The Most Common IT Issues We See: Issue 3

To celebrate our 25^th Anniversary this month, we’d like to share with you some of the most common IT Issues we have encountered and invite you to add to our list for the chance to win a prize…

Spam Email:

The problems surrounding spam emails are all-encompassing. Firstly, you might be missing out on important emails because they got diverted to your Junk folder. Secondly, your emails may be getting dumped in someone else’s Junk folder. Thirdly, you may accidentally open spam email only to find your systems receive a breach. Fourthly, someone opens a legitimate looking spam email and clicks a link infecting their computer with malware or snooping software. This list is not exhaustive as cybercriminals look for new and intuitive ways to convince you to open their spam emails. Thankfully, we can help you.

Large File Sending:

Most email providers have file size limitations for email attachments which makes sending large files throughout your business particularly difficult. Of course, there are tools online for sending large files via email, but these may not be suitable for attachments containing sensitive business information. You may consider using your private cloud storage space to share this information, which is a sensible first thought, however, consider that the employee sharing this data in their private storage may not work for the company this time next year, but you will never know they have access to this data. We can help provide safer more secure solutions.

New User Set Up:

Whilst not an emergency IT issue, we often get asked to help with setting up new users onto the existing IT systems. Some companies seek the reassurance that the new user has been added correctly and all safety measures are in place to avoid a weak link in their IT systems.

Users Moving Desks:

We’re often asked to help staff move away from their desks but take the equipment with them. This is usually a case of being afraid to touch or move wires and cables that you’re unsure about. We don’t consider this an ineffective use of our time with your company, in fact, it pleases us that you would consider your IT Systems in such a way, and a sure sign that we are helping to make you aware of your ongoing security.

We know that there are hundreds more IT Issues out there, and there are loads more that we could share with you, but we want you to come up with your own suggestions.

Head to our LinkedIn page here and comment on our post some of your suggestions for the most common IT Issues. By the 30^th November, whoever has the most liked comment will win a bottle of bubbly. All comments related to an IT Issue not mentioned above will feature in an updated version of this later with credits!

Good luck and we look forward to your entries!

Free-Champagne-IT-Support

The Most Common IT Issues We See: Issue 2

Over the next week, we will continue to add to our list of common IT Issues, and would love to have some suggestions from you!

Application Errors:

The consequences of an application error can range from a minor inconvenience to a catastrophic loss of income. Even if you never experience an application crash, problems can still occur behind the scenes, often never appearing for a regular user. Ensuring you install the latest security updates can decrease your chances of suffering an error, however, we are also on hand to help detect errors and deal with them before they become a serious issue.

Server Crash:

There are many reasons why a server crashes, but the results are often damaging to the businesses you run domains for. From electrical interruption or failure in the network equipment to ageing hardware or overheating, whatever the reason for the crash, it is vitally important you get your server up and running as soon as possible. This issue is often unpredictable, which is why we offer contract-free emergency support charged by the hour. There is no obligation to continue working with us afterwards, but many clients are so impressed by our dedication, swiftness, and thoroughness, that they retain our services with a support contract.

Windows Update Issue:

Windows constantly receive updates which you should act as and when they are required. These updates are not released to inconvenience you; they are there to protect you and your business. But problems can occur during the install. Over the years we have helped to resolve the download: getting stuck, refusing to install, getting caught in a restart loop, and more.

Have you got some IT Issues you deal with more regularly than others? Maybe you’ve got an issue that constantly baffles you and requires an expert to come in and fix? Head over to our LinkedIn page and comment on the post for a chance to win a bottle of bubbly!

Free-Champagne-IT-Support

The Most Common IT Issues We See: Issue 1

Over the next week, we will continue to add to our list of common IT Issues, and would love to have some suggestions from you!

Email Issues:

Without a doubt, the most common IT Issue we are asked to help with are problems with emails. Which makes sense; it is one of the quickest and easiest forms of communication, and businesses unable to send or receive emails can suffer vast amounts of downtime. Whilst most people would be able to troubleshoot and resolve their email issues themselves, having an expert look into it can save you time and subsequently a loss of earnings during the downtime.

