The August Bank Holiday is here. Is your business technology ready for the long weekend?
For many businesses, a bank holiday means a well-earned break, fewer emails and a chance for the team to switch off.
Your IT systems, however, don’t get the day off.
Websites remain online, emails continue to arrive, automated systems keep running and cyber threats don’t stop because the office is closed.
Before you shut the laptop and enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend, here are seven simple technology checks that can help keep your business secure and ready for Tuesday morning.
1. Make Sure Your Business Data Is Backed Up
When did you last check your backups?
It’s easy to assume backups are working correctly until the day you actually need them.
Before a long weekend, make sure important business files and systems are being backed up correctly and that your backups can actually be recovered.
A good backup strategy can make the difference between a minor inconvenience and a major business disruption following accidental deletion, hardware failure or a cyber incident.
2. Check Your Website Is Healthy
Your office might be closed, but your website isn’t.
For many businesses, a website is effectively a 24/7 salesperson. Customers can still search for your services, submit enquiries and learn about your company throughout the Bank Holiday weekend.
Check that:
Your website is online and loading properly.
Contact forms are working.
Important plugins and software are up to date.
SSL/security certificates are valid.
Your website works properly on mobile devices.
Enquiries are reaching the correct inbox.
A slow, broken or insecure website can cost you opportunities without anyone in the office realising it.
3. Be Extra Careful With Unexpected Emails
A quieter inbox doesn’t necessarily mean a safer inbox.
Phishing emails and other scams remain one of the risks businesses need to watch for. Be cautious with unexpected requests involving passwords, payments, invoices or account access.
If something doesn’t look right, avoid rushing to click a link or download an attachment simply because the message appears urgent.
Taking an extra minute to verify a request can save considerably more time later.
4. Protect Your Microsoft 365 and Business Accounts
Email and cloud accounts contain some of the most valuable information within a modern business.
Make sure important accounts use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible.
MFA adds another layer of protection if a password is stolen or compromised.
It’s also worth reviewing old user accounts. If somebody has left the company but still has access to email, cloud storage or other business systems, that access should be removed.
5. Don’t Ignore Software Updates
That update notification you’ve been clicking “Remind Me Later” on?
The Bank Holiday might be a good opportunity to finally deal with it.
Keeping operating systems, browsers, applications, website software and security tools updated helps protect against known vulnerabilities while also improving reliability.
For businesses managing multiple computers, a properly managed IT setup can make patching and updates considerably easier.
6. Think About Who to Contact if Something Goes Wrong
Imagine somebody checks their phone over the weekend and discovers the company website is down.
Who do they contact?
What happens if an employee’s account is compromised?
What if an important system stops working?
Even small businesses should have a basic plan covering who is responsible, who needs to be contacted and what should happen following an IT or cyber security incident.
Having that information available before something happens is far better than trying to work it out during an emergency.
7. Use the Bank Holiday as an Opportunity for an IT Health Check
You don’t need to wait for something to break before reviewing your technology.
Ask yourself:
Is our IT helping the business grow, or are we constantly working around IT problems?
Slow computers, unreliable Wi-Fi, ageing equipment, poor backups, security concerns and frustrating software can gradually become accepted as normal.
They shouldn’t be.
A regular IT review can identify small issues before they become expensive problems and highlight opportunities to make your team more productive.
Enjoy the Bank Holiday, We will Handle the Technology
Technology should make running your business easier, not give you something else to worry about during your time off.
At Hivebyte Technology, we help businesses get more from their technology, from reliable IT support and cyber security to cloud solutions, websites and ongoing technology advice.
Whether you’re experiencing an existing IT problem or simply want to know whether your current setup could be improved, we’re happy to have a conversation.
Enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend from everyone at Hivebyte Technology Ltd.
