Vendor Selection Guide

                                                   Vendor Selection Guide

Choosing the right software, hardware, or technology vendor for your business, can quickly become overwhelming. The vast number of options available through the Internet may add to the confusion and choosing the wrong vendor will be a source of frustration, and potentially unplanned cost, for years to come. To help simplify the process, we have put together a brief guide to aid in your selection.

Define Your Needs
Document your goals and needs in detail. Include your absolute “must have” items that will be a deal breaker if a vendor cannot address. This step includes identifying your budget. When you speak with a potential vendor, if they do not have a solution, be prepared to mark them off the list.

Do Your Homework!
Research and identify vendors who offer the service or product you need. Contact each vendor and review your company’s needs. You do not want to be sold on a product at this stage. Your goal is to determine if you want a demo.

Be prepared to provide the following information:

• Your company name and contact
• Summary of problem or need
• Clearly state the deal breaker items
• Ask how long has the vendor been in business
• Ask if the vendor has clients in your industry, and of similar size

If your satisfied, propose a date and time for a demo of their product.

Vendor Demo of Product/Service
Include your key team members in this demo. Ask how the product will meet your ‘deal breaker’ needs. Take notes of key points or questions. At the end of the demo, ask your questions. If it looks promising, request a quote that includes installation and training; annual recurring cost and a list of system requirements.

Weed Out Vendors
The goal is to narrow your selection to one or two companies. Discuss system requirements with your IT support company to insure you have a total cost. Then based on demos and quotes, eliminate vendors whose offerings do not meet your needs or budget.

Final Vendor Round
Now you are looking for differentiators. Schedule a final meeting with each vendor. Be very specific about any questions, concerns, or special needs. Ask for client references and make time to call them.

Decision Time
Review material and notes from the meetings. Consider cost, ability to meet your requirements, and responses from those reference calls.

Choosing a vendor isn’t easy, but we’re here to help! Call DCR today and let us help you in your vendor selection process. 918-436-1830

Security Awareness Training

Cybercrime is the fastest growing crime in the world. Some reports suggest that you are 20 times more likely to be robbed while at your computer by a cybercriminal overseas than held up in the street. There are approximately 4000 cyber-attacks everyday - that’s 170 attacks every hour, or almost 3 attacks a minute. You may be asking why are these crimes so prevalent, and so hard to fight? Globally, laws restricting digital crime vary. As much as 70% of cybercrime crosses national borders, which can make solving cybercrimes a problem that must be tackled through international cooperation, and with the UN reporting that a third to half of all nations have insufficient legal framework to criminalize extraterritorial cybercrimes, it can be difficult for law enforcement to bring these criminals to justice. 

To protect your business and yourself, educate your employees. Employees are your first line of defense against cyber-attacks. Participating in ongoing security awareness training is key in reducing the risk and reminds your employees of security best practices. 

DCR offers Security Awareness training free of charge to ensure that your employees understand the policies and procedures of your organization.

The best security technology in the world cannot help you unless employees understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding sensitive data and protecting your resources. 

To find out more about the Security Awareness Training offered by DCR, contact Terry or Chantry at 918-436-1830!

New Website Design!

We are busting at the seams with excitement about our newly redesigned website! The new design is clean and uncluttered, with improved functionality for quick and easy access to essential information, and we are ready to show it off! 

Tax Season Security

It is that time of year when tax season is in full swing. You are probably getting ready to send your documents to your tax preparer, but, are you sending them securely?

While your tax preparer is a highly trusted advisor, the highly sensitive data contained in tax documents is an identity thief’s dream. Think of all the crucial identifying information that these documents consist of—names, addresses, social security numbers, bank account numbers, and tax id numbers, just to name a few.  If business owners and employees take a few extra steps to ensure the security of this information, the chances of identity theft are

dramatically reduced.

The list below provides suggestions for keeping your documents secure, reducing the risk of  your business becoming a victim.

•  Delivering documents IN PERSON is the MOST secure. 
• FAXING documents IS a secure option. 
• Do NOT send documents via UNENCYPTED EMAIL. 
• Only use an encrypted  FILE SHARING service. 
• If your accountant connects to your system, invest in software specifically designed for SECURE REMOTE ACCESS, that includes a file transfer feature.