We always knew that this day would come; when technology would become what is arguably the most integral aspect of a business’s ultimate success. With so many new forms of managed IT support such as gathering and analysing your customers’ data and information, multiple efficient systems for tracking sales and inventory, and handy mobile devices allowing us all to connect faster, easier, and from anywhere in the world, there’s never been a better time to utilise these advantages.
In fact, even with a limited budget, as a small business, you can still access a multitude of IT services and tools without taking any major financial risks. In a survey taken by Clutch, they found that:
- 37% of small business owners currently outsource at least the one of their IT requirements.
- The same study also found that 24% of small business owners do so because they wanted to boost their efficiency,
- and 18% do so because they wish to leverage expert assistance.
Whatever your reasons, it’s all about getting the most out of every dollar spent.
In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at outsourcing IT management consulting and solutions: the most effective way for small businesses, companies, and larger enterprises to handle their in-house IT requirements and facilitate growth.
Managed IT services for small businesses
One of the most effective ways of outsourcing your IT is via managed services. Managed services can help business both small and large alike to simplify the collaboration process by bridging gaps between various team tools, monitoring their organisational systems in effect, and alerting the decision makers when-and-if in the event that there is an issue.
With expert opinions available from the outside, it can be an effective means of allowing a small business to grow without budgetary burdens of having to hire additional staff and expand infrastructure to facilitate such an expansion.
What type of IT services are being managed?
The world of IT management solutions is vast. Many small businesses are already tapping into the expansive solutions available, using some form of managed service or another. For example: in another survey carried out in 2019, it was found that:
- organisations with fewer than 100 employees value outsourced IT solutions for data and storage backups (10%).
- Including communications (9%).
- And hardware maintenance & support (9%).
For those who are interested in data protection, DRaaS (disaster recovery as a service) is the one to watch, particularly if you run a smaller operation.
Of course, the thought of having to formulate a disaster recovery plan can be daunting—not to mention the fact that ‘disaster never happens to me’—still, leveraging DRaaS can enable small businesses to seek the help and support that they need without having to spend through their teeth and develop and implement a plan of their own.
And whilst any data-related service should be at the forefront of your priorities (given how much value there is in collecting actionable data), there are other IT protection services that can pay off bigtime (i.e., cybersecurity).
- 43% of all cyberattacks target small businesses.
- 83% of those small businesses are unable to recover from such a breach (due to insufficient funds).
In other words, by having a managed security service in place, you can protect your organisation without having to break the bank.
So, if you are a small business owner and you’ve been putting off outsourcing some of your IT requirements through fear of not being able to afford to, don’t worry! There are viable and affordable solutions available to you.
Managed IT services for businesses and companies
So, how to medium sized businesses and companies fit into the equation? What are the benefits for utilising managed IT services?
- Its Cost-Effective: Outsourcing your IT solutions is far preferable to building an in-house team. The fact is, relying on a third-party partner is much more cost-effective as they can step in only when assistance is required, rather than having to find work for your IT department to do when everything is running smoothly.
- Access the Latest Tech: As a medium business, how can you be expected to stay firmly up-to-date with the latest technological advancements when progression happens so frequently? It’s not cheap upgrading your systems with the latest in technology, but outsourcing to a third-party that firmly remains ahead of the curve cuts that problem out entirely.
- Maximise Uptime: Having expert IT professionals backing up, protecting, and maintaining your systems at all times, you can rest assured that your uptime (the time in which a computer network is up and running) will be significantly longer and more secure.
- Round-the-Clock Services: Imagine having an IT problem without even knowing about it until the next day? There was a slight hiccup, it was resolved, and now all you have to do is read the friendly email waiting for you in the morning, bringing you up to speed and letting you know that there is nothing to worry about—that’s one of the benefits of a 24/7 service.
- Security & DATA Protection: How secure is your DATA right now? And what about the DATA that you keep on your customers and valued clients? Are you confident that your system is beyond reproach? Compliance, regulations, and what is expected of you is always evolving, but with an IT management partner looking out for you, you’ll never have to worry.
Managed IT services for enterprises
For larger enterprises, IT management services swiftly evolves from an effective means of bolstering growth and trajectory, to an irrefutable essentiality. In other words: you simply cannot operate a multi-million-dollar enterprise with countless employees and a huge client base, without having every single aspect of your IT department locked-down, streamlined, and air-tight.
The larger a business gets, the more reliant it becomes on seamless IT solutions. So, getting in early and acclimatising your business to IT management solutions is highly recommended. Even something as seemingly inconsequential as upgrading to a Cloud service such as Office 365 can help you to build a more dynamic and productive organisation.
It’s all about growth, cost-saving solutions, and ultimately making your lives easier. If you would like to explore our services further, please do not hesitate to contact us today.
