Why IT Support is
Essential for
Small Businesses
Introduction
Technology has come along in leaps and bounds since we all had to stay safe and stay home. Remote working systems and online meetings have become part of our everyday lives. Unsurprisingly, this has led to a dramatic shift in the way businesses operate.
A company’s location is no longer relevant. Your staff can work from the moon if Richard Branson’s space hotel plans take off. And companies can take advantage of new technological innovations to enhance the capabilities of their team.
This means it’s easier than ever for small businesses to compete with large corporations. But the right IT support system is what will enable your company to rise to the challenge.
Why small businesses need IT support
A solid IT infrastructure is the backbone of the modern organisation. And without IT competencies, business owners can’t expect to go far.
Yes, it’s important to have the right hardware to keep up with your operations, and the most efficient software for your employees to use. But it’s vital that you also have systems in place to protect your business. These safety measures must be robust enough to deal with anything from a minor malfunction to a data breach or a major cybersecurity threat.
For many small businesses, IT support isn’t given the priority it deserves because owners tend to underestimate the level of support they require. They only implement professional IT support protocols after they’ve learned how important they are the hard way. Don’t be one of those people.
These people think small businesses don’t need IT support. Their systems need less maintenance, their teams are small, so cyber attackers must have bigger fish to fry. But last year’s Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report found that 43% of cyberattacks targeted small businesses. In a time of crisis, wouldn’t it be handy to have a knowledgeable support team to fall back on? Or better yet. Wouldn’t it be great to have no catastrophe to worry about in the first place? Safe in the knowledge that your support service is working in the background to keep the online elements of your business running smoothly. Those in the IT industry keep themselves regularly updated on how to prevent the latest cybersecurity threats. Do you?
What are your options for giving small businesses IT support?
So we’ve established that small businesses need IT support. Now let’s take a look at the options.
Do it yourself
You could share the load between your workforce. Maybe Karen, your receptionist, deals with anti-virus software and someone in accounts agrees to manage the social media channels. Everyone can chip in. You’ve got a team of go-getters, and it seems like a great idea.
But wait. Surprise surprise. The free sample of antivirus software that Karen downloaded online isn’t up to the job of providing small businesses IT support. Your team can be as proactive as they like, but are they equipped with the right knowledge to navigate these waters? Now you’ll pay a premium to have a professional IT support service clean up the mess. This means costly downtime, potential data breaches, and expensive invoices from the IT clean up crew.
Maybe it’s not.
Expand your team
What if you hired an IT technician? Well, it’s not really cost effective to provide small businesses IT support of this kind. The budget doesn’t stretch far enough to take on another person. And, for a small business, an IT worker wouldn’t have enough to do to warrant a full time position. It makes sense for a large corporation to have an IT team, but a support team isn’t necessary until the company scales up.
Invest for the future
For most business owners, it simply makes sense to outsource your IT support. Depending on the type of company or the size of your business, you might only require minimal support. Outsourcing your IT support allows you to remain flexible and adjust your services in line with the company’s needs. It’s cost effective as you only pay for what you require.
Future-proof your business
Technology is constantly changing and adapting, so keeping up to date can be daunting. Hackers and cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and it’s an IT support service’s job to remain up to date on these trends.
They have the know-how, and they have the best software to prevent data breaches. With them on your side, so do you.
With managed IT services in place, you can rest assured that your security systems are evolving with the times. The behind-the-scenes tech wizards are working hard to ensure your barricades are as secure as they can be. As an added bonus, you’ll never have to deal with an IT related hiccup ever again. Staff can dodge potential setbacks with the help of IT support and focus on doing what they do best.
Outsourced services can also be a great time saver when they’re applied to giving small businesses IT support. Every issue logged is responded to in a timely manner. As your company expands, its support requirements will grow. With a team of experts working full time to resolve any IT issue, an outsourced support service is equipped to respond to problems quickly. And response times are efficient whether you log 5 or 50 issues.
An IT technician could work round the clock to manage issues, but they can only fix one thing at a time. This means that, inevitably, some jobs that require a quick fix are pushed to the back of a very long queue.
We can help
Small businesses are under enough pressure as it is trying to keep up with the market. Support services can’t help you grow your business, but they can help you keep up with technology.
There’s no progress without risk, and as your business develops and progressively embraces new technologies, new risks emerge.
Our team of experts are on hand to discuss the broad range of options available to you. The support packages available to you will depend on the hardware and software you use and the IT capabilities of your team. But we’ll work with you to establish exactly what services you require. We’ll then provide you with solutions that suit your budget and offer you the best support possible.
