You’re Never Too Small to Outsource Your IT

Small business owners are proud of getting everything done with few people. Every team member wears many hats. They are part of a family, devoted to the firm’s success. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make them qualified to handle IT. You’re never too small to outsource your technology needs to a managed service provider (MSP).

A small business may only have a few computers for its handful of employees. So, having an in-house person dedicated to IT support might be overkill. Not only is funding another salary expensive, but it could leave you with a highly paid employee twiddling their thumbs all day. For a fraction of the price, a MSP gives you access to round-the-clock support from an entire team of IT professionals. Click here to learn about all of the advantages of Managed IT over in-house IT.

Additionally, just because your technology is working fine today doesn’t mean your IT is performing at its best, or that it’ll still be working tomorrow. An IT service outsourcing proactively identifies and prevents issues – before you experience downtime and lose valuable working hours and potential profits.

Your outsource IT support adds value by:

• Helping you avoid expensive tech purchases or buying software you don’t need.
• Identifying where you can be more efficient with tools you already have, which can save money.
• Providing knowledgeable support of a full team of IT professionals.
• Learning business needs and making recommendations about the best IT for your goals.
• Protecting your business technology and ensuring computers are up to date with security patches.

Click here to further explore our services.

Small Business Breaches

Cybercriminals don’t care about business size. In fact in 2019, according to Accenture, 43% of cyberattacks were aimed at small businesses – and only 14% of the SMBs were prepared to defend their networks and sensitive data.

Additionally, a small business can be an especially appealing target. In an attack called Island Hopping, hackers exploit a small business as part of a campaign to indirectly attack a larger corporation. They know a SMB is less likely to have a high level of security, so they use the small business as a stepping stone to get to their final destination.
Click here to learn more about the dangers of Island Hopping, and how to protect your business.

Accenture’s 2019 study found that more than half of all small businesses had suffered a breach in the last year. These attacks can be crippling for SMBs. According to insurance carrier Hiscox, the average cyberattack costs a business $200,000. That figure can be a killer blow for a small business. About 60% of SMBs hacked go out of business within six months of the attack. Even if they can survive the financial hit, damage to brand reputation and customer goodwill is devastating.

Advantages of IT Service Outsourcing

Working with a MSP will help give you a clear picture of your cybersecurity status. Your partner will conduct an informal audit of your current technology and learn both your short- and long-term goals.

Your small business, for instance, may not have a data protection procedure. You might think that you don’t have a lot to backup and store. But the quantity may not be the primary concern. Can you recover if your business loses an email chain it was keeping for legal or compliance reasons? What would happen if the computer holding your accounting database died? An MSP can identify where tech changes can better ensure business continuity.

When you outsource IT support, your partner will also inventory your tech assets. They’ll need to know everything about your infrastructure and your business’s technology capabilities. Your current team may recognize the importance of securing your business’s intellectual property, but are they also protecting customer data and employee records? Your business needs to be intentional about confidentiality, availability, and safety. An MSP can help.

The cost of outsourcing is often a stumbling block for the budget-conscious SMB. Although, it may surprise you how cost-effective IT service outsourcing is. Working with an MSP can lower your overall costs by streamlining processes, managing vendor relationships, and ensuring that your business technology is best suited to current needs. You’ll pay a fixed, regular fee for an entire technology team who will help you avoid big, costly tech surprises.

No business is too small to outsource IT support. Having access to a team of full-time IT professionals via a Managed Service Provider can improve your operations, enhance productivity, and lower cybersecurity risk.

STG IT Consulting Group would love to show you all we can offer as your Managed Service Provider.

Click here to schedule a free 15-minute meeting with Stan Kats, Client Engagement Specialist and Senior Technologist.

We proudly serve Greater Los Angeles and surrounding areas for all of your IT needs. We look forward to meeting with you!