As a business owner, it’s up to you to figure out when it is time to seek IT services. One of the best ways to do this is to assess your current level of IT operational maturity.
Are you unsure? If so, you need to consider the state of your business right now. Some factors to consider include:
How Many Employees Do You Have?
Not all businesses need to outsource IT services. For example, if you are a solopreneur, you probably don’t need the services of a full-on IT service provider. This doesn’t make sense.
However, if your company has grown and you now have 10 to 20 (or more) employees, it’s time to think about enlisting the services of a professional service provider. At this point, factors such as improperly trained employees, poorly performing systems, one or two “expert users” being distracted from their real jobs by trying to be ad-hoc IT support or security issues like phishing scams through email can seriously compromise and cripple your business.
Have You Been “Getting By” for Several Years with No Professional IT Intervention?
Regardless of whether you are a Kansas City web designer, restaurant or manufacturer, think about how long you have been open and operating. Have you provided your products or services for years – or decades – to customers (this applies to B2B and B2C companies) without issue? Have you never given a second thought to IT or network security? If not, chances are IT services and solutions aren’t hypercritical to your operations.
For example, when is the last time you updated your computer system? Was it before the iPhone? Had Ronald Regan just finished his second term? If this is the case, making the argument to enlist (and pay for) the services of an IT company is going to be an uphill battle – you obviously feel you are getting by fine without these services.
However, for businesses that rely on a network, computer system, or any type of connected function, IT solutions are no longer optional. If you have not implemented professional services, you are essentially “rolling the dice” each day. It’s only a matter of time before a serious breach or issue with your network occurs. When this happens, the downtime it causes to your business may be devastating – there are thousands of companies that never recover from their first disaster caused by a seemingly small network issue.
With an IT service provider, you have a “safety net.” You have a group of professionals looking out for your best interests, along with the security of your network at all times. If your staff needs help, they get it. If a breach or risk is detected, these professionals take action. They also apply proactive measures to ensure your business network remains safe and that you achieve maximum levels of uptime for superior productivity and efficiency.
Can You Afford IT Services in Kansas City?
For many business owners, this is one of the main factors that prevent them from “pulling the trigger” and implementing IT services. However, the cost of these solutions is just a fraction of the cost of your current lost productivity and what a security breach would cost your business.
When considering IT services, you have two basic options. You can hire a person or team to provide these services in-house, or you can find and hire a third-party, outsourced IT services and solution provider.
While hiring someone in-house may seem like the better option, it is also the more expensive option and comes with several other disadvantages. For example:
- The necessity to pay someone full time with salary, benefits, vacation, insurance, etc. when you really only need a part-time resource
- In-house people won’t be available 24/7 leaving your network vulnerable when they are sick or on vacation
- Onboarding, training, and integration time and costs along with management of the employee or employees
By hiring a third party, IT service provider, you have a team of industry professionals who are ready to go. They can begin implementing solutions for your company immediately, ensuring you have superior levels of protection. While the costs of these services vary by provider, most will either charge based on the services you use or a flat monthly rate. This can save you a lot of money while providing 24/7 IT services and solutions.
Where Do You Want Your Technology Road Map to Lead?
Don’t move forward without carefully considering this question. You must figure out what your goals are. By doing this, you can easily determine if it is time to seek IT services and solutions for your business.
If you are ready to seek IT services for your Kansas City business, The Purple Guys can help! Call and set up an appointment for us to come in. Together, we can access your situation and talk about your needs.