Downloading software and using desktop programs is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Like the general public, small business owners have also been moving more of their activities online. Whether it’s using online referral software or simply storing client information; what used to sit in a briefcase or on a hard-drive is moving online.
Not only is storing information online very convenient because you can access it anywhere there is an internet connection, but transferring that information is also more secure.
Some professionals are still hesitant about putting information online. Words like “hacker” and “phishing” come to mind. Actually, much of this fear is unfounded and you are more likely to lose, destroy, or have a hard-copy of your information stolen.
There’s a popular story about a well known CPA who had such a disaster. This CPA had high net-worth clients and plenty of them too. One day she had asked an assistant of hers to mail a flash drive to her second office. This flash drive had a lifetime worth of information, not to mention her client’s personal information. When the CPA picked up her package she noticed a hole in the bottom! The mail sorting machine had squeezed the drive out of the package! Both the assistant and the CPA probably wish they had stored the information online.
Of course you need to use some common sense when storing personal information online. Is the place where you’re storing this information professional, secure, and reputable?
You can use Referral Key to safely store and access client and associate contact information. You can check the small business directory to see what other professionals are using the service.
