Every business has workarounds. A spreadsheet because two systems don’t connect. A manual process that was only meant to be temporary. An IT issue that gets fixed, then comes back again.
These quick fixes can keep things moving, but when they become part of everyday operations, they can create more work, more disruption and bigger problems over time.
Workarounds usually start for a good reason. Something needs fixing quickly, so the team finds a way to keep going. The problem comes when nobody goes back to address the cause.
Recurring IT issues, double-handling, manual processes and disconnected systems can gradually become normal. The work gets done, but often with more effort than it should take.
The Band-Aid Check is designed to uncover exactly these types of recurring issues and workarounds.
If the same IT issue keeps returning, it could point to a bigger problem with ageing infrastructure, inconsistent systems or something that has never been properly resolved.
For multi-site businesses, this can become even more challenging. Different systems and processes across locations can make technology harder to support, secure and manage as the organisation grows.
Not every Band-Aid looks like an IT problem. It might be a spreadsheet someone updates every week, information being entered twice or staff manually moving data between systems.
These processes can become so familiar that nobody questions them. But identifying them can reveal opportunities to simplify workflows, connect systems or automate repetitive work.
You don’t need to replace everything at once. Start with the areas creating the most friction and ask what would make the biggest difference.
That might mean better IT support, stronger cyber security and compliance, more consistent systems across sites, less manual work or modernising ageing infrastructure. These are the same improvement areas explored through the IT Band-Aid Check.
Temporary fixes can be useful, but they shouldn’t become your long-term IT strategy. If recurring issues and workarounds have become part of everyday business, it may be time to look at what’s causing them.
