Slow running computers? Error notifications? Printer connection down?
If you’re coming across these issues all too often, chances are your IT team is taking a reactive approach to supporting your business’s IT infrastructure. Reactive IT support not only creates downtime, but it can sometimes bring a business to a total standstill.
Proactively supporting your business’s IT is important! In this article, we’re going to tell you how and why your business can benefit from it.
The Importance of Proactive IT Support
Proactive IT support creates a working environment in which businesses can thrive. Below you will find some of the ways in which proactive IT support provides you with the most efficiency out of your IT systems.
It is easy to see why it is so important to a business’s overall success.
#1 Reduced Reactive Noise
Pop-ups, reminders and other associated niggly IT issues create a lot of ‘reactive noise’. Noise that essentially affects business output. With proactive IT support, all your IT systems and applications are kept up to date. Potential issues are addressed ahead of time. Consequently, reactive noise is reduced.
The opposite is observed when businesses assume a reactive approach - the issues tend to impact business before they are dealt with.
#2 Enhanced Productivity & Boosted Performance
A business’s computer system, internet connectivity and printers are three of the main culprits when it comes to technical downtime. These small, yet performance hindering frustrations increase stress levels amongst employees and disrupt productivity levels.
Failing technology at inopportune times is often a result of reactive IT support. Proactive IT support identifies potential IT issues before productivity is affected. This is key to your business’s overall performance.
#3 Less Risk of Major Issues
Like taking a proactive approach to your health, taking a proactive approach to managing your IT is good way of preventing critical issues down the track.
A proactive IT support provider will offer ongoing routine maintenance and monitoring. This allows for minor problems within your network or workstations to be resolved before resulting in any downtime. It also creates less opportunity for critical issues to develop.
Proactive routine maintenance should include, for example, tracking of all server event logs, antivirus updates, backup status, spam and firewall activity, applications, and processor and RAM utilistation.
#4 Long-Term Cost Effectiveness
There are costs associated with the ongoing maintenance and monitoring provided by a proactive IT support partner. But they are often far less significant than the costs associated with repair upon complete failure. The costs associated with the time taken out of your employee’s workday, identifying, diagnosing and fixing IT issues mounts up too.
Proactive upkeep of your business’s IT infrastructure is a worthwhile investment when taking into consideration the risk reduction and cost effectiveness that is provided over the long term.
#5 Little to No Downtime
As previously mentioned, with proactive IT support, downtime is decreased a lot! But downtime is not only reduced by the prevention of reactive noise and major productivity hindering issues. Proactive IT support is, for the most part, facilitated in the background and out of hours. It has next to no impact on the user’s time.
It’s important to note that without proactive IT support in place, these issues that lead to downtime can become recurring.
#6 Keeps Your Business & Its Critical Information Safe
Whilst boosting productivity and reducing risk, proactive IT support also helps keep your business and its valuable data safe and secure.
IT security is enhanced by ongoing anti-virus, anti-spyware, and anti-malware efforts. Remote backups, firewall management, patch deployment and dynamic, mobile and cloud ready security is also taken care of by a proactive IT support provider.
Final Words
Technology is ultimately what helps businesses stay ahead of the competition. Unfortunately, technology doesn’t come problem-free. And this mostly stems from the fact that IT is viewed by business owners as an asset that can be left to its own devices.
A little ongoing TLC bestowed upon your IT investments (even when they seem to be in perfect working order), goes a long way.
Proactive IT support is comprehensive. It’s more than just making sure updates are done and bugs are fixed. A proactive IT support provider will get to know your business to be able to ascertain your needs and make personalised recommendations. This will ensure that your IT support solution is tailored to your business’s specifics.
If you’re wanting to get proactive with the management of your IT, speak to one of our IT experts today!