What is the worst thing that can happen on a business trip? Perhaps you think it’s being laughed at by your peers or failing to close that big deal. In fact, it’s losing your gadgets.
That may seem like a ridiculous claim, but it’s not. Think of it: you can overcome embarrassment, and there will be other deals. If you lose a laptop, however, it can cost your company around $49,246, when the costs of losing confidential company information and additional security measures are considered.
That number is enough to get anyone to sit up and take notice, but you don’t have to worry because there are ways you can protect your gadgets when you travel for business.
Pack each gadget in a specific spot, and keep it there.
You should know exactly where your gadgets are at every point, and the best way to do that is to put them in the same spot every time you pack them up. That way, you can easily remember where your gadget ought to be, and you can check quickly if it’s still there.
Keep your gadgets hidden from view in a plain-looking bag.
When you aren’t using your gadgets, they should be protected in a plain bag. You don’t want any recognizable brands tipping off strangers to the value of the bag’s contents. After all, if it’s clear that you spent a lot of money on the bag, it stands to reason that the gadgets inside will be top of the line, too. If potential thieves think you have something worth taking, then they will try.
Cover up brands, so it’s not an easy target.
Similarly, cover up the branding on the gadget itself. Professional thieves prefer higher end gadgets, as those bring in heftier prices, so they will be looking for the expensive brands. If they can tell that your gadget is expensive, they might just go after it. If they can’t be sure, however, they’ll just go after one that is a guaranteed bet.
Never let your gadgets out of your sight.
This seems like an obvious piece of advice, but never let your gadgets or your bag out of your sight. It’s inconvenient lugging them all the way to the bagel counter, but losing your company laptop or smartphone means having to put in place expensive data security measures. It’s far better to feel a little awkward for a moment than to spend weeks ensuring sensitive company data is protected.
Make it easy for good Samaritans to return your gadget.
Sometimes your gadgets aren’t lost at all: they are simply misplaced. Although you should have a specific spot in your bag for each of your gadgets, accidents can happen. Luckily, most people are happy to try to return lost items if they can. To help them out, you should put your name and contact details on your gadgets. You can write it on some tape, but if you need extra security, you can use a service like TechTagger. It lets you put a QR code and a unique alphanumeric code on your gadgets, USB drives, keys or whatever else. When the person who finds your device goes to the website, they can put in the code and get in touch with you, without your having to put any personal details out there.
Generally, keeping your gadgets safe is just a matter of staying aware of where they are and making yourself as unattractive a target as possible. If you keep that in mind, you should have no trouble taking care of business while also taking care of your valuable gadgets.
About the Author: Monica Burton is a content manager at SmartSign, TechTagger‘s parent company. SmartSign’s mission is to make signs and labels as effective and useful as possible, which includes adding smart features where needed. To find out more, follow SmartSign on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.