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In general you can split the IT support services available into three categories: Managed Services, Ad-hoc and pre-purchased hours. So, which suits your business the best?
Breakdown of the options
The old ‘break-fix’ model of IT support, required only when a computer breaks down, attracts a lot of very small businesses and micro-businesses that have one or two computers as assets. If you have a reliable service provider this might be fine, that is, if your downtime is relatively short as a result of fast, responsive action by the IT support company.
That said, the problems of downtime in a microbusiness, SME or corporation are essentially the same.
When you can’t work, you can’t earn. Plus, if you are not available through your computers, your business is vulnerable.
The old ad-hoc approach to IT support feels outdated because of this. We are now a more connected society than ever before, demanding immediate results, responses and gratification online.
Only a couple of decades ago, delays in service provision for online services were widely tolerated. Today – they are not.
We have a vast sea of choice where we shop which means less loyalty to a handful of services. If your online service breaks down, especially for a long period of time, you can seriously lose out in trade and you can even risk your entire business, in terms of reputation and abandonment by customers.
What’s more, as your business grows it will need more and more reliance on IT and ICT to function – that’s just the way it is. The larger your computer infrastructure, your network, the more devices you have – the more serious the consequences if it all fails. You’ll benefit from permanently available help.
Permanently Guard Against Online Threat
Today, due to its enormity and pervasiveness into every business and home, the internet delivers more than just emails and websites, it’s constantly fueled with viruses, ransomware and Trojans attempting to extort and steal from businesses like yours.
A threat level this intense means your business IT and computers require constant monitoring to remain protected and to head off dangers of your data being exploited. This threat environment firmly tips the favour towards the 24/7 remote threat monitoring and the access to experts that you have with Managed Services Providers.
The proactive nature of Managed Services means problems are prevented often before you even notice them.
A Managed Services team will be delegated the tasks of monitoring, maintenance, administration and strategy for your business. This is in many ways even better than having your own dedicated IT department on-site because it’s more value for money, with fewer overheads and includes enterprise-level protection and services.
All those problems that require IT assistance, the daily fire-fighting and wrestling with IT issues, gets taken away by professionals, which leaves you free to simply get on with your business without wasting time. That’s something you don’t get with ad-hoc support that simply responds to call-outs when there is a disaster.
IT Strategy Will Always Be Better
Ad-hoc support is not ultimately effective for a growing business. It is far better to have an IT strategy that allows your business infrastructure to grow easily, alongside the office and the rest of the business. Managed Services ensures that your business growth is catered for as part of the deal. You’ll get your systems regularly checked, updated and cared for. If you need to expand, it’s a very manageable process.
Having Infrastructure as a Service and Software as a Service, for example, means everything is plug-in. It’s possible to add and subtract licenses for software easily, for instance, as your company changes in size. You will have back-up and protection in the cloud, which means that even if your offices and computers burn to cinders in a fire – you’ll still have the digital infrastructure and data intact and retrievable, almost instantly, as it’s stored offsite in protected data centers.
There are cost benefits too. You don’t get that huge bill when something dreadful happens as you would with ad-hoc support. Managed Services contracts involve a monthly retainer in manageable installments.
You ultimately save money in new PC purchases, set-up time, internet connection issues, server faults, software licensing, IT support requests, server patches and IT staff costs u0j9y1y. That’s a long list of time and money that you could waste if you choose a different service option.
Finally, whatever your company does, take a step back and assess just how much you rely on your IT, on your computers working properly and then know that one day there will be a serious IT problem – that’s inevitable over time. What kind of service provider would you want when that day arrives?
To ensure your IT is properly managed – contact the friendly team at Netitude, who can explain the many options available.
