At Firstcom we are used to helping customers with IT issues every day. Regardless of company size and sector, there are common issues that come up on a regular basis.
We are always happy to help but it is useful to know what how to avoid or deal with some common issues to minimise their impact on productivity.
- Slow Internet. The number one issue and incredibly frustrating. No internet means no work.
In an office a slow connection is often the result of a network expending over several building or several floors. Sometimes the problem is caused by certain offices being far away from the network nodes.
Network upgrades can sometimes slow things down, or viruses may be clogging the network. IT help desks can determine the cause and help you resolve the issue
If you are a remote or hybrid worker, you will inevitably have the occasional issue. Here are three things to try:
- Reboot your router. If your router gets overloaded, your internet connection can become slow. To reboot the router simply remove the cables for about 10 seconds and plug them back in again. Wait a few minutes for the connection to be establish and check to see if there are any improvements.
- Use an ethernet cable. Many variables can affect WiFi connectivity, thick walls and metal objects for example. If you opt to use an ethernet cable this will give you a much more stable internet connection.
- Improve your WiFi connection. You could try moving closer to the router to see if this has an impact. The most effective solution would be to install multiple base stations.
2. Blue screen. Commonly known as “the blue screen of death” or a stop error, this indicates a system crash. The blue screen is often feared to be a sign that the machine is about to break permanently.
The issue often lies in the hardware, or on one of the drivers. It often happens after you have installed new drivers or a new piece of hardware, and a quick reboot can be enough to resolve the problem.
Reading the text on the blue screen can help you determine whether a reboot will help or whether you need professional IT support.
3. Password problems. From lost passwords to trouble resetting a password, a lot of our help-desk tickets involve password predicaments. Some companies invest in software and portals that can help with password recovery.
If your company does not have a system for this, helpdesk personnel can step in and help you reset your password and quickly get back to work.
4. Accidentally deleted files. The first thing to do if you accidentally delete a file is check your recycle bin. If you have already deleted the recycle bin it becomes more of a challenge. Software like OneDrive will provide you with an extra level of protection. A copy of your files is automatically saved to the cloud. This means if you accidentally delete a file from your hard drive, the most recent version can still be retrieved.
We also strongly recommend having IT backup solutions in place. Cyber attacks can target data in the cloud. If your data is backed up, you eliminate the risk of permanent loss of important files.
5. Unsaved files. We have all accidentally closed a document without saving it. You may well have lost your unsaved changes, but your IT helpdesk can help you try and recover them. Microsoft Office, for example, has autosave options that can sometimes recover the lost work.
6. Computer is too slow. The most common reason for this is too many apps and programmes running and filling up your storage. The easiest thing to do is the go into your Task Manager settings and to uninstall any apps that you are not using.
7. Computer has crashed. The best thing to do when your computer crashes or freezes it to wait a few minutes to see if it resumes as normal. If it does not, open the Task Manager to see which programme isn’t responding and close it. If your computer still isn’t working, restart it.
8. Can’t send or receive emails. First check that your computer is connected to the Internet to rule out a connection issue. Next contact your IT helpdesk as it may be that your Network email server is encountering problems. Another common cause of not being able to send or receive emails is that your emails are set to the offline mode. You reset this by clicking on the Send/Receive tab. If you see that the Work offline button is shaded, you need to click it and get your email back online.
Conclusion:
As you can see, many common IT issues can be resolved without expert help.
But there will be times when you do need to the assistance of an IT professional, and that is where your IT support company comes in.
Firstcom’s IT Support team can help you troubleshoot even the trickiest IT problems. We offer a range of solutions and services to help your business stay productive and secure.
Contact us today to learn how we can help with your business’s IT support needs.
0333 0237000
