Business owners should mind privacy when embracing cloud computing solutions

While many business owners are expected to embrace cloud computing solutions in 2012, there are several measures that these professionals should be aware of in addition to the initial step of contacting a VoIP telephony systems provider that can supervise the process. For example, IT managers often need to consult an expert about the best data backup initiatives that are available given the company’s current infrastructure.

This process is growing in importance due to the rising number of data breaches – which are particularly prevalent in the healthcare industry, but common in nearly every sector – that have comprised the personal information of customers, potentially damaging a company’s reputation for years.

“You are legally, if not morally, obligated to treat your customers’ private personal data respectfully and fairly,” Riva Richmond, a technology and small business writer, wrote in a January 5 piece for Entrepreneur Magazine. “But, protecting customer privacy need not be a drain on your company. Done wisely, it can create customer goodwill and even lift sales, while reducing business and legal risks.”

According to Richmond’s report, the first step businesses need to take when securing their customers’ privacy is to conduct a privacy audit. This entails collecting data and assessing how it’s currently being secured and stored. But, even though this sounds simple, Jule Polonetsky, the director of the Future of Privacy Forum, a think tank based in the nation’s capital, says that due to third-party interference, the amount of data stored on a company’s servers requires a full-time professional.

Due to the fact that small business owners may not be able to afford the services of a full-time professional that can be responsible for data privacy, these individuals may benefit from enlisting the services of a VoIP consulting firm that can provide nationwide support and assistance.

Due to the fact that small business owners may not be able to afford the services of a full-time professional that can be responsible for data privacy, these individuals may benefit from enlisting the services of a VoIP consulting firm that can provide nationwide support and assistance.