Caution – Avoid These Extremely Common IT Mistakes
Learn about the most common IT problems in small and mid-sized organizations and how you can address those problems economically and effectively in business.
IT mistakes are common in small and mid-sized businesses – even those that have their own dedicated IT department. The world of technology and information is continuously evolving, which makes it hard for most companies to keep up with the changes and to understand what protection they need. Here are some of the most common IT problems businesses face and how they can be remedied with appropriate IT solutions.
Common IT Dysfunctions and How to Remove Them
1. Security problems
Most small businesses are not even aware of the kind of risks they face in both network and data security. The reality is, every business is at risk of becoming the victim of cybercrime. Criminals know that companies have more money than individuals – which means compromising their systems offers greater rewards than if they go after individuals. They look for avenues into your business to steal valuable information and/or compromise your systems. Whether they steal your credit card numbers and make purchases, hold your information hostage and demand a ransom, or commit some sort of other crime, the damage to your business can be considerable.
Maintaining proper security means being aware of the risks, having a plan to address them, and ensuring that your systems are constantly being monitored for suspicious behavior. Your IT team needs to be on constant alert and prepared to protect your business at any moment.
2. Failure to back up data
Maintaining a backup schedule is a lot of work – which is why most small and mid-sized companies don’t do it. They may talk about it and make a plan to do it, but when it’s time to backup information regularly things can start to fall apart. But failing to backup your data puts your business at risk. If you lose the info you need to conduct business you are going to have a problem. Losing files and other information can cost you thousands of dollars and countless hours in labor trying to recover.
You need to know that your IT team will always follow through on your backup plan. You also want to be sure that they will verify that data does not become corrupted.
3. Not moving from paper to digital
Paper can provide a lot of comforts because it’s tangible. You can see it and hold it. You can file it away and find it later when you need it. Depending on how long you have been in business, you may just feel better about using paper documentation. Unfortunately, that paper is costing you time and money. It’s also increasing your security risks. Paper gets lost, needs to be replaced and could wind up in the wrong hands.
Your business needs a digital document management system and a plan for transforming your paper documents into digital form. Once they are digitized, they can be found in an instant using a search tool. They can be protected using encryption and using multiple backups. In the end, you have every reason to go digital.
4. Not having an IT plan
IT has already become an essential part of your business – and it’s likely only to become more critical with each passing year. Considering how vital it is to your operation, it only makes sense to have a comprehensive IT plan to ensure your IT tools are helping you achieve your overall business goals. IT should help facilitate your operation, not hinder it. But if you don’t have a comprehensive plan on how IT should serve your needs, you risk wasting time and money. You could also put yourself at risk of cybercrime.
A skilled IT services team will begin their efforts for your company by creating a comprehensive IT plan. They will identify your technology and business needs and create a plan that will support your business.
Solving IT Problems
Outsourcing your IT services is the single best way to address all of the problems above. The right IT services company will have the skills, resources and know-how to take care of all of your business IT needs.
