When did you last have a health check?
As we’re rolling headlong through the early part of the year, many of us would benefit from a quick check-up — or at least a check-in.
Every new year, health and fitness-related goals and resolutions are some of the most common on a personal level. And a few weeks into every new year, most of us begin to falter on those goals, if we’re honest.
At a minimum, now is an ideal time for a health check-in, asking ourselves: how are those goals going? Do any of them need adjusting to be realistic and attainable? And how’s my health overall?
Along the same lines, perhaps it’s time for something a little more official. When was your last health check-up or physical? Most physicians would rather see patients once a year proactively rather than wait until a problem grows more serious.
Of course, we aren’t doctors, dieticians, or trainers— so please don’t take health advice from us!
So why are we talking about check-ins and check-ups? Because your business — and your IT operations — could benefit in similar ways. Blue Ridge Technology is a premier managed IT services in Western North Carolina provider.
Check-Ups Are All Around Us
Think about it: on a personal level, we schedule check-ups of sorts for all kinds of things in our lives: ourselves, our kids, our cars, even our HVAC. (Or at least we should.) Because we know that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
The principle is the same when it comes to your business. Checking the health of your office technology, IT systems, cybersecurity preparedness, and web presence can identify small problems before they turn into operational crises.
The Cost of Putting It Off
Of course, in reality most of us put off some of these check-ups. Going to the dentist is inconvenient and uncomfortable. That car might seem a little off, but it’s still getting you around town. You get the idea.
But we all know there’s a cost to this kind of procrastination.
Ironically, sometimes it’s cost that causes us to delay. The preventive check-ups that reveal small problems now? They do cost you a little. But wait until those problems turn into crises, and you’re going to pay a lot more.
You’ll also suffer additional negative outcomes. In healthcare those look like cavities and chronic conditions. At the mechanic, damaged systems and even costlier repairs.
What do those negative outcomes look like at your business? There are plenty of possibilities.
Lost productivity as team members don’t have properly functioning tools to do their jobs
Business disruptions due to equipment failures or server downtime
Loss of customers and revenue due to poor service or inability to meet customer needs
Truth be told, these negative outcomes can escalate all the way to becoming existential threats to the continued functioning of your business.
Those are some pretty steep costs to putting off those check-ups.
What About Check-Ins?
Check-ins are a little different. You already know what those look like for your new year’s resolutions, but what about in business?
Chances are, whether at the turn of the calendar year or the fiscal year, you put in place some initiatives relating to technology. These could be anything from workstation upgrades to a new website or line of service. You created a roadmap and a project timeline, and those initiatives are likely still in progress.
Now is the perfect time for a check-in. Are those initiatives on track? Has anyone encountered unexpected obstacles or additional costs?
Questions like these don’t cost anything at all, and they can identify and solve problems before they even get to the check-up stage.
Don’t Go It Alone
You can likely take care of some of these check-ins internally (just like we go to the gym and brush our teeth and check the oil in our cars). But you’d never give yourself a physical or dental X-rays or rebuild the transmission on your car, right?
Some check-up processes are too intense or involved to do without the steady hand of a professional.
That’s where we come in.
If it’s time for a tech check-up at your business, our team is here to help. Give us a call or shoot us an email today to get started!
