In this digital era, Information Technology (IT) has become the driving force behind every business, whether big or small. While having an IT network does allow you to grow and run your business efficiently, it also increases the risk of unplanned downtime and cyberattacks.
Whether the reason is a glitch in the system or a data breach, unplanned downtime can paralyze your business operations, resulting in devastating short and long-term consequences. The total cost of a data breach in 2019 averaged at $6.45 million.
Also, data breaches exposed 4.1 billion records in the first half of 2019, with the number of reported breaches going up by 54 percent, and the number of exposed records increasing by 52 percent compared to the midyear of 2018. If you want your business to continue functioning in this increasingly insecure cyber environment, you need to work with the best IT support company Detroit.
Here's how a managed IT service company can help you sleep better as a business owner.
1. Optimize your IT expenses
Most businesses, usually small and medium-sized companies, don't have the resources to maintain a full-fledged in-house IT team. However, when you work with a managed IT company, you can optimize your IT expenses. Here's how they can help you do it.
- Analyze and identify your genuine IT needs and set up your network accordingly. So, you invest only in the services that you need.
- Most Managed Service Providers or MSPs also have a pay-as-you-go service model, especially for cloud computing services. It allows you to manage your IT needs without wasting your hard-earned money.
- As the IT company already has the required tools and skilled professionals, you can reduce your operational and infrastructural costs substantially.
- Your IT partner will also help you plan your IT needs considering your future growth. Thus, you can plan for future network infrastructure expenses well in advance.
2. Reduce unplanned downtime significantly
Unplanned downtime can tear your productivity and efficiency into pieces, even if the server failure or system glitch lasts for just a few hours. According to a 2018 study, 82 percent of companies have experienced at least one unplanned downtime outage in the three years before the study.
The real cost of unplanned downtime includes employee downtime, damage to the brand’s reputation, the cost of application and hardware restoration, and loss of revenue and business opportunities. Your customers will also perceive the unplanned outage as your cybersecurity incompetence and may never want to return.
Although there is no way to avoid unplanned downtime, you do have the choice to mitigate the resulting losses. With the help of a managed IT partner, you can bring your IT network back online as quickly as possible.
For example, if your business or office is in Chicago, an experienced IT support company in Troy, Detroit, can help you identify and troubleshoot the cause of your unplanned downtime. They can help you replace the damaged hardware and software without further delay. Plus, a managed IT service partner will proactively maintain your network to prevent such disasters in the first place.
3. Get IT expertise
A managed IT company has experienced IT professionals on their payroll, who are responsible for maintaining and optimizing your tech needs. They can offer a better and broader range of knowledge and experience compared to a small in-house IT team.
But most importantly, the IT company has experience in dealing with a wide range of IT-related emergencies. Their staff is also required to refurbish their knowledge regularly, ensuring excellent performance even under pressure.
Your MSP can quickly swing into action as soon as you inform them of your issue. Quick response time is a critical factor in handling IT emergencies as a seemingly trivial issue can turn into a disaster rapidly. However, with an MSP, you have access to a contingent workforce that can swiftly respond, analyze, identify, and repair your tech issue.
They can also help you train your employees to ensure the use of IT best practices. This training often proves vital in preventing human errors that can lead to a data breach or system failure. Thus, they can help optimize your overall IT environment.
4. Ensure regulatory compliance
As new technologies continue to enter the market, governments across the world are setting stricter IT and data regulations. For example, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ensures the security and privacy of patient health information in the US. If you are a healthcare-related business, you need to ensure HIPAA compliance.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), on the other hand, protects the personal information of the citizens of the European Union. If your customers belong to this region, you will need to ensure GDPR compliance.
Furthermore, different companies and organizations also have IT regulations and guidelines of their own that need to be followed. As a business owner, you should be aware of the latest regulatory developments in your niche.
However, it isn't easy to keep track of the latest regulatory developments because it is time-consuming and requires a thorough understanding of IT. That's where your MSP can prove helpful. As it is a part of their profession, MSPs often keep track of the latest regulations and rules in IT and data handling. They can help you stay compliant.
5. Focus on what is vital for your business
When you don’t have to worry about unplanned downtime, data protection, daily IT challenges, or even long-term IT planning, you and your employees can focus on your core business responsibilities. It can also help increase your productivity and efficiency, which often translates into increased sales and better revenue growth.
At the same time, your in-house IT team gets enough time to get those important IT projects going that have been kept on hold. Furthermore, they can ask your MSP for expert insights and guidelines, as and when required. In the long term, a managed IT company can help you streamline your overall business processes by eliminating ambiguity and resource-shortage.
Dave Goodenough, Founder, InsideOut Networking