Making your IT support team’s life a little bit easier will free up their time, so they can spend more of it proactively protecting your business and its data.

Here are four things that you can start doing to make their life a little bit easier.

1). Backup To Multiple Locations on Multiple Medium

Don’t rely on a single backup. Backing up to more multiple devices in multiple locations is your best backup strategy.

We have seen businesses who have relied on one backup to then discover an issue when they have needed that backup the most.

Speak with your IT support partner about how to set this up. If the worst happens, you’ll thank yourself for doing it.

2). Have a Failover Internet Connection

Businesses today rely totally on having a fast and reliable internet connection. But what type of plan do a lot of business have? They have a consumer grade connection (with no SLA). What then happens when their Internet connect fails? They jump up and down and demand their IT provider get them an Internet connection ASAP, which in the majority of cases isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Take the proactive approach and have a failover connection (preferably with a different ISP and over a different medium than your main connection) so that if the worst happens you can continue working with minimal downtime. Failing that have a backup plan where staff can work from home or continue to access the internet from their mobile phones – but regularly test these options!

3). Use Multi-Factor Authentication

Using multi-factor authorization (MFA) (aka two factor authentication, 2FA) is a huge step you can take to keep your computers, networks and online accounts secure.

Getting your team using MFA will require them to verify they are who they say they are, by entering a code from their phone.

This extra step makes it much more difficult for hackers to break in. Even if they manage to get hold of a password, getting past MFA is very tricky if they don’t have access to the device or account that is used for the secondary authorization.

As more and more usernames and passwords are available on the dark web, MFA is an absolute must for business and personal accounts alike.

MFA doesn’t need to become a pain. You can give staff the option of different verification methods. And work them into it, by switching it on for different applications slowly over time.

4). Tell Them If You’re Not Getting On With Your Technology

With so many different options for technology, growing frustrated with something that doesn’t work for you shouldn’t be an ongoing situation.

Speak to your IT support partner straight away. They may be able to better help you achieve what you are trying to do or help you switch it to something better suited to your needs.

Don’t let your technology get you down. Speak to your IT support partner to make the tech work for you.

These are just a few things to help make working with your IT provider a more smoother experience for both parties. If you are in Adelaide, South Australia and need help with your IT or are looking at changing providers please contact us for a free no obligation meeting.