Intelligent SME.tech Issue 15 | Page 30

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// FEATURE //

Farhad Suleman , CEO , Simpli Connect

THERE ARE FIVE KEY
TECHNOLOGICAL AREAS THAT BUSINESSES SHOULD BE FOCUSING THEIR ATTENTION ON
IN 2022 AND BEYOND .
SMBs can take to mitigate the risks and minimise the damages once the inevitable attacks occur . To start , it is important to backup all important data onto offline devices . Secondly , SMBs needs to make sure all computer devices are protected by an endpoint security solution and regularly updated with the latest patches and up-todate signatures . This will stop most casual and previously known attacks . But , for the more targeted or zero-day attacks , SMBs will need to have a robust recovery plan once systems are compromised .
A good backup solution is the most basic ransomware recovery tool . Nevertheless , backup is often not sufficient to bring the company back online quickly and restoring down computers from backup may take days , or even weeks . It is critical to have a recovery system that can clean up ransomware and restore data in all systems quickly .
If the business finds the steps of protecting digital assets too overwhelming and difficult to follow , they can hire a consulting firm or a Managed Security Service to manage and train the employees and operate the security systems for them .
FARHAD SULEMAN , CEO , SIMPLI CONNECT
There are a plethora of technologies that businesses have to choose from today , however , I feel that there are five key technological areas that businesses should be focusing their attention on in 2022 and beyond . These key areas will set businesses apart and will also help to ensure long term longevity , survival and dynamism .
The first area is digital enablement , which is a process of streamlining business operations using a variety of digital solutions . This indirectly implies Digital Transformation , however , in its truest sense , digital enablement is a way to build organisational capabilities to support the increasingly discerning , digital and on-demand customer . By focusing on the end customer and their needs and how to streamline meeting these needs efficiently , it will inevitably translate into accelerated organisational growth .
One must not lose sight of the importance of creating trust in a digital world . Customers can be very precisely targeted using digital tools based on demographics , however how do you gain and retain trust ? Customers must know that their data is safe with you and consent to you having it . They must also feel that your digital platform is safe to transact on when it comes to any kind of purchasing .
We all know that change is a constant – do you have contingencies in place for unprecedented events ? Are your products and services evolving to meet changing needs ? Organisations must ensure that they have systems and processes in place to support new on demand customers and fulfil their needs . This goes hand in hand with scenario planning , disaster management and digital enablement .
To date the Internet is the largest decentralised communication system created . Looking ahead to Web 3.0 , humans , machines and businesses will be able to trade value , information and work with global counterparties they don ’ t know or trust , without an intermediary . As it stands , the Internet can be seen to be trustless , selfgoverning , distributed and permissionless . So , I view Web 3.0 as the fourth technology that will change the way businesses operate .
Finally , Decentralised Autonomous Organisations ( DAOs ) turn the traditional organisational structure on its head by offering real , equitable and agile frameworks for the companies of the future . Businesses looking to scale could use tokenisation to get stakeholders on board to build the company and share in the decision making , profits and ultimately the future of the company . Free from traditional Venture Capital ( VC ) or Private Equity ( PE ) funding and the associated constraints .
JULIEN FOURIOT , SALES DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA , CROSSCALL
Mobile technologies could well be the levers that accelerate economic growth on the continent . Despite the economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on African economies there is no doubt that the
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