By Ellie Hardman
It’s a challenge running a small business. A small team usually relies on one person and with limited resources such as time, people and funds. This has a direct effect on the decisions you have to make especially in the area of IT support. At first you probably did everything yourself but as your client list grows so do your IT needs and people start to talk about networks and servers and before you know it, your small business has a major IT requirement.
Now to employ an expert who can set up the infrastructure is one thing but to add them to your employee list as a permanent member of staff is another. If an issue arises it could be a one-off job, you take the risk and cross your fingers nothing goes wrong or you think seriously about engaging an IT support company to bear the weight of your potential technology crisis. Here are some reasons why you should consider hiring an external IT support company.
1. It’s a Good Use of Limited Resources
A managed IT contract is probably the best route for most small businesses. An IT support provider has access to the latest equipment, technology and knowledge as well as the resource of a team of technology geniuses that can help support your business so it can grow from strength to strength. This means you will always have access to a wide range of technological expertise that you wouldn’t get from one in-house IT person. With an IT provider on board, you also don’t have the headache of what to do during holiday time or if they become ill, there will always be someone to help, even out of hours. So if IT is not a strength of anyone within your business then it’s better to invest in those that will make your business grow instead of employing an IT person as well as the infrastructure to support your network.
2. It’s Cost Effective
Maintaining cash flow and preserving capital is essential to any small business. There are many different types of IT support contracts available so do your research to ensure you get a good deal. Understand your needs and be sure to meet with as many companies as you want. You need to trust the people as much as you need to understand what they offer. A decent IT company will ensure you understand all aspects of their service and will take time to explain whatever is necessary to support you in making your decision.
If you have an outdated IT infrastructure then you will find replacing it is a huge cost. When you begin to compare the cost of replacing an ancient system with a new one to outsourcing a hosted model you will see that engaging an IT support company can be cost effective.
3. It Provides Peace of Mind
Your business may have specific needs or you may in a remote location either way your IT support company will give you peace of mind. A managed contract will mean you have agreed guaranteed SLA’s, call out times and out of hours support so if your system goes down you will know it will be dealt with swiftly so you can concentrate on doing what you know best, running your business.
4. It’s Scalable
If your needs are great and you need a wide range of support such as IT, telephony and telecoms, cloud solutions and website services it would be difficult and costly to hire that type of support in-house. An external support company can offer a variety of services that can support your business now and in the future. Just be sure the company that you choose are equipped to support your growth.