No matter how well technology is built, issues and complications always arise. These issues may hinder business processes at the best of times, but at worst, they can force your company to shut down for good. Having a concrete understanding of the most common IT problems plaguing organizations in Florida, Illinois, and all over the world will help you ensure that they don’t get in the way of your business.
Here are five tech problems you need to be aware of and tips on how to deal with them.
1. Slow and unreliable networks
Many companies depend on high-speed internet connections to communicate over long distances, collaborate on cloud applications, and run their business online. However, if networks slow down to a crawl or fail altogether, the impacts could be severe. Productivity levels may drop dramatically, company websites go offline, employees can’t serve customers, and most of your processes may come to a screeching halt.
It’s therefore important to not only choose a reliable internet service provider, but also to ensure networks are running optimally at all times. This involves installing network routers in a central location and reducing internet bandwidth hogs like large downloads in the background. If these things seem too bothersome or complicated, managed IT services providers (MSPs) will proactively monitor your networks for issues and resolve the heart of the problem so you and your employees can stay productive.
2. Obsolete technology
In a misguided effort to save money, companies often defer technology upgrades unless their systems are literally falling apart. This mindset may seem reasonable since computers can still run normally well after warranties have expired, but sticking with outdated technology is harmful for business.
For one, outdated computers can’t keep up with growing computing demands. That means businesses can lose valuable time and money just waiting for programs to load and perform critical functions. Plus, the strain that modern software puts on old hardware components can lead to overheating and system failures, which cost a fortune on replacement parts and repair services. Beyond hampering productivity, putting off technology updates can expose businesses to cyberattacks — much like how plenty of companies are still using Windows 7, despite it no longer receiving support from Microsoft.
To avoid such problems, you must be diligent with technology updates. It pays to have a detailed log of all your devices’ warranties so you know when is the best time to replace them. When it’s time to procure new hardware, talking with a well-connected MSP can help you find good deals. As for software, implementing patch management systems will allow you to deploy critical updates company-wide.
3. Cyberthreats
Hackers are more dangerous than ever, employing sophisticated techniques to breach company systems. One of the most popular attacks threatening businesses are phishing scams, especially those using COVID-19 relief efforts as a pretext to trick unsuspecting victims into clicking on malware-laced links and attachments. In fact, now that more businesses are working remotely, more cybercriminals are hacking login credentials, vulnerable home networks, and unsecured devices to gain access to a company’s crown jewels: their data.
Although some companies are more susceptible to attacks than others — such as healthcare and financial services organizations — any business that manages sensitive information is a potential target.
Even if you’re running a small- or medium-sized organization, the repercussions of being complacent with security are too great and could put you out of business. Just one successful attack can cost you thousands of dollars in data loss, noncompliance penalties, legal fines, and reputational damage.
Mitigating these risks requires extensive security measures like endpoint protection software, intrusion prevention systems, multifactor authentication, access restrictions, and anti-malware software. You’ll also need to regularly train employees to develop good security habits such as being critical of every email, verifying web links, setting strong and unique passwords, and avoiding the use of public Wi-Fi networks. Doing all this minimizes the chances of employees exposing your company to a major breach.
There are several ways companies can lose data: someone may accidentally delete a file, servers can malfunction, cybercriminals can hold computers hostage with ransomware, and natural disasters can wipe your hard drives. If any of these incidents occur, your company will have to put everything on hold to redo work and recover lost documents. While your company attempts to deal with the situation, all your processes will be at a standstill and you’ll likely hemorrhage cash for every minute employees can’t get any work done.
Related reading: Follow these security tips to protect your remote workers from threats
4. Data loss and downtime
A solid data backup strategy enables your business to quickly get back on its feet when a data loss incident occurs. For example, if ransomware locks you out of your data, backups will allow you to recover your systems and data to the point before they were held hostage. This way, you don’t have to pay cybercriminals to release your data and you don’t have to suffer extended periods of downtime.
Leading MSPs manage data backup and recovery processes for you. They leverage cloud technology to routinely back up data in multiple off-site server facilities so there are several fail-safes. These facilities are kept in the safest conditions — away from localized disasters and stringently looked after by a team of experts. Should data loss occur, users can easily access back up files in the cloud and continue working as if nothing happened.
5. Complex cloud environments
Cloud technology essentially delivers computing resources through the internet, enabling you to leverage enterprise-grade IT infrastructures and give employees the flexibility to work remotely with cloud applications. The cloud is chock-full of benefits, but many businesses struggle to implement and manage cloud environments to suit their needs.
When migrating to the cloud, your company can have trouble sorting through all the options. Do you opt for a private, public, or hybrid cloud deployment? Is it wiser to subscribe to an Infrastructure-as-a-Service model, Platform-as-a-Service, or Software-as-a-Service? Also, which cloud solutions are best for you? These are questions that can only be answered by consulting with a reliable cloud service provider (CSP) and asking them for objective recommendations on how to set up your cloud environment.
Additionally, businesses may have too many cloud applications that don’t cohesively work together, which can create data silos and cause disjointed processes. Partnering with a proven CSP will help you seamlessly integrate solutions and processes so your business is as efficient as it can be.
Why should you partner with Dynamic Solutions Group?
Dealing with IT problems alone is a prospect no business owner looks forward to. Fortunately, top-notch MSPs like Dynamic Solutions Group can make your life so much easier.
Instead of paying a fortune for merely one service technician, you only have to spend a fraction of that amount to have a full team of tech experts looking after your systems. We work as an extension of your business, proactively fixing issues before they become expensive, time-consuming catastrophes down the line.
Our strategic consultants can also help you create a technology plan that aligns with your company’s security requirements, cloud goals, business needs, and budget. Call us today to alleviate your most stressful IT headaches.
