There are not too many things that change as quickly as technology. What this means is that your business must remain abreast of these changes as they happen and prepare to adapt to them, as needed. Keep reading to learn about some of the most common IT issues that any business will face, regardless of size or industry. Knowing what these are is the best way to ensure you are prepared to handle them.
Network and Data Security
Security is not just a concern for bigger companies. Each company is at risk of being hacked. The fact is small businesses are often at a greater risk because there are many that do not even have a security policy in place. They may also be unaware of how to properly set up a VPN for torrenting, which can help keep their business safe and problem-free.
It is important to remember that complacency is no defense. Hackers are beginning to target smaller businesses because this is the defense they have chosen. In fact, up to 43% of all cyber-attacks are in small businesses. Also, just 14% of small businesses have rated their ability to mitigate cyber vulnerabilities, attacks, and risks as highly effective. If you classify your business in this group, you are at risk for serious problems.
Data Backup Issues (Such as Not Doing It)
Data backup is something every business needs to do. While this is true, there are still many business owners that have not made this a priority.
Along with security (mentioned above), a good data backup plan is your business’s last line of defense if a hacker executes a successful ransomware attack. If you are attacked and a hacker has penetrated through your business’s defenses, if you have backed up and protected your data, you can simply ignore the ransom and use the backups you have to restart all systems. Depending on the frequency of your data backups, you may lose some data, but that is much better than losing all your data or having to pay a ransom to get it back.
If you don’t back up your information, it will cost you money. Even if a data breach affects less than 100 files, it can still cost you more than $35K. Could your business afford this type of loss?
Natural disasters happen, people make mistakes, and systems fail. If you have a backup plan in place now, when is the last time you tested it? Data may become corrupted and your IT staff may forget to run the backup if you do not have this automated. After a period of seven days with no access to your data, approximately 90% of affected businesses will go out of business within a year.
Too Much Paper
Look around your office. Is there a lot of paper? If so, the paper may be slowing you down. You may find you take 15 minutes – or more – just to find a file you need. Do you want your employees looking for information or acting on the information they have?
Using capture tools and document management tools can help you digitize all your documents by placing them in a single, secure, and easy-to-access document storage repository. Now, rather than having to rummage around through file cabinets or search the email or hard drive for the latest version of a document, the information needed is found and able to be accessed in just seconds (rather than minutes or not at all).
No IT Plan
There are far too many companies that have not taken the time to plan out their IT strategy carefully. This causes many workers to spend more time researching the purchase of a personal vehicle rather than looking into critical software to run their business.
Businesses often make the mistake of thinking of technology as a way to avoid business mistakes. It is not. Information technology can be a hugely positive force in your business, but you must have and use a plan. You should work with the professionals who can help you figure out what type of IT infrastructure you need and that will support your business now and as you change and grow in the future. If you fail to plan, this is just wasting your business money and leading to mediocrity.
As you can see, there are several potential IT issues you may encounter. This is true for any business, regardless of size or industry. Knowing what these issues are is one of the best ways to ensure you take the right steps to avoid problems both now and down the road.
