Managing all business IT requirements in house may seem to be a viable solution at the planning stage but in reality, not using a third-party IT support services provider seldom works.
Professional and experienced consultant BobHYPERLINK “http://www.tvba.co.uk/members/bob-lewis-basson” Lewis-HYPERLINK “http://www.tvba.co.uk/members/bob-lewis-basson”Basson acts as an IT support services provider focusing on Thames Valley based SME’s, working on everything from fitting large server rooms with CAT5 or 6 cabling to network security audits. He is a key member of Thames Valley Business Advisors and feels that outside IT support for business is essential unless your SME is an IT company.
Here are his reasons:
- IT issues do not follow the clock
It would be convenient if IT issues presented themselves during normal office hours, or not at all, but fate compels many problems to appear after hours and at the weekend. Every external IT support professional has taken many calls during evenings and weekends, it goes with the job.
Managing and monitoring IT in-house 24/7 either means additional or overworked staff and neither of these options is desirable from a management perspective. Having the capability to access a knowledgeable third-party IT support services provider should be a fundamental consideration for smooth operations.
- Sometimes remote support is necessary
Modern businesses aren’t necessarily one premises based with all operations completed in situ. A tidy back room housing all IT tools is fine but IT support also needs to be accessed by field staff quickly and confidently.
IT support could be required by a sales rep heading to in to a meeting, HR completing an absence assessment or an auditor at a client’s business premises, all whilst out of the main office. Remote assistance is effective, efficient and allows the person to fix any issues with professional advice. IT support firms have the time, resources and single task commitment. Many SME’s have discovered that in-house IT support is often more trouble than it’s worth. Therefore, don’t create unnecessary headaches for yourself, seek external IT support services from a proven expert.
- Time is money.
It’s a well-worn business axiom.
When an IT problem arises, someone has to deal with it. For in-house IT support workers this results in valuable time away from core projects as they work on the emergency issue. Productivity is affected and this has a knock-on effect financially.
Also, when the IT issue affects in-house operations, an external IT support services provider can prove a vital resource. The IT support supplies the resolution without the in-house team being unduly affected.
Remember point 1 too, help is available out of hours.
Don’t leave your IT support to chance or assume that you’ll never suffer a complex issue. Have the expertise on hand to minimise stress and the impact on in-house operations.
If you think that you’d benefit from discussing your IT support services requirements with a leading provider who has expansive knowledge and experience to draw on then please contact Bob Lewis-Basson. He’ll be delighted to help you assess and rethink strategies.