Some common technology problems can threaten to derail your operations, no matter what your company does. Here's a practical guide to help you deal with them.
No matter the size or type of your business, you will almost certainly encounter technology problems. It may seem like you are alone, especially if you are the leader of an emerging, growing startup, but the fact is that all companies face these common problems.
What differentiates those who succeed—despite the software problems they face—is that they figured out how to deal with them. How can you too learn how to nip common problems in the bud?
Here are five of the most common technology problems businesses face, along with solutions to combat them.
1. Cybersecurity threats
Cybersecurity threats have gotten a lot more sophisticated since the days when you received an email from someone claiming to be a prince from a distant land asking for your banking information and social security number. Today, cybercriminals use a variety of methods to attack you and your business, from malware to infiltration of private systems and phishing schemes.
Successful cyberattacks can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Small and new businesses are particularly at risk, as they are often unable to deal with the damage to their reputation, not to mention the cost of dealing with the attack. You've heard of big companies like Yahoo and Facebook, but the smaller scale ones are less well known, sometimes because these companies get in over their heads.
Fortunately, with cybercrime on the rise, protection measures are also becoming increasingly sophisticated. On a more basic level, you should hire an IT specialist to educate your employees on how to recognize attempts to hack business systems, as well as how to implement measures such as two-factor authentication measures. You should also ensure that you are restricting access to sensitive data to employees who truly need it.
But you also need to invest in solid, secure infrastructure — the foundation of your protection. Consider hiring a cybersecurity expert or white hat hacker to identify vulnerabilities and give advice on how to fix them. They can also provide guidance on additional cybersecurity measures your company should take, such as implementing firewalls and VPNs.
2. Integration Incompatibilities
All companies require countless technological solutions to keep their operations running smoothly. Unfortunately, you may also encounter compatibility issues when installing new software. You may be adopting applications from different brands into the mix, or you may have different versions of technologies that were created at different times and no longer work well together.
This could lead to your equipment malfunctioning. There may be significant downtime that hinders productivity. Or maybe you need to repeat tasks. To avoid this common problem, you should always take stock of your current systems and research new software you are considering bringing into your business to ensure the platforms will work together correctly.
Another solution is to build custom software. This has many advantages, in addition to the fact that developers can create the platforms with their unique needs in mind – including compatibility with their current systems. Some companies have a software development team that can develop these solutions in-house, while others turn to external vendors who work with them to build custom software .
3. Outdated systems
When was the last time you conducted an audit of your software and technology systems? If you can't remember – or have never done anything – then you may very well be using outdated tools and platforms. This is often the case with legacy technology, systems you've been using for a long time. This can present several problems for your company and your employees.
For example, software may frequently crash or stop working altogether. It may even be incompatible with newer tools that you introduce into your office, as per item 2. This often disrupts the workflow, not to mention irritating your employees and making their professional lives more difficult than necessary. You may also be introducing vulnerabilities because newer versions of software are created with current threats in mind.
It is critical to routinely perform technology audits to determine which legacy systems need to be updated or completely replaced. In some cases, it may be necessary to do a complete software review . While this may seem expensive, it will actually be more cost-effective in the long run because you won't need to replace tools or repair them.
4. Inadequate data storage
Data must be stored appropriately and securely at all times. After all, data loss can wreak havoc on a company and be very costly. And it's not necessarily the result of cybercrime. Often this is due to human error and poor storage techniques. You know this, of course – but do you know how to do it?
Today, cloud computing platforms are considered the safest and most efficient means of backing up and storing data. This will help you have peace of mind knowing that the information you keep is protected and accessible to anyone who needs it virtually anywhere in the world.
But it's not enough to simply implement a cloud storage solution. Since nothing is 100% risk-free, you should also have a complete disaster recovery plan in place in case something goes wrong. Along with cloud-based platforms, this plan should include external storage solutions, backup solutions, and more.
5. No long-term plan
Given the number of problems that can arise at any time, you should avoid waiting for problems to appear. Instead, it's important to develop a comprehensive plan for your organization and its technology.
A solid long-term vision plan doesn't just include proactive solutions to problems that arise – it should also address new technologies that can improve your organization. This plan must take into account goals, benchmarks and KPIs, considering different approaches to make your organization better.
What's next for your software?
No matter what you do, it's important to establish strong partnerships to execute your technology plans and proactively resolve issues. The best course of action is to work closely with your IT team, whether internal or external. outsourced supplier — devise solutions to threats, as well as identify opportunities to grow and evolve as a business.
