Your business operations are composed of many different components. And at the core of it is your IT department. This is because everything you do runs on data, and the majority of your transactions are done online. With this in mind, you need to acknowledge the fact that one glitch or minor problem can cause a chain reaction in your system, which in turn will affect your business’ productivity.
Essentially, it would be best if you made sure that your IT department is always in top shape. You should go beyond the thinking that this aspect of your business is just about hardware and software. As such, you need to pay attention to the changes and efficiency of your very own system. You need to watch out for signs that it needs upgrades.
To guide you through this, here are some of the indications that you need to check:
It’s hard to collaborate
Collaboration is among the things that make conducting a business possible. And sometimes, what gets in the way of collaborating is a failed system. It may be your Internet is slow, or your hardware is inconsistent with the software. IT departments should constantly be improving the system to make sure that collaborations always flow smoothly.
Your computers are slow
How old are your computers? This is one question that needs a quick answer. If your hardware is more than ten years old, chances are it will lag, crash, freeze, and cause frustrations. It will certainly eat away at your team’s productivity. A total overhaul is needed this time. Get new computers, but make sure that they will suit the specific needs of your team members. For instance, powerful computers may be needed for your design and accounting teams. For teams whose work is mainly composed of surfing and word processing, consider mini PCs and hybrid devices (such as tablet computers).
Your data has been stolen or compromised
This is a serious sign that should be concerning you a lot. Remember that your business runs on data. When your data is stolen, corrupted, and compromised, your operations will be heavily affected. Trade secrets may be exposed. Login credentials may be exploded. And there’s a great chance that attackers may be able to steal money from your bank account. With these risks in mind, you need to invest in tightening the security of your entire IT department.
Your servers always crash
Another serious issue you need to take note of is the constant crashing of your servers. When your servers are problematic, the entire IT infrastructure is unstable. Your servers may be crashing because they have limited bandwidth. It could also be because they lack the processing power. Consider that there is also a risk of malware infection.
Do a comprehensive audit
Before you revamp and upgrade your IT department, you need to pinpoint the possible mistakes; some of them can be corrected easily. To arrive at a suitable solution, you need to conduct a comprehensive IT audit, preferably with a reliable third party.
