After 75 years of keeping New Orleans-area businesses operational through countless summer storms and vacation seasons, we’ve seen firsthand how quickly things can go sideways when your team is stretched thin. System outages and coverage gaps are among the top contributors to unplanned IT expenses, as well as some of the primary causes of problems that can lead to lost customers and revenue.
The good news? With proper summer IT planning and business continuity planning, you can protect your operations and enjoy peace of mind while your team takes well-deserved time off.
Here are six essential tips for vacation IT coverage that will help avoid an IT mess this summer:
1. Designate and Brief Your Backup
Have a designated backup for all systems, either internal or outsourced. Best practice: ensure your backup person has ongoing familiarity with your systems, not just crisis-mode training.
- Set up out-of-office auto replies with alternate emergency contact information so everyone know where to get assistance
- Brief your backup thoroughly before taking time off
- Have the backup person/team document everything during their coverage period
- Plan for a debrief when handing coverage back over
2. Handle Updates Now, But Time Them Carefully
Summer is prime time for attackers to exploit unpatched systems. Take care of pending software and firmware updates as soon as possible, but don’t do updates immediately before or while your normal tech person is out, unless it’s a truly critical security patch that can’t wait. Updates can trigger automation issues or integration problems that need technical expertise to resolve.
3. Document Common Fixes Before You Go
Before taking a vacation, create a simple guide for day-to-day issues that come up regularly. This helps anyone covering IT handle routine problems without escalating everything or waiting for you to respond from the beach.
4. Update Emergency Plans
Ensure that emergency and evacuation plans are current and readily accessible to key team members. Hurricane season often overlaps with the summer vacation season, complicating emergency planning unless you are well-documented.
5. Prep for Power Outages During Vacation Season
Summer storms don’t wait for everyone to return from vacation. A small investment in UPS and surge protection can prevent downtime and damage from surprise storms or electrical outages while your team is away. The fewer surges and outages, the fewer IT problems you will incur.
6. Double-Check Your Backups and Train Your Backup Person
You don’t want to discover a failed backup after you need it. This happens more than you realize. Confirm your systems are backing up regularly AND can be restored quickly. Make sure your backup person knows how to access and restore data in case of emergency while your normal tech person is out.
Smart Summer IT Planning Protects Your Business
Effective vacation IT coverage should protect your business operations, maintain customer service levels, and avoid the costly disruptions that can occur when systems fail during peak summer business season.
With 75 years of experience keeping New Orleans-area businesses operational, we’re here if you need a second opinion, strategic IT consulting, or want to take these IT headaches off your plate entirely with a managed or co-managed services approach that fits your business.
