I’m sure I’m not the only person who is very happy to see the end of 2020.
Even though the year has been challenging, to say the least, I’m super proud of our team members and how they’ve hunkered down so that we could continue to provide the best possible IT services to our clients!
I’m also very grateful for our wonderful clients. Supporting remote workers and adjusting for on-site precautionary requirements has been tough. During this time, our clients have been patient and supportive of us as we’ve worked to enable them with technology as they’ve had to shift operations.
Plan for the Future and Adjust as Needed
Have you started your 2021 planning?
Seems like a silly question, but many of us put off long-term planning in favor of 90-day planning. It’s hard for many business owners to see out into the future much farther than that, so planning typically happens quarterly.
Here at Accent, we’ve decided that 2020 is over and we have two days on the calendar so that we can plan for 2021. We know there’s a good chance that our plans could be derailed again by our state or federal government, but we must plan as if things get better and adjust course as necessary throughout the year.
Actually, this past year showed us just how much we can adjust and still move forward. Most of the IT-related issues that came up in 2020 were figured out by our team members.
Cyber Crime Epidemic During the Pandemic
Did you know that cybercrime via malicious emails has increased 600% during the pandemic.
I understand that sometimes it seems like IT professionals are crying wolf about security, but the truth is that cybercrime is real, and the old rules no longer apply. Hackers will always be one step ahead of the security industry because they have a vested interest in the payback.
The technology the bad guys use is evolving at the same speed as business technology is evolving (if not even more rapidly).
There’s a new baseline for must-have security measures.
Beyond the normal patches and malware detection, organizations must deploy security tactics that include Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) and Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR). Without these advanced security tactics, cyber criminals will see your business much like a street criminal sees a car with unlocked doors. Let’s do our best to keep them locked out!
Let’s make 2021 a great year!
Marty
