Finding managed IT services for small business operations can often leave you juggling vendors or only getting temporary, reactive services that don’t fix the deeper issue. Many businesses don’t even realize how much a reactive service that’s constantly monitoring their systems can contribute to their growth.
According to a report from the US Chamber of Commerce, around 99% of small businesses use some form of technology, with an average of 58% using around four or more tech tools. Around three in four small businesses say they couldn’t survive without them.
The idea that a business can be too small to face an attack is a myth. According to the Office of Advocacy, small businesses make up around 43.5% of the GDP. That alone makes them valuable targets. The data they hold makes having the right managed IT services to ensure security a non-negotiable.
The Problem Most Businesses Don’t Realize
One of the most common problems with most forms of managed IT services for small business operations is that they’re proactive, not reactive. They respond to issues when they happen, but they don’t perform monitoring and maintenance.
Examples of reactive services may include:
- Emergency troubleshooting
- Short-term patches
- One-time fixes with no follow-up
- Help desk services for problems with fast but temporary fixes
While these services can be helpful in the event of an emergency, many businesses don’t realize the harm that relying solely on reactive services does to them. It has unpredictable costs that can hurt their bottom line.
Failure to monitor systems leaves hidden risks behind that can become serious later and lead to repeated repairs. They can also cause frequent downtime that reduces productivity and erodes customer trust. They can even cause security compliance issues.
Most current options for managed IT support for small business operations don’t look into the future at all. They don’t offer any strategy for improvement. They also don’t take accountability for mistakes or let you know where the issues are coming from. This keeps you from knowing how to fix them in the future.
Signs Your IT Provider is Holding You Back
There are several signs to look for that indicate your business has outgrown its IT support setup.
Speed is one of the most important factors. Are you dealing with slow systems, and are you getting slow responses from your provider?
Think about the type of support your provider offers. Do they only call when a system breaks? Is their security structure and long-term plan unclear? Have they explained how they’ll help you maintain compliance?
Think about how many vendors you have to use. Has navigating them all become a confusing mess?
What about scaling? Have they told you how they’ll help you expand your systems as your business grows? If not, they’re definitely holding your business back.
Why This Happens
Providers often focus on tickets, not outcomes. They only think about how often security issues happen. They don’t measure important indicators such as:
- System reliability
- User productivity
- Long-term stability
This can lead to band-aid solutions to your support issues. They provide temporary patches but not long-term fixes. There’s no cybersecurity depth.
They’re also unwilling to provide any ownership mode. The lack of accountability can make it difficult to provide long-term fixes.
What Growing Businesses Actually Need
Growing businesses need one accountable partner. They need to be able to provide strategic guidance and help establish a clear cybersecurity partner.
Businesses also need proactive security measures instead of just reactive ones. Examples of proactive measures include:
- Patch management
- Security updates
- Vulnerability management
- Lifecycle planning for old equipment
These are cost-effective IT solutions because they provide a clear cost structure and prevent issues down the line. They’ll prevent business disruption and build a better security environment. That will make it easier to scale your business later because you’ll already have the framework in place.
How to Evaluate an IT Partner
The benefits of managed IT services go beyond expertise. They also improve security and provide faster responses. They also keep overall costs down.
When you’re choosing an IT partner, consider location, even for outsourced IT services. A local provider will be more familiar with the laws in your area, which will help with compliance. You’ll also get faster responses.
There are also important questions you should ask them.
Do they own the outcomes of their services, whether positive or negative? Accountability keeps everyone on the same page.
Can they explain risks simply to everyone? Cybersecurity starts with your team. According to the World Economic Forum, around 97% of cyberattacks begin with human error. Around 28% of attacks can be prevented when employees follow cybersecurity guidelines.
If they understand what to do and what not to, you’ll have a much more secure system. That security can be passed on to your customers. When they know their data is more secure, they’ll trust your business more and be more likely to make repeat purchases.
Do they meet your compliance needs? Most businesses have to concern themselves with Texas SB 2601 compliance. It’s one of the most widespread cybersecurity laws and applies statewide.
However, other businesses may need to know about different frameworks. Any healthcare business must follow HIPAA regulations. Find a provider who understands them all to avoid noncompliance penalties.
Can the provider help you plan ahead for scalability? Small business technology management needs to give you room for growth as much as enterprise solutions do. Find a provider who can map out how your systems will adapt.
The Shift from Vendor to Strategic Partner
Having a variety of ineffective IT vendors can be frustrating. What you need is a single solution that can tie it all together.
TruePoint Systems provides all the services you need, including:
- Managed IT services for small business operations
- Cybersecurity
- Strategic technology advisory
- Business communications
You won’t have to wait for a breach or outage to hear from us. We want to be your strategic partner. We’ll help your business grow and scale your technology along with it.
Get a free assessment to see what we can do for you today.
