Hiring an IT solutions company has become standard for SMBs that need specialized IT services. Thanks to advancements in virtualization and automation, partnering with an IT solutions company is typically more cost effective than hiring an in-house IT department. It’s also more reliable than hiring a temporary IT person for one-time fixes.
But managed IT services companies aren’t one size fits all. As your SMB grows, your IT support needs to grow with it.
Sticking with a managed services provider that doesn’t fit your needs could lead to a drop in your business’s productivity level and affect your bottom-line.
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Here are 5 signs you’ve outgrown your relationship with your managed IT service provider:
1. Your IT solutions provider only fixes broken problems
Great small business IT and computer support should be a partnership that improves day-to-day business. A managed IT services partner proves their commitment to your SMB’s growth by recommending technology solutions that help you reach your goals. For example, they might recommend:
- A new cloud email provider
- Better ways to access your data remotely
- Third-party vendors that will help you achieve your goals
An IT solutions provider that doesn’t offer proactive approaches to technology or only seems to be fixing broken things will drag your company down. Ad-hoc fixes make it easy to lose sight of your big picture goals. They also rack up your service bill instead of helping you control IT costs.
2. Your small business IT support puts off technology updates
Hardware and software updates are being released with more frequency than ever. These updates fix bugs and patch holes in security. When your computer or software is outdated, security holes open that put your business at risk. Updating your devices ensures your company is protected against cyber threats.
If your managed IT solutions provider stands idle or falls behind on upgrades, your SMB is at risk to be harmed by malicious threats that fall through the security gaps.
3. Slow technology reduces employee productivity
It’s estimated we waste 156 hours per year dealing with slow technology. Your employees shouldn’t feel the need to roll their eyes because business technology makes it difficult to print a report, update notes in a collaborative tool, or open multiple programs at once. Keeping technology up to date will ensure employees have:
- More useful tools
- Shorter boot up time
- Less processing lag time
- Less time dealing with viruses
Your employees will feel more productive if they have easy access to Internet applications, email, and mobile devices. Your IT solutions provider can help your business be more productive by making sure employees have the technology and systems they need to succeed.
4. You can’t remember your last cyber security checkup
SMBs are prime targets for cyber criminals. However, many SMBs don’t invest in the proper security to prevent against cyber attacks because most believe they’re too small to be targeted.
A managed IT provider should educate their clients on the security risks and measures to detect threats before they need to be fended off. A dependable IT provider will check weak points in your security plan and schedule checkups regularly. Routine checkups might include:
- Monitoring anti-virus and malware updates
- Running checks against email filters and firewall
- Password security testing
- Penetration testing
Ignoring these safety checks opens your business to risk. Managed services providers should have a documented policy for security checks and offer responsive service to all emergency support tickets.
5. Your IT solutions company feels like a stranger
Seeing familiar faces come into the office to provide computer support is a good sign of a quality IT solutions provider. An established IT team helps technology resolutions happen quickly. When the same team of IT experts comes into your office time after time, they will understand your IT challenges, know your systems, and become part of your team.
On the other hand, if a different technician comes into your office each time, you have to start from scratch. These techs need to learn the cloud applications you use, the security rules set in your firewall, and the goals of your business every single time.
Not having a familiar team of IT experts slows things down and affects the quality of your technology solutions.
Bad IT support hurts the bottom-line
IT support issues such as frequent downtime, sluggish technology, and increased cyber threats cause employee productivity and customer satisfaction to drop. When employees struggle with technology, it takes their time away from providing excellent customer service.
Companies can’t afford to let a worn out relationship with their MSP affect their customers; in 2014, US businesses lost nearly 41 billion alone due to poor customer service.
Partnering with a quality managed IT support company can make a positive impact on your bottom line. When you spend less time struggling with technology, your time is free to invest in the parts of business that you enjoy.
