IT problems don’t just impact the business, they can harm customer confidence.
Though the vast majority of businesses rely on information technology for their operations, service delivery, and much more besides, not many give IT the focus it needs. That can affect operational stability and security.
Fortunately, even taking basic steps can help technology issues in the business and minimize disruptions.
Find out what are some of the most common IT problems and how you can resolve them quickly.
1. Outdated Technologies (and the Resulting Cybersecurity Issues)
Technologies that are past their “Use by” dates can pose significant security and operational challenges for any business. Security patches are few and far between (if at all), and even your IT staff loses recency with the technology (which will cause cybersecurity vulnerabilities).
With the average cost of data breaches in Canada peaking at $6.75 million in 2021, it’s essential for businesses to take the strongest measures to protect their systems and data.
Upgrade your IT systems to:
- Reduce security risks and better protect business data and applications against cyber attacks
- Replace legacy systems that inundate your IT team and are a constant cause of problems with IT
- End the complaints of slow performance by streamlining business processes
- Ensure compliance with partner and industry standards (and enhance business potential)
Don’t Let IT Issues Become IT Outages Find out how you can eliminate recurring IT issues and make that 99.9% uptime dream a reality. |
2. New Technology Issues in Business
Integrating new technologies (software and hardware) into existing IT infrastructure is one of the most common IT problems in business. Trying to interface new technologies with old or incompatible technology can cause system crashes, accidentally deleting configuration files and numerous other headaches.
3. Data Backup and Disaster Recovery Failures
From ransomware attacks to the notorious blue screen of death, a disaster recovery plan is vital for organizations seeking to ensure business continuity. However, lacking the right support services, organizations can be in for a rude shock when it comes time to restore systems.
It takes more than just choosing a feature-laden disaster recovery plan – you need one that integrates tightly with your IT systems and works flawlessly in the background. Your business model, workflow, industry, and customer requirements will all play a part in determining the right solution.
It’s why businesses rely on MSPs (even if they have in-house IT staff) to identify, implement and manage disaster recovery solutions for the business.
Here Are a Few Resources That Will Help You Prevent/Solve IT Problems in Business: |
4. Inadequate Network Monitoring and Management
The network is like the silent, dutiful butler – it enables your entire technology infrastructure. Unfortunately, it’s also where most businesses fail, routinely neglecting to monitor its health and take steps to optimize it.
Performing regular network maintenance (switches, routers, firewalls, and even endpoints) is vitally important to minimize downtime. That’s where an experienced managed services provider can help. Instead of consuming limited internal resources, you can let a team of experts proactively manage your network for optimal performance.
5. Missing Qualified Industry Experience
IT salaries have skyrocketed in recent years and businesses are simply finding hiring qualified, experienced IT staff unaffordable. Conversely, the complexity and vastness of IT systems have become greater – growing the gap in skill required to tackle technology issues in business.
Instead, businesses are increasingly choosing MSPs to manage their IT for a fixed monthly cost (that’s less than what they pay in payroll):
- Eliminate the knowledge and skill gap
- Access industry-specific and qualified skills
- Free up in-house staff to focus on new tasks
6. Compliance and Technology Issues in Business
Data compliance standards around safeguarding consumers’ sensitive data and data integrity are becoming more complicated to adhere to.
Achieving regulatory compliance with international, national, and provincial standards is a common IT problem faced by organizations worldwide. Especially in the aftermath of COVID-19 lockdowns, businesses faced compliance challenges as they virtualized technologies and transitioned to cloud computing that they hadn’t previously.
And cybercriminals have been quick to take advantage of that. For instance, in healthcare – one of the most prolific sources of high-value data – breaches have more than tripled from 199 data breaches in 2010 to 642 data breaches in 2020.
Failing to remain compliant doesn’t just expose the organization to compliance fines and orders, it can cause tremendous reputational damage too (in consumer and B2B circles).
Take steps to:
- Develop organization-wide policies on compliance
- Build a culture of compliance among employees
- Vet technology vendors to ensure they’re compliant with the same standards as you are
7. Inadequate Know-How and Inexperienced Support Team
Small businesses are more susceptible to technology issues in business because they are often unable to afford experienced IT professionals to oversee their systems.
That means relying on staff that lacks the know-how to manage systems sufficiently. As a result, it’s all too easy to compromise security and operational stability in efforts to “troubleshoot” and “improvise.”
To bridge that gap, MSPs are proving a popular option. With support-only and maintenance-only packages, smaller businesses can maintain systems affordably.
8. Lacking an IT Strategy and IT Leadership
If business and IT leaders aren’t on the same page, or when nobody takes ownership of the IT infrastructure, it can set you down a muddy technology path.
IT processes and systems will not align with your business’s needs nor will they support your business goals. That can easily cause a death spiral of inefficiencies and downtime.
Ensure you have:
- A clear IT leadership structure
- Short-term, mid-term and long-term IT plans
- CIO-level support to prepare budgets and audit performance
Overcoming Common Technology Problems With an MSP
No two IT environments are alike, and you shouldn’t settle for a one-size-fits-all approach. At Tenecom, we provide right-sized services and solutions for all types of businesses.
Whether you need a 24/7 help desk, remote support, or cybersecurity services, we’ll help you tailor solutions exactly to your needs. Discuss your IT needs with a specialist today.