With 2019 on the fast track, now is the time to take stock of all you can do to make the New Year your most successful year in business yet.
How can you ensure productivity and profitability? A great place to start is to get proactive about avoiding some of the common (but avoidable) technical headaches many companies face.
Just as Santa checks his list twice, here are some to-dos you will want to pay attention to as 2018 winds down.
1. Prioritize preventative maintenance.
Just as you should check your vehicle’s tire pressure and oil level before a long road trip, it’s essential to check the status of your printers before the New Year begins.
Preventative maintenance services typically include:
- Vacuuming loose toner and paper dust
- Inspecting fuser assembly
- Cleaning rollers
- Lubricating and adjusting parts, as needed
- Cleaning filters
- Replacing any worn parts
A preventative maintenance check can help you avoid the frustration (and wasted time) of your printer malfunctioning when you need it most. It can also help to extend the life of the machine, which can save you money!
2. Replace old and out of date printers and copiers.
Inevitably, printers and copiers will need to be replaced eventually. While the out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new process is never exactly enjoyable, it can be far worse if a machine fails during a critical time and unexpectedly hurts your productivity and budget.
Old and out-of-date machines can cost you a lot of money in supplies and service. The older the machine, the more likely vital parts will wear out and require repairs—and it can be difficult and costly to find parts for older models.
Also, older machines often work slower and less efficiently than newer devices. How much of your precious time are you willing to spend waiting for print jobs to finish?
If you have a printer or copier that has been around for a while or that isn’t performing well, call a trusted expert to assess the situation and determine if replacing it will be your most economical and time-saving option.
3. Stock up on print supplies like toner and paper.
The dreaded message “out of toner” puts a damper on important print jobs, and it can be exponentially worse if you don’t have any backup cartridges at your office. Who needs that hassle and heightened stress on a busy day?
Always keep a supply of spare toner, waste toner bottles, ink, paper, and other essential supplies on hand to ensure your daily print needs won’t come to a complete standstill.
One way to stay on track is to order new supplies when you use the last one in your stock. If you go through some supplies faster than others, you might consider ordering those items when you’re down to your last few to make sure you don’t run out before your order arrives.
4. Make necessary software updates.
If you want to make sure you get the most from business technology and keep your business safe from cybercriminals, update your operating systems and software. Outdated operating systems and software can not only cause security risks, but also they can run slowly, decreasing productivity and increasing employee angst.
Running updates typically takes some time and may require some adjustments after they are installed. To eliminate the stress of doing it at an inconvenient time, schedule updates rather than putting them off to the last minute.
If you know a critical and significant update is looming (such as switching from Windows 7 to Windows 10), consult an IT expert. A qualified professional can help make sure changes are done as quickly as possible, data is maintained, and everything is up and running correctly so that you don’t have any problems down the road.
5. Check data backup and recovery.
In an ideal world, systems wouldn’t fail, security breaches wouldn’t happen, and data wouldn’t get lost. But unfortunately, we live and work in a less than ideal world.
Losing critical data results in aggravating downtime—and it can potentially cause catastrophic outcomes for your business. Therefore, it is vital to back up data regularly and to have a plan to retrieve lost data if needed.
Proactively examine your backup and recovery process to ensure systems are in place and performing properly. Also, make sure you have more than one method of data backup. In other words, “back up your backup.”
You can back up data with a physical piece of equipment like an external hard-drive, or virtually (i.e., via the cloud). If either of these seems confusing or overwhelming to put into place, hire an IT expert to do it for you. It’s an investment that can save you time and potentially save your business from disaster.
6. Train employees about cyber security.
The worst time to think about cyber attacks is AFTER one has happened to your business. NOW is the time to take measures to protect your company.
If you have firewalls and anti-virus software in place—great! However, most data breaches occur from human mistakes (like opening a malicious email attachment or accidentally leaving your computer or server open to hackers).
To keep employees from unintentionally becoming a cyber security threat, train them how to spot potential risks and what to do about them. Employees need to not only to know what to look for and how to avoid breaches, but also they need to be trained about security protocols and procedures.
The threats are everchanging and evolving. Therefore, training should be done on an ongoing basis so that the information remains top of mind for your employees. Fortunately, there are cost-effective programs that can help you keep your team members up to speed. Some programs also help you establish processes and procedures that establish a clear set of expectations when it comes to your cyber security.
Ready to Make 2019 a Happy, Productive, and Safe New Year?
If the thought of tackling all six items on the checklist above seems overwhelming, know that you don’t have to do it alone! Laser Lab can assist you with all of them. Just call us at 717-738-3333 or email us at info@laser-lab.com for more information about how we can help you make your 2019 merry, bright, and prosperous.