Office & everyday life
The 5 most common tech mishaps in a business – and what you can do right away
Website down, emails in spam, certificate expired: almost every business runs into these mishaps. Here’s how to recognise them and how to help yourself in the first few minutes.
From the Tech Monster
updated 2 min read
Tech Monster says: “Look first, then tinker.”
Most tech problems in small businesses aren't rocket science. They just always turn up at the worst possible moment. Here are the five classics we come across most often – with what you can check yourself straight away.
1. The website shows only a white page
A blank page or “There has been a critical error on this website” usually has one of these causes: a failed update, a plugin that's fighting with another one, or a new PHP version at the provider.
Do this now: Check whether the site is also blank on your phone over mobile data (if so, it's not your computer). Note the time and whether anything was updated shortly before. Please don't delete anything – traces help us track down the fault.
2. Emails don’t arrive or land in spam
Often the records that prove your emails really come from you are missing (the technical terms are SPF, DKIM and DMARC). Big mailbox providers have become considerably stricter about this for some time now. How the three records work is explained in Are your emails landing in spam?
Do this now: Send a test email to an address with a different provider and check the spam folder. If an error message comes back, forward it to us in full – it often reveals the cause straight away.
3. “Not secure” in the browser
If your browser suddenly flags your site as insecure, the security certificate has usually expired or wasn’t set up properly. That looks alarming to visitors – many leave straight away.
Do this now: In your browser, click the padlock or warning icon next to the address. It shows the date until which the certificate was valid. This helps us fix it quickly.
4. The domain has suddenly gone
An unpaid invoice, an old email address on file with the provider or a forgotten contract – and before you know it, the domain expires. Then your website and emails go offline at the same time.
Do this now: Search your inbox for emails from your provider about “renewal” or “domain”. Check whose name the domain is registered in. Important for the future: the domain should always be registered to you as the owner.
5. Everything is slow
Slow loading costs you customers and hurts your visibility on Google. Often it’s images that are too large, too many plugins or storage that’s bursting at the seams.
Do this now: Open the site in a private browser window and roughly time how long it takes. Is only one particular page slow, or everything? That already narrows down the cause.
When you should get help
If you’re not getting anywhere after ten minutes: stop searching. Every extra hour costs more nerves than money. The Rapid Response Unit takes care of it – no matter which provider your tech is with. First you get an assessment and a price. Only after your yes do we get started.
Tech Monster helps – no rush
Everything in the office that beeps and plays up.
Don't want to do this alone? Tell us what's going on. First you get an assessment with a price, then you decide.