Look, here’s the thing...
If your IT provider only checks in once a year—usually when it’s time to renew the contract—you’re not managing your tech… you’re gambling with it.
In Salt Lake City's fast-moving manufacturing world—whether you’re machining aerospace parts in West Valley or assembling electronics in Draper—your technology can’t be “set it and forget it.” Cyber threats evolve, compliance rules shift, and old hardware doesn’t age like fine wine.
If you want to keep your production line running, your data secure, and your shop off the downtime list, it’s time to get serious about quarterly IT reviews.
Not sure where to start? Let’s fix that.
Here are 7 mission-critical questions every manufacturing leader should be asking their Managed IT Services Provider—straightforward, zero jargon, and built for the real world.
- ⚠️ Are There Any Security Vulnerabilities in Our System Right Now?
This one’s first for a reason: if you’re not protected today, the rest doesn’t matter.
Ask your IT provider:
- Is our antivirus and anti-malware fully up to date?
- Are all patches installed across machines—yes, even the older ones running legacy controls?
- Have there been any red flags or suspicious activity on the network?
Salt Lake City manufacturers are increasingly being targeted by ransomware—especially those tied to aerospace, defense, or medical sectors. You can’t afford to find out about a weakness after someone’s already exploited it.
- 💾 What’s the Status of Our Backups—and Have You Tested Them?
Backups are your last line of defense. If your shop gets hit with ransomware, overheated servers, or data corruption, your ability to restore operations depends on this.
Ask:
- When was our last full backup recovery test?
- Are we backing up the right systems—MES, ERP, CAD files?
- Is our data stored securely off-site or in the cloud?
- Are our backups encrypted and audit-ready?
For Salt Lake’s manufacturers, a failed backup can mean missed delivery windows, compliance failures, or lost intellectual property.
- 👷 Are Our Employees Following Cybersecurity Best Practices?
Even the best firewall can’t stop someone from clicking the wrong email.
Ask:
- Are employees trained on phishing scams and password security?
- Are all logins protected with MFA (multi-factor authentication)?
- Have there been signs of risky user behavior—downloads, access attempts, etc.?
From the front office to the shop floor, your people are the first line of defense. Training isn’t optional—it’s essential.
- 🚧 Is Anything Slowing Down Our Network or Systems?
When your network’s crawling or shop floor Wi-Fi keeps cutting out, your throughput suffers.
Ask your MSP:
- Are we seeing recurring slowdowns or system lags?
- Are any of our switches, routers, or servers outdated or overloaded?
- Can we optimize our network layout—especially between office and production?
For manufacturers in South Salt Lake, where speed equals margin, a sluggish network isn’t an inconvenience—it’s a bottleneck.
- 📋 Are We Still Compliant With Industry Regulations?
If you’re touching aerospace, defense, or medical products, you’re under the microscope.
Ask:
- Are we still compliant with CMMC, ITAR, NIST 800-171, ISO 9001, or whatever standard applies?
- Have there been any changes in policy or law we need to act on?
- Do we have the documentation ready in case an audit lands on our desk?
In Salt Lake City’s compliance-heavy sectors, noncompliance doesn’t just cost money—it costs contracts.
- 💡 What Should We Budget for Next Quarter?
Surprise IT expenses are the worst kind—especially when you’ve got machines to maintain and people to pay.
Ask:
- Any software licenses expiring?
- Any hardware nearing end-of-life?
- What proactive upgrades or replacements should we plan for?
Quarterly IT planning means fewer fire drills and more controlled, strategic growth. It’s not just smart—it’s survival.
- 🧭 Are We Falling Behind on Technology or Cybersecurity Trends?
Tech moves fast. So do threats.
Ask your IT partner:
- Are we missing essential tools—like EDR, advanced firewalls, or secure cloud access?
- What are other Salt Lake manufacturers doing that we aren’t?
- Are there new threat trends we should prep for?
A strong MSP doesn’t just fix what’s broken—they steer you forward.
❗ If You’re Not Having These Conversations, That’s a Problem
If your current IT provider isn’t already bringing this up—or can’t answer confidently—you’ve got more than a tech issue. You’ve got a risk management issue.
Salt Lake City manufacturers can’t afford to “wait and see” anymore.
🎯 Let’s Get You in the Driver’s Seat
🚀 Book your FREE Security & Network Assessment today.
We’ll take a deep look at your infrastructure, uncover risks, and build a roadmap that works for how you run your shop.
Or grab a 15-minute Discovery Call and let’s see if we’re the right partner to keep your production line protected and profitable.
You wouldn’t run a press without checking the settings. Why run your IT without checking the risks?
That’s just how I see it.
