Not knowing what tools are available
There are several tools that come with SQL Server that can be used for backup processing, such as SQL Server Management Studio, T-SQL, System Tables, Windows Event Viewer, SQL Server Error Logs, Alerts, and Notifications.
You should take the time to understand what these tools can do for you, so you have all the information and tools at your fingertips.
Being afraid of third-party tools
For quite some time, Microsoft has made hooks into SQL Server for backups and most vendors use the virtual device interface to back up databases, so that things are done consistently. There are a lot of great management features these tools offer and some features that do not even exist in SQL Server. You should not be afraid to research and implement these tools.
Read the whitepaper “Top SQL Server backup mistakes (and how to avoid them)” by Greg Robidoux from MSSQLTips to learn more about improving SQL Server backups..