10 Mistakes Businesses Make In IT

Companies are going to make mistakes, every year, every month and every day. It’s human nature and it’s what we do best. We get distracted, we forget, we don’t understand or we simply keep pushing things back. One of the best examples of this is with IT management and usage. Before you focus on mistakes to avoid asking yourself this, how important is IT and data management to your company? 

 

Can you survive without it? Then you’re one of the lucky ones. Most companies could not function without their strong network. They rely on it as much as their employees to be up and running every day. Yet, IT is often pushed back, underfunded and even poorly managed because companies do not take the necessary steps when needed. 

 

10 Small Business IT Mistakes 

 

Your small business cannot afford to make major mistakes, especially in the area of IT. You do not think that you are at risk but over 40% of cyber attacks are on small businesses. You need to invest time and money into this area and avoid mistakes like: 

 

  1. Overlooking cybersecurity: Your business may not have had any threats yet, but it can at any point. No, you do not need to spend millions of dollars to protect your data but you do need to make sure that it is properly stored and protected along with your website and other digital assets of value. Why leave them to chance? 
  2. Relying on outdated platforms and software: One of the biggest mistakes established companies make is that they buy software and programs and then use them for years without updating or upgrading. Yes, the program still works great for you and your team but the problem is that attackers or bugs can shut everything down that much quicker. 
  3. Going cheap: IT and marketing are two areas where business owners strongly disagree on how much to invest. They do not see the immediate ROI and therefore they feel that it is not worth the money, or they try to address it with cheap alternatives. 
  4. Poor employee training: If your employee is going to use a computer you need them to know how to use it first and especially how to use it the way an employee should. That requires training, not only on how to use it but how to use it perfectly for work. Training is a key for any successful company. 
  5. No in-house or local team: Yes, there are companies that are international that offer IT management services and their services are great. Until you need someone to come into your office and help you fix a problem. Then you are stuck with someone on the phone who is trying to walk you through things. That’s not exactly the hands-on help you were promised when you signed your lengthy contract. 
  6. Not researching vendors: Who are you going to hire to manage your IT and data management needs? Take some time to do some research, ask other business owners, look at reviews and see what your business needs as far as what type of expertise and specialization. 
  7. Going with top brands in the industry: Yes, the top brands in the industry of cybersecurity, IT management, data and cloud storage and more all do fantastic work for larger companies. They have a bigger price tag and their services, while valuable, are overkill for what you need. There are much more affordable options that will fit your needs perfectly. 
  8. Poor data management and usage: Your data is arguably the most valuable thing about your business now. That may be hard to believe but in many cases it’s true and you would be amazed at how many businesses heavily rely on their data yet poorly manage it or even use it improperly. 
  9. Overspending on platforms and software: There are plenty of platforms that offer you what you need to manage and run your business. This software is reliable, proven, easy to learn and easy to use. There are also dozens of them out there and your goal is not to find the best one, it’s to find the right one meaning that it’s great and that it’s affordable. An IT manager can steer you in the right direction here. 
  10. Not properly utilizing platforms and softwares: Ever buy a new car and use ⅛ of the functionality it offers, especially on the dashboard? We do the same thing with our phones, laptops and most electronics we have. We do not use them to their fullest ability because we do not know how to. An IT person can show you. 

 

If you want to avoid making these and other IT management mistakes, focus on building a reliable team. The best combination is usually having an in-house person who works with an independent team. This gives you the best of both sides and reinforces your in-house person with the resources they need. 

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