Email & Coffee

Lean and mean has its downside. How many hats can one person wear, anyway? Would you have the same person who stocks privy supplies managing your IT department? Say it ain't so!

Here's a small test. On the surface, the questions are easy enough…

1. Where is your website hosted?
2. How many domain names have your purchased and in whose name are they registered?
3. Where are these domain names registered?
4. When do these domain names come up for renewal?
5. Who manages your email?
6. If you are an eCommerce business, where is your merchant account and how do you access it?
7. What are all your usernames and passwords for online services?

Your virtual assets are your corporate jewels. If you can't answer all the above, you've failed the test and place your business at risk as a result.

You wouldn't pay vendors by handing them your check book, so don't manage your virtual assets by allowing anyone and everyone to control them outright. If you don't have an IT department or at the very least a knowledgeable, responsible manager, hire a service of reputable nature. Make certain that you have absolute control over your domain names, your hosting account, email and other virtual applications. Regularly log into your account(s) to make certain alls well. Keep up-to-date records of all your usernames and passwords.

Finally, if you don't understand techno-babble, learn the very basics to be able to confirm your assets are secured. You have a lawyer, an accountant… hire an IT specialist!