How Do Managed IT Services Help My Freelance Business?

How Do Managed IT Services Help My Freelance Business?

One of the transformational trends that’s been sweeping the global workforce over the last decade has been a move to freelancing work, also known as “gig working.”

In Australia, there are approximately 3.15 million freelance workers, which represents 28% of the entire workforce.

Freelance workers often end up making more than they did when working as an employee for another company and they enjoy more flexibility. However, when someone is working freelance out of their home, they can often make poor decisions when it comes to protecting their most vital business asset, their computer.

They often don’t consider important protections for their Brisbane freelance business like managed IT services or managed backup. They feel that because it’s just them working alone, they may not need all that. 

But, when you’re completely relying on your computer for your income, it’s perhaps even more important to keep it protected than if you worked for a big company with other options. 

If a freelance worker’s computer crashes and needs repair or begins to get slower because of a virus infection or poor maintenance, it can mean a direct reduction in earnings.

For example, if your computer is becoming more problematic because it hasn’t had any professional maintenance, you could end up losing 1 hour of work productivity a day as a result of slowdowns.

Freelance wages in Australia can range widely, depending upon the position and experience. If you take a median of A$33 per hour and multiple that times an hour lost each day in productivity, that means a potential income loss of A$165 per week or approximately A$660 per month.

Why It’s Important to Use Managed IT Support for Your Freelance Business 

It’s important to protect your livelihood when you’re a freelance worker and are depending upon the work you generate hour by hour or project by project. Here’s why it’s a cost-saving investment to sign up for managed IT services for your PC.

PC Optimisation & Maintenance

As part of our managed IT services at Connected Platforms we perform ongoing maintenance tasks on your computer and optimise your system to keep it running fast and efficiently.

The fewer problems you have, the more billable work you can get done in a week.

Security & Antivirus

One ransomware attack, and your business can be significantly harmed. You can be stuck dealing with loss of work product and deciding whether or not it’s worth it to pay an expensive ransom or just start on your files from scratch.

A virus infection can leave your system with major slowdown problems and potentially expose client information to hackers. 

Managed IT support includes monitored antivirus/anti-malware protection. This is all handled for you behind the scenes, so you have peace of mind knowing your system and files are well protected.

You Have Support When You Need It

It can sometimes feel like you’re all alone without any support when you run a freelance business. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Remote IT support allows you to have a computer technician at your side virtually in minutes.

We offer 24/7 remote IT services, so if you run into a problem while burning the midnight oil, you can get help quickly. You also have someone watching your back when it comes to the technology your business needs to stay operational.

Internet Protection & Management

Another thing that can hurt a freelancer is having internet connection problems. This makes it difficult to meet with clients on video conference and can slow you down when accessing cloud-based resources.

Managed IT support can include internet monitoring and optimisation to ensure your connections are as fast as possible.

We can also manage Wi-Fi security, QoS settings, and set up VPNs to encrypt connections and keep your data secure.

Patch & Update Management

It can be easy to put off updates if they pop up at inconvenient times. You may not know how long they’ll take or worry about problems that might happen after a large operating system update.

But, putting off updates, which often include vital security patches, leaves your computer at risk. In 2019, 60% of data breaches were due to unpatched system vulnerabilities.

Patches and updates are handled for you behind the scenes when you have managed IT services. This ensures your computer is kept properly secure and you avoid update interruptions.

Affordable & Tailored to Your Needs

Many freelancers don’t consider managed IT services because they’re worried that they will be more than they need and too expensive. 

We tailor managed service packages to your needs and only provide the services that would help you, which means the pricing stays lower and you’re not paying for unnecessary support.

Ask About Our Tailored Managed IT Services Today!

Keep your computer running fast, securely, and efficiently. Connected Platforms can put together a custom plan for you today.

Contact us for a free consultation. Call (07) 3062 6932 or book a coffee meeting online.

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How to create secure passwords

How to create secure passwords

Weak passwords are one of the biggest security risks to your business.
Why?
Because cyber criminals are getting smarter than ever before. If they manage to crack just one password, they could gain access to your sensitive business data, financial information, or even gain control of your entire system.
Cyber criminals use automated tools to guess passwords, allowing them to try out millions of combinations in seconds. So, if you’re using something like “Password123” or “CompanyName2025”, you’re practically handing them the keys to your business.
A compromised password can lead to big issues, such as:
• Data breaches
• Financial losses
• Identity theft
• Reputation damage
But how do you create strong passwords without driving yourself (and your team) mad?
Think of your password like a secret recipe, where only you should know the ingredients. It should:
• Be at least 14 characters long (the longer, the better)
• Include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters
• Contain a few numbers and symbols (like @, $, %, or &)
• Not contain any common words or easily guessable information (like birthdays, names, or the word “password”)
Instead of using a single word, you could try a passphrase – a short, random sentence that only you would understand. For example, instead of “Sailing2025”, try something like “Coffee&CloudsAreGreat9!”. This is much harder to crack, yet still easy to remember.
You should also steer clear of these common mistakes:
• Using personal info (your name, birthday, business name, etc.)
• Reusing the same passwords across multiple accounts
• Using simple sequences (“123456” or “abcdef”)
• Storing passwords in an easily accessible place (like a sticky note on your desk)
If remembering unique passwords for every account sounds impossible, there is another option: Password managers. These generate strong passwords, store them securely and autofill them for you.
With a password manager, you only need to remember one strong master password for the manager app itself. The rest are encrypted and stored safely, reducing the risk of data breaches.
Even the strongest password isn’t foolproof, which is why multi-factor authentication (MFA) is also important. MFA requires a second form of verification, like a one-time code sent to your phone or generated from an authentication app.
If you have employees accessing your business systems, it’s a good idea to have a password policy in place to explain your rules and why they’re important. This should include:
• Unique passwords for each system and account
• Regular security training on password best practices
• Business-wide use of MFA for critical systems
• Scanning for compromised passwords regularly
By making password security a priority, you can reduce the chances of a cyber attack creating a nightmare for your business.
And if you need help making your business more secure, get in touch.

Beware these common ‘malvertising’ attacks

Beware these common ‘malvertising’ attacks

Ever clicked an online ad and wondered afterwards if it was a scam?… most of us have – and cyber criminals want us to keep doing it. Here’s what to look out for to stop your business’s data (and profits) falling into the wrong hands…

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