately.
- It is essential that you are backing up your data. If you don’t have a backup plan in place, please contact us and we will help you through this.
- Unfortunately, during times like these, “bad people” will try to take advantage of our weaknesses. It is important that you communicate to everyone in the organization to be even more mindful of security threats, phishing schemes and email scams.
- Extra communication is key. Be proactive. Set up periodic check-ins with your team to address any concerns.
- There have been great advances in software that help teams collaborate. Products like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Hangouts, Zoom are tools used to communicate and work with virtual teams. We use these as well at Wiss and we are happy to help you get set up.
- Managing cash and keeping your accounting department functioning is critical. This could be difficult when everyone is working remotely. But, there are solutions and ways to do this very effectively. We are currently working with a number of companies to handle and manage things remotely. We can set you up to keep transactions and recordkeeping moving smoothly.
Please know Wiss is here to help and support you. This is an extremely difficult and anxious time for all of us. We are all trying to do our part by keeping our distance so we can all come back stronger when we get through this. But, this is put an enormous strain on your business. We are here to help you, please remember this. Stay safe.