In an ideal world, the tools you use to run your business would work properly and exactly when you need them to. However, the reality of being a small business owner is somewhat like Murphy’s Law: If something can go wrong, it probably will. Therefore, it’s important as entrepreneurs to have small business IT support measures in place that are ready to jump into action when disaster strikes and you find yourself without a working computer and/or a malfunctioning software application.
Small businesses will start small and perform some common IT practices including setting cookies that manage the websites from all of your traffic sources (organic traffic, paid search, social media, etc.) and a company-wide privacy statement. A cookie is a text file that contains small pieces of data (i.e. a username, password, etc.) that is used to identify one’s computer as they use a computer network.
There are several cookies one’s browser may take advantage of including performance and functional cookies. Performance cookies are used to gather data on how visitors use a website, which pages are visited often, and if visitors receive error messages on said pages. Functional cookies remember and store a user’s site preferences for sites like username, and language in a privacy preference center.
However, many businesses need IT support beyond cookies and company-issued privacy statements. Ultimately, the precise details of your IT support strategy will depend largely on your business needs. At the end of the day, though, you should be able to answer one question: when a crisis strikes, will you be able to respond quickly and effectively?
Types of Small Business Tech Support
There are two primary options to consider for your
small business’s tech support: outsourced services and in-house experts. It’s not necessarily an either-or decision, but it’s important to understand the benefits and drawbacks of both options.
(i). Outsourced/ Managed IT services
- Benefits of outsourced/ managed IT services
- Drawbacks of outsourced/ managed IT services
(ii). In-house IT support
- Benefits of in-house IT support
- Drawbacks of in-house IT support
Outsourced/ Managed IT Services
If you have an especially lean team of people helping run your business, outsourcing your IT support needs to a party provider might be your best option. As opposed to hiring someone to support your IT needs full time, it may be better for your small business to become customers and work with an external partner on a contractual basis.
Benefits of Outsourced IT Services:
With an outsourced IT support contract, there are a few benefits you can expect. First, you’ll have direct access to a wide range of experts, ensuring peak performance and that you’ll be able to get a solution to any problem you encounter. Rather than digging through countless troubleshooting documents yourself, you can spend your time focusing on your business priorities.
Plus, most service provider contracts include minimum service-level agreements. This means when you reach out to your IT service representative with an issue, there is a set timeline in which you should expect to receive a response. In-house IT staff aren’t always able to drop all of their other priorities at the drop of a hat, but service providers have a stake in making sure all your needs are met in a timely manner.
Drawbacks of Outsourced IT Services:
On the other hand, outsourcing your IT needs can get expensive if you have a large number of employees. Some providers may offer a lower rate to provide more services to more people, but outsourced contracts can still come with a higher price tag than bringing someone on full time.
In the same vein, you may end up paying for more than you actually need. With in-house staff, you can ensure that your employees’ time is put to good use, but with contract work, you’ll be expected to pay the company you hire whether you ultimately use their services or not.
In-house IT support
Hiring in-house staff for IT needs might seem like a more pragmatic option for larger teams, but it’s hard to know when it’s worth the investment to add another person to your team. The first thing to consider is your staffing budget and how much service your small business will actually need.
Benefits of in-house IT support:
Regardless of whether you choose to hire someone or ask an existing employee to take on more responsibilities, keeping tech support in-house is usually more affordable than hiring an external vendor. It’s also easier to maintain continuity with this approach; for example, if someone has an ongoing issue with their computer, their co-worker will better understand the history of the problem and not need it repeated every time something malfunctions.
Drawbacks to in-house IT Support:
At the same time, relying on internal IT support staff sometimes means problems aren’t always resolved as quickly as they could be if you opted for outside assistance. All of your employees have a limited number of hours in the day, and sometimes more pressing concerns mean smaller issues fall to the bottom of the to-do list. With outsourced IT support, the vendor you choose can add more manpower to support your business during busy seasons.
Dorks Delivered spearheads IT support management and program development for a broad spectrum of clients in Brisbane and surrounding areas. We take pride in being a top provider of managed IT services in Brisbane and other parts of QLD. Through our automation and time-saving solutions, we aim to add more feathers to our cap for the years to come!
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