Cyber Security has jumped to one of the top of executive priorities - from large enterprises to small businesses.  Since the sales team handles sensitive customer and company information on a daily basis, they should be a high priority focus to help reduce and prevent cyber crime.

Here are 5 Top Sales Team Best Practices that are easy to implement this next quarter:

1. Implement a Password Manager for all applications
   Most sales reps still write passwords on yellow stickies and place them on or in their desks at the office and at home. They typically use a couple of poorly designed passwords on all their business and personal accounts. Password Managers are applications that create, store encrypted passwords and enter them for each employee. They also help your sales team create very strong passwords for each business application. 
    
2. Use WiFi Wireless VPN Technology
   Sales professionals and managers use unsecured WiFi connections and are attacked every day. The free Starbucks, McDonalds, Conferences, Trade Shows, Customer password-free guest WiFi connections and the Airport WiFi systems can be used to break into your team's devices and your sales systems. You can now add low-cost VPN (virtual private network) wireless technology to laptops, smartphones and tablets.  VPN encrypts all your employee WiFi internet connections to your business.
    
3. Encrypt Data on all laptops (also on Smartphones and Tablets)
   All your sales laptops disc drives should have their data encrypted. This is especially important if you store customer financial and credit card information.  All Apple laptops and desktops have a built-in encryption option. You can also buy highly-rated encryption software for your Windows and Android products.
    
4. Turn on 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) for Applications, if available
   This is a newer security process for many cloud-based apps that is being used more and more to improve security.  This technology reduces the risk of your account being compromised.  For more details, go to 2FA in wikipedia.
    
5. Cyber Security Mini-Workshops - minimum of 2 times per year
   Most sales professionals are not aware of or forget top cyber security best practices.  You should establish regular but brief cyber security training for all existing and new employees. Well trained sales teams are one of the least expensive and fastest way to help protect your company.

Please contact us if you have any questions and feel free to share your own cyber security best practices in the comments section below.  

Photo credit: Ambro at freedigitalphotos