The modern internet, though it changes every second, hosts more than 1 billion websites. If this isn’t shocking enough, try to imagine how much activity is conducted through online platforms. What should really take your breath away is the amount of email activity that occurs daily, with some statistics showing that 2.4 emails are sent every second around the world.
Most people are aware of how useful the internet is, covering all services nowadays from our email networking and newsletter delivery to our socializing through various social media platforms. Even though many businesses depend on word-of-mouth referrals from existing or previous clients, today’s businesses are functioning in a competitive global market.
The need for businesses to attract more traffic online has led to a boom in digital marketing, moving slightly away from traditional marketing and focusing on their online presence and campaigns. Through email automation, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), and developing their company websites, progressive companies have upskilled their teams and are remaining relevant to today’s trends.
The internet has brought very interesting insights. For instance, did you know that the number of global mobile users surpass desktop users prior to 2014? This would indicate that if your company website isn’t accessible or a good user experience for mobile viewers, you are compromising on client leads and therefore, losing business.
The business population in the U.K. is around 6 million, and growing! And for those businesses to stay online and engaged in productive work, the reliable internet is crucial. Here are some of the top reasons why you should be looking at bolstering your internet and I.T. support this year.
Increase productivity
While your employees are accessing various online tools throughout their work sessions, they may find that programs like Brightidea or Salesforce are responding slower than optimally due to internal internet speeds. Boosting your internet response time, while supporting your business needs with ample bandwidth, is a great and cost-effective way to reduce downtime online.
Relook at your server needs
Each business should have a centralized server, or servers, that they use to store larger files, programs, and media. While some companies only have one server and choose to upgrade, scaling horizontally by adding more servers to your network means that your site can stay up if one fails or goes under maintenance.
As most of the data your company needs to run daily operations are kept on the server, making sure your internet is stable, reliable, and fast will maintain a well-functioning network. This will ensure good speed to access files, as well as reducing the overwhelming amount of storage required on your employee’s personal devices.
Dedicated server protection
A dedicated server is one that exclusively stores your company data. Giving you access to a much greater bandwidth and storage capacity, dedicated servers allow you to internally control the security of your data, as well as restructure your web pages without needing a web hosting company’s input. You may also upgrade any features you’d like, as a dedicated server gives you incredible flexibility in how you’d like to manage your network.
The key thing is that having reliable internet is absolutely imperative if you have a dedicated server, as your files and programs will need to be accessible online at all times. Keep in mind that a dedicated server can be costly, and it’s important to assess your server needs very carefully before investing in this option.
Reseller hosting
Have you heard of reseller hosting? There are many ways in which this service works, but essentially, these reseller hosting packages allow you to sell monthly web hosting to clients. These new clients would be assumed under your account, making you their web host.
Reseller hosting has been especially useful for web designers, as each new client for whom they build a website will need a web host for the pages. When the client then asks for a recommended web hosting server, it is incredibly convenient to offer them a package in which you can take care of their design and hosting needs – all managed by your business.
What is excellent about reseller hosting is that a good company will provide you with I.T. assistance and live support 24/7. This will put you at ease that if your clients are experiencing any I.T. that is beyond your technical knowledge, that you can successfully navigate your clients through what they need.
Invest in your I.T. needs
Ultimately, if you are needing to improve your internet output and capabilities, it is best to contact an I.T. specialist who can understand what you’re looking for now. They can also prepare you for future I.T. needs, saving you money in the long run by helping you strategize and forecast where your business growth is heading. The consultant should look at how many devices will be accessing your server, as well as which apps and programs will need to be run through the network.
Hiring a consultant applies primarily to small businesses that do not have an I.T. team, but even if your company does have I.T. staff, outsourcing a consultant can assist your team to explore and learn about some new challenges and how to overcome them internally. If you see this as an upskilling or mentorship process, your investment will save you money in the longer term and create happier, more skilled employees.
Knowing how to navigate your company’s online needs can sometimes be confusing if your I.T. expertise is lacking. But, this is what experts are for. Therefore, it is advised that you hire a consultant who can assess your entire I.T. team and meet your growing business needs. This will be money well spent and invested into your set-up, which is bound to result in a great return for your company. The internet is a fascinating – and ever-expanding platform. The ultimate recommendation is to stay abreast of changing trends, latest advancements, and to upskill yourself personally as best you can. Even if you don’t end up doing the work, you will understand where there are risks involved and be able to know when an expert should be consulted. Plus, having a good foundation will protect you from people who may seek to take advantage of you, ultimately giving you the upper hand in the game of business.