Waiting until after a flood to build the dam is nothing short of a lost cause. Sure, you now have a spiffy new wall of rock to protect your little town, but the damage has already been done. The same concept is true with preventative and proactive IT maintenance. 

Too many St. Louis businesses these days are waiting until after they detect a threat or suffer a data breach to do anything about their IT security. Waiting this long isn’t only monetarily costly, but it will cost you the trust of your customers and brand reputation. In this article, we’ll discuss the five ways proactive IT maintenance can save your business money.

1. Prevention is Cheaper than the Cure

Simply put, when you wait to fix a problem until after it has occurred, you are going to pay more in lost time and resources than if you had taken preventative steps to begin with. By taking a proactive approach to IT maintenance, businesses are able to identify and address potential vulnerabilities and cyber risks before they become a problem. 

This prevention mindset can save a significant amount of money in the long run by avoiding potential data breaches or other cyber-security-related problems.

2. Downtime Can Sink Your Company

No business wants its operations to halt due to an IT issue. Whether it’s an unreliable server or outdated software, when things go down it can cost your business money and customers. By taking proactive measures such as routine testing networks for vulnerabilities and keeping systems up to date with the latest patches, you can avoid unplanned downtime and reduce the risk of costly issues arising from outages.

3. Security Breaches Are More Than Costly

It’s not just the cost of downtime that can be expensive, but cybersecurity breaches as a whole. The average cost of a data breach for businesses is estimated to be around $4.35 million. Think your business can stomach that kind of loss? 

Not only can stolen data cost you money, but also your reputation. Customers are more likely to turn away from a business they don’t trust, leading to a drop in sales and brand damage. Proactive IT maintenance is key to ensuring that your systems and networks remain secure and protected against malicious threat actors.

4. Maximize Your Business IT Budget

Proactive IT maintenance doesn’t just save you money due to costly repairs or unplanned downtime; it actually helps you maximize the budget that you have for IT services. 

By taking proactive steps such as regularly monitoring activity on your network or updating software regularly, businesses are able to get more from their IT budget. With a smaller portion of the budget going towards reactive solutions, businesses are able to put more money into solutions that can help drive innovation and growth.

5. Regular Maintenance Extends the Life Of Your Equipment

No matter how careful you are with your technology investments, they will eventually become outdated and need to be replaced. But through proactive maintenance and regular updates, you can extend the life of your equipment and delay replacement costs as much as possible. This is especially true for computers, where simply keeping them running with proper security patches can add years on to their lifespan.

Let ThrottleNet Be Your IT Security Shield!

At ThrottleNet, we understand how important it is for businesses to stay ahead of any potential risks when it comes to IT security. We have a team of experts that can help you take a proactive approach to IT maintenance. From regular system health checks and security audits to ongoing 24/7 network monitoring, our managed IT services can help you save money by avoiding costly repairs, downtime, or data breaches.  Reach out to our team of IT experts to learn more about preventative IT maintenance and how ThrottleNet can help your business stay secure. 

16 Ways to Protect Your St. Louis Business From Cyberattacks

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15 Ways to Protect Your Business from Cyberattacks