I’m old enough to remember when I used to wake up every day and most of my life was a certainty. I own my own business, so I could count on a bit of a rollercoaster ride usually, but then, I was certain I could hang on and enjoy it. After giving this a lot of thought, I can say that even though it is a crazy world right now—some elements remain certain. What a relief!
Uncertainty Is The Monster Under The Bed At Night
I have referred many times to the big three negative emotions in business: Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. FUD, we call it. Fear can be called out for what it is, and doubt can be dispersed with a stern self-talking to. But uncertainty—it is self-defining. It is a ghost that can be felt even when not seen. It is the unknown, the unpredictable, the indefinable. There is a lot of it going around these last six months. I tell you–I am so grateful I work with computers. Information Technology can be one of the most stable certainties in any business right now.
Science, Engineering, Physics—Nerdy?—But Not Emotional
Of all the facets of business right now that can create FUD, a computer network does not/should not be one of them. Although we have all been tempted at least once to fling our laptop out a window or to pitch our desktop into a trashcan, we don’t do that because we know with certainty that computer problems can be fixed. Computer technology is science, and science can be tested. It is engineering, so there are schematics somewhere to use to trace the sequence of connections. It is physics, but who really needs to understand how the Worldwide Web works? It just does. We do not have to spare any emotion for computers or networks because they are tools that can be repaired.
If You Haven’t Already, Put Well-Managed IT In Your “Must Have” Category
So—you will only keep delivery vehicles that always start and don’t break down. Your company phone system needs to function flawlessly for hours every day, so you will invest is a system that can handle your volume. You must have insurance, so you have looked hard to find an agency that you trust to advise you on the coverage you need for the cost you can pay. Laws change constantly, so you must feel good about a legal team that will stay abreast of changes that will affect your commerce. Good IT management should rank right up there with these integral services. You should have the certainty that someone qualified is monitoring your computers and your network every hour of every day. Take “worrying about my computers” off your list of recurring nightmares. Reliable IT can be a given. Some experts can make it so. As the business owner or manager, it is part of your job to research, interview, and choose that company that will take any connectivity anxiety off your list of “uncertainties.”
No IT company can promise there will be no failures. Anything mechanical can fail. But replacement projection, upgrade trajectory, response time, and recovery planning should be key issues in your choice of an IT management company. Aptica has a sterling track record in all those four concerns. Give us a call and we can explain why that is. We can be one of the certainties in your business life.
Jason Newburg, 260.243.5100, ext 2101, is the founder and owner of Aptica LLC. This IT management and support company has been serving small to medium-sized businesses for 19 years in the region that includes Angola, South Bend, and Fort Wayne, IN, Battle Creek, MI, and Toledo OH.