The past three years of working from home and hybrid home/office arrangements have made IT management more complicated than ever. You must maintain your on-site connectivity and security while ensuring your remote workforce remains protected and productive. There is a long list of benefits, budget considerations and risks to consider when deciding about outsourcing IT support and IT management for your Kansas City area business. If your company, industry or employees have special needs or business requirements, the decision between in-house or outsourced IT is even more difficult.
Let’s first look at the benefits of outsourced IT support, and then we will discuss how to find the best provider for your Kansas City Metro business.
Outsourced IT Support Expands Your Access to Expertise
Your business depends on your technology almost as much as it depends on your people. And when your technology isn’t working, your people can’t do their jobs. Your IT operations must be optimized for your business processes, from sales, accounting and customer support to production and manufacturing. Your technology must be reliable. As much as we all depend on technology today, the consequences of your network being down can be frustrating and detrimental. So, to support your technology, it might seem as though bringing a full-time IT support person on staff is the safe decision, but there are few technology experts who have experience in all areas and are willing to work 24/7/365. If you ever find one of these unicorns, salary alone can be more than $80,000, not counting what you’ll shell out for employee benefits. If you have a larger business, one IT employee may not be able to manage the workload, so you’ll need additional support or maybe another full-time person. For most businesses, outsourcing IT support makes sense from operational and cost-effectiveness perspectives.
Outsourcing IT Functions Keeps Support Costs Under Control
Some Greater Kansas City Area IT services charge a flat rate per month based on a contract agreement that details which services are covered and rendered. But what if you don’t need or use all the services you pay for in the monthly fee?
A better solution is a provider of managed IT services that will tailor a scope of work to fit your business. Our outsourced IT support plans are fully customizable and scalable:
Invision NetMedic
On-site IT support service for solving those occasional technology glitches.
Invision NetAdvantage
Regular, preventative server maintenance and convenient, flexible remote IT support.
Invision NetCare
Top-tier service and maintenance, ideal for demanding networks.
Outsourcing IT Support Can Lead to Better Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is top priority for all businesses, as threats become more sophisticated and frequent every day. There is a misconception that smaller businesses are safer from hackers because they are “small potatoes.” On the contrary, because smaller businesses have fewer resources to defend against cyberattacks, they are prime targets.
The value of cybersecurity to all businesses cannot be underestimated. Your company’s digital assets must be protected from a breach, not only because your reputation is at stake, but also because compliance and industry standards must be followed. Depending on your field, data and network security can be time-consuming, requiring a forward-thinking technology expert who can put best practices in place and update them as needed.
READ MORE: IT’S NOT A QUESTION OF “IF.” IT’S JUST A MATTER OF “WHEN.”
You Gain Peace of Mind Knowing Your Technology Truly Supports Business Growth
Outsourced technology experts work in a wide variety of industries, platforms and solutions. What is implemented and learned elsewhere can be applied to your benefit. Your outsourced IT support company should bring a variety of technology ideas and options to the table, so you can consider and adopt the most effective solutions for your business, today and as you grow. You also benefit from others’ mistakes, their School of Hard Knocks, so to speak. Experienced professionals who have worked with a broad variety of clients can guide you when you need a solution, not guesswork.
What Should You Look for in an Outsourced IT Provider?
You’ve come to the conclusion that outsourcing your IT support is worth pursuing. Keep in mind that the benefits you gain are dependent on the quality of the IT managed services provider you choose. Here’s what you should insist upon from your outsourced IT firm:
IT Experts Who’ve Been Around the Block
Unless you’re a startup business and require a certain level of brainstorming to establish your technology, ensure the tech support team has real-world experience in the hardware and software your business uses. This will ensure your problems can be solved quicker, and quicker solutions result in fewer billable hours to save you money.
A Willingness to Learn Your World
While there can be similarities in technology, your outsourced IT tech support person shouldn’t assume your business processes and the role technology plays in them. Your potential outsourced IT support staff should be excited to learn about your business and goals, plus they should bring ideas to the table on how technology can support your current operations and growth plan. It’s one thing to fix IT issues. It’s another to offer a strategy to grow or make your business more efficient.
Remote IT Support is a Must-Have
In today’s work-from-home environment, remote IT support is essential. If your outsourced IT support can’t login remotely to your technology, give that provider a hard pass.
Fast Response Time
You know the panicky feeling when your email isn’t working or internet goes out. And, when a more serious technology issue threatens your digital security, sales and productivity, you can’t afford to wait. Your outsourced IT support should treat every request as an emergency.
Scheduled and emergency services can be the right solution for absolute peace of mind that all aspects of your business’s technology are supported professionally, quickly and right the first time.
Contact Kansas City’s best IT consulting group today.
