Rick Crane discusses common mistakes he has seen in over a decade in the business technology industry.

1. Common IT Mistakes
that even CEOs make…
R i c k C r a n e

2. 1. Failing to Back Up Data
Properly
Ask yourself:
 How do you back up your data?
 Do you know you’re safe from a crash server in the closet - that
one that might not be properly cooled or protected? What if
there’s a fire or flood at the office?
 Who backs up your data? How often?

3. If all of your data were wiped out
tomorrow could you still operate
the next day? The next year?
Having a Disaster Recovery Plan
could save your business the time
and stress when disasters occur.

4. 2. Lack of Alignment between
Leadership and IT Direction
As a CEO, you should be thinking about the kind of business
you want to run and how technology will support your vision.
If you want a culture of innovation but you provide your
employees with old computers and outdated systems, you
might have a hard time pulling that off.

5. Make sure your technology
enables your employees to fulfill
your vision or you might be setting
them, and yourself, up for failure.
Conducting a Business
Technology Assessment can
help you decide which solutions
are right for your business.

6. 3. Buying Technology Without a
Clear Business Case
A CEO either gets bad advice or decides for himself that he
simply must have a certain new type of software or server
solution and pulls the trigger without examining the business
case. This is something we see on a weekly basis.
Would you believe me if I told you that I’ve had visits with
small businesses who have more servers than
employees?

7. This will not only help your
business grow but you will have
reasoning behind your technology
decisions.
Professional Services can help
Make sure your business case is a
reminder of why you need this
technology and what it will deliver
for your business

8. 4. Failing to Budget Appropriate
Dollars and Resources
How do you know how much to spend on IT?
Problems inevitably arise in any organization of any size when
the CEO tries to skimp on IT. It’s the problems that you don’t
even know could occur that could put you in trouble.

9. This does not include investment in
items like custom development or
software applications that might
provide specific revenue streams.
Being able to budget your IT
investment will allow your business
to have reliable, updated
infrastructure.

10. 5. Failing to Set Standards for
Technology Conduct
Is it OK to use the corporate account for personal email and
IM?
Do you let employees use Skype, Facebook, LinkedIn,
YouTube and other social media sites at work? Would you
have any way of knowing if they did?

11. If you prefer an open, laid back
environment, there might be no harm
in allowing occasional visits to social
media, but it’s important to put
policies in writing along with
protective technologies.
Failing to do so may lead to
embarrassing situations or even
undetected viruses and problems.

12. Rick Crane
Executive Vice President of
Corporate Growth
It is important in your business to anticipate challenges that can
occur. Asking the tough questions, setting expectations and doing
your homework will put you ahead of the game.

13. OUTSOURCEIT
outsourceIT is a managed services
provider that aims to provide
exceptional IT services and support
for our clients, where we take care of
their IT so they can focus on their
business. We pride ourselves on
excellent customer relations as well
as a top notch support staff that
includes subject matter experts in
over five areas of business IT