The Leading Edge - Summer 2011 - PKF - 13

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EMPLOYEE-OWNED DEVICES CAN MEAN MORE TROUBLE

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More than half of information technology leaders in the United States believe that employee-owned mobile devices pose a greater risk to a business than company-supplied mobile devices, according to a new member survey by ISACA, a professional IT governance association. However, 27 percent of respondents said they still believe the benefits outweigh the risks. “BYOD (bring your own device) presents both opportunities and threats,” says John Pironti, advisor with ISACA and president of IP Architects. “It lets employees and organizations take advantage of technology innovations at limited cost to the organization. Unfortunately, it also introduces new vulnerabilities due to the limited ability of most organizations to effectively manage and secure employeeowned devices accessing their information infrastructure.” Pironti advises organizations to educate their employees on their BYOD security requirements and implement a comprehensive mobile device policy that aligns with the organization’s risk profile.

MORE SOCIAL MEDIA: IT CAN HELP WIN NEW CUSTOMERS
The last year has seen a rise in U.S. companies using social networks to win new business, according to Regus, a global workplace solutions company. According to a survey of more than 17,000 managers and business owners, 43 percent of U.S. firms are successfully using social networking to win new customers, up eight percentage points from last year’s survey. The survey also shows more firms are using social media to engage existing customers, with 50 percent of businesses in the United States using social media platforms such as Twitter to engage, connect with and inform existing customers. Sixty-nine percent of U.S. businesses and 74 percent of international businesses say social media plays a bigger role today in their marketing strategy. Furthermore, 64 percent of U.S. businesses and 61 percent of international businesses believe successful marketing campaigns need to balance traditional and digital techniques.

BUSINESS CREDIT CARDS: MANAGE THEM BETTER
Your organization likely relies on credit cards to facilitate day-to-day expenses. The Better Business Bureau and CapitalOne Financial Corp. recently created a guide that can help with that. Among the tips offered (www.bbb.org/credit-management): Use the expense tracking feature. Most business credit cards provide expense reports divided into categories that make it easy to track spending and report expenses for your taxes. Recognize higher limits. A business credit card may have higher spending limits than a personal card, which can help with monthly cash flow. Make sure to separate your business expenses from your personal expenses to simplify reporting. Have employee-specific cards. Business cards for your employees enable your organization to establish pre-set spending limits and streamline expense tracking and travel reimbursement. Strengthen credit. A good history of managing a business credit card can help build your business credit record and improve your profile when applying for a business loan or line of credit. Research the added protection and perks. Explore the added benefits the card can offer such as travel insurance and auto rental insurance for you and your employees. It also sometimes offers airport lounge memberships, concierge services, reward programs, cash rebates and other benefits.
LEADING EDGE 13

The Leading Edge - Summer 2011 - PKF

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