As a small business owner, do you find yourself pulling your hair in frustration as your business computers keep lagging or crashing? Your old and failed devices might have also caused you to lose crucial data. Or perhaps you spend more time on repetitive admin tasks than running your business.

Those are all signs you need to upgrade your information technology (IT) assets. Because if you don’t, your business’s productivity and reputation will be at risk.

To that end, we created this guide discussing some of the most crucial things you need to know about small business IT. Read on to discover how it affects and benefits your organization and its dos and don’ts.

1. You Can’t Rely on Outdated IT Systems

Outdated IT systems include hardware and software manufacturers or developers no longer support. These are already “ancient” and deemed legacy technology in the computer world.

Despite that, many businesses, even giant corporations and banks, still use them. Unfortunately, they are safety and security risks full of loopholes that criminals can bypass. At the very least, they can affect users and customers.

Outdated IT systems can also be newer technologies running on older software versions. Updates are available, but for some reason, users fail to install them.

Either way, outdated systems are more prone to problems, including crashes and outages.

A perfect example is when Delta Air Lines had to cancel over 200 flights in January 2017. This resulted from a computer crash, leaving passengers stranded for hours. It hit their bottom line hard as they tried to compensate their angry passengers.

So, if you’re using outdated business computers, you’re also at risk of IT outages. Worse, you may face liabilities if the problem in your IT infrastructure causes clients to lose money.

To prevent those issues, perform regular audits to ensure everything in your IT system is up-to-date. Install software updates as soon as they become available, too.

2. Small Businesses Are at Risk of Cybercrime

As corporations continue enhancing their cybersecurity measures, cybercriminals turn to SMBs.

Small businesses, after all, have less capital to invest in cybersecurity. Some also mistakenly believe that, because they’re small, criminals won’t aim at them.

Unfortunately, that thinking has made small businesses prime targets of data breaches. Indeed, they’re the victims of over four in ten of these incidents. Worse, experts say these organizations may not survive a single attack.

So, if business IT security isn’t on top of your list of priorities, it’s time you put it up there.

3. You Can Recover Data From Failed Obsolete Tech

Even well-maintained vehicles perform slower when they age. The same goes for obsolete technologies; the older they are, the slower and glitchier they can be. At some point, they can simply refuse to work, leaving you with seemingly no way to access the data you’ve got in them.

Luckily, you may still be able to retrieve your data by fixing your broken IT equipment. However, if the fix requires replacing electronic components, you must work with a third party. Remember: Product and app developers no longer support legacy technology.

Fortunately, reputable electronic parts suppliers carry products for legacy and obsolete tech. If you know which components you need, click here to request a quote.

Then, as soon as you’ve fixed them, recover your data by copying it into a hard drive. Create at least two other backups using different media. For example, two copies could be in separate physical hard drives while the other is in the cloud.

4. You Can Automate Tasks Using IT

Data entry, accounting, and bookkeeping are all administrative tasks needed to maintain an office. While crucial, they’re not part of a business’s core operations. For example, if you own and run a restaurant, your primary goal is to feed customers, not crunch numbers.

Still, you must do accounting to determine if you’re feeding enough customers to make profits. You must also perform data entry for inventories, customer headcount, and reservations.

However, if you spend more time on admin tasks, you’ll be unable to focus on what you do best.

The good news is that thanks to IT, you now have automation tools at your disposal. With these, you can use software to automate many of your admin tasks with minimal human intervention. This gives you more time to run your business instead of doing office work.

5. You Can Outsource Small Business IT Services

Do you need help setting up your new company computers and hook them to your network? Are you ready to better protect your IT system and digital assets from cybercrime? Have you decided to migrate most, if not all, of your data to the cloud?

Whatever IT services you need, you can outsource them to a managed service provider (MSP).

An MSP is a third-party company that can manage your entire IT infrastructure. They have a pool of experienced IT professionals specializing in:

• Computer and network installation
• Office relocation
• 24/7 remote hardware and software monitoring
• Round-the-clock technical support and help desk
• Network security
• Antivirus and antimalware
• IP access control and surveillance
• Cloud migration services

Most MSPs also employ pay-as-you-use pricing models.

For example, if you only need network security, you’d only pay for that. In most cases, you won’t need to get into a contract that will lock you in for one or two years. Instead, you can get the service you need every month and upscale or downscale as required.

Thanks to that pricing model, you can better predict and control your IT expenses.

Leverage IT for Your Small Business

If deployed and used correctly, small business IT can help you save time and money while protecting your data and IT assets. Conversely, using legacy technology and not prioritizing cybersecurity can lead to your business’s downfall.

So, why not contact an MSP that can provide all the IT services your small business needs? The sooner you do, the sooner they can help you maximize your IT investments.

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