What Are the Common IT Problems Businesses Face?

The role of technology in economic
activity is unquestionable. In many countries, the economic impact of the
technology sector, when measured as a percentage of the GDP, far exceeds that
of most other sectors, including retail, transportation, and construction.

Across the business world, IT is an
indispensable part of all kinds of business processes. That’s why the thought
of experiencing IT problems is so unsettling for business managers. Glitches in
your IT system can quickly bring operations in some departments to a grinding
halt. 

It’s the reason you need to identify
potential IT issues and take appropriate steps to eliminate them or at least
mitigate their impact on your business. In this comprehensive guide, we outline
the top 10 IT problems and their solutions.

Poor
Network Security

Cybercriminals love to target
businesses with poor or nonexistent network security. Without robust network
security, hackers can access your business data and employee data without
difficulty. This problem is particularly common with small businesses whose
owners are unwilling to spend on proper network security.

Whether you have five employees or
thousands, network security is essential. Invest enough resources in setting up
secure firewalls and training your employees in IT security principles. Ensure
everyone in your company maintains password best practices too.  

Lack
of Qualified IT Personnel

Many businesses opt to outsource
their IT services, and chances are you’re doing the same. You may also consider
having one or more experienced IT personnel as part of your staff, even if
these employees will focus on less technical IT matters. 

When you work with a managed IT
services company, they help with such vital services as monitoring email and
web hosting, maintaining your servers and network, taking care of your data
storage, and so on. These providers also identify threats in your IT system and
come up with ways to tackle them.

Using
Old Technology

If you’re still using technology
from three decades ago, chances are you’re losing out on a lot. It’s likely
your old IT systems are slow and fail repeatedly. You’re losing time and,
worse, revenue.

Time to bring your technology to the
21st century. Consider hiring a reputable IT service provider who can help you update your
technology to what’s new on the market. The more modern your IT systems are,
the fewer issues you can expect with your IT system now and in the
future. 

Data
Backup Issues

58 percent of small businesses aren’t prepared
for data loss. It’s a shocking statistic, given the consequences of losing your
vital business data. 

Losing your business data can bring
your entire business to a sudden stop. The damage to your reputation as a brand
can ruin you for good. You could also face hefty fines for losing employee and
client data.

That’s why having a solid data
backup strategy should be a priority for every business. In case you lose data,
you can be sure you’ll be back in business within no time.

Cables
Everywhere

With all the devices in your IT
department, the number of cables in your workspace can seem endless. Modern
copiers, printers, and computers offer endless functions, which sometimes means
attaching different cords to a single machine.

With the overwhelming number of
cables running in and out of your devices, you may even be afraid of touching
anything at all. Take time to learn what every cable does and where it’s
supposed to plug into. Find a way to organize cables so they don’t snake
everywhere across your floors and working space.

Hardware
and Software Issues

Eventually, all software and
hardware start to experience problems. You start seeing system failure and
error notifications. 

Certain issues are small enough to
fix with a simple reboot of your device. Others require much more than that.
You’ll probably need to hire a professional to assess the problem and fix it or
consider replacing the problematic software or hardware.

When investing in technology,
understand the lifespan of the devices or software you’re buying. Once the time
comes to upgrade your technology, do it promptly to keep operations running
smoothly in your business.

Giving
Too Many Employees Access to Business Data and Information

Having a policy of transparency in
your company can seem like a great idea. However, that does not extend to
sensitive business information. What you need to do is give employees access to
only the data and information that they need to accomplish their tasks properly. 

You can maintain all access to your
business data systems or grant it to a few select employees in upper
management. This way, you minimize potential threats for a security breach.

If employees want to access certain
information that you haven’t given them or install any software, they need to
seek permission from you or the IT controller first. 

Not
Having a Disaster Recovery Plan

The vast majority of organizations
would not recover from a successful cyberattack if it occurred today. That’s
because few companies have a disaster recovery plan in place to deal with such
an occurrence. Data loss and downtime can push you to file for bankruptcy if
not addressed within the first few days. 

Your disaster recovery plan should
describe practical scenarios for resuming work quickly and minimizing
interruptions following a disaster. Such a plan is a central part of your
business continuity plan. 

But ensuring business continuity
isn’t the only benefit you get from an effective disaster recovery plan. You
also get to boost customer retention. Customers today expect nothing short of
reliability, and downtimes or failures caused by IT disasters or other issues
in your business can push them away.

Deal
With IT Problems and Boost Productivity

IT problems happen from time to
time, even in organizations with experienced IT teams. By being knowledgeable
about these issues, you take necessary measures to prevent them from wrecking
your business.

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