Managing your IT obligations as an entrepreneur is one of the most important responsibilities that you have. After all, your long-term success will likely depend on the internal systems that you implement. In order to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible, there are common IT issues that you will need to keep an eye out for. Let’s take a look at the key information you need to know.
1. Network Security Concerns
As you might guess, concerns with network security are some of the most common IT issues that businesses face. This is especially true for companies that operate within certain industries. To elaborate, some businesses are at a higher risk than others simply due to the type of data they deal with on a regular basis. Common examples include organizations in the tech or healthcare space. Interestingly, it’s not uncommon for entrepreneurs to be lax when it comes to improving digital security. This has the unfortunate consequence of putting the business at risk of a cyberattack. Not only could your sensitive data become compromised, but your company could also experience extensive downtime. Even a short period of downtime could potentially cost your business thousands of dollars in lost revenue. For this reason, it’s imperative that you consistently take advantage of every security tool that you can.
2. Outdated Software
Companies that forego the opportunity to use the most contemporary software will often be at a huge disadvantage. This most often comes in the form of lost productivity. However, using outdated software can also contribute to the security flaws that your organization experiences. The good news is that it is virtually effortless to use updated software. More often than not, developers will push updates to their applications and the program itself will ask you if you would like to update. Many programs also allow users to configure a setting that automatically updates the application. The primary reason why many people avoid updating their programs is in the anticipation of unwanted changes. For instance, the newest version of an application may remove features that were a core part of your workflow. Of course, the convenience of using an outdated software version you are familiar with will always be outweighed by the drawbacks.
3. Improperly Archived Data
Keeping your data archived properly is one of the most important tasks that you have at your company. Not only does this establish access to key information, but it can also help you recover from data loss. For those who are unaware, the cybercrime industry is estimated to be worth over $10 trillion midway through this decade. Much of this value is also expected to come from data theft.This means that it's more important than ever before to archive your key information appropriately. In practice, it involves having multiple backup locations, including a form of remote storage. There should also be a logical hierarchy to the data that you archive. This will allow you to easily find information when the time comes.
4. Lack of Employee Training
Many IT issues stem from a lack of employee training. This could come in many different forms. For instance, your employees may not be experts at recognizing potential cyberattacks. Similarly, they may not know what type of data they need to handle carefully. Without the proper amount of employee training in place, there’s a strong chance that your company will encounter issues it would have otherwise avoided. This could easily lead to a loss of revenue, damage to your reputation, etc. Instead, it’s highly recommended to hold regular employee training sessions regarding how to protect company data. This is especially true for new hires, as they will quickly become a liability if they aren’t aware of your company’s internal policies. In general, it’s also in your best interest to update your training sessions multiple times per year. New threats will emerge as time goes on, and it’s crucial that your employees know how to handle them.
5. No Contingency Plan
It can be virtually impossible to predict when a contingency will occur. If you don’t have a plan in place that dictates how you respond, you may encounter significant complications. Using the aforementioned data breach example, there should be a course of action that your company immediately takes. Failure to incorporate one can even make the disaster impossible to recover from. This is something that poses a threat to smaller companies especially, as they often don’t have the resources to bounce back from a contingency.
6. Not Outsourcing to a Professional
Not every business has the budget for an internal IT team. Even those that do may not get the best results. To clarify, acquiring and training high-quality professionals is a costly process that takes a substantial amount of time. Unless your company has plenty of resources to work with, it’s often in your best interest to outsource your IT obligations. Working with a reliable professional will ensure that you handle your IT responsibilities sufficiently.
These Common IT Issues Might Seem Overwhelming
The good news is that they aren’t quite as difficult to handle as you might expect. This is especially true if you outsource to a professional to help you with the above common IT issues. Want to learn more about what we have to offer? Feel free to get in touch with us today and see how we can help.