Why Do Small Businesses Need IT Support?

It's no exaggeration to say small businesses drive the U.S. economy. Around one-half of all domestic economic activity derives from small businesses. Small businesses often have to pick and choose which supportive departments (marketing, IT, HR) they can afford. In today's tech-based economy, you should consider IT support as an essential part of your business plan, and here's why.

What Can IT Support Do for Me?

IT services are integral to today's business environment because commerce and services rely on computer technology. An IT consultant or IT professional has training and experience solving computer system problems. IT services can solve problems with networking, software glitches, and even electronic hardware.

Here are some common problems that can be solved by IT services.

Data Loss

IT professionals can help your company salvage lost information. Data can often be extracted from crashed hard drives, for example. 

Network Disruptions

The loss of internet access can be restored with the help of IT support. IT staff are there to help with Wi-Fi issues and other network-related problems. 

Software Glitches

Disruptions of company software can mean lost revenue. IT support staff fix software issues for customers and business staff. 

Management of Cloud Services

Cloud services now store the majority of data for many companies. The loss of access to the cloud requires prompt IT support.

In past decades, IT services basically involved fixing hardware issues like crashed hard drives. Today, those teams handle computer systems, cloud platforms, electronic hardware, device networking, and software applications.

Top Reasons You Should Not Go Without IT Support

Entrepreneurs and small business owners are tasked with doing a lot with minimal staff. The nature of small business ownership requires maintaining a small overhead in order to maximize profits.

It may be tempting to simply publish a website and wait for sales to come in, but companies that forgo IT support risk frustrating customers. Here are the top reasons why small businesses should have IT support.

Outsourcing IT Services Boosts Productivity

An overstretched small business team will inevitably falter on customer service. Only a trained professional can handle technology problems that you may face. Hiring professional IT services or outsourcing those services frees your other team members to focus on servicing customers.

IT Services Work in Tandem With Your Company's Strategic Goals

Business leaders often forget that IT services can help a company reach its long-term goals. Many business-related problems can be solved when they are IT managed. If your business is not recording customer data in an efficient manner, you may be losing an important base for future revenue. Even when this data is saved, it may not be stored for easy access. These are all IT-related problems that an IT company can address. IT professionals can work remotely or in-house. The tech-savvy professionals should be included in discussions on strategic planning. IT specialists have insights that non-IT team members may not have. 

Protection From Ransomware and Other Online Threats

The recent ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline Company is only the most recent reminder that cyberattacks are costly. The owners of that company had to pony up $4.4 million to the hackers. Cyberattacks are on the rise, especially in the U.S., where companies continue to fail to safeguard their digital assets. IT consultants protect your company from damaging ransomware attacks. The DHS recently announced that 50% to 70% of ransomware attacks in the United States target small to medium-sized companies. The federal government is taking steps to combat cybercrimes, DHS said.

IT Services Can Be Affordably Outsourced

Small businesses may not have the funds to hire full-time IT personnel. Like other business sector services, IT support can easily be outsourced. Contracting with remote IT services allows businesses to benefit from immediate IT services without the need for adding full-time staff. With remote services, you will not have to wait for IT staff to physically reach your office. Desktop sharing software can allow remote IT support to fix technical problems in real-time.

Infrastructure Management

One decade ago, cloud-based services were far less common. Now, business owners are expected to have some type of cloud-based network service. Advances in data storage, network security, and artificial intelligence need updates. These updates include both software and hardware. If your company does not have access to IT consultants, you may be missing access to professionals who can keep your digital infrastructure up to date.

IT Services Handle More Than You Might Think

While some may cling to the perception that IT professionals are there to swoop in to find lost passwords or fix crashed computers, the truth is quite different. The profession has grown to include email marketing, social media content management, and a wide range of tech-related services. If you are in the market for an IT company, ask if that company provides email marketing services like weekly newsletters. Many IT companies go several steps further by analyzing marketing campaigns. They then provide advice on how to better reach new clients. IT support can become one of the most cost-effective resources your company invests in.

Think IT Services Are Dispensable?

IT support should be an integral part of any business plan. The availability of remote IT support and IT consulting has made that option more affordable and effective than ever.

Our team of 15 full-time employees is here to help you reach your business and IT goals. We currently support 1,000 endpoints with locations throughout the nation. Our responsive team can provide solutions to all your information needs.

To learn more, contact our Bay Area office to schedule a meeting so we can assess your technology needs. We will then provide you with a proposal that explains all the benefits our team can bring to your business.