Keeping Your USPS Mail Secure: Stop Using USPS
Fight the illusion of security. USPS is not secure. You cannot absolutely guarantee the secure delivery of physical mail. If you’re a small business, stop sending or receiving physical mail to protect you and your customers.
Physical mail is often overlooked when thinking about information security, yet it remains a vital concern, especially for small businesses that send and receive sensitive information.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) handles about 129.2 billion pieces of mail annually. They mostly deliver that mail to insecure tin boxes along the side of the road, making mail a prime target for theft and fraud.
Here’s how you can safeguard your business mail effectively.
1. Work Hard to Eliminate the Use of Physical Mail. Stop!
It’s nostalgic (read: naive) to think of a mail carrier putting a stack of confidential papers into an unsecured box and think everyone’s acting on their best behavior not to take them. That’s not how the world works, so get over it: stop using USPS.
Sending confidential info through the USPS jeopardizes you and your customers. This isn’t to say we can’t trust the USPS; they have a secure process to route mail. However, when mail leaves USPS custody by leaving the mail in a mailbox or on a doorstep, it invites somebody to take it. Stop pretending or lying to yourself. This is a ridiculous practice.
Anything considered sensitive shouldn’t be sent via USPS, period. Bills, remittances, and checks should move to electronic billing and statement retrieval. Ever. As you can’t guarantee secure delivery, stop using it.
2. Use USPS Secure Services. If you have no other option, opt for secure services like Certified Mail, which provides proof of mailing and delivery, or Registered Mail, which offers the highest level of security with locked containers and chain of custody documentation. These services not only deter theft but also help you track your mail at every step in delivery.
3. Implement a Mail Pickup Routine: If you have no other option, avoid leaving mail in your mailbox overnight. Arrange for mail pickup towards the end of your business day. If possible, personally collect important parcels from your local post office. This minimizes the risk of theft from unmonitored mailboxes.
4. Install a Lockable Mailbox: Again, nostalgia, but if you must own a mailbox, choose a sturdy, lockable mailbox that can be a simple yet effective barrier against mail theft. Ensure it is USPS-approved and placed in a well-lit, visible area to deter potential thieves.
5. Subscribe to a PO Box or Box Service. If you must send and receive physical mail, the smartest option for receiving physical mail is to have your mail delivered to a secure building in a secure box. Your deliveries and mail are looked after and monitored; access is controlled after the USPS delivery occurs.
Again, smart consumers opt for less friction in their lives. Stop receiving anything insecurely. Stop putting yourself and others at risk.
By incorporating these practices, small businesses can significantly enhance the security of their mail and protect themselves from potential losses and fraud.
The Power of AI. It Takes a Lot of It.
Small businesses must embrace AI to remain competitive. But what will that mean for energy consumption?
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) weaves its way into the fabric of small businesses, its power consumption becomes an increasingly important consideration. While AI offers immense benefits, from automating mundane tasks to providing insightful analytics, its energy demands can pose challenges, particularly for small enterprises conscious of operational costs and environmental impact.
A recent study shows that the power used to train AI models around the world will equal the energy needs of Japan by 2026. That’s an extraordinary amount of energy on an electrical system in the United States, already crippled by age and growth, and ignores entirely the impact of Cryptocurrency on the problem.
AI and Energy Efficiency: A Balancing Act
Small businesses typically operate on tighter budgets and smaller margins than larger corporations, making the efficiency of AI systems crucial. High-performance AI applications can be energy-intensive, especially those involving machine learning and data processing. According to a recent study by MIT, training a single AI model can consume as much electricity as 300 homes in a year. This highlights the need for energy-efficient AI solutions that do not compromise performance.
The Role of Green Technology
Advancements in AI are paralleling innovations in green technology. Newer AI models are being designed to be more energy-efficient, and many tech companies are also shifting towards using renewable energy sources to power their AI systems. For small businesses, this means access to AI technologies that are powerful, cost-effective, and less taxing on the environment.
Still, Green Power won’t be enough without the means to store it. We’ll be dependent on improving battery technology.
What This Means for Small Businesses
AI will level the playing field on competitive differentiation. Small businesses everywhere will have cheap, affordable access to AI models to improve the efficiency of their business. Businesses that don’t use AI will be comparatively slower and less profitable. So, there’s an imperative for adoption.
Incorporating AI into small businesses must be done thoughtfully, with an eye on power consumption and environmental sustainability. By choosing AI solutions that prioritize energy efficiency, small businesses can harness the full potential of digital transformation without incurring prohibitive energy costs or contributing excessively to carbon emissions.
Understanding and implementing energy-efficient AI will be key to sustainable growth for small businesses looking towards the future. Embracing AI technologies that align with these principles can lead to significant competitive advantages, helping these businesses thrive in a digitally driven marketplace.
What Can Small Businesses Expect from AI?
AI empowers small businesses with tools to compete big. Boost efficiency and sales, sure, but what does it mean for the future of work? For Capitalism?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just a buzzword but a fundamental growth component, especially for small businesses. AI's role in transforming these businesses is becoming more apparent and significant.
Where Will AI Be Used?
For small businesses, customer service is one prime area where AI can offer round-the-clock customer support through chatbots and virtual assistants, significantly enhancing customer experience while reducing overhead costs. Additionally, AI-driven analytics tools can provide these businesses with deep insights into consumer behavior, enabling personalized marketing strategies that were once only accessible to larger corporations.
How Will It Be Used?
The application of AI extends into inventory management, where predictive algorithms can forecast demand and optimize stock levels, thus minimizing waste and ensuring product availability. Similarly, AI can streamline financial operations through automated bookkeeping and fraud detection, saving time and increasing accuracy.
Self-service scheduling for customers is already here. But what if, in the future, consumers use AI digital assistants to communicate with the AI digital assistants of businesses, allowing for rapid-fire decision-making?
Okay, what about bookkeeping, payroll, and taxes? For most, these are known variables, easily performed by an automated intelligence. Why couldn’t an automated accountant prepare, have you approved, and then file your paperwork?
How about art and marketing? What if you could use an AI concierge to handle a multi-channel marketing blitz on a specific theme?
We’re already using expert systems with HR. Now, expand that to specialized intelligence: operations, manufacturing, legal, and information systems. You could engage with an AI to learn how to secure your network better (disintermediating me!) or an AI manufacturing expert to get more out of a specific process on an assembly line.
Well, wait a second — HR, IT Operations, Accounting, Legal — if the cost-centers of a small business can mostly be automated by AI, who’s working?
What Does It Mean for Small Businesses?
Integrating AI means small businesses can operate more efficiently and compete more effectively in the market. It levels the playing field, allowing small players to offer services and customer engagement at par with their bigger counterparts. A Salesforce survey indicates small business sales increased by 30% when using AI for personalized customer interactions.
Inevitably, it means being hyper-efficient with less labor. Most execs feel AI will shrink workforces within the next five years. McKensie suggests that sixty percent of tasks within modern work could be automated. And if fewer people are working and earning an income, how does Capitalism function? Not only where we work but the way we work is rapidly changing.
The future of AI for small businesses promises growth and a transformation in how services are delivered and operations are managed. With AI, small businesses are not just surviving; they're thriving.