One of the best ways to plan for the future of your business is to learn about the current struggles your company and employees face on a day-to-day basis. This knowledge brings the power of change and better ways to implement strategies for growth and success.
To avoid some of these technology issues, it’s essential to learn the most common IT problems at your workplace.
With over 20 years of IT experience, we're excited to share some of the most common challenges we see our customers face, along with easy and attainable solutions to set you up for success.
IT Problem #1: Poor (or nonexistent) Network Security
Network security is considered one the most critical parts of keeping your business safe, along with avoiding common IT problems that little or no network security could bring.
Having a safe and secure network is important for any sized business, even if your company only has 5 employees.
Hackers don’t discriminate when it comes to attacking your business files and employee data. Sometimes, cybercriminals specifically target small businesses because they know a smaller business might not have a robust security policy or can be breached with as little as a friendly phone call to your staff.
IT Solution #1: Proactive Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is something to be proactive about, and you can take many steps to ensure the safety and security of your network and technology devices.
Make sure your employees are well-trained in security principles, your company’s firewall is enabled, all company data is backed up, and you're maintaining the upkeep of your passwords. To learn more about these IT security tips, read our article, Network Security Issues: 10 Tips to Keep Your Business Secure.
IT Problem #2: Lack of Professional or Qualified Experience
Ever heard of Managed IT Services? Just because you outsource your managed IT services doesn’t necessarily mean you have to get rid of some of the members of your IT department.
It may just mean those employees can focus on less technical issues that might be overly complicated or overwhelming for them to tackle on a day-to-day basis.
IT Solution #2: Partner With a Reliable Team
An experienced and knowledgeable managed IT services provider can efficiently assist and monitor email and web hosting, data storage, server and network maintenance, and much more.
A managed IT services professional monitors and works on your most complicated IT issues. They free up your in-house staff, allowing them to tackle new projects. They also create new initiatives that can improve your business operations.
IT Problem #3: The Downfall of Old Technology
There’s nothing worse than having your old and slow-working IT systems fail and not having the resources to fix them because of how out-of-date they are.
One of the best ways to resolve a common IT problem, such as old technology, is to implement new technology and fast-install it.
It’s important that either you or your IT team begin tackling your IT projects the second you receive new devices or the money to purchase them.
A managed IT team is an excellent resource for your company as they’re always looking for new and updated technology the second it comes out on the market. The more updated and newer your IT systems are, the fewer IT problems you’ll have now, and in the future.
No Data Backup / Backup Issues
Uh oh… you get to work on a Monday morning and find out all of your data is gone. This can be caused by overloaded routers.
What do you do? If you have a solid backup strategy, you'll be back in business quickly. However, If you're like 65% of SMBs, you don't have a backup strategy or plan.
Like we said earlier about security, a data backup plan is something every business should have in place, no matter the size of the company.
You might not know it, but failing to back-up your data can actually be correlated with costing your business money. The costs associated with a data breach can leave you thousands and thousands of dollars in the hole.
No Mobile Device Action Plan
Mobile devices (business or personal), such as smartphones and tablets, can, unfortunately, create significant security and management challenges, especially if they hold confidential information or can access your corporate network.
With as much remote work we all do nowadays, a mobile device plan is pretty imperative when assessing common IT problems.
Make sure you require all mobile users to password-protect their devices (change them regularly), encrypt their data, and install security apps. This helps prevent criminals from stealing information while the mobile device is on public networks.
Since these devices are portable, be sure to set reporting procedures for lost or stolen devices and communicate this to your staff.
Unplugged: Which Cable Goes Where?
This common IT problem for businesses might seem more like common sense, but hear us out.
Most printers, copiers, and computers offer so many different functions. With an increase in function comes an increase in the number of cables and cords attached to a machine.
You might even feel overwhelmed by the number of cables running in and out of the system that you’re afraid to touch anything at all.
However, most of the external cables connected to your machine are simple, typically consisting of:
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The power cable
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The USB cable
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The Ethernet cable
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The printer, copier, or computer cable (today this is most likely an Ethernet or USB cable)
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Extra hook up cables, such as a mouse or keyboard
Take a little extra time to learn what each cable does and where each cable is supposed to plug in to, whether it be the wall or a device. This tip is helpful the next time an IT problem appears.
Sometimes you have a loose cord that continues to slip out of your machine. Double check all your wires and cables when a problem arises to make sure the cables are all securely plugged in.
Poor Judgement of Online Safety
Safety, safety, safety. We can’t stress this enough! Using good judgment when using the internet is so critical in protecting your company, and avoiding the common IT problem of an unsecured network.
Ever see something like this?
“CONGRATULATIONS! You're the 1,000,000 visitor to our website! Click here to claim your prize of $1,000,000!”
We hate to break it to you, but you didn't win. Advertisements like this are ripe with malware and other software that puts your computer at a high-security risk.
Learning how to judge the relative safety of a website helps avoid those that may harm your computer. The reason that these types of email offers exist because they work.
The amount of scams taking place every day on the internet is frightening, but also something you can prevent by being cautious of the sites you visit and the information you release.
Read more on online safety from an article published by Consumer Reports, The Data Breach Next Door.
Hardware or Software Issues
Are you getting sick of seeing system failure or error messages? When it comes to software and IT, it’s no secret that it’s not a matter of “if” it will break, but “when.”
Unfortunately, when it does break, a simple reboot of your smartphone or laptop isn’t going to fix it. If you don’t have the necessary resources present to replace and repair the software, you’re looking at a significant loss, possibly even company-wide.
Many businesses also forget that all technology devices have a lifespan, no matter how advanced they might seem. Manufacturers are in the business of selling you their latest and greatest products so sometimes, repairs can even cost more than purchasing a brand new machine or device.
Learn the life cycle of all IT devices, and put it to rest at the proper time and standardize your hardware components and software applications. You don’t have to do this on your own. If you don’t already outsource your IT, look into doing so.
Too Many Employees Have Access To Data and Information
Although it’s important that all employees at your company are equipped with the tools they need to do their job. However, there’s no need to give them access to things they don’t need access to, such as network passwords and information.
It might make sense to have just one employee control all access to your company’s data systems. However, this is not the best way to prevent network security issues.
Employees should only be given access to the specific data systems that they need for their specific job duties and should not be able to install any software without permission from you or the IT controller.
Lacking an IT Plan
There are certain things you can prepare for when it comes to IT, but not when it comes to a security breach or natural disaster. This is where an IT plan and a managed IT services team comes in handy.
Outsourcing your company’s IT needs is certainly a big move to make that takes careful consideration and planning. Becoming educated and more familiar with managed IT services significantly benefits your business in more ways than one.
Managed IT services saves your employees time, saves your business money, provides you with remote monitoring for a safer network, brings subject matter experts, and even gives you access to more customizable services.
For more information on everything to do with Managed IT Services, check out our resource page, here.
To learn more about managed IT services and how these services benefit your business, read our article, Top 5 Things You Should Know About Managed IT Services.
Knowing all there is to know about the most common IT problems for businesses probably doesn’t sound so basic to you, and that’s perfectly ok. Computers, copiers, and printers can be challenging to learn, which is why we want to give you the resources to do so. If you want to learn more about tech support and resolutions, reach out to us here and let us know. Don’t forget to check out our latest informative and entertaining videos on, The Copier Channel. Our job is to give you peace of mind to help you win more business.
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