Running a company involves wearing a multitude of hats. You already know that building your business from the ground up means being in charge of every aspect of operations, from accounting to marketing to human resources. But there’s one crucial system that you might come to realize you are not fully equipped to handle on your own: information technology.
Even veteran business owners can feel out of their depth when tackling I.T. issues, especially if they lack a dedicated staff with specialized training. After all, the field is constantly changing, and staying on top of emerging technology is a full-time job in itself. Here are a few signs your business is ready to take the next step towards adopting managed I.T. solutions and support:
You Frequently Experience Downtime
Occasional network outages are a fact of life. However, if you find that the amount of offline time is impacting your bottom line, it may be time to seek out a better solution. According to Noction Network Intelligence, the primary causes of network downtime are hardware failures, human error, routing problems, and power issues. Whatever the cause, each outage will likely result in lost data you might not be able to get back if you do not have automatic backup in place.
A managed service provider (MSP) can diagnose network problems and provide proactive solutions to increase network reliability. In addition to making sure all important information is securely backed up and accessible from all devices, they can also implement a disaster recovery plan in the event of a catastrophe that knocks out your network for a considerable period of time.
You Are Worried About a Potential Data Breach
If you deal with sensitive customer data (and what company doesn’t?), it is likely that cybersecurity is a major concern for you. In 2018, Forbes reported that most hackers still rely heavily on user interaction, meaning that with the proper training it is possible to address many security issues. They added that “the average data breach is projected to reach a $150 million price tag.” With numbers like that, it pays to be prepared. An MSP can educate your staff on how best to avoid common online threats such as spear phishing attacks.
Most managed service providers also include 24-hour monitoring as part of their security packages, meaning you will be alerted of suspicious activity the moment a threat emerges.
Your Staff Is Overworked
Maybe you already have one or two employees who put out fires when something goes wrong. If that is the case, it’s likely that they’re so busy dealing with disasters that they have little time to take proactive steps like testing the network, ensuring that antivirus software is up to date and backing up important files. In order to free your I.T. staff from a caffeine-fueled break-fix cycle, you should consider bringing in outside support.
When an MSP is there to provide background support such as security, performance monitoring, and automatic cloud backup, your in-house staff can do more specialized jobs without distractions. A happier workforce means a healthier company—not to mention less stress on your coffee maker!
You Need a Major Change to Your I.T. Systems
Maybe your system is out of date and ready to be upgraded, or you need to pick up and move to a better location and get a faster network in the process. Whatever changes you have in store, an MSP can help you understand your options and make the changes go smoothly. Migrating your data to cloud services or installing new software can be a massive undertaking if you go it alone, but the right I.T. support can save you time and money and make the process a positive experience.
A managed service provider can also conduct a business impact analysis to help you determine which solution is right for you. As you know, it’s best not to guess when it comes to a long-term investment like I.T. infrastructure. Fortunately, an MSP can help with everything from contacting vendors to network administration, helping you to choose the best option with confidence.
Your Budget Is Unpredictable
You’ve probably experienced something like this: everything runs smoothly for months until a sudden breakdown in your I.T. systems causes your business to grind to a halt, resulting in lost work hours and thousands of dollars in hasty repairs. The result is a budgetary rollercoaster, not to mention a loss of efficiency and consumer trust.
If you’re ready to say goodbye to the avalanche of spending, a managed service provider can offer support and security for a predictable monthly fee. Most MSPs have a variety of service packages available, enabling you to find one that addresses your concerns without straining your budget. This will save you money on hardware replacement, infrastructure and server maintenance costs, software licensing fees, and data recovery. Many business owners also prefer the “one stop shop” aspect of working with MSPs, which greatly reduces time and money spent researching and implementing I.T. solutions.
You Need to Be More Mobile
With the advent of safe, affordable cloud services, it no longer makes sense to be chained to your hardware. Many businesses are even taking advantage of this technology to do away with physical locations altogether, using cloud hosting to share information with remote team members and dramatically reduce overhead costs. Even if you aren’t quite ready to make that leap, there are still a number of reasons to adopt cloud computing.
Because the servers in use are hosted remotely, cloud users can avoid capital expenditures and costly maintenance fees. They also have instant access to infinitely scalable services, meaning that you no longer have to worry about expansion costs.
If your company is currently experiencing any of these issues, it could be advantageous to consider managed I.T. solutions and support to prevent future problems. For more information about how MSPs can save you money and streamline your operations, contact JMARK today at [email protected], via this site’s Contact page, or call 844-44-JMARK.
