Is your business ready for the new year? Checks to make for a smooth start

As Lancashire business owners prepare to welcome 2026, many are thinking about growth, efficiency and resilience. While gym memberships and new year resolutions for personal habits are common, there’s another kind of “fitness” that deserves attention: digital resilience.

The past year has seen AI adoption accelerate and cyber threats become more sophisticated. Ensuring your IT systems and processes are robust from the start of the year can save time, stress and potential losses.

Here’s a practical checklist to help Lancashire businesses start 2026 with confidence.

1. Conduct a user access audit

Over the past year, staff turnover, temporary contractors or external consultants may have left accounts active in your systems.

Action: Review user access across Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, your CRM and other key business platforms.

Why it matters: Dormant or unnecessary accounts create security vulnerabilities. Removing them reduces the risk of unauthorised access.

2. Expand Multi-Factor Authentication across all systems

Many businesses currently use multi-factor authentication (MFA) only for email. In 2026, cyber security best practice requires broader coverage.

Action: Enable MFA on all critical systems, accounting software, CRM platforms, social media management tools and password managers.

Expert insight: Services without MFA may need to be replaced with more secure alternatives.

3. Establish an AI usage policy

AI tools are increasingly used to assist with emails, meeting summaries and content generation. However, sensitive business data must be protected.

Action: Draft a one-page AI policy for your team. Define which tools are approved and what data should never be uploaded, such as client contracts or financial information.

Why it matters: Free AI tools may process your data in ways that are not secure or private. A clear policy mitigates these risks.

4. Review hardware and perform a digital spring clean

Older hardware can be a security and productivity risk. Laptops or servers that cannot run the latest updates leave systems exposed.

Action: Identify equipment that needs replacing in 2026. Schedule hardware maintenance, including cleaning server fans and peripherals.

Benefit: Well-maintained and up-to-date hardware improves security, efficiency, and longevity.

5. Test your backups

Having a backup is not enough; knowing it works is essential.

Action: Perform a restore test, selecting files from six months ago to confirm recoverability.

Why it matters: Around 20 per cent of businesses only discover corrupted backups after data loss occurs. Testing ensures your safety net is reliable.

Final thought: treat IT as a strategic partner

The biggest mistake businesses make is engaging IT only when something breaks. Proactive IT management, whether automating repetitive tasks, migrating to secure cloud services or replacing outdated systems, can make 2026 smoother, safer and more productive.

From everyone at J700 Group, we wish Lancashire businesses a prosperous, secure and high-performing 2026.