If you own or manage a small business, you probably wear many different hats, pitching in wherever needed to keep things running smoothly. You really go above and beyond, but some things are better left to the experts, and your time could be better spent focusing on your core responsibilities.
Ensuring the performance and security of your network is one big job that all small businesses should consider outsourcing. The day-to-day troubleshooting, monitoring, and maintenance is not only time-consuming work, it can also put your business at risk if you’re less than an expert.
Many small businesses don’t hesitate when it comes to outsourcing things like payroll processing, accounting, and other essential functions; so why do so many businesses try to go it alone when it comes to IT? Here are 4 great reasons you should be outsourcing your IT services.
Reduce Risk
It’s generally understood that every business needs insurance to protect their assets in the case of accident, theft, injury or disaster. However, many business owners overlook the risks posed by cyber criminals who take advantage of security vulnerabilities, and the risk of data loss due to improper backup and storage practices.
In fact, 20% of all cyber attacks target businesses with fewer than 250 employees. Why? Because small businesses typically lack the security defenses, resources, or time required to support the 24/7 monitoring and expertise needed to effectively protect their confidential and valuable data residing on their networks.
With the increasing complexity of technology and the constantly evolving sophistication of cyber criminals, it’s important to make sure your network is being managed by someone that specializes in anticipating and mitigating threats and data loss.
If you wonder if it’s worth paying an expert to manage your network, consider this: 93% of companies fail within 1 year of a major data loss, even if they recover in the short term. Is that a risk you’re willing to take?
Free Up Your Time for Other Things
Few things are more time-consuming and costly than building and maintaining your own IT infrastructure. Not only do you need to purchase equipment such as computers, firewalls, servers, phones, etc.; it also takes a lot of time to set up and manage on an ongoing basis.
As the owner or manager of a small business, you have limited time and attention. When an employee has issues with their computer, your internet connection is lost, a computer is infected…are you the one who’s expected to put out those fires? If you’re not an IT expert, trying to troubleshoot these issues can be frustrating and can distract you from your other important tasks. Or maybe you just leave it to an employee who’s “pretty good with computers”. Either way, unless you have an in-house IT administrator, someone is spending less time doing the job they were hired to do when addressing IT issues.
Outsourcing your IT needs can help free up more time to focus on essential priorities, allowing you and your team to use the skills that benefit your business most.
Improve Office Efficiency & Look More Professional
For small businesses with limited resources, outsourcing IT services and even leasing your hardware can improve efficiency and help you compete with larger businesses in your field. By outsourcing, you can level the playing field by gaining access to the same cutting-edge technology and IT expertise that larger businesses pay big bucks for at a fraction of the cost.
Outsourcing your IT services can also help make your business look more professional, and improve efficiency by reducing downtime. Maybe your IT service provider can help you with automation and other tools that improve your workflow; maybe your staff will be enabled to serve your customers more efficiently. Whatever the outcome, you can expect improvements when you’re able to adopt the right tools.
Expect More Predictable IT Costs
For many businesses, it’s simply not financially possible to hire an in-house IT Administrator. But if you’re not up for the task of managing your own IT needs, someone has to do it. Let an external company bear the burden of hiring and managing an IT staff. For a predictable monthly payment, their team becomes your team.
So what can you outsource?
When it comes to IT services, you can outsource just about anything including the management and maintenance of your computers and servers, the management of mobile devices on your network, network security, data backup, hosted phones, and much more. The experts at Les Olson Company can help Utah and Las Vegas businesses with all their Managed IT Services needs.
