Photo: wocintechchat/Unsplash
The way we work and live our everyday lives has been drastically changing in recent years thanks to the internet and the fast development of technology. While you certainly need to be clued in on a lot more tech terms than your grandparents did in their younger years, you shouldn’t have to have a degree in computer science just to feel secure in your day-to-day business operations. Here are five ways you can stay calm and reduce the risk of tech disruptions:
1. Invest In Good IT Support
No matter how big or small your business is, you need professional IT help if you are serious about avoiding tech disasters. If you are only a sole trader or still in your start-up phase, there are small business IT support services that offer 24/7 off-site support and packages you can tailor to meet your unique needs. This way, you don’t have to deal with the hassle or costs of hiring an internal IT guru, but you still have a dedicated service to ensure you never miss a beat.
2. Don’t Compromise On Cyber Security or Data Privacy
Once you have secured your IT support services, be sure to have a discussion with your provider about network security. You absolutely cannot afford to skip this conversation because if your network security or data privacy is compromised in any way, it affects not only your business operations and sensitive information but your customers’ as well! This is why it’s so important to enquire about the level of data protection included in your IT service provider’s packages to see if you require any add-ons.
3. Schedule Regular Cleaning and Maintenance
When it comes to maintaining technology and devices, a mistake many people make is focusing solely on software and digital maintenance whilst overlooking physical maintenance. All tech devices require cleaning, care, and frequent maintenance, just like your furniture and other on-site amenities. Commercial cleaners are skilled in cleaning offices and commercial spaces safely; just make sure you don’t limit any rooms or areas in your cleaning schedule!
4. Have An Easy, Early Reporting System For Faults
Small glitches and sluggish systems can seem harmless, and to be fair, they often are. However, they can also be the early warning signs of greater issues. To avoid any of these leading to a major disruption that affects everyone, create a fault reporting system that is so easy your employees won’t be tempted to ignore it.
Do not take the pen-and-paper route as your reports can be lost and hard to backtrack. Instead, a shared spreadsheet or simple process on an operating system already in use is best. Make your process known to any new employees, and share communications about it with all staff to encourage early reporting.
5. Educate Your Staff
If an employee makes a mistake in their handling of something that isn’t part of their skillset, they really can’t be held at fault. You should take it upon yourself as a business owner or manager to keep your staff trained and informed on the safe and effective use of all the technology that’s central to your business. That includes computer software and systems, electronics, mobile devices, and anything else used daily. Keeping how-to guides and videos of operating processes, along with all the relevant tech support phone numbers and procedures, is always a good idea.
While you cannot guarantee issues will never happen in your business, taking the above measures early will at least keep you protected from the worst.