Action Plan: Moving Beyond Your Single Point of IT Failure
We've spent the week breaking down the Dave from IT problem that Mauven and I dissected in our podcast episode. Now it's time to stop talking and start doing.
Enough theory. You know the problem: your single IT manager is a walking disaster waiting to happen. You've seen the warning signs. You understand the risks.
Time to fix it.
Here's your step-by-step action plan to move from dangerous dependence on one person to sustainable IT support that can actually grow with your business.
Week 1: The Reality Assessment
Day 1: Audit Dave's Hours Track when Dave arrives, when Dave leaves, and how many weekends Dave works. Don't rely on Dave to self-report. Just observe. If Dave's consistently working 50+ hour weeks, you've confirmed the problem.
Day 2: The Documentation Audit
List every system, procedure, and process that only Dave understands. Network configurations, passwords, vendor contacts, workarounds, and custom setups. If Dave got hit by a bus tomorrow, what would you lose access to?
Day 3: Calculate Real Costs: Dave's salary plus taxes, benefits, office space, equipment, and training. Then add the hidden costs: overtime, stress leave, and potential recruitment costs when Dave burns out. Compare this to MSP pricing for your headcount.
Day 4: The Conversation. Sit down with Dave over a lovely pub lunch with time to talk. Not to blame or criticise, but to understand.
When did Dave last feel caught up?
What tasks take up the most time?
What would Dave want help with most?
If Dave resists the conversation, that's a red flag. You will probably need to be more empathic!
Day 5: Risk Assessment
What's Dave's notice period?
How much untaken leave has accumulated?
What happens if Dave's unavailable tomorrow?
If the answers scare you, prioritise immediate action.
Week 2: Emergency Documentation
Don't add to Dave's workload. Either reduce Dave's other responsibilities or bring in help.
Critical Passwords: Implement a business password manager immediately. 1Password Business, Bitwarden Business, LastPass Business. Get shared vaults set up for system credentials. If you are going down the MSP route, find a provider that uses ITGLUE, which will put everything in one joined-up system. Passwords, Documentation, Asset Management, and they will keep it up to date for you!
Network Topology: Map what connects to what. Even a basic diagram showing how systems relate to each other. Use network discovery tools if needed.
Vendor Contacts: Every supplier, contractor, and consultant Dave calls when things break: names, numbers, account details, contract information.
Emergency Procedures: What happens when the server crashes? Email stops working? The Internet goes down? Basic steps anyone could follow.
Week 3: Quick Wins
Cloud Email: If you're still running on-premises email, move to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace immediately. Takes server management off Dave's plate and improves reliability, saves you licensing maintenance, and power costs for a server.
Cloud Backup: Implement automatic cloud backup for critical data. Reduces backup complexity and provides off-site protection that Dave doesn't have to manage.
Basic Security: Enable multi-factor authentication on critical accounts. Install business endpoint protection. Basic hygiene that doesn't require specialist knowledge.
Help Desk System: Implement a ticket system for user requests; your MSP should provide this too. It gives visibility into Dave's workload and creates accountability for response times.
Month 2: Building Support Structure
Research MSPs: Find three local MSPs that work with businesses of your size. Get quotes for different support levels. Ask for references from existing clients. Maybe talk to people you trust in your networking group.
Specialist Assessments: Get a professional cybersecurity assessment, network audit, and backup testing. Identify gaps in Dave's coverage and areas needing specialist attention.
Staff Training: Basic IT hygiene training for all staff. Password management, recognising phishing, and software update procedures. Reduces routine support requests.
Procedure Documentation: Start formal documentation of Dave's routine tasks. Use screen recording for complex procedures. Test documentation with someone else.
Month 3: Implementation
MSP Partnership: Choose MSP based on compatibility with Dave, not just price. Start with a limited scope (security monitoring, emergency support) before expanding.
Knowledge Transfer: Structured sessions between Dave and MSP to transfer critical knowledge. Don't rush this process.
Backup Procedures: Test disaster recovery procedures. Can someone other than Dave restore the data from the backup? Can MSP access systems when Dave's unavailable?
Performance Monitoring: Implement automated monitoring for critical systems. Reduces Dave's need to check everything constantly manually.
Ongoing: The New Normal
Regular Reviews: Monthly meetings between Dave and MSP to review incidents, plan improvements, and identify training needs.
Capacity Planning: As the business grows, add MSP resources rather than piling more work on Dave. Scale support structure with business needs.
