Top IT Issues Small Businesses Face

The Most Common IT Issues Small Businesses Face

SMEs make up a significant chunk of businesses in the UK, so it may surprise you that many of them – perhaps yourself included – experience IT issues on a daily basis. Small business IT problems can be a significant hindrance to being able to get the job done, particularly as technology continues to grow and evolve.

Let’s take a look at the common IT issues small businesses face and explore how IT support for SMEs in the UK could be the answer to all of your problems.

Why IT Challenges Are Growing for Small Businesses

IT challenges for small businesses have only grown as our reliance on technology is greater than ever before. The average business in the UK integrates their processes with at the very least a handful of different technologies: cloud systems, networks and digital tools, to name a few.

For many SMEs, it’s just not realistic to have the level of internal IT expertise to gain a full understanding of every system and tool they use.  This means that, while those systems are essential for running their business, there’s no backup there to support them when things go wrong.

Security risks, downtime and operational inefficiencies can all directly impact productivity as common IT problems in business. If you don’t have an easy way to resolve these problems, the results can be troubling. All it takes is one software failure or a successful hacking attempt to lose a day or more of work.

How Managed IT Support Helps Solve These Challenges

Managed IT support for small businesses is the ideal way to solve the challenge of juggling IT services. Instead of taking the gamble on hiring someone in-house, narrowing the scope of your expertise, you can instead work with proactive outsourced IT services to properly maintain and protect your IT systems.

Here’s why outsourced IT support for SMEs in the UK is your best option:

Cybersecurity Threats Are Increasing

Why Small Businesses Are Prime Targets

One of the biggest business technology challenges for smaller businesses is dealing with cybersecurity threats.

Unlike larger companies that have heavy security in place, an SME has a target on its back that attracts phishing attacks and ransomware – because hackers know just as well as you that you don’t have the same level of protection. In fact, one in three small businesses experienced a cyberattack in the last year.

Protection goes beyond firewalls and passwords. Smaller businesses may not have the processes in place to educate employees on the most common cybersecurity risks, which can give hackers an easy window to access data.

How Cybersecurity Solutions Protect Businesses

One of the foundations of IT support services for small businesses is effective cybersecurity, cutting business risk and providing peace of mind that everything is safe, sound and running as it should.

These solutions can include direct security in the form of threat monitoring, endpoint protection and firewall management, keeping your technology locked down and hack-free. In addition, an expert IT cybersecurity service can offer employee security training, resolving gaps in staff knowledge to protect them at work and at home.

Unplanned IT Downtime and System Failures

The Impact of Downtime on Business Operations

A little downtime might feel like a nice reprieve for staff, but as a business owner, you know that the longer your systems are unavailable, the further you fall behind.

Whether you experience long periods of downtime or your systems keep pogoing in and out of availability, the result is frustration, loss of productivity and, in some cases, actual financial losses too. Network outages, server crashes and any kind of hardware or software failure all stop you from doing your work.

Downtime is more of an issue than ever before, with most small businesses utilising cloud-based platforms for anything from stock management to customer service. When your system goes down, everything grinds to a halt.

How Managed IT Support Prevents Downtime

Managed IT support for small businesses benefits your company by not just reducing the periods of downtime you experience but also by preventing them in the first place.

Regular updates and scheduled maintenance both provide the ideal solution for easily preventable downtime caused by using older versions of software or hardware. This proactive approach keeps things running, but should issues still occur, an outsourced IT team can offer rapid response for troubleshooting and monitor systems to catch downtime as it happens.

Lack of In-House IT Expertise

The Challenge of Managing IT Without Specialists

It may seem feasible to handle day-to-day IT in-house when everything is running smoothly, but the same can’t be said on days where nothing is working as it should.

Employees acting as unofficial IT support can extend the time between finding a problem and figuring out a solution, which may leave your business vulnerable. A reactionary approach is also not as effective as proactively preventing problems, as you’re more likely to experience downtime or issues that may, at the end of the day, require outside support to fix.

Not to mention, employees taking on the IT role alongside other responsibilities may be unable to complete their typical tasks every time a crisis arises.

How Outsourced IT Support Provides Expertise

Choosing to outsource your IT gives you access to professionals who are formally trained in all the systems that are important to your business. Instead of guesswork, you get the benefit of a clear line from problem to solution, with help as and when you need it.

Outsourced support is also scalable with your business, enabling you to have access to the same level of support whether you employ 2 people or 70. Working with an outsourced company allows you to think ahead proactively instead of simply reacting to problems as they occur.

