by Mike Peterson | Oct 7, 2024 | Public Service
With Hurricane Milton approaching, now is the time for small businesses along Florida’s west coast—from Tampa to Naples—to double-check their hurricane preparedness plans. Severe storms like Milton can bring dangerous winds, flooding, and prolonged business disruptions. Having the right resources and a plan in place can help your business weather the storm and recover faster.
1. Develop a Quick Hurricane Plan
- Emergency contacts: Ensure you have updated contact lists for employees, vendors, and local emergency services.
- Evacuation routes: Know your area’s evacuation zones and shelter locations.
- Communication strategy: Set up group messaging or email to keep your team informed during the storm.
2. Secure Your Property
- Install storm shutters or board up windows to protect against wind and debris.
- Elevate key equipment: Move important documents and equipment above flood levels and cover with sheet plastic to protect from falling water.
- Clear outdoor areas: Remove anything outside that could become dangerous in high winds.
3. Backup Your Data
- Use cloud storage to ensure vital information is accessible remotely if your physical office is damaged.
- Schedule regular backups to avoid losing data if systems go down.
4. Supply Chain Readiness
- Stock up on essentials: Make sure you have critical supplies ahead of the storm.
- Identify alternative suppliers: Be prepared in case your primary vendors are impacted by the hurricane.
5. Employee Safety First
- Have evacuation procedures ready: Make sure your team knows when and how to evacuate.
- Emergency kits: Equip employees with emergency supplies if sheltering in place is necessary.
6. Plan for Post-Storm Recovery
- Assess damage quickly: After Hurricane Milton passes, inspect your property and systems.
- Temporary work locations: Be ready to work remotely or from a backup location if your office is affected.
- Federal assistance: Explore SBA disaster loans and FEMA assistance to help with recovery.
Key Hurricane Resources for Businesses
Local Resources:
State Resources:
Federal Resources:
Corporate Resources:
Prepare Now for Hurricane Milton
With Hurricane Milton on the horizon, take action to protect your business. Secure your property, back up your data, and make sure your employees are safe. By using these resources and getting your plan in place today, you can weather the storm and get back to business quickly.
At Card Systems, Inc., we understand how critical it is to protect your business during hurricane season. From safeguarding sensitive data to ensuring business continuity, we’re here to provide secure solutions that help you stay prepared. Contact us today to learn how we can help you protect your business before and after the storm. Our office will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, 10/9/24 and 10/10/24, so please contact our tech line at (239) 340-8746 in case of emergencies. For non-emergency communications, please email support@cardsystems.com.
by Mike Peterson | Sep 24, 2024 | Public Service, News Alerts
During hurricane season, businesses in risky areas deal with the issue of protecting their assets and digital infrastructure. Even though you can’t manipulate weather patterns, you still have the ability to create safety measures for your business’s network and POS equipment in case of hurricane damage. Prepare your business for a storm in advance to help you greatly reduce the probability of data loss, hardware damage, and an extended period of downtime. These are some methods for securing your business’s operations against hurricanes.
Backup Your Data: The First Line of Defense
Data is the fundamental asset of modern business operations. Serious problems may come from insufficient access to business financials, proprietary business data, or customer information. The first thing you should do to get ready for a hurricane is to check that your data backups are both recent and safe.
Why Cloud Backups are so Important
Depending only on local backups located on-site is not adequate. In the case of a hurricane, physical backup devices could be wrecked by flooding, fire, or theft. As a result, it’s important to take advantage of offsite backups. Most cloud backup services provide a robust level of protection by having your data stored in secure remote facilities. Also, these services generally have scheduled automated backups that ensure your data is current, and they allow for quick recovery, therefore reducing downtime after a storm.
Pro Tip: You should regularly confirm that your backups can indeed restore successfully. A backup is helpful only if it is functional when you need it to be.
Protect Your Hardware: Physical Safeguards
While it’s important to protect data, don’t forget the necessity of protecting your physical hardware. Flooding, wind, and water damage caused by a hurricane can create pandemonium for your POS, computers, and networking technology.
