All organizations face IT problems of some kind. However, when these problems develop into chronic issues, business can suffer significantly. Many small to medium-sized businesses feel that they cannot invest in high-level IT management and, as a result, simply endure these constant impediments to productivity. At a certain point, though, enough is enough. Ineffective IT management actually leads to greater overall business costs. Poor IT negatively affects every aspect of business, interrupting daily processes and limiting overall growth. IT managed services can offer big-business solutions for budgets of all sizes. Managed service providers proactively monitor and manage an organization’s entire IT infrastructure on a daily basis. So how do you know when to make the switch? The following are 5 signs that you should re-evaluate your current IT system and upgrade to managed services.
You face continuous IT issues.
Dealing with continuous IT issues over a long period of time is simply not sustainable. Security breaches, network crashes, malfunctioning software and hardware. These problems are incredibly expensive and detrimental to business operations, and their costs only increase as time goes on. If you find yourself dealing with serious IT issues on a regular basis, it’s time to consider partnering with a managed services provider.
You have no dedicated IT management team.
Many small to medium-sized businesses go without a dedicated IT management team or staff member. Instead, the most “tech-savvy” employees are responsible for IT needs. Even outside IT consultants can prove inconsistent and unreliable in their service. Undedicated IT management staffs can be easily overwhelmed by changing technology, security updates and growing IT infrastructures. This tends to exacerbate existing problems and can lead to future disasters. Rather than stretching an inadequate IT staff thin, consider engaging a managed services team dedicated entirely to managing your IT infrastructure.
Your IT management feels more and more reactive.
Reactive (rather than proactive) IT management goes hand in hand with an inadequate IT team. Does your IT management team react moment-to-moment, dealing with overwhelming issues as they arise? Does it feel like you cannot get ahead of your IT problems? Do you wish you could plan proactively for business and IT growth? A managed services provider offers proactive problem-solving as well as strategic planning for the future. If you’d like an IT management team that can keep up, consider making the switch.
You have no real IT budget.
Many organizations budget for predictable IT expenditures but fail to account for unpredictable expenses. Dealing with outdated operating systems, crashed servers and infected computers can unexpectedly send your budget off the rails. Managed service providers take care of all your IT needs, both expected and unexpected, for an agreed upon, stable monthly cost. Choose IT managed services to avoid unwelcome budgetary surprises.
You have no IT strategy.
As a business owner, you have a strategy in place for the overall growth of your business. However, without the appropriate expertise, you cannot also be expected to develop an IT strategy. You cannot realistically keep abreast of all the latest tech and security upgrades and innovations. A managed services provider has that necessary experience and expertise to create an informed IT strategy for the future. IT managed services allows you to put a strategic plan in place.
If you are committed to growing your business, you need an IT infrastructure that can support that growth. IT managed services can eliminate chronic IT issues and help organizations aggressively pursue growth. If these 5 points seem representative of your current IT management, you should consider upgrading to an IT managed services provider. AIS would be happy to discuss our managed services with you. Contact us today.