There’s always a bus. If it’s not this bus, it’s the next bus. I can assure you that the bus is coming, and it’s coming for you.
So… what the hell is Mike on about this time? Planning. Proper planning, specifically. And what happens when the proverbial bus comes and hits us.
A bit fatalistic, perhaps, but honest and accurate nonetheless. Are you and your business prepared for when that bus hits?
I want to make sure that, when my bus comes, everyone in my downline knows what I’m working on and where to find it.
It seems so simple and yet, how many of us (and by us I mean you) have those plans in place? It can be something as simple as a shared drive online – saving everything to the cloud of your choice, and making sure all those who need to know how and where to find whatever.
All of this has come to light as I continue to grow into my position as executive director of the Gold Coast Promotional Products Association (www.gcppa.org). I’m a transient… I can be replaced on a moment’s notice (but let’s not give the Board any ideas). For that matter, the Board is also fluid. It changes every year… on whom can we rely four years from now if we need to refer back to what was served in the box lunch at our show in 2018?
The answer? Systems. The Board members or show chairs of the year in question have long since moved on to better things and real lives. They can’t be expected to remember every such finite detail. With proper systems and ways to access them, the work they’ve created can easily continue and keep your business or organization moving forward smoothly.
Of course, some people already know this. Historically, I was (note the past tense) one of those. While my memory may suck, my filing systems are (okay were) impeccable. But you know what? A lot of my files didn’t make the move when I packed up my office. If anyone needed any kind of historical back-up on what color shirt we wore on the Tuesday of Promotions East in 2000, well… you’re S.O.L.
While the “cloud” may be a scary frontier for some, it’s necessary to put aside your fears for the greater good of your business. Problems like missing files and lost history could be avoided by having a shared drive. Yes, in the cloud. This allows access for me (and/or my replacement) to research minutiae, but this also is very appropriate and necessary for the day to day operation of any business.
According to TechTarget, “Cloud file sharing provides end-users with the ability to access files with any Internet-capable device from any location. Usually, the user has the ability to grant access privileges to other users as they see fit. Although cloud file sharing services are easy to use, the user must rely upon the service provider ability to provide high availability (HA) and backup and recovery in a timely manner.”
This means you can maintain one version of your file, while having the ability to retrieve and edit it from your phone, tablet or computer – as long as you have internet access. If you choose the right provider, you will always have backup of your collateral.
Here are some popular and secure ways you can easily and affordably store your business files, so that when the proverbial bus hits, your business wheels continue to turn:
Google Drive For Work: According to its website, “Google Drive for work includes unlimited storage for files, folders, backups and everything important* for $10 per user per month. Sync all your business files, including Microsoft Office files, across your computer, phone, and tablet to access your work whenever you need it. *Accounts with fewer than five users get 1TB of storage/user.”
Microsoft OneDrive: If you’re a PC user, OneDrive is pre-installed on Windows 10, and it works on all your devices. You can access and share files and photos on PC, Mac, Android, and iOS. Pricing can range from $60 up to $150 per year, per user.
Dropbox Business: Like the other cloud storage solutions, some features of DropBox include flexible storage plans, file and version recovery, easily recover deleted files and restore previous file versions. Set link permissions – you can even password-protect your links or set expiration dates to grant temporary access. Pricing ranges from $12.50 to $20 per user per month and go up from there.
That bus is coming for all of us. I hope to be at the airport when it crashes.
Mike Schenker, MAS, is the Executive Director of the Gold Coast Promotional Products Association (GCPPA), as well as “all that” at Mike Schenker, Consulting. He is a promotional industry veteran and member of the Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) Hall of Fame. He can be reached at mike@mikeschenker.com.