Outdated technology does more than just keep your company back. It exposes you to cyber security threats which can result in loss of productivity, performance, and sales.
Companies who were unprepared for the abrupt change to the global workforce, due to the pandemic, are now actively involved in implementing technological improvements and upgrades, such as utilizing the cloud, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Although almost any company would need to make some technological improvements for the post-pandemic environment, some updates will be more universal than others. We have mentioned some of the improvements we think most businesses would need to make below.
Invest in Reliable Cloud and SaaS (Software as a Service) Tools.
Keeping in contact with your employees as they work remotely can be a struggle for some organizations. Companies need to integrate new work practices, unload the technical burden, and migrate to the cloud and SaaS tools. Cloud computing offers a multitude of benefits to SME’s. It can help reduce costs, streamline processes, and increase operational flexibility. The importance of agile software cannot be overstated.
Companies who use the cloud and have stable workflows will easily adapt as requirements change. As an example, paper documents have limited accessibility. Scanning paper records, such as payroll, revenue, and project reports, and making them accessible on a single company network or in the cloud, would benefit your business. It also means that records are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week from every computer or smartphone. Another advantage is that you do not have to keep copies yourself. Cloud storage providers automatically backup the data as part of their key offerings and recovering unintentionally lost data is similar to retrieving files from the Windows Recycle Bin. Concerned about security? You can set basic employee and group permissions with appropriate folder organization to prevent employees from accessing documents they should not see.
Install the latest operating system.
Running a current defense suite, such as one that incorporates antivirus, antispyware, and a firewall, is not enough because the operating system itself may have security flaws. Older operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows 7, can have security flaws that hackers exploit, rendering the system more susceptible to malware and other threats. Your company could easily become a victim of a ransomware attack or malware infection with new cyberattacks conducted daily.
Microsoft’s new desktop operating system, Windows 10, is intended to be more secure than previous versions. The most recent OS enables employees to take advantage of a slew of new productivity-boosting applications and programs. Your employees can have a seamless user experience no matter which device they use because Windows 10 runs on a wide range of devices, including smartphones and high-end computers.
Update your hardware technology.
Computers and printers become outdated and fall into the legacy category. For rather old hardware finding drivers that support new operating systems and software can be difficult. This results in compatibility and reliability problems. One big problem with older machines is insufficient RAM, which can be a major source of frustration for consumers. Web browsers necessitate a large amount of memory. To see how much more memory a browser requires than most other applications, open Task Manager in Windows and search the running processes. Many employees keep a browser and other applications open at all hours, so a machine with insufficient RAM can greatly decrease productivity.
Use Multifactor Authentication
The current crisis has emphasized the importance of providing your employees with safe access to the systems they use while operating remotely. Multifactor authentication (MFA) is required for all privileged accounts and business-critical systems to protect the organization from unauthorized access caused by stolen credentials. Cyber-attacks are on the rise, and two-factor authentication may help to mitigate them. Most hacking-related breaches occur as a result of weak or stolen passwords.
Search Engine Optimizations (SEO)
Your website visibility in search engines is key for online success. The more you appear in search results, the more visible you are. This ensures that the website will get more visits and future buyers. You should optimize your website and content for search engines if you have not already.
Building a robust web infrastructure and having easy navigation can help search engines to index your website quickly and easily. This will provide visitors with a positive user experience and facilitate return visits. It is worth noting that Google is increasingly paying attention to user experience.
Search engines are looking for relevance to the searchers query, the quality of your content, your site speed, your website’s cross device compatibility, internal linking and your social visibility through social media and interactions with consumers.
Creating a technology refresh plan is a great way to support your businesses mission, goals, and objectives, all while keeping your employees working productively.
