Today’s businesses are increasingly dependent on technology. With the increase in the use of technology, it becomes vital for your company to protect the integrity of its website. IT support can therefore become a priority.
If potential clients can’t access your website, they won’t be able to purchase your services. By equipping your company’s website with protective services and detection systems, you can minimize losses that can occur due to downtime.
Understanding Downtime and Disruption
When your website can’t be accessed, this is called “downtime.”
There are times when your company may choose to schedule some “planned downtime.” These are periods of time when your business performs upgrades of and maintenance on its technology. These planned downtimes are announced to your associates and customers in advance, so they will be aware they will temporarily be unable to access your website.
When outside sources breach your company’s secure information-or your marketing and sales division – it can cause a disruption in service. This becomes “unplanned downtime.” Cybercriminals can also cause server delays during website usage. Your website could appear to have been unexpectedly shut down, or your sales functions could be non-functional. Potential customers would then be unable to access their accounts, or to navigate the functions of your website.
Sometimes, downtime can also unexpectedly occur because of hardware problems or software glitches. No matter the source of downtime, it has the potential for negative consequences for your business.
Every minute of unplanned downtime is the equivalent of preventing your customers from entering the door of your company. If downtime extends long enough, potential customers will become frustrated and look for another company to fulfill their needs. As more time elapses, both potential and established customers can be lost.
The importance of Timely IT Support
One of the many concerns of any modern business is its ability to communicate via the internet. The
ways your business is able to communicate – both internally and with clients – is one of the most important parts of doing business. If your company’s firewall is breached, your website could be hacked and its access endangered.
Timely managed IT services means your company’s network is protected 24/7. It includes consistent detection of malware and protection from hackers.
There’s no way to predict when an attack might come to your website, so having ongoing IT defense is essential.
The more secure your malware detection and internet protection services are the less chance there will be that your business will be attacked or disrupted. Even a few minutes of downtime or inaccessibility can mean the loss of potential sales or customer service. In addition to installing a protective service to detect “internet invaders,” scheduling regular computer maintenance will detect both routine computer issues, plus any undetected outside interference.
Even if your company has an excellent IT department, today’s cyberattacks are often sophisticated. It is therefore wise to partner with a professional IT support system.
Case Studies
An example of the impact of downtime occurred in 2013, when Amazon was inaccessible for half an hour. During that brief period of time, the company lost nearly two million dollars in lost sales. Even if your business isn’t as large as Amazon, you can still be at risk for both a loss of reputation and for monetary losses. (1)
When you become proactive about your IT services, you can avoid such losses. By using planned downtime and maintenance practices, and by partnering with a professional IT support service (like LANSolutions), you will not only ensure your website is functional on a regular basis; but you provide an ongoing tech barrier for any cybercriminals or outside invaders to your company’s information.
Conclusion
Augmenting your company’s IT support is no longer an optional choice. Downtime can result in costly losses of potential sales. If your company wants to survive and thrive in today’s technological arena, you need to prevent and detect any unplanned downtime. Partnering with a professional IT support company can be a way to safeguard your company’s reputation, information and its commercial success.