Experience has taught us that business owners will typically respond in one of two ways to an IT disaster. In today’s post we’ll look at why that is and how you can avoid the big mistake so many of your peers might be making.
Before we jump in, though, we should be clear that there are a lot of different ways you could define “IT disaster.” Certainly, a flood or fire that wipes out all of your computers qualifies. So could a power surge that takes away your access to important data. It could even be an employee error, or something as simple as a computer failure. In essence what we’re talking about is a situation where you suddenly can’t use the tools you need to run your business.
With that quick explanation out of the way, let’s look at how business owners typically respond to these types of situations…
Response #1: Deal With the Issue, But Not the Problem
Often, the typical response to an IT problem is to deal with the immediate problem or disruption. In other words, replace the server, hire an IT firm to restore email access, or take some other steps that get you back to “normal.”
This is all entirely reasonable, particularly if you are busy with other things and don’t want to drain your IT budget for the year. The problem, however, is that it leaves you vulnerable to future issues – some of which might be even more serious than the immediate threats you are facing.
It’s always easier to slap a Band-Aid on a problem than it is to address the underlying cause, but when it comes to technology, permanent solutions are always more cost-effective in the long run.
Response #2: Learn a Valuable Lesson
Sometimes, business owners take the leap and ask themselves why they were put in a position where something relatively predictable (like a hardware failure or employee mistake) could leave them in a position where they could no longer conduct business. They may even begin to think about what could happen if the issue were more severe.
When this occurs it’s a sign that they have learned an important lesson. They start to take more precautions and turn to firms like ours. They don’t just fix the problem that’s right in front of them, but take measures to ensure they are protected against future outages or disruptions.
The irony here is that these sorts of solutions tend to be faster and cheaper than a series of quick fixes. And naturally, they leave you in a situation where you are better positioned going forward.
Is Your Business Ready for the Unexpected?
There is an old saying that failing to plan is planning to fail. That’s certainly true when it comes to business technology. If you assume things will always go perfectly then you’re going to be disappointed… and probably in some kind of frustrating and expensive way.
If you feel like you aren’t as prepared as you could be for the inevitable, then this is your chance to make a change. Contact a member of the Fantastic IT sales team today so we can walk you through our managed services options, which include features like backup and disaster recovery. It only takes a moment to reach us, but it could be the key to keeping your business functioning and profitable when you need us most.