These days, IT is a part of just about every business. It’s just part of the world we live in. And if you’re like a lot of small but growing businesses, there’s a really good chance that means you’re handling your IT needs internally.
Probably not with an actual IT person, though. Either you’re essentially IT or you’ve hired someone for a different position who is tech-savvy (i.e., young) and they are the go-to for tech support whenever something goes wrong.
You can tell I’ve seen this a lot, right?
At the start, doing things this way can be relatively workable. The IT needs of many businesses are fairly small in the beginning, so it probably won’t be a huge drain away from the work you (or your young hire) are really supposed to be focusing on.
In my experience, the problems with this arrangement show up in two ways: 1) when something complicated breaks and no one has the knowledge to fix it, and 2) when your business grows to the point that IT work is taking up more and more time.
One solution: partner with a managed IT service provider.
Why Opt for a Managed IT Service Provider?
With an IT service provider, you’re essentially leaving the hard technology work to the pros. Having a team of experts on call means you can resolve tech support problems quickly and efficiently. This is the world they live in, so they understand what needs to be done to get you back to the work you’re supposed to be doing – and how to minimize the chance of similar issues occurring again.
IT service providers will also be able to help you with your “IT big picture,” making sure you have a strong IT foundation, that you are using the right hardware and software for your needs, and that you have a good plan in place as you continue to grow.
Even better, partnering with a managed IT service provider means you can offload all your small business tech headaches without burning a hole in your business’ wallet. Let’s take a closer look at what we do at Sageplan to help our clients focus on growing their business instead of wrestling with tech worries.
The Sageplan IT Pyramid
I like to visualize a business’s IT needs as a pyramid, with the biggest, most foundational needs at the bottom. Whenever we work with a client, we start there and work our way up.
So, where do we like to start?
- Monitoring & Cybersecurity. You can’t run your business if malware is running amok or you suffer a breach. Think of us like this: we’re a security guard for your digital assets, but instead of just standing around, we actively scan for any suspicious activity. Essentially, we set up antivirus and hardware monitoring that allow us to prevent certain problems and alert us about others so we can deal with them before they become serious. With threats constantly evolving in the IT industry, having a dedicated team keeping an eye on your systems 24/7 is crucial.
- Disaster Recovery Plan. No one wants to think about what happens when things go wrong, but having a solid disaster recovery plan is essential for any small business. We will help you set up an offsite data backup system and create a plan to restore any device quickly.
- Support. This is what most people think about when they imagine what IT does – some kind of tech problem occurs and you reach out to your “tech guy” to fix it. Basically, they keep the trains running on time. We believe our experts are particularly effective at helping our clients because you get a dedicated team that gets to know you and your business rather than a random support tech who needs to be brought up to speed every time something happens.
- Strategy. Most big companies have a CIO (Chief Information Officer) who assists them in planning for their IT needs and making sure they are making the right decisions to keep their business humming even as it continues to scale. Small businesses – except in very rare instances – can’t afford a CIO. But once we have your basic IT needs taken care of, Sageplan will act as your trusted advisor, guiding you through technology choices that support the growth of your business – and help you avoid costly mistakes.
Did We Mention That You Also Get Discounts?
One other really nice perk about managed IT service providers like Sageplan that most people don’t realize is that we get discounts on essential tech tools. That means you gain access to any high-quality resources you need for less than competitors who are trying to handle their own IT needs.
That’s money you can put toward other critical areas of your business, such as hiring talent, investing in marketing, or enhancing customer service. But perhaps the biggest gain from working with a managed IT service provider is the time you and your team will get back. Instead of engaging in IT triage, you can focus on what truly matters – your business!
Interested in hearing more about the possible benefits? Schedule a consultation with us to learn more about how we can help you lift some weight off your shoulders.
