ALPHA

June 10, 2022

Article

5 must-follow IT practices to ensure business success

In today’s commercial landscape, technology is the pulse of nearly every business’s success. When it comes to streamlining your business operations, security and enhancing overall customer satisfaction, IT plays a major role.    

From ensuring your cybersecurity methods are sound to developing a data backup and recovery plan, there are several essential practices that your company should keep top of mind. Continue reading to find out some of the best IT practices you should follow to ensure success.  

1. Secure data with cybersecurity tactics

Cybercrimes are all too common and can severely damage the integrity of your organization.  Believe it or not, businesses of all sizes across all industries are susceptible to cyberattacks. However, over 90% of all cyberattacks can be prevented by implementing robust cybersecurity methods.  

From tactics such as Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to improving your network firewalls, training employees how to recognize attempted email phishing scams and more, there are various ways to mitigate the risk associated with cybercrimes and avoid costly third-party damage.  

2. Develop a business continuity and disaster recovery plan 

Does your business have a plan in place in terms of what to do if you are hit by a cyberattack, man-made or natural disaster? By implementing a business continuity and disaster recovery plan, you will be prepared for anything. Think of it as an insurance plan for your business.  

A business continuity and recovery plan increases a business’s chance of carrying on operations as usual with minor system downtime. It’s not uncommon for a business to be the victim of a security breach, man-made or natural disaster. With a plan in place, you can decrease operational disruptions, protect your data and the integrity of your business.  

3. Issue regular IT audits

Do you know the current state of your IT infrastructure? By issuing an IT audit, you will gain full visibility of your current hardware, software applications, network security and more. With this information, you can identify gaps, access potential risks and develop solutions to ensure that your infrastructure is up to date, reliable and continues functioning smoothly. 

If you work with an in-house IT department, it’s recommended that you source a third-party provider to access your IT. By working with an external provider, you will receive an unbiased opinion and fresh set of eyes on your IT. This will also help to keep your in-house team on their toes.  

4. Ensure your hardware and software are up to date

By keeping your hardware and software applications current you can avoid issues such as viruses, system crashes and security flaws. Providers update their products regularly in order to increase efficiency and compatibility. Furthermore, most upgrades come with new and improved features that create an overall better experience. 

If you do not take the initiative keep your hardware and software up to date, you may experience more system crashes and prolonged system downtime. This is because providers don’t always provide support for outdated hardware and software systems. From a customer standpoint, prolonged system downtime can tarnish your brand’s reputation.  

5. Partner with a trusted Managed Service Provider (MSP)

When you partner with a reputable MSP, you have instant access to an entire team of IT experts. Some of the benefits of teaming up with an MSP include proactive IT maintenance, constant monitoring, IT consulting, quick response rates and reduced monthly costs.  

Start maximixing your reserouces today

An MSP will constantly monitor your systems and can resolve issues before they become a real threat to your business. Rather than sinking hours of employee resources and capital costs into fixing IT issues, partner up with an MSP and stay focused on your core business objectives. Interested to learn more? Get in touch with one of our IT experts today!