Discover essential strategies and tips on Backups. Ensure your data’s safety and your business’s resilience against unexpected disruptions.

The real cost of downtime for SMEs – Can your business afford it?

IT downtime isn’t just frustrating—it’s expensive, disruptive, and potentially business-threatening. On average, UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) lose 14 hours per year to IT downtime, with employees operating at just 63% productivity during these periods. Even after systems are restored, businesses waste an additional nine hours recovering lost data, and productivity only climbs back to 70%. That’s valuable time lost, deadlines missed, and revenue slipping away.

The financial impact of IT downtime is staggering. The average cost of downtime for an SME is £212,000 per incident, with some businesses losing as much as £300,000 per hour. Even tech giants aren’t immune—Meta’s recent two-hour outage cost them $100 million. While large corporations can absorb these losses, for SMEs, unexpected IT failures can lead to customer churn, reputational damage, and even long-term financial instability.

Cyberattacks: The Leading Cause of IT Downtime

The risks are escalating. Cyberattacks are now the number one cause of IT downtime, responsible for 24% of incidents—up from just 10% in 2018. Despite this rising threat, only 32% of UK businesses have cybersecurity insurance, leaving them financially vulnerable to data breaches, ransomware, and phishing attacks. Over 50% of businesses have already experienced at least one cyberattack in the past five years, with the average ransomware recovery cost sitting at £650,000.

Can Your Business Afford to Ignore IT Downtime?

🔹 How much would IT downtime cost your business?
🔹 Are you confident your IT setup can prevent and recover from a major outage?

Ignoring IT resilience is not an option. A proactive IT support strategy, robust cybersecurity measures, and a disaster recovery plan can prevent costly downtime, safeguard business operations, and protect your bottom line.

✅ Prevent IT downtime before it happens
✅ Reduce financial risks with strong cybersecurity and backup solutions
✅ Ensure business continuity with a solid IT recovery plan

Check out our infographic to see the full impact of IT downtime or visit our cybersecurity page for more information.

Windows 10 Upgrade: Top 5 Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

Upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is a crucial step for businesses looking to improve security, productivity, and system performance. However, a rushed or poorly planned upgrade can lead to costly downtime, frustrated employees, and avoidable disruptions.

To ensure a smooth transition, here are the five most common mistakes businesses make—and how you can avoid them.

1. Skipping compatibility checks

Many businesses assume their existing hardware and software will work seamlessly with Windows 11. Unfortunately, this is far from guaranteed.

Windows 11 comes with stricter hardware requirements, including the need for a TPM 2.0 chip. Older devices and legacy software may not be compatible, causing critical tools to fail post-upgrade.

How to avoid it:

    • Use Microsoft’s PC Health Check Tool to confirm that your devices meet Windows 11’s requirements
    • Test essential business applications to identify any compatibility issues
    • Plan for necessary hardware upgrades or replacements in advance to avoid last-minute surprises

2. Failing to back up data

A shocking number of businesses skip backing up their data before upgrading, assuming nothing will go wrong. But unexpected issues, failed installations, or even accidental file loss can wreak havoc on operations.

How to avoid it:

    • Use cloud-based solutions like OneDrive to automatically back up critical files
    • Create local backups for sensitive or large files before initiating the upgrade
    • Regularly test your backup recovery process to ensure your data can be restored if needed

3. Upgrading without a rollout plan

Diving into a full-scale upgrade without a structured rollout plan is a recipe for disaster. Upgrading all devices simultaneously increases the risk of widespread downtime if something goes wrong.

How to avoid it:

    • Begin with a small pilot group to test the upgrade and troubleshoot potential issues
    • Implement a phased rollout to minimise the risk of business-wide disruptions
    • Schedule upgrades during off-peak hours to reduce the impact on daily operations

4. Neglecting employee training

Assuming employees will seamlessly adapt to Windows 11 is a major oversight. A redesigned interface, new features, and altered workflows can lead to confusion, reduced efficiency, and an increase in IT support requests.

How to avoid it:

    • Provide quick guides or video tutorials on Windows 11 navigation
    • Highlight key features such as Snap Layouts and improved multitasking tools
    • Offer ongoing support and training sessions to help employees adjust

5. Overlooking security updates and configurations

Security should always be a top priority, but many businesses forget to review and update security settings after upgrading. Default configurations may leave your system vulnerable, and outdated security software may not integrate properly with Windows 11.

How to avoid it:

    • Update security policies to align with Windows 11’s new features
    • Ensure that antivirus and security tools are compatible and fully operational
    • Regularly install updates and patches to maintain optimal security and performance

Upgrade the right way: avoid mistakes – maximise benefits

Upgrading to Windows 11 is a smart move for any business looking to boost efficiency and security. However, it’s essential to take a methodical approach to avoid costly mistakes. By planning ahead, testing thoroughly, and providing proper support, you can ensure a smooth and successful transition.

