5 Common IT Mistakes That Cost Businesses Thousands

In the fast-moving world of business technology, even small missteps can have expensive consequences. At FFT, we’ve seen firsthand how companies—big and small—can unknowingly sabotage their growth, security, and efficiency with a few preventable IT mistakes.

Whether you're a CEO trying to scale, an operations lead juggling systems, or an IT manager fighting fires daily, here are five common IT mistakes that cost businesses thousands—and how to avoid them.

Relying on “Break-Fix” IT Instead of Proactive Support

Many businesses only call IT when something breaks. That reactive approach often leads to extended downtime, data loss, and avoidable emergencies.

🛠️ The Cost: A single hour of downtime can cost small businesses over $10,000, and that’s not even counting reputational damage or lost productivity.

💡 FFT Fix: Our Managed IT Services deliver 24/7 support, proactive monitoring, and routine maintenance—so your systems stay secure and stable, not just “not broken.”

Skimping on Cybersecurity

Businesses assume that firewalls and antivirus software are enough. They aren’t. With phishing scams, ransomware, and social engineering attacks on the rise, minimal security = maximum risk.

🔓 The Cost: The average data breach in the U.S. costs over $9 million. A single successful phishing email can paralyze your business.

💡 FFT Fix: Our Security Packages (Basic, Advanced, and Custom) include essentials like INKY email protection, Sentinel One EDR, LastPass password management, KnowBe4 training, and MFA enforcement—all designed to create a human- and tech-centric security shield around your company.

Ignoring Regular Backups and Disaster Recovery Planning

A lot of companies “set and forget” their backups—until disaster strikes and they find out the backups didn’t actually work.

🧨 The Cost: Without a recovery plan, hardware failure, ransomware, or accidental deletion could wipe out critical data permanently.

💡 FFT Fix: We help clients build robust backup strategies and continuity plans that ensure you're not just backing up data—but recovering it fast when it matters most.

Letting Infrastructure Age Out

Outdated servers, unpatched systems, and aging cabling are silent liabilities. They may seem fine... until they don’t.

⏳ The Cost: Laggy systems, compatibility issues, and hardware failures result in operational slowdowns and costly emergency replacements.

💡 FFT Fix: Our network infrastructure and structured cabling services keep your physical and digital backbones in sync—optimized, up-to-code, and built for scale.

Lacking a Holistic IT Strategy

When businesses use scattered software, mismatched platforms, and siloed vendors, things fall through the cracks. IT becomes a bottleneck instead of a growth enabler.

🧩 The Cost: Fragmented systems lead to inefficiencies, miscommunication, security gaps, and wasted IT spend.

💡 FFT Fix: FFT approaches every engagement with a holistic mindset. We don’t just “fix computers”—we design, build, and integrate secure, scalable systems that align with your business goals.

Avoid the Pitfalls. Partner with Pros.

At FFT, we don’t believe in bandaid fixes. We’re builders, strategists, and problem-solvers. Our job is to anticipate the issues most businesses overlook—and eliminate them before they cost you.

📞 Ready to stop wasting money on IT missteps?

Let’s build a fully functional solution together.

Share the Post:

A close-up image of a row of labeled folders on a shelf in an FFT office, representing organized IT and cybersecurity documentation systems.

Why Every Business Needs an Incident Response Plan (Before It’s Too Late)

A cyberattack can paralyze your business in seconds—but the real damage happens when you’re unprepared. An Incident Response Plan isn’t just an IT best practice—it’s a critical business necessity. In this article, we break down what an IRP is, why it matters more than ever, and how FFT helps businesses create custom, compliance-ready response strategies that protect your people, data, and bottom line. Don’t wait for the breach to start planning—by then, it’s already too late.

Close-up of a modern dome surveillance camera mounted on a building exterior, monitoring a well-lit urban street with shops and autumn trees.

How Video Surveillance & Access Control Can Prevent Business Threats

In an era where digital threats dominate the headlines, physical security remains one of the most overlooked—and critical—lines of defense. Integrating video surveillance with access control doesn’t just protect your doors and data centers; it protects your people, your compliance posture, and your business continuity. Discover how smart security integration from Fully Functional Technology, Inc. empowers businesses to detect, deter, and defeat threats before they happen.

Contact us

Drop us a line or give us a ring. We love to hear from you and are happy to answer any questions.

Our Office

527 E Lemon Ave., Monrovia, CA

Email Us

info@wearefft.com

Call Us

+1-866-580-4-FFT

We are FFT

Our job is not simply to provide you with cutting edge technology, but to provide you with solutions that empower growth and make your business Fully Functional.