Losing It: The Value of a Good Backup
Scott Bidwell, President/COO

Before you read any further, I'd like you to do something. Take your backup – right now – and restore from it. How'd it go? Are you more, or less confident, that should your business experience data loss, it would be easily recovered? Consider these statistics:

I am still surprised at the number of businesses – especially those in the RIM industry – that do not have a reliable backup system in place, or only keep a copy onsite. In a given year here at ASI, I estimate we are contacted by clients who say they've lost their data no fewer than five times. We work closely with them to reconstitute their systems out of legacy data. Sometimes we're successful – more often, there's just not a lot of data available to pull together.

Not testing the integrity of your backup system is like writing the most important piece of information in your life on a chalkboard and I walk up and erase it. How are you going to get it back? You're not. It's gone, unless you happen to remember it or made a copy of it. If the data is important, it's critical that you have an off-site copy. No one expects a fire or flood, but the reality is that they do occur (think of recent events in Nashville, Tennessee), as do manmade disasters due to human error, virus attacks and so forth. Take the recent McAfee update that crippled thousands of customers' computers. This occurred because an antivirus signature update wrongly quarantined a critical Windows system file after identifying it as a low-threat virus. Computers crippled by the update crashed and rebooted repeatedly and lost their network connections – and data.

All of this points to just how imperative it is that your business exercise smart data management by implementing a reliable data backup system and testing it rigorously – and often. Data is the life blood of your business. Once a month, set aside time to test your backup, usually no more than four hours. Make this part of the permanent schedule each month. Also, switch it up and do “backup drills” like fire drills where you unexpectedly ask for a restore to a work station. Your business is too important not to do everything possible to protect it.

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ASI Users Seminar Brochure Arrives in June

Look for the complete ASI 2010 Users Seminar brochure next month, providing complete details for this year's information-packed event. To be held September 14-15, 2010 at the beautiful Hyatt Regency Cleveland at The Arcade, this year's agenda features sessions to help you manage all aspects of your business better, smarter and with an eye toward a healthy bottom line.

Make plans now to attend this important event. Click here to book your room online. If you prefer to make your reservation by phone, call:

Toll-free: 1-888-421-1442 or 1-402-592-6464.

If booking by phone, be sure to mention you are attending the Andrews Software Users Seminar to receive the specially negotiated room rate.

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PRISM Conference a Winner in Reno

If you attended the PRISM Annual Conference and Tradeshow in Reno May 11-14, you're probably still sorting through the mounds of industry info gathered from the many educational sessions, as well as from exhibitors (like ASI) on the exhibit floor.

If you were not able to attend, you missed another excellent industry event where the education and networking opportunities are hard to beat. The ASI team enjoyed hosting a Roundtable Discussion on Thursday, May 13th entitled "Are You in the Shredding Business?" This interactive session, led by Scott Bidwell, discussed avenues for selling to new and existing customers, the different types of services being provided in the industry and the ingredients needed to provide these services.

This was just one of many forums provided to share information with friends and colleagues. Congratulations to PRISM International Executive Director Jim Booth, along with Melissa and the entire PRISM staff for hosting another outstanding event.

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Make Plans to Attend Shred Workshop June 15-16

Instruction that is interactive and energetic is what you can expect from Total Training Services. With their Shred School seminars already well established and highly regarded, Ray Barry and his team will host "Shredding the Competition" Workshop in Chicago, Illinois on June 15th and 16th.

ASI's Jim MacMillan will lead a discussion entitled "Utilizing Technology to Stand Apart from the Crowd." This is one of many valuable sessions that are part of this unique event designed to provide practical information and innovative tools to help shredding start-ups and veterans alike. Click here for the full agenda.

To register or for more information, call Total Training Services directly at  864-699-0701 or send an email to raybarry@totaltrainingservices.com.

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Know Your Customer: 4 Tips for Increasing Your Customer Retention Rate
Colleen Francis , connectITnews.com

It's much easier -- and more profitable -- to keep an existing customer than it is to land a new one. Don't believe me? Just look at the numbers.

Research tells us that most North American companies lose half of their customers every five years. We also know that as little as a five-percent increase in customer retention can increase profits by a whopping 75 to 95 percent. While this percentage can vary by industry, the overwhelming increase in profits is caused by three major factors:

Lower costs -- selling to existing customers is between five to fifteen times less expensive (and takes far less of your time) than acquiring a new customer;

More referrals -- satisfied customers are only too happy to refer you to their friends and colleagues, further reducing the time and cost of landing new business; and

Greater revenues -- every time you lose a loyal customer, you also lose the revenue stream they generated until you can find a new client to take their place.

The key to keeping your customers happy is to find out precisely what motivates them, what is most important to them and what they want most. Then, simply find the product that gives them what they want at the best value.

The following are four of the best practices used by some of the top firms in the country to increase their customer retention rates -- and maximize their profits.

To read the full article, click here.

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