Small businesses now rely heavily on IT, and the proliferation of Apple and Android tablet devices only serves to increase reliance on technology that
many business owners don't fully understand ... But it sure needs to work!
As companies grow it becomes impractical to rely on ad hoc support contracts to keep their systems working reliably. IT Systems need regular maintenance to perform at their best and remain protected against internet malware, so business owners need to take a decision to
either employ a full time IT Manager or outsource to a
Managed Service Provider.
Why IT Management is difficult for small businesses.
Larger companies can cost justify employing a full time IT team including teams of first line support engineers, experienced systems professionals and an IT manager. The system is proven and works well because junior members of staff have clear opportunities for career progression, senior technicians can roll their sleeves up and get to grips with new technology, and the IT Manager can occupy himself with developing IT strategy to meet the businesses' needs and managing his team. Unfortunately, it’s a different story for SMB’s. Skilled IT staff are thin on the ground and command good salary packages, so you need to make sure that you are going to be able to keep them busy.
Larger companies can cost justify employing a full time IT team including teams of first line support engineers, experienced systems professionals and an IT manager. The system is proven and works well because junior members of staff have clear opportunities for career progression, senior technicians can roll their sleeves up and get to grips with new technology, and the IT Manager can occupy himself with developing IT strategy to meet the businesses' needs and managing his team. Unfortunately, it’s a different story for SMB’s. Skilled IT staff are thin on the ground and command good salary packages, so you need to make sure that you are going to be able to keep them busy.
IT Managers Need A Challenge
SMB’s are not always attractive employers for good IT professionals as they have fairly simple IT needs. Since most IT Managers are techies at heart, they like to be able to get to grips with the latest technology. Given that most of the tasks required to keep your systems running smoothly are routine in nature (e.g. updating antivirus software and ensuring that required Windows Updates are installed) , a small company is unlikely to be able to offer an IT professional the opportunity to build the infrastructure of their dreams. There is therefore a relatively high rate of turnover amongst IT staff in SMB organisations with IT staff leaving to seek new challenges in larger companies where they can gain experience in the latest technology.
SMB’s are not always attractive employers for good IT professionals as they have fairly simple IT needs. Since most IT Managers are techies at heart, they like to be able to get to grips with the latest technology. Given that most of the tasks required to keep your systems running smoothly are routine in nature (e.g. updating antivirus software and ensuring that required Windows Updates are installed) , a small company is unlikely to be able to offer an IT professional the opportunity to build the infrastructure of their dreams. There is therefore a relatively high rate of turnover amongst IT staff in SMB organisations with IT staff leaving to seek new challenges in larger companies where they can gain experience in the latest technology.
Losing an IT Manager causes its own problems. Suddenly, the one person who knows the ins and outs of your systems is gone, so it can be a turbulent
time while you go through the process of finding a replacement which in itself diverts you from the process of running your business.
Should You Use A Managed IT Service Provider?
The alternative to employing your own staff to run your IT systems is to employ a Managed IT Service Provider (MSP). For a fixed monthly fee, a managed service provider will perform all of the functions that you would expect from an IT Manager, but at a lower cost. What’s more, you don’t need to worry about keeping them occupied, or whether they may leave your company.
The alternative to employing your own staff to run your IT systems is to employ a Managed IT Service Provider (MSP). For a fixed monthly fee, a managed service provider will perform all of the functions that you would expect from an IT Manager, but at a lower cost. What’s more, you don’t need to worry about keeping them occupied, or whether they may leave your company.
Equally important is that an MSP is equipped to carry out the routine system management tasks required to keep your systems running smoothly and to do so
as efficiently as possible using automation software. Unlike a break/ fix contract, an MSP gets paid no more money for sending an engineer to site to
re-build a PC that has crashed, so they will do everything possible to make sure that they don’t.
Because of this, many larger companies with their own IT Manager (50 - 100 staff) use a Managed Service provider to support an in-house IT Manager. This
way, your IT Manager can concentrate on the bigger picture of how you can use IT to make your business more efficient, and leave the routine maintenance
tasks to the MSP who can carry out the work more cost effectively than employing additional staff.
What About Cloud Computing?
he move to cloud computing will undoubtedly be an accelerator to the adoption of managed IT services by medium and larger sized organisations. Organisations who run their business applications as cloud services will have no need to employ a full time IT Manager, but PC’s, printers and firewalls still need to be maintained, and an MSP is perfectly positioned to provide these functions efficiently and cost-effectively.
he move to cloud computing will undoubtedly be an accelerator to the adoption of managed IT services by medium and larger sized organisations. Organisations who run their business applications as cloud services will have no need to employ a full time IT Manager, but PC’s, printers and firewalls still need to be maintained, and an MSP is perfectly positioned to provide these functions efficiently and cost-effectively.
Want To Know More?
If you would like to know more about our IT support or managed IT services, please download our white paper or contact us at info@clearview.co.uk .
If you would like to know more about our IT support or managed IT services, please download our white paper or contact us at info@clearview.co.uk .
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