We have all heard the saying – prevention is better than cure – and while this is generally applied for humans and their health however its method can be correlated also to the technology we use on a daily basis be it for work or leisure.
The age of cyberworld and personal home computers brought with them risks like hacking which can`t pass unnoticed, and whenever we purchase new tech we are usually advised to safeguard its software with an antivirus, or in case of a smartphone a cover to protect the hardware. On the other hand, instead of a third-party antivirus, big brands in the market like Apple and Samsung to name both iOS and Android, have their own ecosystem in place too which includes types of security. Moreover, we also use other techniques by choosing a pattern, face recognition or a password to lock our phones for example, lest it falls in the wrong hands.
These are all excellent methods of being Proactive, before something dire happens to our precious daily drivers or laptops, but what happens if we don`t give much weight to these precautionary measures and instead become Reactive, that is we action only when it is too late? Well, the risks are high and could jeopardise our tech and data.
All this also applies for industries whereas as you can imagine not being proactive could result in a disaster, tarnishing the brand and reputation in the process, while denting overall income.
Let`s delve deeper to see why it is crucial for a company to have a robust IT support in place preferably acting in a proactive way to avoid being startled by a negative surprise, the methods used, and benefits attained.
Proactive vs Reactive IT Support
Costs first, and admittedly a reactive IT support would come cheaper overall, however a company can`t have the luxury to be unaware and not in a position to predict any costs. The latter also depend on the infrastructure as the risks of issues cropping up increases by time. All this makes budgeting a challenging task to cover, while there is no guarantee whatsoever.
On the contrary, a proactive IT support would evaluate and regularly monitor the situation to preferably avoid fixing, thus lessening extra costs.
Moreover, to add with the costs subject, the reactive approach which tries to repair difficulties as they arise adds to more concerns for a company which didn`t opt for a proactive IT support. The list includes lack of strategy as problems are tackled when they pop, therefore inefficiency which also leads to lack of security both for the company and its clients.
A proactive IT support would come at a higher price yes, but it ends up being more beneficial to cover for all the above mentioned risks, reducing daily anxieties while taking good care of revenue.
Proactive IT Support – Specific Zones to Monitor
As aforesaid, a proactive IT support team will regularly monitor targeted areas within the company which comes as a plus and an added peace of mind.
These areas can differ in importance from one company to another, however the most common ones are:
- network management
- users` support
- physical infrastructure
- keeping protection in place & updated for any malware attack
Furthermore, any set thresholds must be kept up to scratch in line with authorised staff which limits can change every now and again due to tasks or employees moving within the department for example.
Any antivirus system in place must be reviewed and updated since as we know hackers are always innovating to create the ultimate malware while finding new ways to penetrate data. Moreover, a proactive IT support will ensure that staff are aware of viruses/spam emails, learn how to recognise and avoid access, but instead report immediately.
It goes without saying that infrastructure plays a key role to ensure that processes are done smoothly while safeguarding precious data. Thus, a proactive IT support will monitor and tweak/fix regularly when or if needed, avoiding hiccups which could set worse scenarios that could hinder or jeopardise the overall company output, brand, reputation and income.
Why Opting for a Proactive IT Support is the Best Choice
If you want the best for your business, your brand and repute while safeguarding your employees, their jobs and ultimately revenue, the natural decision is to opt for a proactive-minded team within the IT support structure.
Nowadays, any disruptions affect time and money, so everyone is working towards a plan to minimise issues. However, in this day and age industries are increasingly becoming dependent on technology utilising it more be it in the form of software or hardware machines or both, so it is expected that every now and again problems arise.
A proactive IT support will ensure that any concerns are addressed before the actual issue raises its ugly head, possibly removing any unwanted dramas from the equation. An effective forward-planning business environment thrives towards this approach, as minimising downtime is paramount.
If any facet of the operations is suspended and clients are affected it could tarnish the whole business in many ways, and we are all well aware how powerful word-of-mouth and social media can be both in positive but also in negative ways.
Therefore, a proactive approach should also be adopted to boost only good publicity for your business, showing a holistically secure approach which inspires.
In Conclusion
A serious business operation is fully aware that holding a proactive IT support is paramount to safeguard their business, which team will also be beneficial as it is regularly monitoring processes across the board, thus any hiccups detected can be addressed straight away for fix to prevent a worst-case aggravated situation.
Knee-jerk reactions or simply being reactive to problems which could have been avoided is not recommended as it could lead to serious repercussions like bad publicity and reputation, consequently damaging the brand, resulting in an obvious negative hit on revenue.