IT support is a vital part of any business operating today. Even the smallest business needs to have storage facilities, minimum downtime, tools for HR and finance, and some protection against cyber attacks.
According to several reports, there were over 304 million ransomware attacks in the first half of 2021. This showed a worrying 151% rise from the previous year. Ransomware attacks are on the rise, but they are not the only aspect of cybersecurity risks.
And, IT support deals with more than just hackers, there is the whole network infrastructure to be maintained and monitored. And there should be a cohesive technology support plan in place, and this needs to be optimized for maximum efficiency.
Benefits of optimizing your business’s tech support
An optimized IT support plan will help your business to operate efficiently with minimum disruptions. There are of course some things that cannot be foreseen such as fires and theft, but proactive IT support can spot the warning signs and possible network issues before any incident actually occurs.
If you were situated on the west coast you might inquire about 24/7 IT Support for San Diego businesses as this would give around-the-clock assistance. This means maximum productivity and sales as your network will be monitored and kept online.
A solid IT support strategy will see lower running costs and losses, secure systems and data, increased productivity, and higher profits.
What can you do to optimize your IT support plan?
Any business support plan will only be effective if it has been carefully thought through, so begin by talking to your IT support team.
Talk to your workers
Your employees know their roles better than anyone, and they know what problems need fixing, and studies have proven that workers are 4.6 times more productive when listened to.
Ask them where the bottlenecks are, what their key concerns are with the current systems, and what causes the most frustration.
Define what your targets are
You already have an IT support plan, but you will almost certainly need to redefine some targets and goals as you audit and analyze reports and business data. Set targets and make a plan on how to navigate your business towards these goals.
Use a 24/7 IT MSP
As mentioned above, outsourcing is one option for IT support. This can help optimize your overall business tech support plan. It will give you the option of assigning tasks to your internal IT team, and benefiting from a proactive MSP also.
You can streamline a business with network services such as an IT MSP. Look for a managed services provider with 24/7 availability, good customer support, and preferably in your local area.
Use your MSP to help select software and hardware
An IT-managed services provider will be experienced in several different areas, and one is selecting and assessing software. You have already spoken to your employees about their concerns with the systems you have, and if it is time to upgrade, an MSP can assist.
You cannot underestimate the importance of optimizing your business technology and ensuring systems are compatible and up to date. Your MSP can give recommendations on different solutions including those in the cloud, and on-site options.
Ensure your business is compliant, and upgrade your cybersecurity
If you want your IT infrastructure to operate at optimum levels then it needs to be secure, and meet certain legal regulations. The network performance monitoring market will be worth around $7.9 billion by 2028 as more companies see the need for increased security,
Some MSPs will use white-hat hacker techniques to probe and test networks for weaknesses. This allows them to create a more secure network for your business. They will also understand compliance, and the need to stop data breaches.
Figure long-term not short-term
Make your support plan for the long term. Don’t look for quick fixes for the now, think about future-proofing, expansion, and scalability. Carry out regular audits and reviews, ongoing maintenance, and upgrades.
Use the right people for major systems upgrades
Several of the biggest corporations in the world have truly messed up new system implementations. When you are planning a major upgrade, use specialist consultants, speak to your employees as they will be affected, bring in your MSP to the talks, and make sure you understand all the potential pitfalls.
For instance, if you want to migrate your systems you may need to understand the importance of cloud governance, and how it helps to mitigate risks.
Have a disaster recovery plan in place
For an IT support plan to work you need to have disaster recovery thought out. Downtime from technical issues, or other events such as fires, can cost companies dearly. For instance, a business that earns in the region of $2 million to $4 million per annum would lose up to $400,000 every hour their network was down.
Summary
To optimize your business technology support plan it is worth using managed services in many instances. Instead of overburdening your internal tech support, use IT MSPs for different tasks such as cyber security, disaster recovery, cloud services, and network monitoring.
By incorporating all these areas your tech support will run with fewer problems, and your IT infrastructure will have more uptime. Your business processes will be optimized, and therefore more productive.
