5 Tips to Protect Customer Data During the Holiday Season

How can a managed service provider (MSP) help its customers protect their sensitive data during the holiday season? Here are five tips to ensure you can safeguard customer data throughout the holiday season and into 2016.

Dan Kobialka, Contributing writer

December 22, 2015

2 Min Read
5 Tips to Protect Customer Data During the Holiday Season

Christmas is rapidly approaching — but is your customers’ sensitive information safe? IT security remains a top concern for many IT professionals, which is reflected in recent data.

The June 2015 Spiceworks Voice of IT survey revealed about three-quarters of IT professionals considered their organizations at risk for technology, IT security and man-made disasters or incidents. 

In addition, 60 percent of respondents said they believe their organizations are not adequately investing in IT security.

Managed service providers (MSPs), however, can help customers improve their security and safeguard their sensitive data throughout the holiday season and into 2016.

Here are five tips for MSPs to help customers safeguard their sensitive data at all times:

  1. Educate your customers — Discuss security dangers, and how you can help minimize such issues, with your customers. By doing so, you can alleviate customers’ IT security fears. 

  2. Work with your customers — What types of data do your customers need to protect? Evaluate various data protection options to ensure each customer can find the right option that meets its IT security needs.  

  3. Deploy tests — Is your customers’ data safe against malware, viruses and other cyber threats? An MSP can help its customers assess their data security measures.

  4. Promote BDR — Encourage your customers to leverage cloud-based backup and disaster recovery (BDR) services. Cloud-based BDR services can deliver long-lasting value because they ensure customers can access their sensitive information even if their on-premises systems stop working. 

  5. Offer specialized services — A recent Webroot survey revealed nearly one-third of IT professionals juggle security along with  other IT responsibilities. With an MSP, an organization can outsource its IT security to a specialist that will deliver cybersecurity assistance at all times.

Provide your customers with the security support they need, and you’ll be able to ensure their sensitive data is protected throughout the holiday season and into 2016. 

What are your thoughts on IT security? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below, via Twitter @dkobialka or email me at [email protected].

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About the Author

Dan Kobialka

Dan Kobialka

Contributing writer, Penton Technology

Dan Kobialka is a contributing writer for MSPmentor and Talkin' Cloud. In the past, he has produced content for numerous print and online publications, including the Boston Business Journal, Boston Herald and Patch.com. Dan holds a M.A. in Print and Multimedia Journalism from Emerson College and a B.A. in English from Bridgewater State College (now Bridgewater State University). In his free time, Kobialka enjoys jogging, traveling, playing sports, touring breweries and watching football (Go Patriots!).  

See more from Dan Kobialka
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