Whilst we can’t guarantee which of Santa’s lists you might end up on, we can tell you what things mean you end up on the naughty or nice IT list.
Which of these camps do you find yourself in?
Things that put you on the naughty list:
Not having up-to-date antivirus or malware protection.
Let’s have a simple one down to get us started. Not having up-to-date antivirus or malware isn’t just a problem for you, it’s a problem for all of the users in your network. You basically become a weak link through which malicious software can enter.
Make sure that you aren’t leaving yourself vulnerable by updating your antivirus as often as it recommends. And make sure you’re being vigilant of cyber security – don’t open any links that look suspect.
Using the same password multiple times
If we’ve said this once, we’ve said it a thousand times – but it is important. Using the same password over and over again makes you really vulnerable to data theft or any number of other cyber crimes if someone gets their hands on it.
Using the same password multiple times is more than enough to get you on to the naughty list. Especially when there are multiple great tools out there that help you to store or set up multiple complex passwords.
Using your computer in a way that makes it run slowly
OK, let’s be real for a second – we all do things that make our computers run slowly. But if you’ve realised that your machine is being slow and you haven’t done anything to fix that… well, it’s the naughty list for you.
As a minimum, make sure that you are running a defrag on your hard drive every once in a while. And whilst we’re at it, stop saving things onto the desktop!
Things that put you on the nice list:
Having good data protection systems in place
One solid tick you can have in the good column is to ensure you have sufficient data protection systems in place for your business. This can seem daunting at first, especially if you are a first-time business owner or new to a role where you have become responsible for a lot of data.
Helpfully there is a lot of free advice on putting good data protection practices in place from government agencies like the ICO and NCSC. You can also always seek the advice of an IT professional on how to set up your systems.
Utilising the cloud where you can
On the subject of having a good data management plan, make sure you’re utilising cloud systems as and when you can. Frankly, in the day and age we live in there really isn’t any excuse for anyone to have anything saved only on their personal machine anymore.
If you want to give the gift of collaboration to your colleagues this year then it might be time to look at tools like Microsoft 365 or Google Drive and put working together at the forefront for 2023.
Having a backup plan if it all goes wrong
Finally, and really this builds on the two previous points, you need to ensure that you have a backup plan ready to go if everything goes wrong.
We’ve written some tips on systems you need to put in place to ensure you’re ready to face any problems if they arise. However, there is little substitute for a tailored backup plan developed specifically for your business. Learn about how WebbyTech can support you put that in place.
So, have your found your IT on the naughty or nice list this year?
Neither of these are exhaustive, but they give you a decent idea of things that you probably should be avoiding, or doing, to get the best out of your IT.
If you think you’re on the naughty list, then working with a managed IT firm could help you iron out some of your problems. Find out about the services that Webby Tech can offer you
here, or
contact us directly here for a no-obligations conversation about how we can support your IT needs.
