Five top tips for managing your IT through an economic downturn

Protect your data – never has it been more important to ensure your critical business data is protected. When we say data we mean emails, client and supplier addresses and contacts, your letters, spreadsheets, contracts. All of this data should be centrally stored and backed up daily and removed from site. It should be protected from external threats by up to date anti-virus software, firewalls and encryption software.

Get more from what you have – provide your people with the tools and access they need when they need it. Are they set up for flexible access when they are out of the office or at home so they can keep up to date with emails, files and customer demands to ensure your client base remains a happy one willing to continue using your services?

Monitor what is being used – cyberslacking, through the misuse of IT, costs British businesses millions of pounds a year in lost productivity. Ensure you have the appropriate policies in place to guide your staff through the appropriate use of the IT you supply them, provide an acceptable usage policy (available from ITSE) and put in place the ability to monitor their IT use.

Train your staff – for most organisations the largest cost on the monthly P&L is the wage bill. Therefore why not invest in your highest paid assets and spend a little time assessing what IT skills they need to do their job, what skills they have, and then train them if there are any gaps?

Preventative maintenance – you service your car regularly because you know if you don’t it will break down on you as you head off to that important client meeting or as you head to the airport on holiday. So give your IT the same preventative medicine to keep it healthy. We offer a proactive monitoring service to ensure you don’t catch a cold when you least expect it.

To arrange your IT audit and no obligation report of recommendations to protect you and your business call us on 01425 655902 or email graham.wade@m-corp.com

We would be delighted to talk.