5 ways small businesses can avoid costly downtime
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Unexpected downtime can be very detrimental to your business. If you have technical problems, fall victim to a security breach, or even if your operations are flawed, these issues could all cost you money. As a small business, it’s essential to maximise uptime so that you’re always available to provide a quality service to your customers. This will help to boost your reputation and ensure you make the best impression on your clients. The more productive you are, the more revenue you’ll generate as well. Fortunately, there are a few effective ways small businesses can avoid costly downtime.
Managed hosting
It’s advisable to work with a reputable managed hosting provider to ensure your IT systems are always up and running securely. By outsourcing managed hosting services you’ll have access to advanced technology and better resources. Your entire server will be stored on encrypted data centres, which will greatly reduce the risk of a security breach. In case of an emergency, you’ll be able to take advantage of backup and recovery services, minimising downtime. Leave your IT in the hands of the experts and focus on growing your business and providing the best service to your clients.
Increase cybersecurity
There are also a few things you can do to improve your company’s cybersecurity. It’s worth taking the time to perform an audit of your current security measures and their effectiveness. This will help you to find areas of improvement. You could also outsource this to a company that provides managed IT services. Ensure you have the right measures in place to protect your devices and data regarding accessibility, such as multi-factor authentication, for example.
Train your staff
It’s essential to train your staff in cybersecurity best practices. Often downtime caused by a data breach is due to human error, so it’s vital that your employees are aware of how to protect sensitive information at work and know how to look out for different types of cyber attacks. Ensure your staff know what to do in the case of a possible threat to security. Keep guidelines on the cloud available for everyone to read and hold regular training sessions.
Assess business processes
If you want to improve productivity and reduce downtime you also need to optimise business operations. It may be worth looking into automating certain tasks and reassigning resources. The latest tools can help you to do this, depending on the type of business you run. By using technological innovations to streamline processes you can increase your efficiency.
Consider hybrid models
Another way to increase efficiency is by reevaluating your current business model. Many companies are now opting for hybrid business models which combine remote working with working at a commercial premises. There are several ways in which hybrid models can improve employee efficiency. They improve flexibility, and employees can focus on the task at hand in the right environment. You’ll also save money on overheads. By looking for ways to boost your productivity and security, you can avoid costly downtime.
