Area Patrolled Security
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What the small business needs right now is a new metaphor for doing business. All indications are that we're in an economic restructuring that's here for the long haul: you need a dramatic change that could be implemented next Monday which could save your company thousands of dollars quickly. If you were my CEO and I was your CIO, here are five imaginative approaches to leveraging IT to save you a lot of money in a little time.
1. Lock Asset and Software Purchases.
If you were looking to spend money on acquiring new hardware or software, don't. Cash is king - hang on to it; if anything, the industry will be hurting so bad around Q3 2009 that the consumer will have stronger purchasing power and OEM's will be offering steep discounts to cycle their excess inventory.
2. Reduce/Eliminate Licensing and Service Renewal Commitments.
Eliminate or reduce those recurring fees and charges. I have several dates marked on my calendar to end those recurring charges hitting my card every month for web-based services. Terminate or suspend automated renewals of software licenses, or negotiate a better deal with your provider. If your circuit/telecom term comes due in 2009, talk to your provider about lower-cost, higher-bandwidth options, or, consult with competitors: get more bandwidth at a lower monthly rate to preserve cash-flow.
3. Skype.
Skype offers unlimited calls, unlimited long distance, anywhere in the domestic US. Literally, you can pay $20 for a full year of phone calls for 2009. That's it. Use Skype to reduce cell and land-line calls and switch to a lower-cost mobile plan, saving cash. Calls on Skype can be routed from Skype to my mobile and to Skype Voicemail. Instead of paying your LD and LEC carriers for long distance and local calls - on top of what you're already paying your ISP - leverage your Internet bandwidth. Also, Skype can be used for IM, peer-to-peer calls on the Internet, and for video/audio conferences for up to 20 people. Really: re-think your phone expenses.
4. Efax.
Right now, you're paying at least $35/month for an analog line for the privilege to send/receive faxes on an ordinary fax machine. Ditch the line and throw away the fax: many LEC's offer an electronic fax option that can even keep your existing phone number. They'll receive the fax and route it to you electronically via email. Otherwise, take a look at your local server resources: chances are you're not using an electronic fax solution native to your small business server. As a last resort, think of subscribing to EFax which will route faxes to your email. Save on toner, maintenance of the fax machine, the productivity loss for handling paper documents, and the monthly expense of the fax line.
5. Work Anywhere/Telecommute.
Realistically: the modern knowledge worker can work from anywhere. Enable your team to work from anywhere by simply allowing it through policy; to exercise the privilege, have them sign a release if workman's comp claims trouble your decision-making, and tell them that you'll be reviewing them more frequently to provide corrective action over solo-behaviors. These are dire times: stop worrying about how to do it and just do it! You'll find that you can trust your employees more than you think. Meanwhile, leverage small business resources you might already have with your Windows network like Remote Web Workplace, Terminal Server, and Remote Desktop Services; use Microsoft Office Live, Zoho, or Google Apps for free and consolidate documents online, accessible from anywhere and secure. Limit driving, insurance payments, utility expenses, take advantage of municipal and state tax breaks for offering telecommuting options, move to a 4/10 workweek or offer variable flexibility in schedules to both inspire your employee and give them the flexibility to save a buck or two themselves.
Finally, just because you're cost cutting, don't cut your attention to security. Make sure that holes are patched, terminated employees' network access are suspended, that access to critical documents and files (read: your intellectual property) are patrolled and that confidentiality is maintained. It would take little time for a disgruntled employee to reach inside the network and cause disastrous harm - pay attention to the important details of managing your electronic assets.
By exercising just a few of these ideas, I'm sure there's some substantial cost savings to be had. Bold, innovative approaches to the way you do your business may very well be your saving grace when it comes to controlling expenses, as well as give you a leg up on the competition.
Russell Mickler works a technology consultant in Vancouver, WA, USA. With over fourteen years of experience, Mickler teaches for numerous colleges and universities, and earned a CISSP, MCSE, and a Masters Degree in Information Technology. His website can be found at http://www.micklerandassociates.com he can be contacted at mickler@micklerandassociates.com
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