Reach your IT peak: How do I know what level of IT support I need?
For SMEs, IT support is just one very important part of the overall corporate strategy. However, due to its often technical nature – and associations with scary cyber-related headlines in the news – many business owners can be guilty of burying their heads in the sand when faced with this very question…
We know, just like you, that the answer to the above isn’t a straight-forward one – there are many variables for every SME’s unique business model. However, what we do know is that because of this very reason, one size never fits all when it comes to IT – and our solutions and guidance honour this.
In fact our most recent campaign – Reach your IT peak – is based on this very concept. Instead of putting off the inevitable until it’s too late, protect and optimise your firm’s IT operations by taking the following into consideration…
Recognise that your SME is unique
This is the most important thing to bear in mind when mulling over what kind of support your business needs. You may know another company which is very similar to yours on the surface, but dig a little deeper and you’ll see that no one is the same.
Your organisation faces its own challenges, has its unique strengths and needs its own customised assistance to reach its IT summit, so don’t be afraid of this – embrace it!
Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint
The fundamentals of our campaign – and ethos here at Q2Q – are that every SME has its own mountain to climb, to achieve optimum business productivity.
That’s why it’s crucial not to rush in and think that investing in all the latest IT software and hardware will solve all potential problems and offer a shortcut to the top. If only it were that simple…
Instead, you need to clearly define your SME’s business requirements – and your IT support should be effortlessly aligned with them. For example, if you’re a start-up, you won’t need the same quantity and level of kit that an established SME will – this will simply add unnecessary costs to the business.
Starting small with the necessities is the key to sustainable success – and this includes having the essential hardware, security software, and efficient and flexible telephony in place.
Sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start though, that’s why SME owners need a clearer picture of the status of their current infrastructure before they begin. A full-system audit can assess and diagnose areas of strength and weakness, to determine where investment is needed.
Think about the long-term picture
While it’s vital to assess the present situation, what’s also useful to take into account is where you want your organisation to get to.
Having a lucid plan, which all employees are aware of – and on board with – ensures that any IT support can do what it says on the tin; facilitate growth and productivity.
It’s in this sense that all support should be scalable. Your company won’t stay the same, and with each rung of progression, you’ll require more robust and adaptable assistance.
Don’t get too comfortable
Understanding the state of your current IT infrastructure, and investing in the here and now, are two crucial parts of the puzzle, but so is consistent and reliable monitoring.
IT support which keeps an eye on your systems at all times is the not-so-secret ingredient to staying ahead of the IT game, and keeping potentially damaging security issues at bay.
Knowing what’s going on at all times not only helps to keep your SME operations smooth and safeguarded, but it also positively effects wider business performance – employees become less distracted and there’s minimal downtime.
To find out more about how our scalable IT support options could help your business, give one of our friendly team members a call on 01524 581690, or send us a message!
