7 Most Common IT Problems and How You Can Solve Them

One of the most integral factors to a company’s success – whether a start-up or a large enterprise – is…technology. However, many companies tend to move technology to the back burner when talking about business growth and success. Little do people know that IT issues can be costly and that implementing some simple solutions can go a long way in mitigating complex IT challenges. To begin overcoming these challenges, the first thing you have to do is identify them. Let’s take a look at seven of the most common IT problems and what you can do to solve them.

1. Hardware and Software Issues

“My laptop is lagging”, “This software won’t download”, “My screen is blank”, and “The computer won’t reboot” are all examples of common hardware and software problems. Most IT teams spend their days troubleshooting these kinds of issues, addressing and solving IT tickets that can be easily outsourced to a third party. While some of these hardware and software issues may be simple, they still take time to look into, solve, and communicate about.

Some hardware and software issues can also stem from outdated devices that need to be updated and/or replaced. The last thing you want is for your team member to slow down on getting their deliverables done just because their device is too old for specific software. Another common problem is device procurement. If you don’t have an IT team in place, this can be an extremely tedious process where you have to interact with multiple vendors and shipping companies just to get a single device.

One easy way to solve this is to hand over all your IT support tickets to a knowledgeable third party. They can handle and resolve all incoming hardware and software issues so your own IT team can focus on their strategic projects and goals without having to waste time troubleshooting.

2. Data Loss, Backup, and Recovery

Have you ever opened your laptop one day and couldn’t find a file? Or maybe you accidentally deleted a file that you didn’t back up? If you store any kind of company data online, it is essential for you to back up your data. This is good practice in the event of a power outage, equipment malfunctioning, or a cyberattack. It is also best to have security measures in place to ensure that your data is safe and secure.

One way to do this is by implementing a disaster recovery plan. This plan can include consistently backing up your data on a secure cloud. (Check out our 5 Best Practices for Cloud Management here.) You’ll have to decide what data needs to be backed up, how frequently it needs to be backed up, and for how long it needs to stay backed up. This can be another tedious process (which can also be outsourced to lighten the load of your IT team) but one that is definitely worth the time.

3. Cybersecurity

Did you know that a study by Cox Blue showed that 48% of data breaches are due to negligent employees? While your team is an important part of your business, they also pose risks to your security, losing sensitive information to phishing scams, weak passwords, and unauthorized access to information. This information can include everything from confidential bank details and sensitive customer information to employee records and intellectual property.

To reduce the risk of cybersecurity attacks, you can educate your team on the importance of staying vigilant when it comes to security. Besides this, you can also implement security policies to help with password management, network and data security, and more. To ensure you’re covering all security risks, you can also invest in a managed IT solution that can implement security policies for you.

Here’s a list of The Most Common Types of Cyberattacks and How to Prevent Them.

4. Compliance

IT compliance regulations are always changing. Managing to keep up with the constantly evolving rules can be a headache, especially if you lack the technical know-how and expertise. Besides the IT regulations, certain sectors – depending on the country that you are based in – also have different regulations. For example, the healthcare and retail industries in the US have certain laws and regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the PCI DSS that require you to ensure that your systems and IT solutions are up to date.

Besides this, another common issue is illegal software. According to The Business Software Alliance, approximately 22% of North American software is unlicensed. This can be due to users not knowing that their software is pirated and therefore illegal as is the case for most employees who bring their own devices to work. While this may not seem like a big factor – more than $80 million has been collected as a settlement for the use of illegal software – it can be costly if you are caught.

The easiest, least stressful way to stay compliant is to outsource this work to experts who are aware of the ever-changing IT landscape. Getting an IT solution or team to ensure your company and team stay compliant with all regulations will not only give you peace of mind, but also save you time, effort, and money.

5. Competing Priorities

A common issue for IT teams is competing priorities. They already have so much on their plate between ensuring compliance, backing up data on the cloud, troubleshooting hardware and software issues, and more. How do they decide what gets done first? How do they get other work done? This is especially true for larger companies that have smaller IT teams and thousands of ticketing issues that they have to resolve. If you don’t have an IT team, this may still be an applicable issue as there are a lot of factors that can get in the way of your company addressing your IT concerns.

When it comes to competing priorities, it’s a matter of bringing in the cavalry. You don’t want to have to wait to resolve your IT issues when you can bring in someone else to help you solve them ASAP. Opt for an IT service solution to help you automate and streamline your processes to give your current IT team the freedom to work on the strategic departmental projects and goals they need to achieve. ZenAdmin offers budget-friendly solutions that take care of everything from real-time IT support, security, application and cloud management, and more.

6. Lack of Expertise

If you don’t have an IT team, all of this may seem incredibly daunting. There are so many aspects of IT to consider, work on, standardize, and implement. How do you do all of this without having the technical background or know-how? Easy! Get someone who knows IT like the back of their hand. ZenAdmin has a team of elite IT experts who can help you assess, deploy, and manage your entire IT infrastructure.

We talk more about how you can have an IT department without having to hire a single IT person in this article.

If you already have a current IT team but need an extra hand when it comes to issues like compliance or security, you can also reach out to an IT solutions company like ZenAdmin to come in and fill in your knowledge gaps. That way you are certain that all your bases are covered and you can rest easy knowing that you’ve got pros who know what they’re doing taking care of your business.

7. Lack of Effective Solutions

Businesses are always looking for ways to make their processes more streamlined and effective. Not only does this save time and effort, but it can also save on costs and even increase productivity. Take a look at your IT processes. Are they effective? Are you getting the most time and money out of it? Is there anything that you can do to improve on them to make them more efficient? Maybe you can automate something or remove an unnecessary step?

One example of an ineffective process is employee onboarding and offboarding. While important, it is still a lengthy process where you send an email request for a new device. Then comes the entire process of procuring, setting up, and delivering the device to your new hire. What if we told you that this could be automated? ZenAdmin’s platform allows you to onboard or offboard an employee in just a few clicks. Simply submit a request, choose a device, and the ZenAdmin team will take care of the rest. Talk about smooth and easy!

Consider Outsourcing Your IT

One of the easiest ways to address all your IT problems is to outsource your IT. Consider IT solution providers such as ZenAdmin who provide services such as security, device and inventory management, application and cloud management, real-time IT support, employee onboarding and offboarding, and procurement and provisioning. They can even help you with special one-time IT projects too.

While outsourcing your IT may sound costly, ZenAdmin offers transparent and competitive pricing plans similar to subscription plans. They charge per user per month with all-inclusive services. This way you get full visibility of your IT infrastructure at a fraction of the cost of your typical IT providers. Not only is this beneficial for businesses with limited budgets this also ensures enhanced efficiency and security, reduced risks, guaranteed compliance, and possibly reduced labor costs.