As someone who works with technology every day, I’ve seen the magic it can bring to a business. I’ve also seen the headaches and the hidden costs that can harm its efforts. If you own a business, you might think of IT as just the Wi-Fi or the guy who fixes the printer. I’m here to tell you that mindset will cost you dearly. I want to share four uncomfortable, non-technical truths that every practical business owner needs to accept about their technology.
Security is Insurance, Not a Sales Driver
We all love spending money on things that generate new revenue. Security, unfortunately, doesn’t do that. You invest in the best firewalls, anti-virus software, and online protection, but what do you get in return? On paper, nothing.
This is why many business owners look to the security budget to trim the fat.
But It Could Save You a Fortune.
Unfortunately, spending money on security doesn’t help you grow, but it absolutely prevents you from being completely destroyed. Think of it as insurance. The cost of a data breach—losing all your customer data, shutting down for a week, or paying huge regulatory fines—will always be much, much higher than paying for solid protection now. That’s why you have to view your security budget as an essential, non-negotiable cost. The fact is that if you’re cutting corners here, you’re exposing your business to ruin.
Your People Are the Weakest Link (Even Your Best Ones)
You hired great, smart people. You trust them. The simple fact is that through your employees is the easiest way for hackers to get into your company; and make no mistake: hackers are opportunists.
99 percent of the time, your employees have no malicious intent; they’re just human. They get tired, they are distracted, or they are just trying to work fast. That clever fake email—the one that looked like it came from your bank or Amazon—only needs to fool one overworked employee, and the door to your entire network is open.
The fact is that no matter how secure your computers are, human error is the number one threat. Your staff is your defense line. You must invest time and money in regular, clear, and practical security training. This includes testing them with fake phishing emails. Make it a constant habit, not a one-time class, to reduce mistakes. Even your best, most vigilant employees can slip up on a sophisticated phishing message. Keep testing them so they don’t get complacent.
The Hidden Cost of Keeping Old Stuff Alive
When you put off replacing that five-year-old server, or use a spreadsheet for a task that really needs proper inventory software, you are creating what we like to call technology debt.
Tech debt is essentially taking out a high-interest loan on your technology. You save a little money now by postponing the upgrade, but you pay for it later through all the things that antiquated technology brings: slower operations, constant crashes, expensive patch repairs, and, eventually, a massive, painful, and urgent replacement project.
That old system you keep around is actually costing you more and more every single day it stays in operation. It limits your ability to adopt new, faster tools and makes everything else harder. The best strategy is to be proactive. Budget for continuous small upgrades and replacements instead of waiting for a catastrophic failure. Investing in modern systems now is paying for future speed and stability.
IT Needs a Seat at the Big Table
Do you call your IT person or company only when something is broken? If so, you’re treating them like the janitorial crew, they just clean up the mess. The thing is, technology is the central nervous system of your entire business.
The choices you make concerning your technology determine whether you can scale up, whether your team can work efficiently, and whether you can beat your competitors to market. If your technology plan isn’t being discussed in the same meetings as your sales and marketing goals, your business is planning with one hand tied behind its back. It’s just good business to elevate your IT partner or manager to be part of the leadership team, ensuring that every piece of technology you buy directly supports where you want the company to be three years from now, not just what works today.
Being a successful business owner means facing the uncomfortable realities. Accept that security is a necessary cost and your organization’s technology will stop being a burden and start being the powerful asset it should be.
To see what we can do to help you build the business you want, and do it in a sustainable and cost-effective way, give us a call today at (616) 828-5360.