Outdated IT Infrastructure

Risks of Using Legacy Technology

Out-of-date hardware or software may seem like something your business can live with – after all, if it works eventually, why change it?

Beyond slowing down your internal processes and impacting productivity, that legacy technology could be more of a risk to your business than you realise. Abandonware – software that has been dropped by its developer – in particular can have all kinds of security vulnerabilities that pose a risk to your business. Especially if customer data or finance are involved.

In addition, old technology can also have issues with compatibility, which means newer, modern systems can’t connect. This leads to additional work and complications when trying to create workflows in your business.

Modernising IT Infrastructure with Managed Services

A managed IT service doesn’t just handle the issues with your existing technology. If you are ready to modernise and not sure where to start, your outsourced IT company can provide the expertise and professional advice needed to make the right decision for your business.

Beyond handling cybersecurity and day-to-day IT services, managed IT can also provide complete solutions for modernising your infrastructure. Anything from hardware upgrades to cloud migration can be handled for you, along with monitoring to keep your technology running and up-to-date.

Communication and Collaboration Challenges

Why Traditional Phone Systems Limit Business Efficiency

Traditional phone systems directly limit the efficiency in your business, restricting you to a generic solution that is not one-size-fits-all.

If your business uses phone systems in any capacity, from providing customer support to placing sales calls, the limited functionality of your existing phones is likely holding you back. Investing in new hardware as your business grows is costly and not easily scalable as your business requirements change.

As for remote and hybrid working? Your traditional phone system can’t support off-site requirements, requiring you to either expense separate solutions or remote employees or use two separate systems side-by-side.

How Hosted VoIP Improves Business Communication

VoIP can transform your existing phone system into a full-functioned solution that works for your business. A managed IT company can install and maintain hosted VoIP telephony, ensuring access to a reliable, cloud-based system that can be enhanced with a whole host of different functionalities.

Just a few of these extra features include the ability to access the VoIP system remotely, which is ideal for employees working remotely or on the road. VoIP systems have the added benefit of integrating into existing technology or utilising their own platforms for improved call management and easy scalability.

Why Managed IT Support Is Essential for Small Businesses

Proactive IT Monitoring

A proactive approach instead of reacting to situations as they occur can reduced disruption to business operations and ensure continual uptime.

Improved Cybersecurity Protection

Enterprise-level protection is a must for businesses today, with cyberattacks occurring frequently to many SMEs. Managed IT support can offer an effective way to improve cybersecurity for your business.

Predictable IT Costs

A monthly service plan never leaves you in the dark about how much you need to spend on IT. Whether you need routine maintenance or urgent support, everything is covered with no unexpected surprises.

Access to IT Experts

Gain access to skilled engineers with specialist knowledge of the systems you use without the need to hire an internal team.

How Flotek Helps Small Businesses Overcome IT Challenges

Comprehensive Managed IT Support

Our comprehensive approach to managed IT support ensures you always have the resources you need to run your business effectively. These include:

Proactive monitoring: Ensuring your system is kept up and running by spotting issues earlier and resolving them promptly

Technical support: Fast, efficient response to technical queries, from software questions to cybersecurity concerns

System optimisation: Professional advice and guidance on how to make the most of your current IT systems and strategic scaling options.

Advanced Cybersecurity Services

We offer a complete cybersecurity solution for small businesses, helping them remain protected in the face of ever-increasing cyberattacks. This includes:

Threat detection: The foundation to full protection is detecting threats before they can harm your business, fully managed for you.

Network protection: 24/7 protection keeps your business secure, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

Compliance support: Maintain compliance with GDPR and other key policies, keeping your business and employees safe

Reliable Hosted VoIP Telephony

Flotek provides small businesses with a reliable hosted VoIP solution that suits your needs and makes doing your job easier.

Scalable cloud phone systems: VoIP is entirely scalable to to suit the ebb and flow of your business, making it ideal for rapid expansion

Improved collaboration: Connect in multiple ways with VoIP technology that functions alongside chats and video calls

Cost-effective communication solutions: Get more for your money with telephony that works for every member of your team, in-office or remote

Conclusion

Solving IT Challenges with the Right Technology Partner

As a small business owner, risk is a part of the job. But with the right technology partner, it’s easy to avoid threats that could cause serious problems. From cybersecurity threats to potential downtime, whether caused by an outdated system or no in-house knowledge, a knowledgeable outsourced IT team can get ahead of problems and keep you in operation around the clock.

At Flotek, we help businesses like yours to stay secure, improve efficiency and scale confidently. We are highly experienced in handling IT challenges for SMEs for businesses just like yours. Get in touch with our team today to chat about your managed IT requirements.

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