Maybe you run one of those businesses that never bothered with a website because you didn’t one. Then, the pandemic rolled around. You found yourself rushing to get online along with thousands of other small businesses.
With six months or a year of an online presence, you’ve likely realized that keeping track of your IT needs by yourself is an overwhelming task. It takes too much knowledge and time. So, what’s the solution?
Many business owners use a managed IT company. The company handles your IT heavy lifting, so you can focus on the business.
Not sure how to pick one? Keep reading for our quick guide to making the choice.
Security Management
IT security is top of mind for business owners. One look at all the breaches over the last few years proves how vulnerable businesses of all sizes are to cybercrime. If you want to start outsourcing IT, you want a company that offers cybersecurity services.
In fact, accessing cybersecurity services is one of the main benefits of managed IT services. Most small businesses just can’t afford a cybersecurity professional because of an ongoing shortage of them in the IT industry.
Good Customer Service
Good customer service means different things to different people, so this one can feel a little nebulous. Let’s break it down.
Good customer service in this context means that the company responds promptly to your calls or emails in advance of signing on with them. It also means that they answer all of your questions with detailed, specific information.
For example, maybe you already have a small IT department. Will the company work with them to shore up your weak spots?
Scalability
Regardless of your business’s current size, most business owners plan around growth or expansion at some point. That inevitably means additional burdens on your IT infrastructure and services. You want a managed IT services provider that has scalability built right into their business model.
That means they can meet your needs with a phone call or trip to their website. It also lets you avoid the hassle of switching providers.
Backups
Small businesses are, on the whole, terrible about backing up their data. Yet, it’s one of the most important things you can do to protect your business in the long term. Automated backups are a smart IT decision.
Look for a company that offers automated backups as an option or baked right into a service package.
Picking a Managed IT Company
The factors above are key considerations when picking a managed IT company. Any company that doesn’t have good customer service from the word go isn’t one you’ll want to deal with down the road.
Similarly, you don’t need the hassles of looking for other services to handle backups and cybersecurity. Any company that can’t deal with scaling is a short-term relationship at best.
Of course, you should also weigh factors like cost and experience.
Looking for more tips on managing your business? Check out the posts over in the Business Chat section.
