Being a small business owner is tough and sometimes you have to wear many hats. If you are a small business owner lucky enough to have some employees, they likely spend time on many tasks outside of what you hired them for but have become essential. Although multi-talented multi-tasking employees could rocket your company to success, it isn’t practical to rely solely on staffing decisions for all critical business tasks. IT is one of the most important aspects of running any sized business but with technology changing so quickly it is hard to keep up while also focusing on marketing, sales, operations and more.
The infographic below shows some powerful information about how small businesses are using IT services. A huge majority of small businesses are utilizing in-house resources for IT support which means this 78% is missing out on cost saving benefits of out-sourced IT technology and services. These in-house resources can get stretched thin and also have a hard time staying on top of new technology. While 52% of small businesses cited their reason for outsourcing IT as cost-effectiveness, having access to better resources was also a large factor in the decision.
IT support is critical for a small business to have a competitive advantage and outsourcing is a great way to ensure you optimal support. Test your in-house IT abilities by asking yourself a few questions:
- How much time are IT staff spending on non-IT activities?
- When have we looked into new technologies for productivity?
- Are we using any of the new cloud technologies?
- What advantages do our competitors have in the IT field?
Previously we covered why your business needs a managed service provider, here is a recap:
MSP’s are a cost effective way to run your business by providing the capabilities of an internal IT department without large initial capital costs and staffing fees. With an MSP you have the benefits of reliable equipment, 24/7 support, updates and security, and more. When making your choice for an MSP it is important to look at certifications, equipment that is used, as well as support provided. While doing your research, keep the following questions in mind.
Do they offer proactive monitoring of critical network devices and components?
Constant monitoring of your critical IT infrastructure is important to avoid costly downtime of both your voice and data systems. The provider should offer around the clock support and alerting of critical issues and security problems. It is best to combine both voice and data to provide comprehensive coverage.
Does the MSP provide reporting and communication?
Along with the constant network monitoring, your MSP should provide email and phone access to you for support and questions regarding your system. Scheduled status information should also be shared such as a monthly email report detailing the overall health of your network. Detailed tracking of help desk issues are also important activities for you MSP to offer.
Is remote management available?
After the initial setup period, your MSP should be able to manage and maintain your network remotely during normal operation. Giving remote assistance as well as providing patch updates and network administration duties can be done outside of your office. Services in some cases may include an on-site visit as part of a contract which is a nice feature to have for those concerned with remote management.
Spaulding Hill Networks provides quality MSP services to businesses from small to large, learn more here.
Image: xedos4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
If any of the following describe your business or organization then adding managed IT services should be a goal for 2012.
- Trouble Staying up-to-date with new technology and IT skills
- Trouble maintaining and managing hardware and software
- Reducing overhead costs and remaining competitive
- Increasing services and/or expanding new markets
- Move focus from support elements to core business
- Concerned with protecting against security and privacy threats
How managed services will help you in 2012
Quality Networks
In this increasingly global economy where rivals are competing 24/7 a quality communication network can make or break any business. Having the best technology available to your employees will enable them to reach their highest potential. Remember having a quality network is nothing without the means to secure, update, and maintain it.
Freedom To Do What You Do Best
Managed services let you focus on what you do best and leave technology to the professionals. Running a business has many challenges but IT doesn’t have to be one of them, using managed services will allow you to focus on your strengths and reaching your clients with less worry. When you partner with a company that has a passion for IT and stays current in their field, you can’t lose.
Cost Effective
Utilizing managed data/voice services benefits you by avoiding initial capital costs, maintenance fees, staffing, and more. You have the advantage of support from qualified and trained staff with the latest technology at a fraction of the in-house costs. With a predictable fixed cost, managed services will put your mind and budget at ease.
The beginning of the year is the perfect time to asses your business and find areas to be more efficient and save money. Continual care of your communications equipment and networks will likely cost less and increase productivity rather than waiting for something to break. Make it a goal this year to reduce your technology worries and see if managed services are right by getting a free assessment.
Learn about the managed services Spaulding Hill Networks offers here.
Read more about the benefits of managed services here.
In case your computer ends up being victimized by Malware or any mechanical, human or natural disaster, a Disaster Recovery Plan will have you back up and running saving you valuable time and money.
What is a Disaster Recovery Plan? It is a plan that outlines the steps required to recover data in the event of a catastrophe happening to your IT infrastructure. Is a disaster plan right for your small business? Every company should have some form of disaster recovery plan in place. Anytime data is critically lost it means a loss of both time and money for your business. Your technology infrastructure holds vital information for your company pertaining to vendors, customers and employees. While you might not need an elaborate recovery plan, all companies should have some type of plan in place. Here are some ideas to help get you started.
Start by assessing your risks. Disasters can happen from theft, malfunctions, fire, employee neglect, weather related issues and a plethora of other reasons. View the likelihood of the threats you’ve identified and start to build a plan based off of your risks.
Make sure your plan is well documented. Outline procedures and steps to take in case of a disaster. Keep important details such as location of back up discs, numbers for your information technology vendors and important passwords in your document. Familiarize key staff and/or your outside IT service providers with this document in case you are away so the recovery process begins as soon as possible. Review your plan on a quarterly basis to keep your staff and/or IT service provider up to date on your policies and procedures.
Always have a back up! Back ups are essential for your piece of mind. The more redundancy you have in your system, the less likely you are to have failure.
