| Unsupported software
Quite simply, if the information you hold is being run on old, out-dated or unsupported software or IT systems, you are at risk.
Not only this, but you are limiting your prospects for future growth and opportunities, limiting the accessibility of that information to your teams, limiting your business continuity, and importantly, limiting your capacity to provide the best possible service for families.
But let’s start with the one many consider to be the most important:
The security of the information you hold is paramount, but when using outdated or unsupported software, you have less security protection against cyber attacks, leaving your data exposed.
Vulnerable servers open organizations up to the prospect of unauthorized access to its confidential information, tampering with or destruction of irreplaceable data, interruption of important network functions and a complete shutdown of the network.
If you do have someone to provide ongoing support to your system it still doesn't mean you're 100% safe from a system failure. Software crashes can have a massive impact on your business, including: increased risk of mistakes, increased cost of trying to fix the system, and cost of procuring, replacing and implementing a new system.
Increased costs of running unsupported systems can include: hiring contractors when something goes wrong, paying staff when they can't operate efficiently, cost of lawsuit (mistakes made when manual checking), and the cost of implementing a new system. A new system should be carefully planned and implemented (rushing will cost you more in the long run).
Running old systems will limit your future planning for growth. For example, if you need to upgrade your hardware you may not simply be able to run your old software on it. Running a retired database on a new computer that has the latest version of its operating system won't automatically work. Make sure you get ahead of the issue.
SaaS (or Software as a Service) is changing the way in which businesses operate and invest their IT resources, and choosing a technology partner that operates a SaaS model can mitigate many of the risks outlined here.
Put simply, SaaS is a method of providing and acquiring software. Most often, SaaS-based systems - like PlotBox - are delivered ‘in the cloud’ and are accessed by users via the internet.
With SaaS you can avoid much of the upfront investment that comes from on-site hardware installations and ongoing management; being cloud-based also means it’s accessible from anywhere giving you mobility, flexibility and business continuity; software is kept constantly up-to-date and is scalable based on the number of users; and your records are backed up and secure.
PlotBox is designed with cemeteries, crematories and funeral homes in mind.
As well as providing instant access to your data, going cloud-based is much faster to deploy, with minimal start-up costs, shorter implementation times and predictable operating expenses and cost savings over time.
We partner with industry-leading Microsoft Azure, meaning your data is backed up, protected and stored securely across multiple data centers.
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