10 Common IT Issues & How to Overcome Them

IT issues can bring your company operations to a standstill if allowed to continue without a resolution. But what are some common IT issues that business owners of all sizes face? Whether your company needs to upgrade hardware and software or you need to sit down with an IT services provider to develop a common IT plan for your organization, learn more about IT problems you might face below.

Common IT Issues: Is Your Business at Risk?

Common IT problems include hardware and software updates, network solutions, and employee training. But how do these problems in IT affect your business operations?

1. Lack of Internal Employee Security Measures

Employees handle tons of sensitive data every day, and poor security for employees on your network makes them a weak point that hackers can exploit with phishing attempts. Employee security for your system should include:

• • Multiple-factor authentication (MFA)
  • Regular password changes
  • Restricting lower-level employees from accessing high-level systems
  • Employee training on best practices for internet use

2. Outdated Equipment and Software

Upgrading equipment and software to the latest versions is a common IT issue among small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Businesses must budget for regular IT upgrades, including office computers, printers, POS systems, network devices, cabling, and more. Large companies may also have an issue with upgrading if they don’t have an upgrade schedule in their IT plan.

3. Data Loss and Recovery

Losing data can cost a company thousands of dollars or more. Common causes of data loss include:

• • • Employee errors
    • Power outages
    • Equipment malfunctions
    • Attacks by hackers or scammers

Your IT solutions need to include on-site, off-site, and cloud-based backups, a backup plan and automated schedule, a disaster recovery plan, and a business continuity plan.

4. A Lack of Comprehensive Solutions

When you have an IT problem, who do you call? Do you have an on-site IT team? Do you pay a monthly fee for managed IT services? If you only call on your IT provider when you have IT issues to repair, you won’t get the same functionality out of your system as with a comprehensive IT solution plan. Comprehensive IT services include planning upgrades, updates, and regular inspections.

5. Network Interruptions or Failures

Your business relies on two networks to transmit and store data: your external internet connection that supplies your business with data and your internal network of connected devices, shared drives, and servers. Disruptions to either network can lead to data loss and loss of productivity.

6. Staff Expectations

When you have IT issues, it can be frustrating to hear from staff and employees about their frequent work interruptions due to IT problems. However, outdated hardware and software, incomplete or lacking IT solutions, and difficulty performing tasks can lead to disgruntled employees who just want to be able to complete their tasks each day.

7. Old Technology

Business isn’t the place to be a late adopter of the latest technologies. Plan for obsolescence, lack of support, and phase-outs of older devices and software so your business can stay ahead of the game.

9. No Comprehensive Business IT Plan

What does a good IT plan look like? Your IT solutions should offer a roadmap targeted to your company’s goals so that your networking and technology upgrades support your operations effectively without going over your budget.

10. Scattered Hardware Upgrade Plan

Failing to upgrade your hardware and physical devices simultaneously can put a strain on your network as it tries to accommodate a mix of newer and older technologies. Some older devices may no longer accept software updates from the central update system if not replaced.

Failing to upgrade your hardware and physical devices simultaneously can put a strain on your network as it tries to accommodate a mix of newer and older technologies. Some older devices may no longer accept software updates from the central update system if not replaced.

Why You Should Solve All IT Problems

Although many business owners tend to focus more on daily, weekly, and monthly operations to manage their businesses, IT issues can cause serious delays in delivering reports, projects, invoices, payroll, and forms on time. While you may believe that as long as your systems and devices work, your employees can complete their tasks effectively, this isn’t always the case.

Imagine for example that something chokes your network speeds to 25 Mbps (megabytes per second). At these speeds, devices may have trouble communicating with printers, downloading or uploading important forms or images, and could have issues with videos buffering or zoom call interruptions.

Even if your employees’ devices connect to the network and they can do their work, these slower network speeds could lead to frequent interruptions and slowdowns in productivity. This can frustrate even the best employees.

Correcting and planning for future IT problems can help you and your employees maintain productivity and get work done more efficiently than constantly struggling with old technology and network interruptions.

An Effective IT Problem-Solving Process for IT Professionals

At Succurri, we offer effective IT solutions for businesses throughout the greater Seattle area, including Marysville, Everett, Arlington, and Lynnwood. Our IT business solutions include: 

• • •  IT Consulting Services. Our IT professionals review your existing IT solutions and review your business goals with you to determine the best steps forward in your IT solutions. We’ll help you develop your IT roadmap to include regular updates, network, and device upgrades, and how to incorporate new technologies.
    • Managed IT Support Services. Do you need regular IT services from a professional IT provider? We can help you develop your roadmap, as well as offer regular IT solution inspections and upgrades. We also help you with 24/7 support for your systems and devices.

We also offer several solutions including off-site data backups, cloud-hosting services, business VoIP phone and video conferencing solutions, and network security solutions against data breaches

Need Solutions for Your IT Problems? Contact Succurri