We Audited 50 LA Companies’ IT Setups—Here’s What They All Had in Common (And How to Fix It)
The Eye-Opening Trends We Found in LA’s IT Setups
Over the past year, our team at IT Training & Consulting, Inc. (ITTC) audited the IT setups of 50 small and midsize businesses across Los Angeles. Some were law firms in Downtown LA, others were creative agencies in Santa Monica, and a few were manufacturing companies in the Valley.
And guess what? Nearly all of them had the same IT weaknesses.
Some were minor inefficiencies. Others were security risks that could’ve led to major downtime or data breaches. But the good news? Every single issue we found had a straightforward fix.
If you’re a business owner in LA, this audit might save you time, money, and headaches. Here’s what we discovered—and how you can avoid (or fix) these problems.
1. Outdated Software & Systems (The #1 Productivity Killer)
The Problem:
A shocking 63% of small businesses still use outdated software, according to a 2023 CompTIA report. In our audit, we saw this firsthand.
One LA marketing agency was running Windows 8 (yes, in 2024). A restaurant group in Hollywood had point-of-sale systems that hadn’t been updated in three years. And a law firm in Century City was using an email server so old, their spam filter missed 40% of phishing attempts in our test.
Why It Matters:
Old software slows everything down. It’s more prone to crashes, security holes, and compatibility issues. Plus, employees waste time fighting glitches instead of working.
The Fix:
Schedule regular updates (automate them if possible).
Audit your software stack yearly—dump what you don’t need.
Consider cloud-based tools (they auto-update, so you’re always current).
“Many of our LA clients don’t realize how much downtime is costing them,” says Abner Navarro, IT Strategist at ITTC. “A single outdated server can waste hundreds of hours a year in lost productivity.”
2. Weak Passwords & No Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
The Problem:
In 2024, 81% of hacking-related breaches involve weak or stolen passwords (Verizon DBIR). Yet, in our audit:
68% of companies had employees using “Password123” or similar.
Only 12% enforced Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
One particularly scary case? A financial services firm in Beverly Hills had all employee passwords saved in an unsecured Excel sheet labeled “Passwords.xlsx” on their shared drive. (We’re not joking.)
Why It Matters:
Hackers don’t need fancy tricks when your password is “Summer2024.” And without MFA, one stolen password can give them full access to your systems.
The Fix:
Require strong passwords (12+ characters, no repeats).
Enable MFA everywhere (especially email and financial apps).
Use a password manager (so employees don’t resort to sticky notes).
3. No Backup Plan (Or a Flawed One)
The Problem:
43% of cyberattacks target small businesses (Forbes 2024), yet 60% of the companies we audited had no backup plan or hadn’t tested theirs in over a year.
A real-life example: An architecture firm in DTLA lost a month’s worth of client blueprints when their server failed. Their backup? A single external hard drive… that hadn’t been updated in 6 weeks.
Why It Matters:
Data loss can shut down a business. Whether it’s ransomware, a flood, or a coffee spill on a laptop, backups are your last line of defense.
The Fix:
Follow the 3-2-1 rule: 3 backups, 2 different formats (cloud + physical), 1 off-site.
Test backups quarterly (a backup that doesn’t restore is useless).
Automate backups (so employees don’t forget).
4. No Cybersecurity Training (Employees Are the Weakest Link)
The Problem:
95% of cybersecurity breaches are caused by human error (IBM 2023). Yet, most LA businesses we audited had zero cybersecurity training for staff.
In one test, we sent a fake phishing email to 50 employees at a retail company. 42 of them clicked the link. (The subject line? “Your Amazon package delivery issue.” Classic.)
Why It Matters:
Your IT setup could be Fort Knox, but if an employee hands over their login to a hacker, it’s game over.
The Fix:
Train employees yearly (even 30 minutes helps).
Run phishing simulations (so they learn to spot scams).
Make IT security part of onboarding (don’t wait for a breach).
5. No IT Strategy (Just “Fix It When It Breaks”)
The Problem:
Most businesses we audited treated IT like a break-fix service—only calling for help when something crashed. Few had a long-term IT plan.
Example: A Westside medical clinic was still using a 10-year-old server because “it still works.” Then it died on a Friday afternoon, locking them out of patient records all weekend.
Why It Matters:
Reactive IT costs 3x more than proactive maintenance (Gartner). Plus, you’re always one crash away from chaos.
The Fix:
Shift to proactive IT monitoring (catch issues before they break).
Create a 1-3 year IT roadmap (budget for upgrades before they’re emergencies).
Work with an IT partner (not just a “tech handyman”).
How ITTC Can Help (Without the Tech Jargon)
At ITTC, we help LA businesses fix these exact problems—without the confusing tech-speak. Whether it’s:
Upgrading outdated systems before they fail
Locking down security so hackers move on
Setting up reliable backups (and testing them)
Training your team to avoid costly mistakes
Building an IT strategy that grows with you
We’re based in LA, so we get the local challenges—whether it’s earthquake-proofing your servers or dealing with LA’s unique internet providers.
Final Thought: Don’t Wait for Disaster
The biggest lesson from our audit? Most IT disasters are preventable. The companies that avoided downtime, breaches, and chaos had one thing in common: They didn’t wait until it was too late.
If you’re a business owner in LA and want to take the stress out of IT, give us a call at (844) 804-4882 or visit it-tc.com—we’re always happy to talk tech over coffee or Zoom.
Because in a city where traffic is unpredictable, your IT shouldn’t be.
