Technology is one of the most significant challenges of running a small business. Things can change overnight, and your business needs can become more complicated as you continue to evolve. For a growing business, knowing what to implement and understanding how everything works can be overwhelming.
You may be taking an outdated IT approach when strategic technology change could save money, increase efficiency and boost productivity. But, you don’t have time to research, implement, and test new technologies for your business. Small business owners wear many hats, but IT shouldn’t be one of them. Your focus should be on customer service, increasing margins, and coming up with your next big innovation, not deciding which technology to use and when.
However, today’s businesses can’t put technology on the backburner if they want to stay relevant in their industry. We use our Framework for Successful IT to position our clients with everything they need to run IT efficiently. We work with companies across various industries to help them build a best-fit solution that covers all elements of their IT strategy, design, implementation, support, and security so they can focus on what matters most—their business. To get the most value from their IT investment, it’s not cost-effective or sustainable long-term for growing companies to maintain these pieces in-house.
Outsourced IT Services for Small Businesses
Utilizing outsourced IT services help your small business keep up with technology trends and stay competitive in your industry. But just which IT services do you need? Here are a few necessities.
Data Backup & Recovery
About 80% of companies go out of business after catastrophic data loss. Data loss can happen because of hardware failure, software bugs, accidental data deletion, or even a natural disaster. All of your business-critical files could be destroyed. Do you back up all of your important files? Do you know the best method and timing? A managed IT services company can give you peace of mind by offering data backup and recovery solutions. They will combine onsite and offsite backups so your data is always available and, if something goes wrong, can be quickly recovered to ensure business continuity. Things like financial records and customer data are simply too important to risk.
Security
What security measures do you have in place? A 2019 study by Keeper Security and the Ponemon Institute discovered that the number of small and medium-sized businesses that experienced data breaches increased to 63% in 2019. Like most small businesses, you probably don’t have a formidable enough cybersecurity defense to protect from numerous potential risks. Your system is vulnerable to malware, phishing, ransomware, and, worst of all, cyberattacks that steal or wipe all vital data. IT security threats are not always easy to recognize and are often overlooked when proper IT security defenses and monitoring are not in place. Managed anti-virus programs, firewalls, web filters, and other similar measures can significantly reduce the risk of malware infections, phishing scams, and cybersecurity breaches. Your managed IT service provider should keep you up to date on the most recent threats and provide strategies and technology your business can use to defend itself. One of the most overlooked risks is often those on your team who lack efficient IT security awareness education and ongoing training they need to protect your business. Your people can be your greatest IT security defense or your greatest risk. Without proactive education and training, your business will likely face threats to its reputation and long-term success. An IT outsourcing provider should serve to educate and train your employees on the new technology put in place. Education initiatives around new product rollouts, security awareness training, testing, and everyday IT best practices are crucial to building a streamlined, positive technology experience for your employees.
IT Consulting
IT consulting is a practice that advises companies on the best ways to use technology in their business. Consulting looks at your infrastructure, evaluates what’s going on in your business, and makes recommendations about the best path forward. If you’re unsure what your business needs, an IT consultant can help find the best solutions to support your business. This would include hardware, data backups, accounting and customer service platforms, and anything else related to information technology. The best part of using an IT consultant is receiving a dedicated CIO as a partner. Their job is to build an IT roadmap and technology budget that aligns with your business objectives 18-24 months down the road.
Proactive IT Support
Implementing and maintaining technology doesn’t always go as planned. Sometimes things break or don’t work like they’re supposed to. When this happens, you should be able to get the support you need when you need it. Having your IT support team readily available is key to resolving these issues quickly and efficiently. When you work with an IT services provider, they should have a 24/7 help desk so your employees can get the support they need most conveniently—whether it be emailing, calling, or scheduling time for a later date. Your IT provider should also resolve core IT issues costing your employees time and productivity. When your team’s time is wasted resolving the same IT issue repeatedly, your business feels it. A proactive IT outsourcing provider has the resources and expertise to treat your business problems’ core, not just put a band-aid on the issue for a short-term fix.
We Have What Your Business Needs
For your IT investments to drive success and deliver the most value to your business, your IT support provider needs to cover every piece of the Framework for Successful IT and do it well.
We offer complete IT Outsourcing and Managed Services to keep your business productive and protected from today’s IT threats.
Contact our team to learn more about our approach to successful IT and how the right IT outsourcing solution can drive productivity and value across your business.