Copy your data to tapes and store it at a secondary location to protect it from physical damage or loss. Just think, if a fire burned down your business not only do you lose your computer and all of its data but your back up tapes as well. How often should you back up? This depends on the information getting stored into your system. Think about its value to your company – if the information is important to your business and the cost to replace the information is high, back it up. Also check to make sure your back ups are working and have been copied properly. Regularly test your back up and replace your tapes every 6 months.
Whether it is a small interruption or something that can shut your business down for days, a Disaster Recovery Plan is essential. Make sure you assess your risks, make policies and procedures and create back up files. Don’t wait until it is too late; create a disaster recovery plan today.
Your network infrastructure is a critical part of your company’s success. When it comes to handling IT you have a choice-wait till something cripples your system and then call in a professional to try fixing the problem-or take a preventative IT solution by daily monitoring via Managed Services and stop most problems before they start.
Break-fix monitoring is pretty much what its name implies-waiting for your technology to break and then fixing it. This option seems a cheaper route to go, especially if your business requires minimal network support. The only problem is when something breaks you end up suffering from network downtown while waiting for someone to come to fix it. A response time for a break fix customer tends to be slower than a managed service customer. Factor in any employee who relies on the network for phone or computer support and the money loss ads up quickly.
Managed Services is a proactive approach of handling your network. How Managed Services works is you have a monthly fee that would include any proactive monitoring, service calls, software upgrades and help desk support. A nice feature about managed services providers is the predictability of a fixed fee every month and reduced risk of network downtime, which equals more productivity for your business. An added bonus is Managed Services customers are always a priority-a necessity in the event of an emergency IT situation.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both models. IT problems are bound to happen-it is up to you to decide which option will maximize your profitability.
As your business grows, so does your need for a steady, affordable and efficient IT infrastructure. One of the most important assets for most businesses is its Information Technology systems and security of confidential data. Managed Services is a service provided by Spaulding Hill Networks that transfers daily IT duties and responsibilities from your business to ours. We work for you to reduce the risk of system failures and the threat of lost or stolen data. We also provide the delivery and proactive management of network-based services, applications, and equipment to enterprises, residences, or other service providers so you can focus on growing your business and serving your customers.
Why would you want to use Managed Service Provider? There are many benefits for using Spaulding Hill Networks for as your solutions provider for computer, telephone, server and network related issues including:
- Reduced cost of IT services. We provide your service on a FIXED fee
- With a fixed fee system fee you have a stabile IT budget
- Increased level of support without increased staff
- Experienced IT staff proactively monitoring your network infrastructure
- With less focus on your IT issues you can have more time to focus on your business needs
- Increased Staff Productivity with automated processes and proactive observations on your network systems
- Reduced Data loss with our continuous back up server
In an increasingly competitive environment, extended IT downtime or the loss of valuable corporate data can equal loss of profit for your company, don’t let this happen-Spaulding Hill Networks can help. Spaulding Hill Provides 2 packages for Managed Services:
SafetyNet
Our SafetyNet plan ensures your voice and network infrastructure integrity.
- 24 x 7 Proactive Monitoring.
- Proactive System Upgrades
- Unlimited Help Desk Support
- Unlimited Remote Assistance
SafetyNet Plus
Our SafetyNet Plus plan extends the power of our SafetyNet progam down to your servers and desktop system.
- 24 x 7 Proactive Monitoring
- Proactive System Patches
- Unlimited Help Desk Support
- Unlimited Remote Assistance
By taking advantage of our Managed Services you are able to have bundled data and voice services that are monitored by our qualified and highly trained staff. Along with being able to supply IT services for your all network needs so you can focus on your business, we can also provide you with equipment for all your IT needs-from name brand computers and laptops such as Dell, HP and IBM; Cisco, NEC, and Allworx phones; peripherals, and much more.
If you would like to find out more about our managed services click here and/or call us at 1-866-441-7469.
The growth of a company can lead to many rewards and challenges for a business owner. A primary challenge that will be faced is IT solutions, whether to utilize break fix systems or managed services. When it comes to the optimum return on investment the answer is simple, managed services. Why wait for something to break to have it fixed, why not have affordable support that is preventing downtime and service requests by alleviating the problem the first time and concentrating on proactively monitoring company networks.
Managed Services, is a service provided by a network company that transfers daily IT management responsibility from the customer as a method to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of operations while saving money. The cost cutting benefits of migrating to a Management Service include:
• 24-7 support and proactively monitoring
• One contact for all network issues
• One vendor for supplies as opposed to multiple vendors
• Lower Total Cost Ownership for clients
• Predictability of monthly expenses due to a fixed cost system
• Fewer technological problems which means all together savings for a business.
Since 1999, Spaulding Hill Network has been a provider of innovative and cost effective technology solutions. We provide experienced and qualified staff with superior service plans to fit business needs including:
SafetyNet
Our SafetyNet plan ensures your voice and network infrastructure integrity.
• 24 x 7 Proactive Monitoring.
• Proactive System Upgrades
• Unlimited Help Desk Support
• Unlimited Remote Assistance
SafetyNet Plus
Our SafetyNet Plus plan extends the power of our SafetyNet progam down to your servers and desktop system.
• 24 x 7 Proactive Monitoring.
• Proactive System Patches
• Unlimited Help Desk Support
• Unlimited Remote Assistance
To find out more about how managing services is a smart decision for your company give Spaulding Hill Networks a call at 603-689-0111 or click here for a FREE Assessment.
