SMEs need the peace of mind that they have the right IT support and security in place for 2024.
As SMEs prepare for business readiness, tying up operational loose ends can be difficult. With the rise of AI and automation, a safe and accessible IT network is more important than ever before.
“The combination of outsourcing, AI and automation provides peace of mind that a dedicated team of experts, equipped with the right technology, have their eye on what’s coming over the horizon,” says Dave Adamson, CTO at Espria.
“Over the past holiday period and moving through the start of the year should be a time to reflect on where business costs are being wasted, what damage a breach has the potential to do, and how well equipped your IT team are to deal with the challenge of AI in 2024.
“Managed Service Providers can ensure that business’ IT networks are secure and problem-free, without sacrificing business productivity or continuity. If you don’t have the funds, resources or time to employ your own IT team, managed services can give you the peace of mind to know that your business is business ready for the new year, and crucially, can help you make the most of your IT investments.”
Adamson goes on to detail some of the benefits for SMEs of using managed IT services:
1. Expenses
“Fixed service costs mean businesses can make accurate financial plans and budget realistically, rather than spending unpredictable amounts of money. Outsourcing can also provide a more cost-effective approach for small businesses where the costs of hiring and retaining an IT team in-house are prohibitive.
“Similarly, if you need a lot of IT support, subscribing to managed IT services will likely save you money versus paying on-demand each time you need the advice or skills of an IT expert.”
2. Expertise
“Having an MSP gives you access to IT experts at all times, without having to recruit and hire them yourself. These teams offer access to a broad skillset, with a greater ability to identify issues across multiple clients and are constantly updating their security knowledge to give the best service to you year on year.
“MSPs are always on hand to assist you at any time during working hours meaning errors are handled efficiently and quickly.”
3. Greater uptime for work
“If your IT services are interrupted, it can deliver a significant blow to company productivity meaning time is wasted by your team trying to resolve issues plus loss of business continuity due to disrupted operations. It is critical to mitigate downtime in the event of cyber-attack; not only does it mean wasted money in fixing the breach, but also reputational damage if you cannot complete operations in a timely fashion.
“With an outsourced team of IT professionals continuously monitoring and maintaining your network, they can spot and prevent a problem as well as quickly resolve any issues, leaving you and your operational teams to focus on business rather than fixing breaches.”
4. Access to the latest software and technology
“An outsourced IT department is more likely to use the best technology on the market, rather than having to compete for budget with other business expenses. They will keep software up to date across all clients and operate within the latest frameworks provides greater assurance that systems are the most up-to-date.
“Additionally, if the business is armed with the correct automation weapons and software that can help it to gain faster data insights, it can have a meaningful impactful on the bottom line.”
Equipped with the right technology, outsourced managed services can be an efficient and cost-effective way for SMEs to protect their systems and their data from intrusions while reducing the complexity of the process. With an outsourced team of IT professionals, SME’s can have the peace of mind that their IT network is secure and focus on core business operations.
