Experts say that the world will spend $4.5 trillion on information technology (IT) this 2022. Of that amount, 28%, or close to $1.3 trillion, will go toward IT services alone.
IT support, in turn, is one of the leading and widely utilized forms of IT services.
So, what exactly is information technology support, and why do businesses need it? How can business IT support even help you as an entrepreneur?
This guide lists all the answers to those questions, so be sure to keep reading.
Prompt Resolution of IT Problems
A 2020 study found that nearly one in four surveyed SMBs went offline the previous year. As a result, 37% of the organizations lost customers. Almost one in five also experienced revenue losses.
Those findings prove how pervasive IT problems are, including software and hardware issues. Examples are the dreaded blue screen of death, intermittent connection, and login failures. Non-powering devices, malfunctioning peripherals, and overall slow computer performance are also pervasive.
If you don’t use IT support services, your business is more likely to have downtimes due to those issues. What’s more, you can expect them to be longer, as you’d have to schedule a service call first. You’d also need to wait for the specialist to come and resolve your concerns, and that can take hours or even days.
By contrast, having an IT support specialist on your team means a pro is always available to fix issues. That results in faster resolution, thus, shortening the length of downtimes.
Minimize IT Breakdowns
The situation above wherein an IT expert only gets called in to fix an issue is an example of the break/fix approach. As the term suggests, it’s a method that involves paying only for an IT service when breakdowns happen.
You might think it can save you money since you’d only hire an IT specialist if something breaks. However, as stated above, that can lead to frequent and extended downtimes. Those can cost a lot more; in companies with over 1,000 employees, an hour of downtime can lead to losses of over $100,000.
Even if you run a small business, you can still suffer losses due to IT problems. Worse, they might even hit you harder as your revenues aren’t similar to those of larger companies.
Fortunately, IT specialists can keep those downtimes from happening in the first place. That’s because they provide preventive maintenance and monitoring services.
Those services, in turn, allow the specialists to keep track of your IT system’s health and status. For the same reason, they can stay on top of anomalies or suspicious activities in your network. As a result, they can catch and fix potential problems before they worsen.
Mitigate Cyber Security Threats
Global cybercrime could cost businesses an estimated $10.5 trillion each year by 2025. In 2021 alone, these crimes already resulted in losses amounting to $6 trillion.
Worse, such crimes can victimize anyone, from individuals to SMBs to monolithic companies. So, even if you’re a one-person team or have very few employees, your business can still be at risk.
The good news is that specialized IT support for businesses includes cybersecurity. That includes remote network monitoring, detection, and prevention of network intrusions. You can also have the experts provide you with identity and access solutions.
Reduce Risks of Legal Liabilities
Cybersecurity breaches can result in negligence and liability lawsuits.
That can happen if your business or one of your vendors experiences a data breach. If that incident leaks your customers’ data and they suffer a loss, they can sue you, too.
That can then lead to your business facing sky-high legal costs. At the very least, it can result in a damaged brand reputation.
That’s enough reason to prioritize protecting your business from cybersecurity threats. So, it’s best to hire an IT support company before you become a victim of cybercriminals.
More Time for Your Business
A previous study found that the average office worker spends 69 workdays on admin tasks per year. That’s a whopping 552 hours spent on activities that may not even be part of their job description!
In short, admin or repetitive tasks can cause a significant drop in your productivity. Things can be much worse if the IT tools for these jobs keep breaking down.
That’s all the more reason to hire an IT support company to handle all the tech tasks of your business. According to the folks at 4BIS.COM, that’s what you can expect with managed IT services.
So, by investing in managed IT services, you can stop worrying about your business’ tech. Instead, you can focus most of your precious time on doing what you do best.
Happier Employees
In one study, 49% of surveyed US workers said they’re likely to quit due to the frustrating tech they use at work. One in three even admitted they had already left an employer because of poor work technology.
If you keep letting your workers use outdated or faulty IT systems, the same can happen to your business.
Think about it; you likely feel frustrated yourself whenever you face computer woes. You may have even experienced a surge of stress since you can’t do your job correctly.
Speaking of which, note that chronic stress can put a person’s physical and mental health at risk. That can be a good enough reason for someone to quit a stressful job.
So, don’t wait for your health to dip or for employees to leave you just because of IT-related concerns. Instead, employ the services of an IT support company as soon as possible.
Work Smarter With Professional IT Support
There you have it, all the top reasons your business needs professional IT support. Now you know that such services go beyond fixing whatever breaks. They prevent such problems, including cyber threats, from occurring in the first place.
As a result, everyone in your business can work in peace, leading to higher productivity. So, consider hiring an IT support company as early as today.
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