IT has become one of the most important aspects of modern business, and this holds true for pretty much every business in every industry. To go without IT support of any kind is a really bad option and could invite disaster. Whether your IT infrastructure is large or small, there is no doubt that all businesses need competent IT support. Here are five of the top reasons why small businesses need IT support.
1. Protecting Your Online Security
It’s no secret that the world of the internet is filled with hidden dangers. Once you start a business, you become a much more appealing target for criminals. Yes, private individuals would be easier to target, but most of them don’t have enough money to be worth the trouble. Businesses, on the other hand, present hackers with the possibility of a large payoff, so they have to be more careful.
According to this research, a hacking attack of some sort happens roughly every 39 seconds. While that is an average figure, it does give you a good idea of how common these crimes are. Doing business online without guarding your security would be like swimming with sharks in a suit made of meat…with no cage.
2. The High Cost Of Down Time
Cyberattacks are not the only way in which you can lose money as a result of an IT problem. There are also costs associated with network downtime, especially if it turns out to be a lengthy outage. Every minute that you spend offline represents lost revenue. We are talking about potential revenue here, but it is possible to extrapolate the losses with some accuracy.
According to this study, the average cost of network downtime for businesses is about $9,000 per minute. Obviously, this will vary somewhat depending on the size of your business and how much business you conduct online. So, how does this relate to IT support? Well, it’s very simple: Good IT support helps you to deal with those minor problems before they become major problems, keeping such expensive outages from occurring. Even if they should occur, good IT support will get you back online more quickly and thus minimize the damage.
3. Enhanced Productivity
Good IT support isn’t always about fixing problems. Even if you never experience a cyberattack or a lengthy network outage, your productivity might suffer regardless. Because information technology is used for so many things in the modern workplace, productivity can be greatly affected by the state of your IT situation.
When an IT support professional isn’t solving problems, they can start thinking about ways to improve productivity and streamline the entire work process. To demonstrate proof of how effective IT streamlining can be, we can look at business trends from the late 1990s. There was a huge increase in the use of business IT during that time, and business productivity as a whole was greatly increased. In fact, the increase was so great that some people believed it to be a statistical error.
4. Keeping Up With The Times
Unfortunately, information technology changes at a rapid pace. As old tech becomes outdated and new tech is introduced, it becomes necessary for businesses to frequently update their hardware, software, and methods. Sometimes, this can create a situation in which your IT situation is substandard. Older technology is always going to be more vulnerable to hackers, and it’s never going to be as fast or as efficient.
Employing competent IT support people is an excellent way of countering this problem. The companies and people that offer top-level IT support have to keep their knowledge current. Otherwise, their services become second-rate or worse. Thus, it is worth their while to invest in the latest training for their employees, while it may not be worthwhile for you to do so. In short, IT support helps your business to stay current and leverage the latest technology to your advantage.
5. Better Communication
If your business is like most, it is probably divided into different departments and sections. Although they perform different tasks and have different responsibilities, these parts must somehow come together and work as a team. This can be a big challenge, but there is one thing that can make it a lot easier: Good communication. When everyone is able to stay updated on the latest developments without delay, all your departments can stay on the same page and work toward the same overall goals.
Unless all your employees happen to be working in the same room, information technology is essential for proper communication. The low-budget method would be to simply have everyone exchange phone numbers and keep in touch that way, but there are numerous problems with this idea.
First of all, it’s not realistic to expect all your workers to exchange phone numbers and remember all those names. Some companies have thousands or even hundreds of thousands of employees, so the logistics of this become ridiculous very quickly. Even for small businesses with a few dozen employees, you need a way to streamline your business conversations and separate them from normal ones. This is another area in which IT support can make a big difference, as good communication is often just a matter of finding the right method.
Conclusion
There are other reasons why businesses of all sizes need IT support, but these are the five that we believe to be the most important. The field of information technology is one that requires constant education and attention to detail, and a dedicated IT support company is more likely to deliver those things.
Employing freelancers can work, but it is also a little bit of a gamble, so we recommend that small businesses seek out an IT support plan that suits their needs. Scaling is important, as is diligence and prompt service. If you are looking for a business partner that offers IT support for small companies, we recommend that you call PCH Technologies at (856) 754-7500.