Technology plays a crucial role in today’s businesses. But while these advancements are a boon, it is also among the top challenges that many companies struggle to meet. When appropriately used, IT can pave the way for business success and growth. On the other hand, failure to keep up with the ever-changing tech landscape can make your company less competitive.
Aside from the constantly evolving products, maintaining an IT network entails myriad aspects such as the frequently updating regulatory landscape, cyber-security concerns, and highly innovative competitors.
To stay ahead of the curve, it is vital to keep an up-to-date, efficient, and secure IT infrastructure. Unfortunately, this isn’t always easy, particularly for small and medium enterprises. Many CEOs across industries consider IT management as among their top business concerns in 2019. Fortunately, there are managed IT services companies that can help you meet your IT requirements without breaking the bank.
Below we list some of the top IT challenges businesses face and how a managed IT support provider can help you.
FINDING QUALIFIED TALENT
As business processes become reliant on technology, the demand for qualified IT professionals is also on the rise. Hiring and retaining talent is critical to maintain an IT infrastructure and keep pace with innovation.
More engineers and new skill sets are also essential to stay competitive in this cutthroat business landscape. Sadly, the labor market seems unable to produce a sufficient number of qualified employees to fill up the growing unfilled IT jobs. This is a major challenge to companies.
Many companies are looking for IT professionals with the necessary experience and credentials. Working with a managed IT support partner gives you access to a team of credentialed tech specialists. With managed services providers (MSP), you don’t have to worry about looking for the best talent. The provider ensures that there are IT professionals on standby in case you need urgent help.
COSTLY IT MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, companies spend around $52,810 every year for entry-level computer support specialists and as much as $114,520 for IT experts or consultants.
But aside from personnel costs, there are other IT-related expenditures such as hardware or software technologies and solutions, upgrades, and training. Unexpected costs may also crop up due to sudden technical glitches or system upgrades, or the need to pay upfront investments on new installations or infrastructure. All of these are essential operational expenses to ensure an efficient IT network.
Managed IT services help organizations reduce their costs. In this business model, you pay a fixed subscription fee for the tech services availed. This makes it easier to maintain and manage your IT systems.
COMPLIANCE TO REGULATIONS
The use of IT initiatives in different industries entails specific rules and regulations that are updated frequently. Specialists at a Dallas IT support company noted that many organizations are unable to fully comply with these guidelines, putting them at risk for fines or worse for non-compliance. Furthermore, they also put at risk classified data under their custody.
The fact is that these regulations are complex and can be quite challenging for a non-IT professional to understand. Plus, IT departments of companies are often so flooded with other work that they are unable to check on these regular updates.
With the help of an MSP, the burden of ensuring compliance is shifted to the provider. As such, you can rest assured that you are protected from any risks.
CYBER THREATS
According to the Cyber Security Risk Report 2019 by AON, six out of ten companies in the US and UK have experienced data breaches through a third-party. This highlights one of the top challenges that many businesses face – the rising incidence of cyberattacks. Software developers at Miropoint acknowledged the crucial role that an IT department plays in this cybersecurity.
With managed IT support, you can ensure that this aspect of your business technology is properly addressed. A provider can help improve your cybersecurity by ensuring that all software solutions are up-to-date and all potential risks are secured. They also provide 24/7 and continuous coverage for any sudden system breakdown that increases the vulnerability of your IT network.
SCALABILITY
As a business grows, the level of engagement and service also grows, alongside the increase in its IT requirements. For big companies with sufficient funding, scaling up their IT department isn’t a major problem.
However, for small- and medium-sized businesses, scalability is a major hurdle. Spending on additional manpower and investing in new technologies are unforeseen expenses that can affect their cash flow. Plus, the massive skill gap makes it extremely difficult to find qualified talents. Failure to meet the additional IT requirements can hamper productivity, customer experience, and overall business operations.
Reputable managed service companies enable businesses to scale up or down the services they avail depending on their IT needs. They have adequate manpower and solutions ready to be deployed to meet your requirements.
These are just some of the top challenges companies face this year. If your organization is struggling with the same concerns, collaborating with a managed IT support provider is a must.