Ways to Protect Your Equipment
Before the storm hits, take the following precautions to protect your hardware:
- Power Down: Turn off your card readers, POS, computer, server, and every networking device.
- Unplug Everything: Disconnect all devices from electricity to stop electrical damage from either power surges or flooding.
- Elevate Equipment: Position your hardware on raised surfaces to help lower the danger of flood damage.
- Cover with Plastic: Use plastic coverings to defend equipment from both water and debris.
Remember: Should your equipment become wet, do not try to power it on again until a professional has checked it. This step can defend you from causing lasting problems with your devices.
Continue Business with Internet Failover
When a hurricane is happening, you can expect to experience outages in your internet service. For companies that count on internet connectivity to handle payments, communicate, or use cloud services, a blackout in internet connectivity can be a serious issue. However, there is a solution: setting up an internet failover system.
What Is Internet Failover?
Should your main internet service provider (ISP) malfunction, a backup internet connection called internet failover will kick in automatically. This may mean a secondary Internet Service Provider, a cellular data link, or even an internet network that operates through satellites. You can keep your company’s important functions—payment processing, email communications, and cloud application access—running in case of an internet interruption thanks to a failover system.
Benefits of Internet Failover:
- Uninterrupted Payment Processing: Continue to allow credit card payments and keep your point-of-sale systems up and running, even if your main ISP goes down.
- Sustained Communications: Keep your email, VoIP, and messaging systems running properly to maintain communication among staff, vendors, and buyers.
- Access to Cloud Services: Keep backup access to the cloud, applications, and your data to make sure your business runs smoothly.
Pro Tip: Set up your internet failover to change over to the backup connection without human involvement, so your business suffers little to no disturbance.
Other Essential Preparations
In addition to backups, hardware protection, and internet failover, there are more steps you can take to ensure your business is entirely ready for a hurricane.
Create a Contact List
Bring together a listing that covers every emergency contact, which includes every employee, every supplier, and every IT assistance provider. The list needs to include phone numbers, email addresses, in addition to backup methods for contact if the major ones are not available. Share this list with important staff members so that everyone understands how to connect during and following the hurricane.
Notate Your Technology Resources
Prepare an extensive reference document outlining all technology assets, which comprises POS equipment, computers, servers, networking hardware, and the software licenses. Having a duplicate of this inventory either electronically or as a hard copy together with your backups allows for easy access if your equipment is damaged or goes missing.
Tip: Include in your list serial numbers, the dates you purchased, and warranty information. This information will prove useful if you have to file insurance claims.
The Importance of Preparing in Advance
Hurricanes can be unpredictable, but your reaction to them can be planned out. Taking these steps ahead of time can help you drastically reduce the consequences of a hurricane for your business. The objective is twofold: to defend your assets and to be able to restart your operations promptly after the storm has passed.
Fast Recovery Corresponds to Business Continuity
The quicker you recover, the fewer interruptions your business will experience. Having backups available, taking care of your hardware, deploying internet failover, and keeping your inventory and contact list updated enable your business to quickly recover. This kind of readiness both maintains your business’s profits and ensures a strong relationship with clients who depend on what you offer.
When getting ready for hurricanes, it’s important to go beyond shielding your windows and safeguarding your physical holdings; you must also safeguard the digital infrastructure of your business. By embracing these tips, you can achieve a level of hurricane resistance for your business that will protect both your hardware and data from the worst that the storm can bring.
We Can Help Prepare Your Business for a Storm
Don’t wait for a hurricane to be imminent. Today is the day to review your existing disaster recovery plan; if you require help, reach out to Card Systems, Inc. to find out more about our secure backup, internet failover, and hardware protection solutions designed for your business.
by Chandra Spary-Kontinos | Mar 7, 2023 | Marketing, Public Service
Why Supporting Local Businesses Matters
When it comes to shopping, it’s easy to get caught up in the convenience of big-box stores and online retailers. However, supporting local businesses is an important way to help your community thrive. Here are some reasons why you should consider shopping locally:
Local businesses are the backbone of the economy
Small and local businesses are the engines of local economies. They provide jobs, boost economic activity, and help keep money circulating within the community. According to research, 60-70 cents stays within the local economy for every dollar spent at a local business. By supporting local businesses, you’re helping to ensure your community’s long-term health and prosperity.
