Lessons Learned: Secure Your Business

Some problems we face constantly, like dealing with incumbent local exchange carriers.  Others, we may think are solved but we can learn the hard way that they aren’t.

Business security is one of those latter areas, particularly for new CLECs. You may ask why should a CLEC be concerned about security.  But security is important to your business since it protects your employees, your customers and your data.  This is an area in which many incumbents have an advantage since they long have been involved in the issue ― and have learned their lessons the hard way.

Many new companies view security as the old way of doing business. They want their employees to feel free to come and go. They want to foster an open atmosphere of cooperation and sharing. They view security as an evil demon that is best kept away. The companies forget they have moral and legal responsibilities and liability.

Why do people protect their home or car with security devices and insurance? They do so to assure they will not suffer an unintentional loss.  Businesses buy liability insurance to protect themselves if someone is hurt. They obtain bonding to protect them from acts of omissions. But many companies don’t provide self-protection service that assures their employees are aware of the risks and responsibilities they hold.

Maybe you see yourself in these examples:

• A CLEC leases several floors in a multi-story business office building and shares a common area with other businesses. Employees do not have identification badges.  Temporary help staff the reception area and other personnel change on a regular basis. Anyone can enter the company’s premises and search for confidential information such as employee phone books, the latest marketing plan, system issues, or login information to key systems.
• Another company issues passcards to all employees but doesn’t require employees to keep them visible.  Instead, many workers place them in wallets or purses when not used to gain access.  Also, when employees are tired of using the passcards, they prop doors open, which entirely defeats a passcard system.
• An employee leaves the company. The company has no procedures about deactivating the system access for that employee. That employee continues to have access to internal confidential information and can perform changes to systems.

These are only a few examples that CLECs face everyday. In each of these examples, the potential loss is unimaginable. How do you place a value on a compromised marketing strategy? What is the loss value if someone walks out your door with unreleased financials? Or the impact on your customers if a disgruntled employee starts canceling or changing services after he’s left for good.

Security costs money, but not having security can cost far more.  Many older telecommunication companies have experienced these types of losses, which is why they have implemented tighter security measures. Picture identification must always be displayed. Access to any part of the building is logged and controlled by electronic passcards. Employees are provided regular security awareness communications. Some companies hire guards, who watch and check every employee and visitor.

We all live and learn and one lesson new CLECs should learn in a hurty is to secure your business, its employees, its customers and its data.  This is a  critical success item. Whether or not employees like the idea, the simple fact that not having a secured environment is akin to opening up your home to strangers.  Security awareness can have a positive impact on your bottom line.

Jim Marsh is a senior consultant for The Management Network Group, a telecom consulting organization.  Jim has worked in telecom for 15 years and is an expert in revenue assurance, risk management and fraud. Jim speaks and writes on improving operational systems and functions to improve bottom lines.