Dave Development: Invest in Dave's strategic skills. Business analysis, project management, and vendor negotiation. Dave becomes an IT leader, not just a technician.
Continuous Documentation: Make documentation part of standard procedures. Nothing gets implemented without being documented first.
The Conversation Guide
Sitting down with Dave requires tact. Dave's probably defensive, overworked, and suspicious of your motives.
Start With: "I've been thinking about how much we depend on you. What would happen if you won the lottery tomorrow?"
Not: "You're overwhelmed and we need to bring in help." (Sounds like criticism)
Ask: "What takes up most of your time that someone else could handle?" (Involves Dave in solution)
Not: "We're getting an MSP to take over some of your work." (Sounds like replacement threat)
Emphasise: "We want you focusing on strategy, not fixing printers." (Positions change as promotion)
Not: "You're not coping with everything." (Personal attack)
The Budget Reality
Quality MSP support: £100 per user per month, including licenses, etc, that you are already paying for, so more actually closer to £30-£50 per user per month net new spending.
Dave's total employment cost: £70k+ per year
Risk of Dave-related disaster: Potentially business-ending
The conversation isn't about whether you can afford professional IT support. It's about whether you can afford not to have it.
Red Lines and Deal Breakers
If Dave actively resists documentation, refuses to share passwords, or becomes hostile about getting backup support, you have a different problem. Dave's no longer protecting your business; Dave's protecting Dave's job security.
That's not acceptable. Your business continuity cannot depend on one person's ego.
The 90-Day Challenge
Give yourself 90 days to move from complete Dave dependence to a sustainable hybrid model:
Days 1-30: Assessment, emergency documentation, immediate cloud wins
Days 31-60: MSP research, specialist assessments, staff training
Days 61-90: MSP implementation, knowledge transfer, procedure testing
If you're not substantially less dependent on Dave alone within 90 days, you're not taking this seriously enough.
Implementation Checklist
Week 1 Deliverables:
Dave's working hours documented
Systems dependency audit completed
Total IT costs calculated (including hidden costs)
Initial conversation with Dave scheduled and completed
Risk assessment documented
Week 2 Deliverables:
Business password manager implemented
Basic network diagram created
Vendor contact list compiled
Emergency procedure outlines are written
Week 3 Deliverables:
Cloud email migration planned/implemented
Automated backup solution deployed
Multi-factor authentication is enabled on critical systems
Help desk ticketing system operational
Month 2 Deliverables:
Three MSP quotes obtained
Professional IT assessments completed
Staff IT training programme launched
Critical procedures documented and tested
Month 3 Deliverables:
MSP partnership established
Knowledge transfer sessions completed
Disaster recovery procedures tested
System monitoring implemented
Measuring Success
Quantitative Metrics:
Dave's weekly working hours (should decrease)
Time to resolve common issues (should improve with documentation)
System uptime (should improve with monitoring)
Response time to user requests (should improve with ticketing)
Qualitative Indicators:
Dave's stress levels and job satisfaction
Business confidence in IT reliability
Ability to handle Dave's absence without crisis
Strategic vs. reactive time allocation for IT tasks
Final Reality Check
This isn't about replacing Dave or admitting Dave isn't good enough. It's about recognising that no single person can be responsible for your entire IT infrastructure indefinitely.
Dave deserves professional backup. Your business deserves resilience. Your customers deserve reliability that doesn't depend on whether Dave's available.
Start Tomorrow:
Track Dave's actual hours for one week
List what only Dave knows and prioritise documentation
Research three MSPs that work with businesses of your size, ask for recommendations - Remember, work for an MSP!
Calculate total IT costs, including Dave's hidden costs
Schedule the conversation with Dave about getting backup support
The single-point-of-failure model is now stopped. Your business depends on it.
Next Week's Focus: We're shifting our attention to a different kind of single point of failure: insider threats. While you're busy securing your perimeter against external hackers, the real danger might be sitting three desks away from you. Insider incidents are up 47% year-over-year, and the average cost of an insider attack is £11.45 million. Time to look inward.
| Source | Article |
|---|---|
| Business Continuity Institute | Business Impact Analysis Guidelines 2024 |
| NCSC | Small Business Cyber Security Implementation Guide |
| Federation of Small Businesses | IT Resilience Framework 2024 |
| Chartered Institute for IT | Professional IT Support Models |
| Tech Industry Gold | MSP Selection Criteria Guide 2024 |
