Instant Messaging For Small Business
By Matt Pruitt

Instant messaging, as it was ten years ago, was a way for teenagers to chat with their friends on AOL. Over the years, as Internet-based communication has all but taken over, it's almost impossible to see a corporate environment that doesn't have some form of instant messaging (IM) solution in place. Options are plentiful, including Google's free IM service, Skype, the classic AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), MSN Messenger, and a more corporate solution such as Microsoft's Live Communications Server paired with Exchange 2007. As popularity grows, and employees are more prone to communicate by typing, a new level of IT risk is introduced.

Allowing employees to send IMs to either communicate with customers, each other, or friends can be a potentially dangerous privilege. Even with the productivity increase that businesses may see from implementing IM, it requires users to be even more conscientious than ever before. IM solutions cannot typically be controlled as much as the traditional email system, and it's not as easy to monitor everyone's IM usage. Transactions may take place, which is a red flag for identity theft, as well as SPIM (IM spam) and viruses.

Using an IM solution basically boils down to educating everyone on the technology. Therein lies the issue with most any other form of technology-education and communication are often pushed back farther than the back burner.

If your business is thinking about using IM for another level of communicating, make sure your IT staff is involved and provides some basic education on the dos and don'ts.

Matt Pruitt is President & CEO of GyroGlobe Consulting, LLC, a Louisville, KY-based IT consulting firm that specializes in small business technology. Matt is recognized by Microsoft as an industry expert and uses Microsoft and similar technology to aid clients in staying ahead of the competition in their respective industries. For more information, visit http://www.gyroglobe.com

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