Summer is here, but for many Las Vegas small and medium-sized business (SMBs) owners like you, taking a vacation may feel like a gamble. You might worry that your business won’t run smoothly — or at all— without you around.
Well, you can relax. With the right planning and IT solutions in place, your business will do fine even when you’re sipping piña coladas by the beach miles and miles away. Even better, vacation-proofing your business doesn’t just offer peace of mind now — it also helps make your company more efficient in the long run.
Start with non-tech prep
Beyond just the tech side of things, you need to prepare your team, partners, and clients to keep everything running smoothly while you’re away.
- Delegate smartly to your staff. Specify who’s handling what, and who’s in charge should things go awry.
- Set clear expectations with clients and vendors by informing them in advance of your absence and who to contact while you’re away.
- Document and share your processes using checklists or establishing standard operating procedures. If you don’t do this, your team may struggle to handle even routine tasks while you're away, which would create operational bottlenecks.
Get IT solutions for your business
Even the best teams need IT support to ensure maximum operational efficiency, whether you’re at the office or on leave. Here are some key technologies to consider for your SMB:
Cloud-based applications
If you want or need to stay connected while you’re away or to empower your team to work without disruption, use cloud-based tools. Platforms such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Zoho allow for real-time collaboration, document access from any device, and uninterrupted productivity.
With cloud solutions, everything’s stored safely in the cloud, so there’s no need for your team to duplicate and email documents for you. And with cloud backups, no data is lost should someone’s laptop die.
Remote access and monitoring
Business owners and key personnel can securely log in from anywhere via remote access. This means you can take a peek into your operations while you’re away. It’s checking in without checking into the office.
And if you partner with a managed IT services provider (MSP), they can provide 24/7 monitoring of your systems, flagging issues before they escalate, so you spare yourself from major office crisis surprises while on a family road trip.
Automated workflows and scheduling tools
Automation is your best friend while on vacation. Using tools like Zapier, IFTTT, or Zoho Flow, you can create workflows to handle routine tasks such as sending welcome emails to new clients or updating your team. Also, platforms like Mailchimp or Buffer can handle simple tasks for email and social media, such as pre-writing and scheduling communications. Your business stays visible even when you’re off the grid.
Robust cybersecurity and access control
Cybercriminals don’t take time off, so your security shouldn’t either. Keep your system secured, even when you’re away, by partnering with an MSP. Their experts can implement the following essential protections:
- Multifactor authentication (MFA) to prevent unauthorized logins
- Endpoint protection for devices used by your team
- Firewall monitoring to block malicious traffic
- Role-based access controls so employees can’t view data they don’t need
Reliable backup and disaster recovery (BDR)
It would be a nightmare to return from vacation to find your systems have crashed and your data gone. With a BDR solution, your data will be backed up both on site and in the cloud, allowing for easy data restoration after a disaster. To make sure your backups work when needed, your partner MSP can regularly test them and verify that all critical data can be restored without issues.
Get a partner, get peace of mind
You don’t need a crash course in IT so that you can go on vacation. Instead, partner with experts who can manage things for you. A local, trusted MSP like Kortek Solutions can do the following:
- Monitor your systems 24/7
- Keep your data accessible but secure
- Set up the communication and collaboration tools you need
- Troubleshoot issues before they worsen and impact operations
Everyone deserves time off to relax, but there’s no peace of mind if you’re not assured that your business won’t fall apart while you’re away. Vacation-proof your business with the right mix of delegation, documentation, and smart IT solutions.
For businesses based in Las Vegas, Henderson, or Clark County, contact Kortek Solutions. Our experts will set up your technology so you can take a break without worries.