It is easy to bury your head in the sand and ignore technology, especially if you do not understand what it is, let alone how to use it! But investing a bit of time into finding out more can bring big benefits to your business.
Take Dropbox for example. You may have heard of it, you may even use it, but are you up to date with the latest versions and how they can help you and your clients?
For those who are not familiar with it, Dropbox is a cloud storage service – so, basically, it’s like having a big storeroom in the sky, without physically taking up space in the office, the salon, or wherever you operate from.
With Dropbox you can save files online and sync them to your other devices. You can also share those files with others. You could email documents and photographs to clients, and perhaps that’s what you do now, but often you have to send multiple emails to accommodate large files. Dropbox allows you to share large files easily, in one go. All you must do is share access to the particular file, photograph or folder you want the other person, or more than one person, to see.
What’s the catch?
There isn’t one as far as we can see. Anyone can access Dropbox. Dropbox Basic is free and you can start using it straightaway. The free plan includes 2 GB of storage which is enough for most business needs, so start with that and see how you get on.
If you need more space, you can always upgrade. Dropbox Business can usually be trialed for free before deciding if it’s the storage solution for you.
According to the company behind Dropbox, this paid for version is “more than just secure file storage – it’s a smart workspace where teams, tools, and content come together”.
Currently the free trial includes full access to Dropbox Business for 30 days, space for you and your team to collaborate, advanced sharing and collaboration tools and admin controls for additional security.
Is it safe?
Whatever you decide to drop in your virtual storage box is private and for your eyes only, unless you choose to share links to your stored content.
The company admits that, on rare occasions, it may have to access files, but that will only happen if legally required, or if they need to ensure everything is working as it should, or to make sure their policies are being adhered to.
Dropbox says it keeps your files secure by using “multiple layers of protection, distributed across a scalable, secure infrastructure”. Users can also add their own encryption for extra security.
Having fast, easy access to your files from wherever you are in the world and on devices including your computer or internet-enabled mobile phone will save you, your colleagues and your customers time, effort and stress.
And having a back up of your files is a must. No one likes to think of bad things happening to them, but they can, and they do. You could lose your phone, or break it, or your computer could get stolen. If your files are in one place only – on that broken or damaged or stolen device – the loss will be devastating for you and your business, so it’s worth looking at storage options such as this.
At CDC we use Dropbox a lot for sharing files with clients, storing documents and archiving accounts. It is our preferred option for sharing sensitive information with our clients as we know it’s safe and secure.
Find out more here, or download the free version.