As your business grows, the responsibility of technology becomes greater. Business performance and profitability depend on getting jobs done quickly, computers running efficiently and being prepared for a virus or hardware failure that can cost production and employee time. Vital to your organization’s success is the proper management of its technology. This includes computers, network, servers, hardware and software. It’s a big job that not only requires dedicated technology expertise, but also the knowledge and insight to be proactive.
Hiring a MSP or managed services provider to manage technology is a step every business owner will take as his or her company grows. In the same way your organization needs accounting and production departments as it grows, it also needs dedicated managed IT and technology support.
Dedicated managed IT keeps technology running smoothly, networks online and employees productive.
Managed IT providers also keep technology current to improve performance, network security and uptime.
Let’s address some of the big questions business owners ask when considering hiring a managed IT provider…
“How much support does my organization need?”
To determine what kind of technology support your organization needs, consider your size, revenue and industry. It takes one dedicated IT professional to support every 15 people. If your organization exceeds the 15:1 ratio, something is being overlooked. You should consider additional support from a managed IT firm. This support can be solely remote, onsite or both. Organizations in higher risk industries such as legal, finance, retail and healthcare should also have dedicated support for cybersecurity and project implementation, regardless of their size.
“I have a guy who does that… Is that enough?”
A number of small organizations work with independent contractors in a break/fix model. This means they have someone to call when something breaks, but the daily management is secondary.
“Technology firms provide more value for your organization than one-man-operations because of their expertise, knowledge and stability”
There is a distinct advantage to working with a total technology support firm over an independent contractor. While hiring an independent contractor may seem cheaper, clients always find there is less customer service and longer response times to technology issues with independent contractors. Independent IT contractors tend to be “jacks-of-all-trades-and-masters-of-none” and do not give clients the best value for their investment. Because most independent contractors have to perform their own sales, administrative, marketing, customer service, helpdesk and onsite support, the time they have available to invest in certifications, education and management of accounts is limited, costing their clients time and money.
MSP or Managed IT Firms like i-Tech have more resources. They recruit and train diverse experts who are specialists in multiple areas of technology. In engaging with an MSP or managed IT firm, you are not just partnering with one expert, but several. You also are working with project mangers, network specialists, engineers and information leaders. Your organization essentially has access to the collective knowledge and expertise of a large technology department for the cost of a single staff member.
“I have someone doing IT inhouse… Will this work?”
Technology is a big job that requires many specialists. Partnering with an IT firm does not mean you have to let go of your IT team. Larger companies with internal department maximize their internal resources by having their inhouse team focus on daily operations while they rely on a technology firm’s specialists to handle special areas of technology. If they find that their IT department is falling behind, remote support is also leveraged.
IT firms provide value because of their continuous support and attention to after-hours needs. They provide areas of specialized expertise such as wireless support or cybersecurity, and offer vendor-backed financing programs to help companies implement technology without affecting their cash flow. This approach proves to be more cost-effective for companies who want to be lean as they grow.
“Isn’t it cheaper to hire internally?”
Unfortunately not. The traditional approach to tech support for a company was to simply hire a “tech guy”. This solution was adequate 10 years ago, before technology became so complex and advanced. Today, technology is evolving faster that most IT contractors can keep up with. When layered with growing cybersecurity threats, the challenge is even greater. Companies need to ask themselves where that will get the most competency and reliability for their technology budget. The answer is always an investment in outsourced technology through an MSP like i-Tech
“The cost to outsource managed IT and technology support is significantly less than hiring a team with equal qualifications inhouse”
Outsourcing technology to a MSP or managed IT firm also offers some additional advantages over other approaches:
- Expertise: IT firms like i-Tech Support hire and invest in the training of experts in different areas of technology including network, hardware, software, cybersecurity, business development, cloud services and technology spending. Each expert is responsible for staying current within their respective field so clients gain more. In engaging with an IT firm you gain access to a range of experts for the cost of one or two onsite IT team members.
- Experience: IT firms have been in the technology business for years. They have experience working with other organizations of your size in your industry. Because of this experience, they are more informed on technology for your industry and are more proactive with daily management and resolving challenges.
- Stability: IT firms like i-Tech are more stable than independent technicians. They are less likely to “disappear” or not respond. In a professional firm, each account is managed by a team of experts and overseen by a dedicated account manager. Their sole responsibility to monitor your network, keep it at optimal performance and keep you informed. In a professional firm, there are service guarantees, accountability and dedicated management. Employee turnover does not affect your account as it does with internal staff.
- Flexibility: The diversity of experts in an IT firm allows you to customize your technology support based on your specific needs and the changes in your business. IT firms also have plans based on your specific needs for remote support, onsite support, cloud services and cybersecurity.
- Focus: Because IT firms are staffed by more personnel, they are more focused on each account and can respond to issues quickly. Small IT operations are easily stretched and lack the structure and resources to focus on any one client for too long. As a result, the client usually experiences long response times, more frequent issues and more reactive technology expenses.
“I’ve never worked with a MSP before, Where do I begin?”
If you find yourself experiencing ongoing technology issues, slow networks, and frequent virus attacks, it’s a sign that your organization has outgrown its current technology support and is ready for the next step. It’s time to start a discussion with a managed IT provider like i-Tech Support.
i-Tech Support is an MSP with unique Remote and Onsite managed IT plans under their Total Technology Support model. Their TTSBlue program, for instance, provides unlimited remote and onsite support for a fixed monthly fee. The CyberSecure Managed Services plan provides dedicated managed security to in addition to traditional technology support. Their satisfaction guarantee and free first month of service makes it even easier to switch to a professional support plan. To learn more about managed IT services for your business, contact i-Tech here.
i-Tech Support offers Managed IT Services for Business
i-Tech Support is an Orlando based Total Technology Support firm dedicated to Managed IT Services, Advanced Technology, Cloud Services and Information Security Business Services.
Need IT? Call i-Tech Support: 407-265-2000 info@i-techsupport.com
