Benefits of Outsourcing IT Support for SMEs

A great guest blog by a local IT support company in Edinburgh arguing the case that businesses need sound IT infrastructure and support, and we agree!

guest blog about IT

Outsourcing your IT support provides reassurance that your business technology is being looked after, leaving you free to focus on your core business.

It would be hard to find a business today in which technology is not vital. A report by Node4 found that 70% of UK SMEs would grind to a halt within a day without critical IT infrastructure. From a sole trader working at home to a larger and more complex company, IT will be at the heart of business operations. But is technology helping or hindering your business? How can outsourcing IT support help you?

1. Security & Back Up

Security is often a key concern – ensuring that your business doesn’t fall prey to a cryptovirus or phishing email and that your business data is safe and backed up. An IT support company will ensure that you are protected by an effective anti-virus solution, such as AVG and that business information is safely backed up should disaster strike.

​2.  Servers & Networks

A server is critical to the smooth operation of any business and should be treated with the utmost care. A good IT support company will maintain your server to ensure it allows your network to run efficiently and there is plenty space to store all your business data. They will ensure they have online back up and system imaging in place should something go wrong with your server.

​3. Cloud Solutions

Many companies are moving their operations onto cloud based platforms, however TechSoup found that a lack of knowledge of cloud computing is often still a barrier for many businesses.  Working with an IT support company allows tech experts to understand your business and advise on the most appropriate cloud services for you. For example, Microsoft Office 365 allows employees to access, share and store data & documents from any device in any location.

​4. Supplying, Installing & Supporting Hardware and Software

If your office computers are in need of an upgrade, an IT support company will not only source the most appropriate PCs, laptops & printers for you, but can install them too, so you are quickly back up and running. IT support companies will advise on software to improve your efficiency and help with future planning and growth.

So, if you think your business could benefit from IT support, you have a couple of options. For peace of mind you could sign up to a monthly support contract and benefit from a guaranteed same day response when IT problems arise. However, not all businesses wish to fully outsource their IT, but want to know help is at hand if an emergency arises. In this case you could look for an IT company that will offer adhoc support as and when it’s needed. Look for a company with a good track record of offering business IT support who will take the time to understand your business.
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This post was written by Caroline Phillips

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