Everyone experiences technical breakdowns from time to time, but many are preventable.
Here’s a list of 4 of the most common technical issues businesses face, along with tips for preventing them and/or mitigating the damage.
1. Mechanical failures concerning critical equipment
The impact of a mechanical failure on your business operations can be devastating, especially when it extends beyond the immediate cost of repairs. When critical equipment malfunctions, it often causes a domino effect of additional consequences that can impact every aspect of your business. For instance, you may experience production lines coming to a halt, lost sales, unfulfilled orders, missed deadlines, and damaged client relationships.
One way to safeguard your business against predictable and preventable mechanical failures is to do extensive research ahead of time before buying any critical piece of equipment. For example, if you rely on pumps for anything, whether it’s pumping water or running a juice bar, researching manufacturers will go a long way. Ideally, you want a pump manufacturer that tests their pumps before sending them to customers because that demonstrates the company prioritizes quality control.
2. Lost data
Most businesses have lost some kind of data, whether it was a misplaced file or the result of an unexpected hard drive failure. Data loss can have severe consequences, depending on what’s been lost and how. For example, say you’re running a poster printing business and you keep all of your customers’ files on your main computer’s hard drive.
If you don’t create daily backups, and your computer’s hard drive fails, you will be unable to continue printing for those customers. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a copy of the original files in an email or a USB provided by the customer, but you’ll still have to redo a lot of work to prepare the final files for print.
Lost data resulting from a ransomware attack is even worse. A ransomware attack will encrypt the contents of your computer, making all files unreadable and inaccessible. The hacker generally requests that you pay a ransom in cryptocurrency to get your files back, but there’s no guarantee they’ll restore access to your files. You could lose important documents, like client contracts, business plans, and tedious financial data.
The best way to protect against any kind of data loss is to create multiple backups on a regular basis. How often will depend on how frequently you create new files or update existing ones, but it’s best to create backups daily.
3. Outdated or insufficient equipment
Every business owner knows the importance of saving money and not buying a top-of-the-line piece of equipment in every scenario. For example, if you have a small office with simple needs, you probably don’t need to get a fancy copier that will automatically staple or hole-punch your documents. The difference can be thousands of dollars. In this case, a basic copier is good enough. However, that’s not always the case.
Sometimes employees need top-of-the-line equipment to do a good job and remain productive. Unfortunately, few get the tools they need. One of the biggest complaints from office workers is being given an old or slow laptop that is difficult to use. According to the data, 62% of employees say their work-issued laptops prevent them from maximizing their productivity. Employees often spend more time trying to get their computers to work than actually getting work done.
To avoid this problem in your business, consider investing in equipment that is better than entry-level and don’t force employees to switch to an unfamiliar operating system because it will only slow them down. You don’t need to buy everyone in your office a brand new 2024 Macbook Pro, but consider giving employees the option of a high-end refurbished Macbook (even a few years old) or a high-quality Windows computer, allowing them to choose based on their preference. Having a choice will undoubtedly increase their productivity and satisfaction.
4. Internet outages of slow times
Even though internet connections can be lightning fast most of the time, sometimes they slow down or stop working altogether. When your company’s internet is on the fritz, it will impact productivity and so much more.
Sometimes internet issues can be handled locally. If you experience issues frequently, try rebooting the router, relocating the router, and adding boosters. If that doesn’t work, try using a wired connection to get better speeds, make sure you don’t have a data cap, and see about upgrading your plan with your internet provider. If all else fails, switch to a new ISP.
Be proactive
Most technical breakdowns can be prevented with a proactive approach combined with strategic planning and backup systems. By taking the necessary precautions, you can significantly reduce the consequences of major technical failures.
