IT services. Why my small business should invest.

If you’ve just started a new business or if you are running a small business, you probably have heard about the huss and buss about IT services. You kind of know it is important to have, but maybe you’ve wondered if IT services are something to invest in. Why don’t you explore IT services with me as we discover together if this is something you should invest in. Let’s start by having a look at what are typical IT services.

Typical It Services

According to Executech, IT services play a vital role in the daily routine of a modern company. Regardless of what they are, everything regarding IT is critical for the success of a company relying on tech in some way. Often, this IT encompasses a variety of subjects and fields. At times it’s handled in-house, other times a third-party service provider offers external services to help facilitate smooth IT operations.

But what kind of IT services are there? This is a big question with a bigger answer. There are all sorts of IT services suiting a variety of needs, different for each enterprise. We are going to look at the most common IT service examples, in hopes to give you an idea about what exists, how they’re used, how your company can best utilize them, and why it is important for your business to invest in IT services. 

If you are completely new to IT services let’s first make sure we all know what IT is all about.

What are IT Services all about?

The noun ‘IT’, Informational Technology, accordingly to Oxford means; ‘the study or use of systems (especially computers and telecommunications) for storing, retrieving, and sending information. We can explain Information Technology simply as; IT is all about building communications networks for a company, safeguarding data and information, creating and administering databases, helping employees troubleshoot problems with their computers or mobile devices, or doing a range of other work to ensure the efficiency and security of business information. If you are new to the IT world and you are still not sure what it means, more simply put, IT is anything to do with your business’ information, communication, and computers. It is the sector in your business that deals with computing, this includes your hardware and software, telecommunications, and generally anything involved in the transmittal of information or the systems that facilitate communication.

Now that you have a general idea about IT services and their role in the industry, let’s have a more detailed look at some of the most common service types. 

Managed IT Services

A wide, all-encompassing type of service, managed IT is usually a part of an MSP (managed service provider) which deals with single or multiple IT service needs. Most commonly, managed IT services handle remote server, desktop, and device management. Other common uses involve remote cybersecurity.

VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)

The internet and broadband connections allow for versatile communication methods, and VoIP is one of them. This IT service utilizes a business/person’s internet in place of a traditional telephone line, allowing said users to make and receive calls with their ISP. Modern VoIP phones also provide a variety of functions, like voice call and chat options. Typically, VoVoIPslso requires a service subscription instead of a traditional phone service.

Monitoring Services

Similar to security services and also found with an MSP, a monitoring application does as it sounds: keeps an eye on servers, net traffic, communication, security, and/or anything needed by an enterprise. This service is often employed for smaller companies that lack the resources of larger organizations but still require robust IT support/features. Responsibilities can range from automatically updating software/anti-virus to monitoring the integrity of hardware with SMART programs.

Remote Support

As the name implies, remote support allows IT specialists to offer support services from a different location, sometimes controlling a device to assist with troubleshooting issues via the internet. Support can be used for IT assistance, software repair, or other needs. Very useful when IT experts are not physically available, generally handled by an MSP.

Data Analytics

Services that incorporate the act of analyzing and digesting data for company use, and data analytics will typically involve concepts like “big data” and IoT (the Internet of Things). Involves specialists and services which process information for a company to produce usable reports. These reports utilize anything beneficial to the business.

Networking Services

Networking IT services encompasses everything for the successful implementation of a company network. This involves the building of network infrastructure, the setup of devices like LAN routers and modems, the layout of the networks (such as breaking a network into different tiers), security, optimization, and many other factors. Often a business will build this on-site, however, if local IT experts are insufficient (or unavailable) then third parties are used for the proper implementation of services.

IT Development

IT development incorporates all the resources used to develop and manage a platform or software. When using services, third-party assistance can be brought on to aid in the completion of projects, or any of the various tasks required for the completion of software. Some of those services include QA testing, business solutions, migration, application development, and application maintenance.

Generally, when not handled by on-site staff, remote assistance is for short-term projects. Sometimes these are referred to as “shadow developers.”

Thanks to Executech we now have a better understanding of what IT services incorporate and some available IT services.  But you might still wonder which of these services should you invest in for your business? This is not a straightforward answer since each business has its own unique needs. Investing in a third-party resource might seem uncertain, especially if you are just starting your business or running a small business. Let’s have a look at a few questions to determine if it would be profitable for you to invest in IT services. 

Questions to determine your business need for IT Services:

• Do you deal with frequent malware intrusions, attacks, and network disruptions?
• Are Projects often stalled, delayed, or scrapped because of insufficient expertise and resources?
• Do you struggle with communication within the business? Would you describe your communications as messy and disorganized? Do messages routinely get lost and setting up calls and meetings is a difficult, cumbersome process?
• Do you often wonder if there are easier processes to handle certain tasks in the business, such as storing documentation?
• Do you fear the fact that there is no method to fully recover and protect data in case of disaster, massive hardware failure, or malware intrusion?
• Do you struggle with mobile and remote devices that are not set up to work with the company network?
• Do you need to rapidly expand resources to meet the demands of new staff, but lack the capital to invest in new hardware?
• Does your current customer support model lags and cannot respond efficiently to high volume days/times?

If you’ve just answered yes to any of these questions, no matter the size of your business or how long your business is up and running, I would strongly suggest that it is time you look at investing in an IT service provider. You have probably concluded by now that often when your business is struggling with the above, it leads to instability, lost hours, and ultimately hurt profit margins. Why not invest in IT services today if they can help your business grow and succeed in the long run. 

Conclusion

It is also a great way to renew efficiency and streamline communication. In today’s time, the modern business faces greater demand to maintain data safety, maintain quality customer support, and stay on the cutting edge of software and technology, all while balancing a delicate profit margin. For smaller to medium-sized businesses, this is easier said than done, therefore invest in IT services today to help you overcome these challenges.