Technology plays a huge role in the day to day running of any business. Whether you have a small team working in traditional trades like floristry and carpentry, or you run a huge multi-million dollar company that has sites across the world, it’s unlikely that a day will go by without you having to sit in front a computer screen.
If the technology is behaving itself, you can get a lot of daily tasks done within minutes. If there’s a problem with the technology, you could find yourself struggling to complete the same task for hours. Here are a few ways you can make sure your tech runs as smoothly as possible.
Train your staff
Some of your staff might use the age-old excuse of technology not performing properly as the reason for not completing tasks on time. Whilst sometimes that might be the case, often it might be that your colleague isn’t using the technology properly to complete a task. Provide training courses for every piece of software your business needs, whether that’s just Word and Excel or a specialist piece of software. Make sure you have regular catch-up sessions, as the software is constantly changing. For example, Microsoft Word has been around for decades, but it looks and runs a lot differently from when it was first launched. Someone may say they have experience with Word, but if they’ve only used it for basic tasks, they might not know how to use functions like tables and headings.
Prepare for problems
When problems occur, you must have a plan to get it back up and running as soon as possible. Any delays in getting technology repaired could result in delays in getting other tasks doneand even result in you losing business. Make sure you always have expert help on standby. This doesn’t have to be someone who works full-time for your business. You could get the same level of protection by hiring an external company to help you when you most need it. For example, the team at Integrated Computer Services offer round the clock remote technical support. If they can’t fit it remotely, they will then visit you on-site to repair the problem. They can also put systems in place to prevent cyber-attacks and data loss, which could both result in major problems for your business.
Spend your budget well
Just like anything in life, you get what you pay for. There’s no point buying a small family car and complaining that it doesn’t reach the top speeds of a Ferrari. Whilst it might always be tempting to go for a cheap deal, make sure any equipment you buy is suitable for the task you need it for. For example, a computer with a smaller processor might be fine if you just want to complete basic tasks like word processing or sending emails, but if you regularly edit photos and video you’ll want one with a much powerful chip.
