Even if your focus isn’t IT, technology is a key driver of growth. As such, IT support has become every bit as important as customer and financial support for most organizations.
You can only get away with limited IT support for so long. Eventually, there comes a time when technology can make or break your business. Periods of rapid growth are where risk starts to increase exponentially, and a lack of scalable technology support can hinder development. Here are five signs it’s time to find a partner for your IT support:
#1. Your IT department is overburdened
Business technology environments are only getting more complicated. Today’s organizations rely on a wide range of systems and applications, some of which run off the cloud, while others take the form of traditional desktop or server-side applications. As complexity increases, so does the burden on your IT department, and it’s never too long before your team starts finding it impossible to keep up with all the support requests.
Augmenting your IT support with the expertise of a Managed Service Provider doesn’t necessarily have to be about replacing your IT department. It can also augment their existing capabilities by deflecting support tickets and leaving your team with more time to focus on strategic business objectives.
#2. Employee productivity is dropping
Lulls in employee productivity are often blamed on slow or malfunctioning computers. Whether it’s error messages, random system reboots, or even cloud-hosted applications failing to work as they should, productivity is usually the first casualty. In an effort to get back on track and meet their deadlines, employees often end up trying to find workarounds, which can be risky even to the point of being counterproductive.
Employees should be able to focus on their core competencies, instead of getting distracted by IT problems. Partnering for your support provides help on demand, while proactively eliminating common issues before they can get in the way of work.
#3. Trivial problems are having bigger impacts
Sometimes, apparently innocuous issues can result in serious company-wide problems. Some of the most poignant examples from recent years include the Target data breach, which started with an HVAC supplier having access to a point-of-sale system or the huge data breach that befell a Las Vegas Casino after an internet-connected fish tank was hacked. Companies can’t afford to underestimate the far-reaching effects of a single point of failure.
Proactive IT support keeps the problems at bay by providing the help you and your employees need when they need it. It’s about stopping problems from spiraling out of control and, in many cases, preventing them from arising in the first place.
#4. Costs of reactive support are growing
As your company grows, so does the burden on IT support. The more computers you add, the more support you need. And, once you start incorporating cloud and mobile technologies, both of which are now essential for success, the risks increase substantially. When something goes wrong, it’s often hard to pinpoint the source of the problem, let alone resolve it. It isn’t long before the invoices start piling up, which is why relying entirely on break/fix support is no longer a satisfactory option.
Using a professional IT Help Desk provides support on demand with a fixed monthly contract. While break/fix support for in-house systems might still be necessary on occasion, migrating towards a more proactive support infrastructure helps you regain control over costs and rid yourself of unpleasant surprises.
#5. The necessary expertise is lacking
The proliferation of technology has outpaced many companies’ abilities to keep up. There’s a widespread talent shortage when it comes to IT expertise, and things are only going to get worse before they get better. As a consequence, the cost of hiring IT expertise is soaring, with many placements commanding six-figure sums. Even if you can afford it, you may still end up with less talent than you need.
IT support providers offer a scalable and cost-effective solution. IT support is their focus, and they have access to the resources needed to go above and beyond their clients’ expectations.
Fidelis provides IT support to businesses in Washington and Oregon to provide peace of mind and empower growth. Talk to us today to find out more.
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Before you skip ahead to picking and choosing which IT services you want and how they’re managed, pinpoint precisely where your technology is falling behind by reading our free eBook, 20 Signs That Your Business is Ready for Managed Services.
