Even the most minor problems can have extremely negative impacts if they are frequent enough. So, what can you do against the most common technical problems in your workplace? And why should you?
When your employees have to spend time waiting and trying to fix computer problems instead of focusing on their work, their productivity gets disrupted. They get frustrated, and they see that they still have work, so what do they do? They try to finish it in a limited amount of time. Even if they manage well at first, in the long run, this wears them down. The quality of their work decreases, and they get more and more stressed out. No business owner wants that.
These problems that especially small businesses face and have not yet learned how to manage can cost them a lot. Big companies can have an easier time due to access to more resources and can get things fixed quickly. But even if you can handle everything fast, this doesn’t mean this method is optimal. So, both for big and small businesses, we have some recommendations. Continue reading to find out more.
What to Expect in This Article?
Now, we will start from the most basic, yet essential topics and make our way to the finalizing touches. The order of the topics below will ensure that you do everything with the right equipment from the start. This way, you won’t have to go back and forth, and repeat the same steps for even the most common IT issues.
1) Hardware and Software
1.1) Old technology
First and foremost, old technology is a huge drag on any IT system. It results in slow performance no matter how good your IT experts are. Old hardware also means sub-optimal internet connection, data storage, difficulties in remote work, and so on. While investing in new technologies won’t prevent every problem, they will greatly decrease their frequency. When your IT team has access to better types of equipment and new systems, it will be a lot easier for them to deal with other problems.
Good types of equipment will definitely speed up your business operations. Consider upgrades for both your and your team’s nerves.
1.2) Maintenance
The software will get outdated, hardware will get old: this is not a secret. They all have a lifespan and require good care. Repairing old devices can be costly due to discontinued components. When you consider that the malfunction rates of old devices increase with time, it is best to invest in new technologies as mentioned above.
But this applies to software as well. The most common IT problems can span from out-of-date drivers and incompatible installations. So it is best to check them regularly. Though, you don’t have to this on your own all the time. Consider outsourcing your IT infrastructure. If you are wondering how to do this, contact us. Gini Talent can provide you with the best and most efficient experts for the perfect maintenance of your technological sources.
2) Data and Security
2.1) Unrestricted data access
Of course, you should provide your employees with the data they require. Otherwise, they can’t do their jobs. But there must be a limit. They don’t need access to literally everything.
By managing the data your employees require and assigning them appropriately, you can reduce the security risks to your big or small business. Keep in mind that a lot of data breaches come as a result of employee errors or social engineering scams. This carries us to our next point.
2.2) Endpoint user vulnerabilities
Mobile devices include smartphones and tablets, and they can pose a big threat to your security. If these devices have access to sensitive data, hackers can gather around like flies. Business owners should make sure that either mobile devices are well protected (with password protection, data encryption, and anti-virus apps) or they should not have access to any information that might invalidate the implemented security measures.
2.3) Insufficient Cyber Security
A cyber attack can put a small business out of business and cause serious financial problems to even the largest companies. A contract with an IT support service would be the most profitable preventive measure. Besides this, making sure that your company’s firewall is enabled is a key point. See to it that your employees are knowledgeable about security principles and that the passwords are changed regularly. You can also consult an expert for data encryption.
2.4) Back IT up!
Backing up your data is essential. We cannot stress this enough. In the case of a ransomware attack, if you have everything backed up and protected, you can ignore the ransom. Use your backups to restart your systems. You might lose some data, but it is a lot better than losing all of it or paying the ransom. The amount of data you lose depends on the frequency of your backups. So, how do we plan them? Let’s see below.
3) Planning and Structure
3.1) Lack of a profound plan
For growth, you need a good IT strategy. Trust us, without planning your data backups, considering the internet downtime and malware, you risk a lot. In order to prevent data loss, a well-thought backup plan is necessary. And you need a disaster recovery plan to bounce back into the business. A recommended first step in this direction would be to get a managed service provider. Gini Talent can help you with this.
3.2) Undefined Storage Structure
You do all your data backups, you have planned around everything. But where is anything? Can you easily find the relevant folders and documents? Can your employees find what they need? If not, we need to fix this.
We have technology in our hands, let’s make use of it. A good mapping of your cloud services and frequent organizing of the contents can solve your problems. Make sure everything is in the right place, categorized well, and that they are required. There is no need for empty documents, unnecessary files, and random content.
4) Employee Management
Even if you have everything perfectly, it all comes down to knowing how to utilize them. If your employees don’t know how to fix small problems and always have to wait for an expert to fix things, frustration builds up. Then how can you expect them to be productive? They have already lost while waiting, and their workload is still the same. Well, that’s why workshops exist. Let us explain. Also, consider checking our article on How to Manage Developers in A Remote Team. Some of the general points can apply to your workplace.
4.1) Little details
Paying attention to small details prevents them from turning into big struggles. If your employees know how to take care of their devices properly, they will have fewer IT issues. Remember to turn off the screens, not use the wrong cables in case power output damages the device, and so on. They sound so basic, and yes, they are. But you should make sure that your employees know these preventive measures. Creating a written list and having it common throughout the workplace could help a lot.
4.2) Emergencies
Though a written list of rules will have a huge effect, emergencies are a different topic. Having frequent workshops and providing your employees with adequate, up-to-date information is vital. Pay attention to the quality and quantity of these workshops. If they are too frequent, they will provide no productivity because everyone will get bored, including you. If they are seldom but there is no quality, they will easily get forgotten. Choose the right experts, and make sure your employees get the correct information.
Common IT Problems: A Summary
We divided the most common technology issues into four topics. First, you should focus on the recency of your types of equipment and software. Ensuring their proper maintenance is the second step. Then you can get working on the security and storage of your important data and follow it up with structure and planning. They come hand in hand. Lastly, make sure everyone in the workplace is up-to-date with all the changes and future implementations.
We can help!
Solving all these problems can be a long process depending on your current state. To ease your workload, consider contacting us. Gini Talent can aid you during your period of change. We customize our technical expertise and IT professionals for your needs. Let us help you in finding the right talents who can maximize your benefits with the required changes.
