Efficiency is a metric that’s incredibly important to all businesses. One major way efficiency can be eroded are through IT issues that constantly plague your team. But just how much are they costing you?
As part of our original research study that explored employee and leadership experiences when engaging with IT, we found that a majority of people are experiencing two hours of moderate delays a week. Assuming an average* working schedule and an average 2-hour resolution time per IT issue, businesses are losing 96 hours a year or around $6,000 of lost value per employee.
So what are some of the most common IT issues companies face? In today’s post, we break down some of the most common IT issues and reveal how they could be affecting your bottom line.
Poor IT Infrastructure
Let’s start with one of the most critical aspects of any business or organization, which is the IT infrastructure. IT infrastructure is what allows a company to build and run applications that ultimately support their business. This refers to elements such as hardware like servers, routers, and switches; software like content management systems (CMS), customer relationship management (CRM) tools, enterprise resource planning (ERP); your network; and servers. So basically the core components.
If your IT infrastructure is poorly designed and/or maintained can ultimately lead to a wide range of problems, including:
- Slow or lagging network speeds
- Application crashes
- Security breaches
While these things may seem small at the outset, it’s your teams, and ultimately your own clients, that can suffer along with your profitability.
Rising Cybersecurity Threats
As businesses grow and scale, so too does the likelihood that they will be the target of cyber threats and attacks. And these cyber threats continue to evolve in both frequency and sophistication. Data breaches in the US reached a 17-year high in 2022, with the average total cost of a data breach rising to $4.35 million.
It’s no surprise that more and more businesses are rethinking and investing in a more robust cybersecurity strategy. At Interlaced, we provide our clients with a comprehensive program based on the Center for Internet Security (CIS) standards, which are globally recognized best practices for securing IT systems and data.
Companies that choose to ignore the need for a more comprehensive security program could ultimately result in lost data, damage to their reputation, or the ability to gain new business, as more companies are requiring their vendors to adhere to more stringent security protocols.
Growing Compliance Requirements
As we eluded to in our last point, companies are requiring the vendors they contract with to adhere to more rigorous security standards. On top of that, businesses operating in highly regulated industries such as healthcare and financial services must also comply with industry-specific regulations.
For example, Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is required of all contractors and subcontractors of the Federal Government that store, process, or transmit Federal Contract Information (FCI) or CDI must adhere to this new compliance framework.
If you’re trying to manage this in-house, the extra allocation of resources (manpower, task resources, and time) required to achieve and maintain compliance could be a strain on your team’s efficiency.
Lack of IT Resources
For startup companies, budgeting and allocating IT resources can often fall on the back burner. However, as businesses start to hit growth inflection points, it’s not uncommon for those resources to remain on the back burner.
This can lead to a variety of outcomes. The “IT management” typically falls to one person who should be focusing on larger business objectives yet they are spending more time procuring hardware, onboarding and offboarding employees to ensure they have – or are removed from – the appropriate access levels, and fielding requests for application access.
Likewise, department heads may need to invest in more software applications to better perform their functions, yet they may not be aware of potential gaps in security when there is no common understanding of what applications are being used, who has access, and how that access is being managed. This is what is commonly referred to as Shadow IT, and is often a hidden strain on resources and efficiency.
Data Loss
Data loss is one of the leading IT problems in business, and unfortunately can be caused by a cascade of events, such as:
- Cyber attacks
- Human errors
- Network outages
- Technology malfunctions
For these reasons, data backup and business continuity planning is crucial to prevent the loss of data, money, and reputation.
User Error
One common, yet not always obvious, reason IT issues arise is due to human error. Whether it’s accidentally deleting important files, incorrectly using applications, or downloading malware by clicking on hazardous links, user error is one of the most common reasons for lost efficiency.
In The End
Let’s face it, IT issues exist in all businesses of every size. However, as technology continues to play an integral role in our lives, it’s crucial that businesses have a plan to support an IT program that can help minimize disruptions. Whether you hire a team internally or outsource to IT professionals, this is one step you can’t afford to miss.
If you’re struggling with persisting IT issues or you’re tired of losing thousands of dollars in value due to inefficiency, Interlaced can help. We help small and mid-size businesses increase efficiency and get their time back by streamlining your employee onboarding and offboarding, reducing their security risk and providing insight and control to your long-term vision. Contact us today
*Based on an average 48 weeks/year or 1920 hours/year.
