After several long weeks of lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are finally signs of things beginning to open back up again.
While New Jersey is still largely on lockdown at the moment, 44 states are reopening various businesses. Governor Murphy stated in early May that allowing more NJ businesses to open with social-distancing guidelines was being considered.
For business owners, that’s a welcome glimmer of light on the horizon… and now the planning begins.
Planning for reopening safely, planning for rebooting equipment that has been shut down for weeks, and planning for a new reality in which the coronavirus is still very much on everyone’s minds.
When it comes to your on-site technology and ensuring it’s ready for both your employees and your customers, the attention you give now to your “back to work” strategy will pay off when it’s time to reopen.
Cover All Your Bases for a Smooth Reopening
When your office or retail location has been shuttered for several weeks due to a pandemic, you can’t just walk in, turn on the lights and be ready to operate as usual.
Here are several tips for ensuring your technology is ready to go, securely and safely, so you can hit the ground running once the okay is given to reopen for business.
As you read through these, you don’t have to feel overwhelmed, Two River Computer can help you get it all figured out and taken care of.
Disinfect Equipment
To ensure employees feel comfortable coming back to work at your business and customers feel secure visiting, you’ll need to disinfect all surfaces, including your computers, keyboard, mice, point-of-sale equipment, and other electronic devices.
Sanitizing electronics takes special care so that the devices aren’t damaged and are not exposed to moisture, bleach, or any cleaning agents that could cause a problem.
This is why you want an IT professional disinfecting your technology equipment and not a cleaning service that is used to cleaning other types of surfaces.
Install Software & Firmware Updates
During the time your office computer, servers, router, and other equipment has been shut down, there have most likely been some updates and security patches that have been issued.
Before your employees begin work as usual, those devices need to be updated to ensure you’re not leaving your business open to a data breach.
Cyber crime complaints to the FBI have more than tripled since the start of the pandemic.
Cyber crime and phishing attacks have increased dramatically, so businesses have to remain vigilant and ensure all security safeguards are in place, such as updates and patches to operating systems, hardware, and software.
Perform Maintenance for Equipment Dormant for 6-8 Weeks
It’s been a long lockdown, which means that most businesses have technology that’s been dormant for 6 weeks or more. When technology has been shut down that long, it’s a good idea to have maintenance performed to ensure it’s in good working condition and ready to face the 40-hour (or more) workweek once again.
If you don’t have maintenance done, you could end up with downtime, something you definitely don’t want right after you’ve opened back up for business.
Socially Distance Workstations & Equipment
Many states are putting social distancing requirements in place for businesses that are opening back up. These include wearing masks and having people distanced at least 6-feet apart.
This could require some major rearranging of your on-site technology infrastructure to ensure everyone is working safely. You’ll want to get help with this from an IT professional (like Two River Computer) so you don’t end up disconnecting network cabling or other important connections that can cause major problems.
Plan for Ongoing Disinfecting of Customer-Facing Electronics
If you have a point-of-sale card reader, touchscreen computers that your customers use, or another customer-facing technology, to ensure everyone’s safety you’ll want to set up regular disinfecting of this equipment.
This will reduce the risk of a coronavirus outbreak happening at your business (which might cause it to have to shut down all over again) and give your customers confidence that they can be safe doing business with you.
You may also want to put your employee devices on a regular disinfecting schedule for the same reasons, to help prevent potential spread of the virus and to give your employees confidence.
Review Your Business Applications and Streamline
If you’re been operating your business with remote employees during the pandemic, you may have found some weaknesses in your technology infrastructure.
Now is a good time to review the applications you’re using to see if they’re as flexible as you need them to be to accommodate on-site and remote staff. This will allow you to get everyone started on a streamlined system and be ready go when your office is reopened.
Need Help Preparing Your Electronics to Get Back to Work?
From disinfecting your devices safely to helping you streamline your use of technology to better serve business needs, Two River Computer is here to help every step of the way.
Contact us today to discuss your reopening strategy. Call 732-747-0020 or reach us online.
