10 Types of Business IT Support Services You Should Invest in Now
Running a business isn’t easy – especially in today’s business climate. Hyper competitive markets are combined with increasing security costs to leave business owners with razor-thin profit margins. On top of that, the pace of technology evolution and business transformation is so rapid that even missing out on one opportunity can leave you at a severe disadvantage to competitors. Because of these various business pressures, many owners and members of management are looking for innovative ways to leverage efficiencies and decrease costs.
Working with a managed IT service provider can reduce costs and provide you with the technology to continue evolving and growing your company. One huge opportunity is by outsourcing some business IT support services. Here are ten types of business IT support services you should consider if you haven’t already.
- Technology Consulting: The right technologies can transform the way you do business. But often, selecting the most compatible technologies takes more knowledge than business owners have. IT can take weeks of speaking with and coordinating with vendors to understand what is available, whereas experts can quickly identify the best options.
- Security Consulting: Even if you have identified adequate security measures in the past, the threats constantly evolve, and new ones emerge. A consultation with an IT security expert can help you understand how to best keep your computers, networks, software, data, and information systems safe from cyber attacks. In addition, they can recommend the proper firewalls, network security systems, antivirus software, and company-wide best practices to beef up your current security.
- Network Architecture: With the massive changes to the workforce and the rise of remote working experienced in recent years, networks look a lot different from those in the past. A different configuration also requires different security needs. Working with an IT professional can help you to understand how to configure all components in a way that meets your company’s needs and remains secure.
- Maintenance: Staying on top of security often requires a ton of effort installing patches and downloading updates. Expert consultation can help you identify which hardware pieces are ready to be updated. And proper maintenance throughout their lifetime can extend the life of your equipment, saving your business money over the long run.
- Database & Analytics Management: Many businesses rely on sophisticated analytical data to help make informed business decisions. But understanding how to implement these databases into existing systems can be incredibly complex. Working with a managed IT provider can help make this process seamless and ensure your data is easy to access in a way that enhances your operations.
- Cloud-Based Services: Many companies currently use the cloud for at least some of their operations. But the bottom line is that cloud-based services can provide a wide variety of configurations and platforms at a better price point. These solutions use economies of scale to deliver a product that few small or medium-sized businesses could afford as a stand-alone purchase. They offer increased flexibility, real-time access at all times of the day, reduced operating costs, and the ability to scale to meet the needs of your business.
- Automation: As AI applications become more advanced, there is often room for process or workflow automation, which completes some of the simple tasks that eat up many hours in our day. Once these tasks have been automated, it frees up staff time to grow the business and deliver a better product or service. Automation can take many forms, from production tasks to essential customer support through chatbots or virtual customer agents.
- Data Migration: If you are looking to move data to the cloud or another server, the process can be a lot more complex than you realize. And if it is not done right by choreographing the steps across all impacted systems, it can be a disaster that results in the inability to access data until it has been corrected. Expert consultations can ensure you don’t miss a single step and data migration occurs smoothly.
- User Training: One of the most significant security weaknesses is employees inadvertently giving access to cybercriminals. It’s one of the best defenses you can have today! Business IT support services can develop and deliver training materials customized to your environment.
- Security Audits: Since security continues to evolve, it’s necessary to assess your security deficiencies periodically. Business IT support services can conduct a thorough IT assessment to identify weaknesses in your security measures and identify ways to enhance current security.
This list of IT support services includes many aspects of services that companies most desire. However, it is by no means comprehensive. To learn more about the full benefits of IT support solutions, contact Sagacent Technologies today.
Sagacent Technologies offers technology management and support, including proactive/preventative maintenance, onsite and offsite data back-ups, network and security audits, mobility solutions, disaster planning, and emergency business resumption services. The company serves clients of 10 to 150 employees within the Silicon Valley region.