Top 5 Common IT Problems Faced by Milton Keynes Businesses

 

At Counter-Act System in Olney, we’ve supported hundreds of organisations across 

Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, and Northamptonshire and we’ve seen it all. Here are 

the top five IT problems we find most often, plus simple, actionable tips on how you 

can prevent them. 

 

Few things frustrate staff more than sluggish connections or dropped Wi-Fi. In most 

cases, it’s not the internet provider’s fault - it’s poor internal network design or ageing 

hardware. 

 

 Outdated routers or switches 

 Too many users on a single wireless channel 

 Faulty cabling or unmanaged network growth 

 

Start with a proper network audit. Upgrading to business-grade routers and managed 

switches makes a huge difference. You should also segment guest traffic from 

company devices to keep your network fast and secure. 

At Counter-Act, we design and maintain reliable wired and wireless networks for 

businesses of all sizes - ensuring you stay online when it matters most. 

 

Many small and medium businesses think, “It’ll never happen to us,” until it does. 

Hardware failure, ransomware, or accidental deletion can wipe out years of data in 

seconds. 

 

 Relying on a single local backup drive 

 No off-site or cloud backup 

 Backups not regularly tested 

 

Adopt the 3-2-1 backup rule: 

Keep 3 copies of your data, on 2 different media, with 1 off-site (cloud or remote) 

copy. 

 

Test your backups regularly, as a backup that can’t be restored is no backup at all. 

Counter-Act offers automated backup solutions with monitoring, so you can be 

confident your data is safe. 

 

 

Cyber-attacks are no longer a “big business” problem, as local firms in Milton Keynes 

are frequent targets of phishing, malware, and ransomware. 

 

 Weak passwords and poor access control 

 Outdated software or unsupported operating systems 

 No staff awareness training 

 

Keep systems patched, enable multi-factor authentication, and use a reputable 

antivirus with central management. Most importantly, educate your team, as human 

error causes over 80% of breaches. 

 

Counter-Act provides managed security solutions and employee training to help your 

staff recognise and avoid cyber threats before they strike. 

 

Old hardware doesn’t just slow you down, it can expose your business to serious 

vulnerabilities and downtime. 

 

 PCs taking minutes to boot 

 Frequent crashes or performance issues 

 Software no longer supported by the vendor 

 

Implement a hardware lifecycle plan - typically replacing PCs every 3–5 years and 

servers every 5–7 years. When upgrading, we often recommend bespoke PCs or 

custom builds for Milton Keynes businesses that need specific performance or 

reliability. 

 

Many small businesses rely on “the tech-savvy person in the office” or ad-hoc fixes, 

which often leads to bigger problems down the line. 

 

 Unresolved root causes 

 No proactive maintenance 

 Downtime that costs time and money 

 

Partner with a local IT support provider who can monitor systems, prevent issues, 

and offer fast remote and on-site help when needed. 

 

Counter-Act Systems offers proactive IT support, remote management, and on-call 

expertise right here in Milton Keynes - so you can focus on running your business 

while we handle the tech. 

 

IT shouldn’t be a source of frustration, as it should empower your business. By addressing these common issues early, you’ll improve productivity, protect your data, and give your team the tools they need to succeed. 

 

If your business is based in Milton Keynes, Bedford, Northampton or anywhere in- 

between and you’d like to review your IT setup, we’re here to help. 

 

Get in touch with Counter-Act Systems today and let’s make your IT work for 

you, not against you.