SMBs versus Corporations
Enterprises, small and large are becoming increasingly reliant on IT. Small to medium size businesses often find managing their IT infrastructure more challenging than their larger counterparts. Compared to large corporations, SMBs are constrained by limited budgets and fewer resources to manage their technology effectively. SMBs tend to adopt the break/fix approach to IT issues. Break/fix is a reactive strategy, with no monitoring or maintenance, which inadequately addresses IT infrastructure problems and IT repair.
Break/Fix
Break/fix is also detrimental to any in-house IT support engineers. Instead of working on new, creative projects aimed at increasing productivity and profitability, they become bogged down by daily troubleshooting and software/hardware maintenance tasks. In essence, their talent, skills and experience are wasted on routine issues. Less patient engineers could be forgiven for occasionally wanting to LMGTFY (Let Me Google That for You) in order to solve a technology problem.
Only a handful of SMBs have in-house IT support in the form of one or two engineers. Common practice is to rely on on-call IT consultancy services for tech help when things go wrong. These consultants rarely arrive when promised. Plus, once they fixed what was broken, you’ll receive a whopping bill for their scant services.
The cliché ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it’ should never be applied in the context of managing your IT infrastructure. Every minute of downtime is expensive; the smaller the SMB, the greater the cost. Frequent or extended periods of downtime can easily mean ruin for even the most established SMB. Downtime equates to unquantifiable losses in terms of productivity and revenue. An extension of downtime is the negative impact on company reputation and a loss of confidence in your brand. Put simply, poorly managed technology can spell the end for the life of any SMB.
Be Proactive
As the owner of a SMB, you can circumvent many problems by having a proactive approach to managing your IT infrastructure. For this to happen, you may need to adjust your mind-set. You’ll need to move away from a break/fix mentality and come around to a more cost-effective and smarter way of implementing your technology needs.
The Three Steps to Streamlining IT
Take a look at three simple steps you can implement to improve your IT business support and IT solutions.
Proactive not Reactive
As the old saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine. This phrase is directly applicable to small business IT management and support. For example, if software, hardware and application failures were identified and dealt with in a timely manner, you would avoid the costly downtime associated with these disruptions.
Many SMBs utilise Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools so that in-house IT support analysts are able to better manage their workload. Combining a RMM tool with outsourced managed services in the form of a Network Operations Centre (NOC) means your IT infrastructure is monitored round the clock.
This 24/7 remote assistance will transform the way your technology is managed. Rather than waiting for a disastrous break/fix situation to happen, the NOC will ensure that any problem is nipped in the bud. The NOC uses a support ticket system that flags potential issues and prompt ticket resolution follows. Simply put, stop a minor drawback in its tracks before it develops into a major one. In this way, you will minimise any disruptions to daily business operations.
Automation and Scheduling
Many of your routine and mundane IT maintenance tasks can be remotely automated and scheduled by outsourcing to a Managed Service Provider (MSP). Automation implies that in-house IT staff have more time to engage in meaningful tasks and projects that will benefit your SMB in the long run.
Get the Best from Your Tech Help
On-site IT engineers are talented, skilled and innovative. You can get the best from them by redirecting their focus to projects promoting productivity and revenue generation. Using a MSP that applies NOC and RMM solutions means your ICT support can concentrate on developing concepts, applications and strategies for the betterment of your clients, suppliers and employees. At the end of the day, using managed services that provide remote support will give you a significant edge over your competitors.
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Some of our clients include Edmond De Rothschild, Smart Meter GB and FMB.
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