Let’s face it: in today’s business environment, the management of your information technology is paramount to your business’ operation.
No matter what industry you are in, you should be constantly evaluating the best use of your technology and whether your processes are the most efficient, effective, and secure. If you are not an IT expert, keeping up with the day-to-day IT operations of your business can be difficult. Technology requires a certain expertise with a considerable time investment that you may not be able to handle alone.
Here are 5 reasons why it is time you work with a Third-Party IT Provider:
Your Technology Is Not Getting the Attention it Needs
Your technology needs constant attention 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, just like your business. Threats are constant, technology is ever-changing, updates are needed. and without dedicated resources, it’s easy for your technology and network to fall behind – opening it up to vulnerabilities and potential data breaches. This level of attention can be difficult to staff.
Partnering with an IT services provider gives your team access to tech support 24/7 (even on holidays!). Additionally, your systems will be monitored around the clocks, meaning there are no gaps in network protection and limited to no downtime. You can also limit downtime, as often system maintenance happens after hours so your team is not affected and if a technological issue arises, it can be identified and resolved proactively. In fact, a good IT provider will be available to offer you support from a technical specialist at any hour of any day.
Your Business Handles Sensitive Information
All business data should be considered sensitive information.
Regardless of your industry you likely hold data that is sensitive in nature including financial information, personal details, or medical records. Even just your staff’s personal information needs to be protected. Or maybe you have compliance requirements that you need to address in order to maintain business operations or fulfill contract obligations. With threats becoming increasingly sophisticated and creative, traditional technologies are no longer enough to protect your business from a data breach. If considering partnering with an IT provider, make sure they have a security-first mindset. This way your business will be able to operate knowing you’re protected by an IT provider that values security as much as you do.
While most IT providers will help you monitor threats it is important to know that not all IT providers treat security the same. Not sure how secure your Managed Service Provider is or what questions to ask to evaluate potential IT providers and partners? Check out these important questions to help guide your conversation and ensure they are putting their security, and ultimately your security, first.
Your IT Team Needs Support
Even if you have a strong in-house IT team, a Managed Service Provider (MSP) can work with you as an extension to provide valuable benefits to your business. Today, business leaders are facing more competitive markets, higher technology expectations from customers and employees, and more robust security risks.
Most small to medium-sized companies do not have the resources available to hire highly specialized IT staff. Especially today with such a competitive job market. Indeed, suggests that the onboarding process for a new employee should be at minimum 90 days (about 3 months) with time for mentoring, team-building exercises, and additional training. With average turnover going up and the great resignation, the additional time it takes to train employees is going up drastically. Not only that, but with new employees comes additional demands for your IT team to take on such as new user creations or disabling exiting employee privileges. And it doesn’t stop there.
With increasingly more zero-day vulnerabilities being recognized IT teams are constantly having to find fixes and apply patches to company servers to ensure the company is safe. Keeping up with the daily IT operations can distract you and your team from focusing on your business. An IT service provider can keep your business from strain due to high demand. They’re uniquely positioned to provide the additional support your team needs while being a seamless partner to your business.
Your IT Budget is Becoming Unpredictable
If you find that your IT costs vary widely each month, it may be time to shift to an IT service provider. A good IT provider will partner with you as you grow and will look at your current technology landscape and map out what steps you need to take to achieve your business goals in the future while ensuring the plan can fit within your fiscal obligations and prepare you for bigger ticket projects when the time comes. At Convergence Networks we work with you to identify a predictable monthly cost that can be budgeted with no surprises.
Your IT Department Can’t Keep Up and is Falling Behind
The IT world consists of constant change in hardware and software. To keep up, the IT industry employs the most in-demand set of specialized skills in the corporate world. It can be difficult to keep your company ahead of the curve. With an IT service provider managing your technological needs, you will achieve more efficient operations and keep up with the ever-changing technology landscape.
Choosing the right IT partner can help you reach your business objectives in the future. The ideal IT team will ensure you receive value by addressing your immediate needs, providing you with reliable support, proactive planning, all while keeping security top of mind, ultimately ensuring your goals are met in a fiscally responsible way.
At Convergence Networks, our goal is to ensure your staff is productive, that technology is used as a driving force for your business, and the burden of IT support is lifted. We support your team by monitoring and managing your technology so you and your team can focus on doing what you do best.
Ready to Partner with a Third-Party IT Provider?
If you are ready to explore your options and schedule a technology needs review, contact us. We would be happy to walk you through our process to determine what a partnership with Convergence Networks could be like.
About Convergence Networks
Convergence Networks is an industry-leading managed IT and cybersecurity service provider in North America with offices in Portland, OR, Ottawa, ON, and Lansing, MI. With over 20 years of success, it is focused on attracting talented and passionate people who work with their SMB clients as strategic partners to drive results. They offer a full spectrum of solutions covering strategic planning, end-user support, cloud, cybersecurity, hardware, and project-based services. For more information, visit https://convergencenetworks.com/.
