The IT aspect of a startup is just as important as everything else that makes it up. And if you’re shaking your head at this statement, think about the role of IT in every business process of a startup. In essence, a startup won’t even function without sufficient tech and IT.
In IT, there are a thousand things that need to be done at the same time, from small tasks like hardware tune-ups to critical ones like MS SQL Server performance monitoring. Consequently, making even just one IT mistake can potentially derail your operations, or at the very least, decrease your employees’ efficiency.
If you are about to launch your startup or are currently in the early stages, here are common IT mistakes that you should avoid:
1. Neglecting database management
In any startup, database management is a critical aspect, especially for businesses that handle sensitive data. Treating database management as an afterthought is not only risky for your company, but it can also have you fail to maximize your resources.
A common mistake that startups make with database management is not hiring a qualified DBA in the first place. As a result, IT personnel are forced to do a million routine tasks at the same time, leaving no room for significant projects.
If it is not feasible to hire an in-house DBA, an excellent alternative is to employ remote DBA services that can help manage your database, eliminate bottlenecks, and come up with solutions to existing problems.
2. Not backing up your data
Data loss can be potentially disastrous for your business. It can even put your startup in a standstill, causing you to lose money and time in the process. If you don’t back up your data frequently and consistently, you might be one outage away from losing an integral part of your business.
3. Attempting to be your own IT department
Understandably, you want to operate your business on less. In some aspects, cutting corners might work, but not for IT. Being the CEO will already have you wearing many hats; you don’t need to add more responsibilities to that, lest you want to risk everything collapsing. Hence, prioritize hiring a good IT team to rely on instead of trying to do everything yourself.
4. Not investing in security
Another common mistake that small business owners make is failing to invest in security. Doing this can result in catastrophic data breaches, which will not only hurt your business but also put your clients’ data at risk.
5. Using outdated hardware and software
Hardware and software are two other IT aspects where you shouldn’t cut corners. Otherwise, you can affect your business efficiency, put your data at risk, and leave you a few steps behind your competitors.
It is common for startups to have limited budgets. If this is the case for you, then the more important it is to put your money in the right places, like your IT department. In doing so, you can better streamline your processes and create a secure, efficient environment for your data.