Greg Du-feu’s Top Tips for glazing businesses in 2026

Greg Du-feu, Managing Director of Dufeu IT, provides his top tips for businesses within the glazing sector in 2026, to keep them cyber secure, whilst also growing profits.

As we move through 2026, glazing businesses are operating in a more connected, data-driven environment than ever before. ERP systems, accounting platforms, supplier portals, Microsoft 365, and now AI tools all play a critical role in day-to-day operations.

That connectivity creates opportunity – but it also introduces risk.

The businesses that will thrive in 2026 will be the ones that treat cybersecurity, technology planning, and productivity tools as growth enablers, not just IT overhead.

Here are some practical, proven tips to help glazing fabricators stay secure while also improving efficiency and profitability.

1. There’s No Better Time for a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment

If you do one thing this year, make it this.

A cybersecurity risk assessment gives you a clear, independent view of:

• Where your biggest risks actually are
• Which systems would cause the most damage if they went down
• How exposed your Microsoft 365 and financial data really is
• Whether your backups, access controls, and security settings are fit for purpose

For glazing businesses, this often highlights risks around:

• ERP and order management systems
• Accounts and invoicing data
• Email compromise and supplier fraud
• Unsupported or poorly secured devices

Crucially, the findings from a risk assessment shouldn’t just sit in a report. They should form the basis of a technology and cybersecurity roadmap – prioritised, costed, and aligned to business goals.

Instead of reacting to incidents, you move forward with intent.

2. Use AI to Increase Output, Not Just Experiment

AI is no longer “coming” – it’s already embedded in tools most businesses pay for today.

For many glazing companies, the fastest wins are inside Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Used properly, Copilot can:

• Summarise long email threads and highlight decisions
• Generate meeting notes and action points in Teams
• Help draft policies, procedures, proposals, and customer communications
• Surface information buried across SharePoint, OneDrive, and Outlook

This isn’t about replacing people. It’s about removing friction – giving teams back time to focus on customers, production, and growth.

The key is purposeful adoption, not random usage.

3. Why You Need an AI Policy (and What One Is)

As soon as AI tools are used in a business, governance matters.

An AI policy sets clear boundaries on:

• What AI tools are approved for use
• What data can and cannot be shared with AI systems
• How outputs should be reviewed and validated
• Who is responsible for oversight and misuse

Without a policy, businesses risk:

• Staff uploading sensitive customer or financial data into unapproved tools
• Inconsistent outputs being sent to customers
• Compliance issues around data protection and confidentiality

An AI policy isn’t about slowing innovation – it’s about enabling safe, confident use of AI at scale.

4. Training Is the Difference Between Value and Waste

Buying Microsoft 365 Copilot doesn’t automatically deliver ROI.

The businesses seeing real results are the ones investing in:

• Practical Copilot training (how it fits real workflows)
• Microsoft 365 adoption support (SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive structure)
• Clear examples of “this is how we use it here”

Without training, Copilot becomes an unused licence.
With training, it becomes a productivity multiplier.

5. Secure Microsoft 365 Before It Secures You

Microsoft 365 is powerful – but out of the box, it is not fully locked down.

Common issues we see include:

• MFA not enforced for all users
• Weak conditional access policies
• Over-permissive SharePoint access
• Poor monitoring of suspicious logins

Email compromise remains one of the biggest threats to glazing businesses, particularly in accounts and supplier communications.

Ongoing Microsoft 365 security management – not a one-off setup – is essential to reduce breach risk.

6. The “Usual” Still Matters (More Than Ever)

While AI gets the headlines, the fundamentals still do most of the heavy lifting:

• Patch management and device updates
• Endpoint protection and monitoring
• Secure, tested backups
• User awareness training and phishing simulation
• Incident response and business continuity planning

These controls are what stop small issues turning into business-stopping incidents.

Final Thought

The most successful glazing businesses in 2026 won’t be the ones chasing every new tool.

They’ll be the ones who:

• Understand their risks
• Have a clear technology roadmap
• Use AI deliberately and safely
• Invest in training and security foundations

Security and growth are no longer separate conversations – they’re two sides of the same strategy.

For more insights, follow Dufeu IT on LinkedIn, connect with me directly, or visit https://www.dufeu-it.co.uk/contact/ to continue the conversation. Or look back at Greg’s previous columns on the PiGs website: News – PiGs