5.2. IT - Managing IT

If you have a PC in your office that you only use for running out invoices, writing the occasional letter and browsing the Internet, you could be missing out on substantial business benefits that would cost you little more than a modest investment of time. With some planning and the right software, even the most basic of office PCs can perform some powerful business functions.

This briefing covers:

• Evaluating your needs.
• Accounting and communication.
• Databases and marketing.
• Getting help.

Help yourself

Buying the equipment and applications is only the start of your investment in IT.

Throughout the life of any system, the cost of maintaining hardware and software will form a significant part of the total cost of ownership.

But keeping a system running does not always require expensive systems consultants or engineers. As long as you exercise a degree of care, many aspects of maintaining your IT system can be tackled in-house, saving you time and money.

This briefing covers:

• How to start off on the right foot.
• Good habits and preventive maintenance.
• How to tell if there is a problem.
• What to do when something goes wrong.

Damage limitation

Many small and medium-sized businesses rely heavily on their IT networks, but do not always take adequate steps to safeguard them. System crashes, data corruption and other problems can have disastrous consequences and could even cause a business to fail completely.

To anticipate potential problems, and to minimise the damage caused by them, you will need to set up and implement an effective disaster prevention strategy.

This briefing focuses on IT. To find out how to reduce the impact of other types of disaster, such as fire and burglary, see Minimising insurance risks, IN 3.

This briefing covers:

• Assessing the risks you face.
• Pre-empting potential problems.
• Making contingency plans.