One quick question: How much of an impact does the health of your company’s computer system have on your business’ bottom line?
That much, huh? Then why are you letting unqualified IT technicians work on your network?
According to a survey, the overall average cost of having a network go down is $5,600 per minute! That is almost $350,000 an hour.
While most small businesses will probably never see losses that extravagant, any downtime will result in costs, monetarily and in other forms, for any business.
Losing access to your entire network may be the worst-case scenario when it comes to tech drama, but many companies are plagued by more minor, but just as annoying IT issues. These problems include out-of-date software, a slow internet connection, or poorly maintained hardware.
That is no way to run a business. But for many companies without a dedicated IT department, that is their day-to-day reality when it comes to technology.
So, why not do yourself, and your company a favor and work with a third-party IT company which employ qualified techs to take care of your IT needs.
What a Quality Outsourced IT Solution Can Do For Your Business
When you have well-trained IT professionals serving your needs, you can expect:
- A lower IT cost. IT partners don’t have to cost you a lot. These third-party companies can actually help reduce your current IT costs by being proactive and preventing IT issues from occurring.
- Increase your employees’ productivity levels. To produce the highest level of work, your staff requires your company’s technology to function correctly. Keep the tech your workers need running at its best, so your employees can do what they do best.
- Gain greater flexibility when you need it. Every month is different. Some months, it seems like you have a tech issue every day; other months there aren’t any problems. A remote IT solution providers give you the support you need when, and if you need it.
What You Should Demand From an Outsourced IT Company
You have a ton of choices when it comes to choosing an outsourced IT company. Unfortunately, not every IT solution company is right for your business. So, what aspects should you take a closer look at when making your decision on who to hire?
- Make sure the company has experience dealing with other businesses in your field. Simply providing professional IT solutions is not enough. Your IT partner needs to have the knowledge to meet and exceed your business’ industry-specific technology needs. Before hiring any firm to manage your IT, ask for a list of other companies within your sector which it services.
- Understand the techs’ training and privacy standards. As much as the skill level of the people repairing and maintaining your IT, it is critical to know you can trust the techs not to steal or expose your data. Ask for minimum certification requirements for all on-site and helpline techs, and review the privacy standards of the company. Question the company about any data breaches they were involved in, and do a deep dive to confirm the answer.
- Find out how the company handles backing up data and recovering data. Select an IT provider which has the capability to guarantee up-to-date backups and data recovery. With the increase in the frequency of cyber-attacks and incidences of ransomware, the ability to protect backup data and restore missing or corrupted data to your many networks quickly is essential.
- Ensure the company offers 24/7 data monitoring, maintenance, and repairs. No matter the time, day or night, your company can’t afford to deal with a tech issue. That is why you need a company which provides around-the-clock servicing. Before picking an IT company, make sure that it has your back whenever the need arises.
- Demand it is easy to reach the company whenever you have a question or concern. Just having email contact with your IT provider is not enough. You need the ease of dialing a phone number when you can speak with a real person who not only knows your business but knows how to solve your IT problems. Believe it or not, many third-party IT providers actually outsource their helpline overseas! You and your business deserve better.
If you determine it is time for your company to hire a third-party IT partner finally, take your time. It can be challenging to find the right one to meet your needs, but once you do, the savings in time, money, and headaches is well worth it.
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