It is easy to get caught up in business in business, looking far into the future, projecting profits, and planning advertising campaigns without noticing some of the “here and now.” This is true, especially for the IT dimension of a company that is often left to its own devices so long as it is working sufficiently well.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post and the author’s views here do not necessarily reflect those of the blog owner.
However, simply because an IT department isn’t breaking down every day does not mean that it doesn’t have small issues that could become a big problem one day.
Prevention of problems
To prevent an IT department from developing tiny cracks or shortcomings that could develop into major issues, it is best to have top-quality IT support on hand. IT solutions providers such as outsourceIT identify problematic areas of a business’ infrastructure and rectify them at source, keeping the business ship sailing along.
This allows a business to maintain high productivity by minimizing computer and network downtime, reducing disruption to workflow, and freeing the company to concentrate on its own tasks and goals.
The four issues listed below are the types of minor concerns that are easy to be overlooked in the short term and, without proper IT support, could become much more substantial.
· Inconsistent network
An inconsistent network – the internet fluctuating in and out of the use or suitable speeds – can seem like nothing more than a small inconvenience. However, when left to deteriorate, it could pose a serious threat to employee satisfaction and productivity.
If a connection continues to drop in and out of service, staff will become frustrated and agitated, slowing them down. What’s more, an inconsistent network could be early signs that the network is on its way to failing entirely and needs fixing or updating.
· Undertrained staff
Staff who have excellent computer literacy but are undertrained on a specific system or software could be papering over cracks threatening to widen. Because staff manages, due to their adaptability and IT skills, they are not fully equipped if they haven’t been trained properly.
This could lead to future circumstances where, due to illness or vacation, not enough employees in the office understand the software they are trying to operate, and it is certainly unlikely that any would know how to solve an issue should one arise.
· Incomplete backup
This is an issue that a business owner may not even realize has occurred unless they have conducted a proper IT review. Failing to backup data can lead to data losses or breaches, which can be hugely costly to companies and customers alike.
Incomplete backups of documents and data are particularly dangerous because they can easily go unnoticed until something major goes wrong.
· Outdated software
Finally, outdated software is a productivity and security nightmare.
While most systems will continue to operate soon after software becomes outdated, that does not excuse a failure to keep business operations up to date. Software is updated for a reason; leaving your business behind could open it to cyber-attacks and costly breakdowns.
This is a collaborative post by James Daniels.
James Daniels is a freelance writer, business enthusiast, a bit of a tech buff, and an overall geek. He is also an avid reader, who can while away hours reading and knowing about the latest gadgets and tech, whilst offering views and opinions on these topics.