Local businesses offer unique products and services
One of the great things about local businesses is that they often offer products and services you can’t find anywhere else. Whether it’s a specialty food store, a boutique clothing shop, or a handmade craft store, local businesses are often the go-to places for unique and one-of-a-kind items. By shopping at local businesses, you’re supporting the creativity and individuality of your community.
Local businesses have a personal touch
Local business owners are often deeply invested in their communities. They care about their customers and the quality of their products and services. By shopping at local businesses, you can develop personal relationships with the owners and employees and feel like a valued community member.
Local businesses help reduce environmental impact
Shopping locally can also have a positive impact on the environment. Local businesses often source their products locally, reducing the carbon footprint associated with shipping and transportation. They also tend to use less packaging, meaning less landfill waste.
Local businesses support community organizations.
They will likely be the first to step up and support community organizations and events. Whether sponsoring a local sports team or donating products to a charity auction, local businesses are often the backbone of community support.
So the next time you’re in the market for something, consider checking out local businesses first. You may be surprised at the unique and high-quality products and services they have to offer, and you’ll be doing your part to help your community thrive.
by Chandra | Aug 9, 2019 | News, Public Service
A holistic workplace offers benefits to employers and employees and creates a thriving business environment. Businesses who recognize an employee’s mental well-being create a better work environment and tend to retain valuable employees. Research conducted at the O.C. Tanner Institute suggests six essential elements of a great workplace. Purpose, opportunity, success, appreciation, well-being, and leadership. These elements are shown to improve the attitude and motivation of employees and employers. Savvy business owners are taking steps to create an environment that makes employees want to work and perform well. Companies such as Starbucks recognize this and offer additional benefits such as backup child or elder care.
The Staggering costs of Illness in the workplace
Even smaller businesses, restaurants and retailers are providing employees with emotional and physical support by offering flexible scheduling, group fitness, financial education, and even drug rehabilitation. Holistic programs are especially important in protecting the health of employees. 1 in 3 adults are affected by behaviorally linked health issues, and illnesses cost companies approximately $530 billion every single year. It’s essential to make your employees feel appreciated to maintain a healthy work environment.
What can you do today to make a difference?
- Treat your staff to an impromptu lunch or coffee break
- Give a Gift Card or Gift Certificate for outstanding performance
- Collaborate with your staff on important projects
Simple acts of kindness can motivate your employees to work hard and be productive. Having birthday or holiday parties can make your employees feel respected and build a healthy workplace dynamic. Recognizing the individuality of your employees is essential for you, your employees and your customers. Remember, your employees are the lifeblood of your business and it’s always the little things that make a difference and set you apart from your competition.
Links:
https://www.coalesse.com/blog/the-holistic-approach-to-workplace-wellbeing/
https://blog.wellable.co/unwell-employees-cost-us-employers-530b-in-lost-productivity
by Chandra | Jan 10, 2019 | Dress For Success, Non-Profit News, Public Service
In recent news you may have heard that our community suffered a great loss on New Year’s Day, that loss was our beloved Barbara Dell. Of course, she wasn’t just any woman; she was an entrepreneur and a visionary that turned out to be a true blessing for all the women that walked through the doors at Dress for Success in Southwest Florida.
Barbara was unstoppable. Her presence would light up a room and she was a true inspiration to all women; not just as a leader but also as a friend. She was the type of woman that inspired everyone with her constant passion to help the women of SW Florida turn their lives around.
Our company first became involved with Dress for Success due to the volunteers’ enthusiasm at one of their first Shop for Success events at the Bell Tower in Fort Myers. There was no job too big or too small for any of the volunteers because it was delightful helping a good cause and working under Barbara. Read more here.
She will be truly missed but will live in our hearts forever. We can all commemorate a great woman not only by supporting Dress for Success but other charities as well. Pay it forward for Barbara; she would have wanted it that way.
