Technology is critical to operations for most companies. Would businesses be able to trade without email, computers, printers, phones etc? I don’t think so! Technology can be a key success factor but it can also create problems. If things are not going well with it, these powerful tools can quickly become your weak point and a huge expense.
There are a few common problems small businesses face with their technology:
- Security Risks
Today, the selection of available antivirus software is impressive. There are many options available and businesses have a wide choice but also a dilemma about which one to choose. Hackers are also becoming more sophisticated and small businesses are being targeted more than ever before. Nowadays they can reach your data in multiple ways, often by crafting complex attacks. So think twice about all your important information, confidential communications, HR records and trade secrets that are kept on your company’s computer or your employees’ computers (quite possibly your employees work from home these days and I hope they’re using your company’s devices and not their personal ones).
What would be the impact if your data fell into the wrong hands? You must have confidence, day and night, that your data is safe.
At Octagon Technology we are passionate about security and are on top of data privacy. Clive Catton (CIO) and Diana Catton (MD) have a joint venture with an international research company to get access for our clients to up-to-date information, schemas, analysis, templates, actionable tools and guidance. Whatever the size of your organisation if you are not approaching IT, security and privacy in a way that supports and benefits you, they can help, from the boardroom to the shop floor.
- Backup Challenges
We always advise our clients to back up all their business files. Having an active, automated and monitored backup in place is a must. Often we get people contacting us because they accidentally deleted a file, experienced a power outage, had a server crash, or another “data disaster.” If they are our existing clients we simply restore their data but if they are new clients the very first questions we ask is: “Do you have a backup in place?” Having the right backup solution and disaster recovery procedures in place for when these events occur are critical to eliminating downtime and cost.
We are amongst the most trusted of backup providers so if you need any advice about the solution you are currently using or are considering a new backup option you should talk to us.
- Weak points
Technology and systems need regular maintenance in order to run effectively and securely. With the right IT support experts on board, problems can be predicted, planned for and resolved before they become urgent. It is better to resolve them when they are small than when they grow and become complex and expensive to resolve or even time-consuming emergencies.
- Integration Issues
Technology is almost like a living organism; it is evolving at all times. Sometimes catching up with new technology is problematic or even impossible for small businesses. There are new technologies released almost every day and often they don’t go well with older systems or applications which can create extra work and often it can be really messy. Things like double entry of data or information appearing in multiple places may be a new norm, therefore, it is sensible to have a trusted IT company you can turn to for an advice and guidance.
Strategic planning before implementation can minimise many issues. Sometimes business owners do not work with IT experts and instead they try to make their own IT decisions. Sometimes the solutions they choose do not work as planned and they find technology is getting in the way, creating more problems.
Just imagine how different your organisation would be if both the business and technology plans were aligned and worked together. For example, if you plan to grow significantly next year and IT is managed by your independent IT company, you do not have to worry about technology at all. That is one large problem less.
- Frustrated employees
Neither you nor your employees want or need problems with technology during the working day. You want to have access to responsive and reliable technology so that your business is as productive as possible. Using slow, outdated systems with frequent problems makes it much more difficult for your team to be happy and productive.
Would it impact your business if you enable your employees to achieve 5% more every single day, simply by keeping your technology up-to-date? I will let you answer this question for yourself.
These are a few of the most common problems small businesses face with technology. I’m sure businesses would struggle without responsive and reliable email, computers, printers, phones etc. Technology is a key success factor so don’t let it be your weak point, make it your strength.
Contact us if you need trusted, responsive and reliable IT support, we can help you benefit from your technology and achieve your competitive advantage.
Kamila
