Here we present some technology warning signs to watch out for. Fortunately, many of these problems can be solved with the right equipment or process approach.
Business is complex and there are many factors that contribute to a company's success, even for small operations. Proper planning, understanding customer needs and qualified employees are essential. And also a strong technical backbone.
But given your daily responsibilities, you may not notice when that backbone starts to fail. Or you may not realize that seemingly unrelated events (like an increase in customer complaints) are caused by technical failures. Therefore, it is important to recognize the signs of infrastructure problems.
Here we present some technology warning signs to watch out for. Fortunately, many of these problems can be solved with the right equipment or process approach. Therefore, we also provide some suggested solutions.
Customers are complaining or leaving
Most people's frustration threshold is very low. Waiting for an ecommerce website to load, struggling to find the right button to perform a specific task, or waiting for a representative to answer the phone are common causes of annoyance. These situations can lead to complaints, negative reviews or customer defections, which will have a negative impact on your bottom line.
The following video explains the importance of customer experience:
A simple solution may suffice, such as letting customers on hold know how long they can expect to wait to speak to a representative. These measures can go a long way toward relieving irritation. But they may not be enough if the root cause of the problem is a malfunction or outdated hardware or software.
If you notice a trend of customer complaints or reduced business, conduct a thorough review of your customer-facing systems to ensure they are up to date and supported by appropriate hardware and support. Software . Additionally, make sure you have enough staff to support these updates.
Downtime is increasing
System downtime can be attributed to many possible factors, including network failure, outdated equipment, or human error. The problem may be due to new systems competing for resources that can be supported by older hardware or software that cannot handle the new demands.
If this is the problem, it's time to take a close look at how current equipment should be updated. Consider bringing in additional staff to keep daily processes running while existing staff make necessary inquiries and updates. Another possible solution is managed IT services, which can provide consistent computing power, making outages less common. These professionals can also bring an external approach to creating a new technology roadmap.
The problem of human error can be solved by ensuring that the entire IT team is up to date on their skills. Conduct an assessment to find out where you may need to provide additional training or hire team members who are more familiar with certain systems. Make sure employees know that this process is not about singling anyone out for reprimand or job loss. It’s about ensuring the team as a whole is where they need to be to effectively serve the business.
Software is not compatible
Unsupported software is more than a matter of not being able to get technical assistance when needed. It's a security issue. Software updates include security patches, and when updates don't happen, the software becomes more vulnerable to attacks.
One of the main reasons companies don't update software is cost. But the cost of an attack can be many times greater. Keep in mind that unused software should be completely removed from a system because it can provide an attack vector for hackers, even if it is inactivated or unused.
Innovation is delayed
Consider all the companies that had to quickly convert to a work-from-home (WFH) model in 2020. Those that had an agile mindset were able to do so successfully, while those that resisted the change struggled. Technology is constantly changing and companies must be prepared and willing to change with it or incorporate new systems into their operations as customer and business needs evolve.
Even when things are working well, the technology must still be evaluated to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the business and will continue to do so in the future. While it may be uncomfortable, companies must be ready to change course at any time. Consider conducting a review at least once a year to map technology needs to current and future business requirements.
The same problems keep recurring
If any of these issues or others occur, that is a problem in itself. This means that the real problems are not being solved and you are probably using available resources to put out fires. To function most effectively, companies must do more than simply react to the latest emergency. Going beyond this operating mode and building stability requires proper planning.
One way to ensure this planning is to have an adequate IT budget for professionals who understand technology needs . It should cover the cost of hiring enough qualified personnel to keep everything running smoothly and consistently, as well as the right hardware and software, including necessary updates. With these things in place, IT can become proactive rather than reactive and provide a smooth platform to support company operations.
Focus on ROI
If you're thinking you don't have the budget to perform necessary updates and upgrades or hire new employees in the short term, consider what not taking these actions will cost you in the long term. For example, outdated systems are less secure, leaving you vulnerable to cyberattacks that can lead to wasted time and money trying to recover lost data, not to mention lost revenue due to a damaged reputation.
While it may seem counterintuitive, you might even consider restricting certain services until you ensure they are functioning optimally. Fewer, consistently high-performing services can end up being more profitable than many that don't perform well.
