As a leader in a small or midsize business, you carry a lot of weight on your shoulders.
Not only are you responsible for an entire workforce, cash flow, and overseeing operations; you’re also tasked with mapping out the logistics of all things technical.
And if you’re not a tech-savvy person this can often feel like a burden rather than an opportunity to strengthen your company as a whole.
Hooking up phones, troubleshooting internet outages, setting up email accounts, and fielding IT questions, in general, may not be your forte – and that’s okay! That’s where managed IT services come into play. Partnering with a dedicated IT company equips you with the best small business IT support out there. We help you make educated decisions about your IT in a way that protects and preserves the longevity of your company.
So, what is managed IT anyway? Why is it so important for local, smaller businesses? Let’s dive in:
What Is Managed IT?
Simply put, managed IT services come into play when you outsource your IT needs to a third-party business. It comes in handy for a variety of reasons including the standard, day-to-day technical support to providing multi-factor authentication (MFA) to protect your company from cyber-attacks and hacks.
Managed IT comes in all shapes and sizes – and not all businesses require the same IT support. In the end, outsourcing your IT not only empowers daily operations but can be a major asset in preventing a major data disaster.
How Managed IT Can Help Prevent The Unthinkable
No one can argue that going digital is a bad idea. The way it helps us streamline manual processes and communication is priceless. Most small to midsize businesses would have tanked in 2020 if it weren’t for platforms like Zoom and Google to support their communication needs.
Nonetheless, going completely digital requires a certain amount of tact and strategic thinking. When you start storing precious data on various servers it’s imperative for top-level management to assess the risks. If you don’t, you’re not only exposing your company to an exponential security risk but putting your livelihood (and the livelihood of others) on the line as well.
If you have security nets in place to prevent this kind of thing you’re on the right track, but it may not be enough. In fact, it’s not enough. Here’s how managed IT services can help maximize your efforts to protect precious data.
External Drives Aren’t Enough Anymore
External hard drives are nice to have when your computer warns you about running out of storage – but are they effective enough to protect private information? No.
For example, if your business falls victim to ransomware, it’s almost guaranteed that the ransomware will encrypt the backups on your external drives as well. This means that information is now corrupted and there’s almost nothing you can do to recover it without paying a price.
What is the true cost of a ransomware attack? We’ll show you:
This doesn’t have to be your reality. Professional IT management can help prevent dark outcomes like those shown above. At Bright Edge Solutions, we protect your servers with the very best backup and disaster recovery appliances. If your server crashes or falls victim to ransomware, we can spin it back up again in a matter of minutes instead of days, allowing your staff to continue working and your business to remain profitable.
Without managed IT, there’s a gap in the troubleshooting and planning process. This could leave your files, computer systems, and business as a whole in a vulnerable state, which could result in losing the company altogether.
Reduce The Risk Of Major Data Loss & Ultimately Business Failure
If you’re the kind of person who relies on stats and hard numbers to make decisions, we don’t blame you. In fact, numbers alone can predict when a business is failing due to a data breach. Our friends at UniTrends compiled some noteworthy percentages to consider:
- 7 out of 10 small firms that experience a major data loss go out of business within a year. (DTI/Price Waterhouse Coopers)
- 93% of companies that lost their data center for 10 days or more due to a disaster, filed for bankruptcy within one year of the disaster.
- 50% of businesses that found themselves without data management for this same time period filed for bankruptcy immediately. (National Archives & Records Administration in Washington)
- 94% of companies suffering from a catastrophic data loss do not survive – 43% never reopen and 51% close within two years. (University of Texas)
Outsourcing IT management adds a hidden tool to your arsenal. With resources like 24/7 network monitoring, firewall protection, routine backups, and IT asset management, you can rest easy knowing that your chances of experiencing major data loss are at an all-time low. Your dedicated IT team is available around the clock to stand guard against an unthinkable data disaster.
Nix The Traditional Antivirus Installations
Yes, this applies to Norton AntiVirus, too. Traditional antivirus software is all but useless against modern, sophisticated ransomware attacks. As IT evolves, so do the viruses that try to attack them. That’s why we use next-gen Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR). Should a virus find its way through to your device, EDR stops it in its tracks long before it can do any damage. Your systems are safe and secure all thanks to a little proactive IT planning!
Managed IT Services: Your Solution For Data Disaster Prevention
Choosing to move forward with managed IT shouldn’t be a matter of if but when. By partnering with a local firm like Bright Edge Solutions, you gain customizable managed IT plans that work with your unique needs, budget, and goals. Our all-encompassing tech support services are designed to help your small or midsize organizations thrive with proactive and preventative IT that works.
If you’re not sure where to start or don’t know what IT you have in place, an audit can help. Contact us today to speak with a team member and gain perspective on weaknesses in your current setup.