Need expert help with your Windows 10 upgrade?

At Platform 365, we specialise in helping business businesses upgrade their systems without a hitch. From compatibility checks to employee training and rollout strategies, we’ve got you covered.

Contact us today to make your Windows 11 transition seamless and stress-free!

Backup and disaster recovery: Don’t wait until it’s too late

Imagine this: a critical system crashes, or a flood damages your servers. Without a disaster recovery plan, your business operations could grind to a halt. To protect your business from unexpected events like natural disasters, cyber-attacks, or accidental data loss, you need a reliable backup and disaster recovery service in place.

What is Disaster Recovery and Why Does Your Business Need It?

Disaster recovery (DR) ensures your business can quickly bounce back after unexpected events. It minimises downtime, protects your reputation, and safeguards client trust.

For larger organisations, having a disaster recovery plan is often a requirement to secure contracts with clients or partners. Even for SMEs, it’s an essential part of modern business resilience.

At Platform 365, we work with businesses to create bespoke disaster recovery and business continuity plans. Our expertise includes comprehensive risk assessments and impact analyses, ensuring no scenario is overlooked.

Why Backups Are Essential

Human error, hardware failure, or even a simple accidental deletion can lead to lost data. Without a robust backup system, recovering that data can be costly—or even impossible.

At Platform 365, we provide fully managed backup solutions that include:

  • On-site encrypted servers for immediate access.
  • Off-site data replication to secure data centres for disaster-proof protection.
  • Proactive monitoring and test restores to guarantee everything is functioning as it should.

Real Solutions for Real Business Needs

Whether it’s a simple file recovery or restoring entire systems after a major disruption, Platform 365 has you covered. Most data restoration requests are due to everyday mistakes, but having a reliable system means your business keeps running no matter what.

Protect Your Business Today

From straightforward off-site backups to complex disaster recovery solutions, Platform 365 offers peace of mind tailored to your business and budget. Contact us to safeguard your data and ensure business continuity, no matter what the future holds.

The importance of regular backups: Safeguarding your business data

Protect your data: The importance of regular backups
Don’t Risk It: The vital role of regular backups in business
Regular Backups: Your business’s lifeline

In today’s digital age, data is the most valuable assets a business can have. From customer information to financial records, the data your company collects and uses every day is critical to its operations and success. However, with the increasing number of cyber threats, hardware failures, and human errors, the risk of data loss is higher than ever.

Up to 94% of companies that experience a severe data loss never recover, with half closing within two years and 43% never reopening.
The statistics are even more bleak for smaller businesses: almost 70% close within a year of losing a large amount of data.
This is why the importance of regular backups should not be underestimated.

The importance of regular backups

Safeguarding your business’s data is not just a precaution; it’s a critical strategy for ensuring resilience and continuity, here’s why:

  • Protection against data loss
    Data loss can happen for various reasons—accidental deletion, hardware failure, software corruption, or malicious attacks like ransomware. Regular backups ensure that even if your primary data is compromised, you have a secure copy to swiftly restore your operations.
  • Minimise downtime
    In the event of data loss, the time it takes to recover can significantly impact your business operations. Regular backups enable quick restoration of data, minimising downtime and ensuring that your business continues to run smoothly.
  • Ensure compliance
    Many industries have regulatory requirements regarding data retention and protection. Regular backups help ensure that your business remains compliant with these regulations, avoiding potential fines and legal issues.
  • Peace of Mind
    Knowing that your data is backed up regularly provides peace of mind for you and your customers. You can focus on running your business without the constant worry of losing valuable information.

Best practices for effective backups

Here are our five tips for best practices

  1. Automate Your Backups
    Manual backups are prone to errors and can be easily forgotten. Automate your backup process to ensure that it is done consistently and correctly.
  2. Use Multiple Backup Locations
    Don’t rely on a single backup location. Use a combination of local and cloud backups to protect against physical and digital threats.
  3. Regularly Test Your Backups
    It’s not enough to just create backups; you need to ensure they work. Regularly test your backup restoration process to verify that your data can be recovered without issues.
  4. Keep Backups Secure
    Ensure that your backup data is encrypted and stored securely. Unauthorised access to backup data can be just as damaging as data loss.
  5. Maintain a Backup Schedule
    Depending on the nature of your business, decide on a backup frequency that works best for you—whether it’s daily, weekly, or monthly. Regularity is key to ensuring up-to-date backups.

Conclusion

In an era where data is king the importance of regular backups is not just best practice—they are a necessity. By implementing a robust backup strategy, you can protect your business from the potentially devastating effects of data loss. Remember, it’s not a matter of if you will need a backup, but when.

Ensure that your business is prepared for any eventuality by prioritising regular backups today. You might find this article helpful ‘Perils of Post-it notes’.

If you need assistance with setting up or managing your backups, our team is here to help. Contact us to learn more about how we can support your data protection needs.