This is a question that many small to medium businesses ask themselves. In the past, stakeholders often assumed that outside IT support was primarily needed for enterprise companies and the systems required to support them. But now that Information Technologies are ubiquitous across the entire business spectrum, the need for consulting expertise (who, where and when) isn’t always clear. Let’s clear it up.

Characteristics of Businesses that Require Outside Information Technology (IT) Support to Succeed

1. Those without In-House IT Expertise

It may be obvious to state that the business without IT support, is the one that needs IT support. Let us clarify. You presumably have an “IT guy” (or gal). This is the person you go to when your site is acting up or when you find that you are having problems with your physical equipment or systems. But are they consistently available to address your immediate needs or are you at the mercy of a freelancer? Can they answer all questions that come across their plate or does it take a few days of investigation? Are they current with emerging technologies and best practices? Have they built an IT infrastructure for your company? If any of the answers are unsettling, you may need dedicated IT expertise.

Once you’ve identified the need to cover all technical bases, you must weigh options. Will it cost you more to recruit, train, and manage a salaried in-house IT team or is it easier to solicit the services of a consulting firm to provide this support? The answer often lies in the latter.

2. Those Most Concerned About Cyber Security

Cybersecurity is today’s hot topic for any company that conducts day-to-day business using information technology. With hacking threats, including ransomware, on the rise in 2016-17, the risk is real.

Which businesses are most susceptible and have the most to lose in a cyberattack? Notable industries include the usual suspects such as financial service providers, the healthcare industry, and law firms. But even if you’re outside of either industry, does that make you feel any better? Enterprise level businesses have the resources to claw their way back or rebound after a major outage or an attack. Just ask United Airlines and Delta in recent months. They can shoulder revenue losses and litigation. They have Disaster Recovery measures in place, but do you?

The right IT Support partner means that your IT Infrastructure is more secure, and recovery processes are in place so when attacks or failures occur, you can manage the problem and get back online quickly.

3. Those That Plan on Growing

If your five-year strategic plan projects growth, then your information management and technology requirements, and staff dependencies will grow with it. Your ability to scale your IT systems will become more complex as your company expands. But how do you scale effectively without your budget getting out of hand?

Perhaps the most effective way to leverage outside support is by having them perform an IT Assessment. An IT Assessment can help you understand and anticipate how your business will rely on IT today and in the future. It can help you identify how and when to scale, what technologies to use, how to budget, and where system pinch points may occur as you scale. More importantly, an IT Assessment can give you the control you need to carefully choreograph growth on your terms, instead of reacting to problems when they creep up on you.

Conclusion – All companies that rely on maximum uptime for their IT organization require some measure of IT support. Done right, it can enable growth and maximize the productivity of staff and your entire operations. Contact MAKE IT to learn how we can provide support, protection and optimization of your current IT environment.