Any business that uses technology can benefit from outsourced IT support. It’s challenging for most small businesses to consistently keep up with the latest technology while also maintaining their security – at least, without the help of third-party professionals.

IT support companies are here to remove the stress from internal operations. Instead of worrying about things falling through the cracks, you could outsource your various tech needs to cost-effective, speedy professionals. You don’t have to shoulder the burden alone.

Greensboro is home to many small businesses. In order for these businesses to stay competitive, they need secure and advance technology – and complete coverage for both their Windows and Mac systems. They can’t afford to fall behind, and they also need advice from experts who really know the local industries.

Have you considered hiring an IT support team before? What’s stopping you?

Let’s dive a bit deeper into the subject so you fully understand what IT support is and how it can help your Greensboro business thrive. Here’s everything you need to know about outsourced IT support.

First Things First: What Is IT Support?

IT support may sound like a large, vague term, but at its core, it refers to assistance with anything technology-related in your company, including phones, computers, networks, firewalls, and even employee training.

When you hire a third-party, outsourced IT support company, they act as a fully remote IT department by providing you with a team of expert remote technicians. When anything acts up or you need IT to help fast, they’re ready to leap into action.

IT companies set businesses up with infrastructures for internal databases that are both secure and functional. They also offer businesses advanced technology that meets their industry needs, provides quality security, backs up data, and more

Nowadays, more and more small businesses are turning to outsourced IT services. Let’s talk about why.

Why Many Businesses Are Investing in Outsourced IT Support

To Protect Their Vital Systems 

As cybercrimes become more and more frequent, businesses of all sizes and industries are beginning to understand the extreme importance of cybersecurity. Small businesses often struggle to recover from cyberattacks – these can damage their reputation and be very expensive to resolve.

In fact, a cyberattack costs small businesses an average of $200,000 to recover from. This is well beyond what most startups can afford, and as a result, many wind up closing after just one seriously damaging breach.

Even if a business is able to bounce back from a cyberattack, it will likely have to regain customer trust. Clients will be wary about supporting a business that they now believe to be unsafe.

For this reason, businesses are turning to outsourced IT support to protect themselves and install proactive defenses. The experts at an IT company will take the necessary steps to maintain a secure network that reduces the risk of cybercriminals breaking into a network.

In short, an upfront investment in IT support could prevent your business from losing revenue (and customers) down the road.

It’s More Cost-Effective Than Internal IT Support

In most situations, outsourced IT support is much more cost-effective for small businesses than hiring an internal IT department. When a small business hires employees to solely manage their IT, they must pay them a full-time salary and benefits.

This is a high cost to pay for a service that can be outsourced for a much lower cost.

Additionally, internal IT employees typically only resolve technology problems during regular work hours. An outsourced IT support company, on the other hand, will always be available to actively monitor/maintain networks – even on weekends and holidays.

IT companies will also offer businesses access to cost-effective advanced tools and technologies that would otherwise likely be too expensive. A quality IT company will only offer tools that will improve internal operations, rather than upselling unnecessary, expensive products.

Finally, most IT support companies are scalable, meaning that they will work with a business to develop a service-level agreement that meets their specific needs and budget.

But what exactly do most companies want or need from their IT support providers? Next, we’ll talk about the services you need to find in a great IT services provider.

What to Look for with IT Support

Support for Both Mac and Windows Systems

Small businesses are recently deciding use both Windows and Mac systems to run their business. Macs are commonly used by younger staff, whereas Windows systems are used for business administration. The struggle can be found in one firm that specializes in both.

Small businesses need IT support from experts who understands how to make sure these systems both work in harmony.

Quality Security

We recommend searching for a Greensboro IT support company that takes a multilevel approach to security. This will make it more difficult for cybercriminals to access a business’s network. The more barriers there are between your data and hackers, the better.

Quality IT support companies will also make frequent adjustments and updates to their security setups. This is important as cybercrimes and viruses are ever-evolving and IT security must also adjust to effectively protect a network.

One reason to hire local Greensboro IT support is that they will understand the common IT threats in the area and ensure that their security can combat them.

On-Call IT Support

Businesses can fall prey to cyberattacks or IT disruptions at any time. If an IT issue is left unaddressed, it can interfere with online operations and even force the business into an expensive recovery process.

This is why it’s so important to find an IT company that offers quick and responsive on-call IT support. With truly comprehensive support that is accessible all day, businesses have access to experienced IT technicians whenever they have a technology issue or concern.

One of the benefits of hiring a local Greensboro IT Support company is that they can send IT technicians on-site to resolve complex technical problems. Although most IT companies can troubleshoot issues over the phone or online, that’s not always the case.

Additionally, we recommend finding an IT support provider that’s in the same time zone as you to prevent problems like playing phone tag and conflicting schedules.

Quick Response Time

Alongside responsive support, IT providers should be able to guarantee quick response times when a business requests help. An IT problem can interfere with online operations and result in a loss of sales. IT support companies who respond quickly to technology concerns are able to get a business back up and running fast. 

Response times tend to be quicker when you work with local IT support. Greensboro IT Support companies will be in the same time zone as your business, and typically, they’re dealing with fewer clients than national support companies – which means they will be less overwhelmed with requests and quick to respond to you. 

Disaster Recovery Plans

Even if a business has multilevel security in place to combat cyber threats, they still need to prepare for natural threats that can interfere with IT infrastructure. For instance, when a business is struck by a fire or flood, it can damage their servers and prevent them from accessing their vital data.

A worthwhile IT provider will offer recovery plans to protect business data from this very situation. They do this by creating a cloud-based data backup storage, so data and important consumer information can always be recovered to its original location.

In Conclusion

There are plenty of reasons for small businesses to consider IT support. Not only will it keep business networks secure, but it will also provide the tools and technologies needed to achieve business goals and growth over time.

Do you need IT support in Greensboro? Find out how your business can benefit today by partnering with Creative IT’s services.