A celebration of Life held for Barbara at the Broadway Palm on February 8th at 2:00-4:00.
by Chandra | Dec 28, 2018 | Equipment, News Alerts, POS Systems, Public Service
The purpose оf Section 179 in thе tаx соdе is tо givе buѕinеѕѕеѕ thе орроrtunitу to deduct thе entire price оf ѕоftwаrе аnd еԛuiрmеnt рurсhаѕеd during thе еligiblе tаx уеаr inѕtеаd оf write-offs through dерrесiаtiоn. It is designed to еnсоurаgе buѕinеѕѕеѕ tо invеѕt in thеmѕеlvеѕ аnd rесеivе a tax break in еxсhаngе fоr doing ѕо.
It hеlрѕ to undеrѕtаnd exactly how thе tаx соdе wоrkѕ with a real-life еxаmрlе. When a ѕmаll buѕinеѕѕ buуѕ a piece of еԛuiрmеnt оr оthеr need for the business, it саn writе thе соѕt оf the рurсhаѕе off in ѕmаll increments thrоugh dерrесiаtiоn. This iѕ bеnеfiсiаl, but it саn take уеаrѕ tо rесоuр thе full invеѕtmеnt cost. With Section 179, small businesses can writе оff the full рurсhаѕе рriсе in thе same уеаr thаt thеу buу it.
This part of thе tаx соdе еnсоurаgеѕ ѕmаll buѕinеѕѕ owners tо upgrade еԛuiрmеnt аnd ѕоftwаrе ѕinсе thеу knоw thаt thеу саn rесеivе thе full аmоunt in dеduсtiоnѕ fоr the уеаr thаt thе рurсhаѕе wаѕ made. Thiѕ hеlрѕ bоth thе business оwnеr аnd stimulates the оvеrаll есоnоmу.
There are limits tо Sесtiоn 179 tо рrеvеnt аbuѕе аnd еnѕurе that it funсtiоnѕ thе wау it was originally intеndеd. Thе tоtаl аmоunt that саn bе written off iѕ limited to $500,000 fоr 2018, аnd thе total рurсhаѕе рriсе саnnоt exceed $2,000,000. Thе dеduсtiоn ѕtill applies bеуоnd $2,000,000, but it рhаѕеѕ оut on a dоllаr-fоr-dоllаr bаѕiѕ. Thiѕ еnѕurеѕ that thе bеnеfit trulу dоеѕ help the small аnd medium buѕinеѕѕ owners аѕ оriginаllу intеndеd. Lаrgе businesses benefit in аnоthеr wау ѕinсе they саn tаkе a bоnuѕ dерrесiаtiоn of 50 реrсеnt оn any аmоuntѕ thаt exceed thе $2,000,000 thrеѕhоld.
Any business thаt buys, lеаѕеѕ or finances less thаn $2,000,000 in either uѕеd or nеw equipment during thе tаx year is eligible tо bеnеfit frоm Sесtiоn 179. If thе business is unрrоfitаblе for thе year and dоеѕn’t рrоduсе аnу taxable inсоmе, they can ѕtill bеnеfit by uѕing thе рurсhаѕе fоr a futurе уеаr’ѕ tаx bеnеfit when thе buѕinеѕѕ еаrnѕ a profit. Quаlifуing рurсhаѕеѕ must be рut intо ѕеrviсе аnd used in the buѕinеѕѕ аt some роint bеtwееn Jаnuаrу 1ѕt and Dесеmbеr 31ѕt оf the tаx уеаr tо соunt fоr thе dеduсtiоn. Mоѕt gооdѕ qualify for thе dеduсtiоn inсluding mасhinеѕ, реrѕоnаl рrореrtу uѕеd in thе buѕinеѕѕ, buѕinеѕѕ vehicles, соmрutеrѕ, ѕоftwаrе, office furniture аnd equipment.
Now is the perfect time to make those investments in inventory, office equipment or even a new Point of Sale System that can help grow your business and reduce your tax bill. Check with your CPA to see how the Section 179 Deduction can benefit your business..
