The Most Common Small Business IT Frustrations

Technology that works is at the heart of every business venture.  

Over the last few decades, the business landscape has changed because many businesses rely on technology for their daily operations. If harnessed properly, technology can increase operational excellence, efficiency, and profits. 

On the flip side, IT frustrations can derail business growth, cut profits, and threaten business survival. Businesses can adopt IT services in three ways; 

• Outsource 
• Hire a team of in-house IT experts. 
• Co-managed IT  (A combination of in-house and outsourced IT management.)

Outsourcing IT is not ideal for every organization, but it's an excellent choice for small to medium-sized businesses faced with the following frustrations.

Inability to Mitigate Risks

These risks could include external or internal factors that derail a business's operations, including competition, human error, legal regulations, compliance, disaster and recovery plans, and ever-changing technologies. 

Small businesses may not have the financial muscle to shoulder the cost of these risks. They will often find that the best and most affordable solution is to outsource to a company with the knowledge and experience to mitigate risks. 

Outsourcing IT services is an ideal option for a business venture operating on a budget with fewer FTEs. Outsourcing plays a significant role in converting variable costs associated with IT into fixed costs creating room for effective budgeting.  

Even the right equipment requires proper installation, setup, and maintenance for optimum operation. Hiring an IT service can help remedy the problem of poor technology choices or incorrect installation. An IT Service provider will, in most cases, start with an audit of the network and business needs before the implementation. 

Uncertainties in the Choice of IT Systems

Most small businesses are uncertain if they have suitable IT systems and procedures for their operations. Such companies might not even know what data should be stored in the cloud or backed up and how to provide access privileges to employees at different levels to improve security.

Engaging a professional IT service provider can help companies make the best IT choices for their particular operational and security needs.

Implementation Problems

Qualified IT support companies have the capacity and the capability to install IT systems swiftly because they have the necessary experience and resources.

A small business might not be able to handle a similar IT project and might take a long time to acquire the right people for the task and be obligated to keep them on the payroll, which brings various long-term overhead costs. In such cases, the services of a qualified IT company that brings years of experience can help save the day.

Compliance and Security

Businesses of all sizes are subject to the dangerous world of cyber criminals. 

As such, there is a need to implement adequate technical controls to safeguard the company assets and data from access by unauthorized parties.  

In addition, a business must comply with regulations and contractual agreements with third parties, such as government policies, security protocols, industry compliance standards such as SOC, and client contractual terms.  

Failure to adhere to compliance and cybersecurity measures can lead to critical business losses. For example, suppose customer data is lost or accessed by cybercriminals. In that case, the company might suffer from monetary losses due to lawsuits, loss of customer trust, loss of customers, and reputational damage. 

A small business might lack the capacity to adhere to all government compliance and security regulations. Engaging a trustworthy IT provider with access to high-level tools, knowledge, and experience in the space can help ease the burden. 

Moreover, outsourcing IT services ensures that the IT systems the business uses have up-to-date firewall technology, cybersecurity awareness training, secure email, private cloud, Back-up Disaster and Recovery, and other security mechanisms. An experienced IT Service provider will thoroughly audit workstations, servers, and all internet applications to ensure that exemplary security standards are implemented and maintained.  

More about CO-Managed IT Management

In-house technology teams (often a one-person show) are required to understand new IT initiatives, deploy them at scale, manage security, and ensure they deliver ROI — all while working through an ever-growing list of day-to-day tasks and helpdesk issues. Our Columbus based co-managed IT services team partners with small to medium-sized business IT departments to lighten the burden and increase productivity. We don't replace your IT team, but we do give them a boost with expertise, strategy, high-level tools, support personnel, security fundamentals, and other resources.

Blueteam Networks partners with your in-house IT to provide access to the latest security tools and cloud resources, along with our backup and disaster recovery programs for Columbus area businesses, so your in-house IT has everything you need to be successful. Learn more about CO-Managed IT here. 

Wrapping Up

Outsourcing your Columbus, Ohio Small Business's IT to a reliable IT service provider complements and supplements business operations if harnessed correctly. Feel free to reach out for a no-pressure free consultation for your organization.