Common Sense IT Fixes
It’s a tale as old as the first time people used computers. You get to the office, sit down at your desk, ready to start a productive workday. Maybe you’ve got a major project to finish up or you need to reply to some emails you’ve been putting off. You fire up the computer at your workstation … and nothing happens. It won’t turn on. You check all the cables and they’re all plugged in. After a half hour of unplugging and restarting, your monitor blinks weakly to life only to indicate that you’re not connected to the network. Another half hour of IT wrangling instead of doing your actual work.
Sound familiar? Unfortunately, that’s how an alarming number of companies have handled IT issues since they first installed computers to modernize their operations 35 years ago: Work the equipment into the ground until it’s no longer functional, make a few replacements, set up a consumer grade Wi-Fi network, and hope the servers don’t go down in flames.
Many commonplace IT issues have common sense solutions that will prevent unnecessary downtime and keep your business operational.
Replace Old Equipment
Chances are, the old Apple II your company is hanging on to probably won’t do everything you rely on from a modern computer. While that may be an extreme example, businesses sometimes use computers and other technology well past their obsolescence due to the upfront cost of upgrading. However, you have to weigh that cost against how much productivity is lost when staff sits idly by while a member of your IT department fixes their computer for the fifth time that month. How much are lost time and lost connections really costing you? Technology innovations can simplify the equipment you need for less than you may expect.
Backup Your Backups
If important files or your list of customer contacts suddenly goes missing from your computer or from your entire network, do you have an alternative? As more companies find converting to digital processes essential, having redundancies for your most critical data just makes sense. Don’t spend hours trying to rebuild work that’s already been done. Opt for on-site or off-site data and server backups, including cloud migration, that can save you the panic of a desktop malfunction or a complete system crash. Keep your information safe and accessible anywhere and anytime.
Review Access
Speaking of accessibility, are too many users crashing the network by being online at the same time? Do you have enough program licenses for everyone who needs to use it for work? It may be time to take stock of who has access to what equipment, programs, and applications at your business. This doesn’t mean alienating loyal employees by slamming a virtual door in their faces. It’s simply reviewing what access is necessary for them to work productively. Streamlining who has access at the proper points of your process can be crucial to success when too much or inessential usage is slowing things down. One benefit of this approach is better security for your network and integral systems. Someone carelessly clicking on a link from a dubious email shouldn’t bring your business to a standstill.
Plan for Technology
All of these common sense conundrums require proper planning, and a technology plan for your company is key to meeting your current needs and setting the stage for future growth and upgrades. Project the life expectancy of your current equipment and start budgeting long-term for the day it can be replaced en masse. Establish adequate storage to duplicate your data and make it easily retrievable. Train your staff on approved use of technology, including online activity. Planning for technologies helps you develop realistic policies for today and goals for tomorrow instead of waiting for the worst case scenario.
IT specialists like those at Orange Crew are experts at developing responsive plans for companies seeking support. Save money on a dedicated IT employee or department by letting Orange Crew manage your systems.