PC Slow Downs:

Your PC might have been gradually slowing down over several months, but you’ll suddenly notice it one morning when you have a hundred emails to deal with, a meeting to attend, deadlines to meet, and you’re stuck loading up a browser window. There could be a variety of reasons your PC is slowing down, from a failing or close to capacity hard drive, a browser with too many add-ons, a computer virus, or not having enough memory.

Mobile Device Issues:

The benefit of using your mobile device to access company information and data is that you can access this information at home, during the commute, or when you’re waiting for a meeting. The workplace is no longer restricted to your office, and business can continue outside the 9 to 5. The problem, however, is guaranteeing your business data remains secure. Theft, physical or through cyber attacks can be disastrous for your business, but there are steps you can take to ensure the stress of the situation is minimised, which we are happy to help with.

Free-Champagne-IT-Support

Avoiding Catastrophe This Winter: Proactive IT Support

Whilst winter officially begins in December, this recent cold weather got us thinking about how we are prepared to deal with the changing weather conditions and what our clients could do to ensure they’re proactively dealing with potential IT issues.

You may first be thinking about how the worst snow could do to your business is stop some of your staff getting in, however, there are many other factors which can impact your IT infrastructure. For example, three years ago towns in the North of England suffered severe flooding which caused homes and businesses to evacuate, with many businesses forced to rebuild entirely after losing entire systems.

So, have you got a contingency plan in place?

Can Your Employees Work From Home?

These days, our homes can become remote offices, simply connect to your company server and away you go. Unfortunately, if this is not something you commonly practise, you may be unaware if your company network is secure, which can leave the data and information being sent back and forth vulnerable to interception.

Installing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) will ensure company privacy and allow you to freely transfer information back and forth without fear of interception. This can be tricky to install if you have little experience doing so, but an IT Specialist should be able to perform this task quickly and accurately for you.

If you are a smaller business, you may not have a company server, but making a small investment into online tools and packages such as Office 365 and Dropbox will enable your employees to work remotely and securely.

Are Your Devices Well Protected?

A device ‘underheating’ is much less likely to occur than overheating, but the results can be just as catastrophic for your business. Every piece of technology has a temperature range for safe operation and allowing your device to fall outside these parameters risks a malfunction.

It goes without saying, but leaving your device in a car overnight is a serious mistake. For starters, your vehicle can be broken into and your device with company information stolen, but the temperature inside of your vehicle can reach minus figures which may damage the hard drive.

Similarly, your office may be a converted garage or a conservatory which is kept warm and cosy during the day, but at night, when the temperatures plummet and the heating is turned off, this space can be just as cold as outside – don’t leave your devices here.

Are You Taking Regular Back-Ups?

You hear this all the time, but people still don’t take proactive action. Taking regular back-ups of your system can help get your business back online quickly should the worst case scenario happen. Remember the floods that we mentioned earlier? Several businesses suffered for a long time because their systems crashed and without a back-up available, they, in essence, had to start again.

If you are using the Cloud, then your files will backup automatically. You could also take hard drive backups, but if you keep it in the same location as the original files, if something happens in your office (such as a flood), then you lose both copies.

The best option in this scenario is to find a support company who can manage your backups for you and will be able to restore your data if you ever needed it.

What Happens In An Emergency IT Situation?

If you are a large business you should have an IT support contract in place so that in an emergency situation measures are in place to get you back to work with very little downtime. If you are a small business, having a support contract may not yet be feasible, but Omicron Solutions are available to work in an emergency situation on an ad hoc basis.

See our Emergency Support page, and get in touch to see how we can help you in your hour of need.

We are very excited to announce the launch of our brand new website. We’ve spent time putting together the information on the website to help better inform our customers about us and what we provide. We hope you find it useful and informative. Have a look through the website and feel free to let us know your thoughts, we hope you like it as much as we do. If you have any questions about us or what we provide, then please do get in touch.

This website was designed and created for us by Fluid Studios in Hertfordshire. Find them at www.fluidstudiosltd.com.