Why is IT Support Needed?

If you've ever why IT support is needed for businesses, we've got you covered. Continue reading for a full break down of reasons why getting IT support will advance, protect, and drive success in your business.

Would you buy a car and expect it to drive itself and never break down? Would you open a call center without hiring anyone to answer the phone? Of course not. That’s why it is unreasonable to invest in business technology (computer hardware or software) without hiring an information technology (IT) support team to take care of it and be there to address tech-related problems as they arise.

Every business relies on technology because technology improves communication and efficiency, supplies knowledge, protects against attacks, increases the capacity for businesses, and is necessary for business expansion. These are important benefits that lead us to understand how IT support is an essential element of any organization. Managed Solution is here to discuss what having experienced tech support means for a company.

Effective Solutions to Tech Problems

We have to expect technology to fail or malfunction, so we need a team of people with the right skill sets to address the problems and prevent them from happening. Your staff might know how to work with the company’s systems, but they wouldn’t know what to do if something goes wrong. How long can you afford to have your systems down before it begins to affect your business? With the IT support team in place, disaster recovery is more achievable because they can analyze most technical issues and solve issues quickly by delivering highly-skilled solutions.

Cyberattack Protection

According to Bitdefender’s 2019 Hacked Off report, 57% of companies reported that they’d experienced a network security breach in the past three years, while the rest said it’s likely they experienced one unknowingly. Small and medium-sized businesses are the target of cybercriminals who mostly rely on using phishing attacks to infiltrate their IT system. Having anti-virus software installed is not enough because you need someone knowledgeable and experienced to help you detect and avoid the full spectrum of viruses and malware. This is where an IT support team can help you defend your IT infrastructure.

Setting Up your IT Infrastructure

This is one of the primary reasons why your company needs IT support. For easier communication and more efficient business operations, IT systems combine up-to-date tech with appropriate business data. Setting up these systems is not easy – it is a complex and delicate task that needs to be performed by professionals. If you don’t already have an IT strategy in place, you should consider teaming up with an IT support team to make sure you can compete in the market. Also, your IT infrastructure needs to be managed and monitored so you are sure that everything always runs efficiently and smoothly for the benefit of your company. Without tech-savvy personnel, regular network and system maintenance can be a challenge.

Diagnosing and Resolving Issues

System and network crashes are a common occurrence, especially when they’re overloaded, so diagnosing and resolving issues becomes a challenge. Failures can be crippling for a business that has become dependent on its IT system. An IT support team is there to help identify and fix problems quickly so the business can go back to its normal routines (without experiencing any significant losses).

Data Storage, Security, and Management

The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) came into effect in May 2018, and it tightened the regulations around data protection. The GDPR is the strongest set of data protection rules and regulations created to enhance how people access the information about consumers that companies collect. Also, it places limits on what companies and organizations can do with their personal data. If organizations don’t comply with the legislation, regulators can find them (and the fines have increased significantly).

As for organizations based in California and those nationwide doing business in California, they should comply with the CCPA (California’s Consumer Privacy Act), which came into effect on January 1, 2020. The act is the most comprehensive consumer-focused data privacy set of regulations enacted in the U.S. (so far). CCPA mandates requirements that apply to a multitude of industries, and determining if your company is required to comply with it is the first step.

This means that it’s time for organizations to start taking data protection very seriously. An IT support team is there to make sure the data is easily accessible (only to those that they want to view it) and stored in a secure environment. Without the help of an experienced IT team, you could compromise your data by storing it in a vulnerable location, accessing your computer systems with public internet connections, or giving access to company data to unauthorized people who intend to take advantage of weak cybersecurity.

Updating Old Systems

Technology constantly changes and evolves, so what works today might not work tomorrow. Businesses need to keep up with the latest inventions in technology, and that’s where IT support can help by ensuring that all company systems are up-to-date. That way, organizations won’t be left behind because they’re using outdated and obsolete equipment while their competitors move ahead.

Is IT Support Needed for Every Company?

The answer: YES. Every company needs either an IT specialist or a professional IT support team. For some, that means creating a segmented in-house IT department, while others might need to outsource their technical support process. IT technicians don’t need to be on-site in order to service your IT infrastructure or keep your data secure because most of the work can be performed remotely with cloud computing. Startups and SMBs usually find IT support to be the most preferable and cost-effective option. Large corporations typically go for in-house IT teams, which is a more expensive option, but it comes with its own set of advantages.

Effective IT support needs to be accessible around-the-clock because tech problems can occur at any time. What you need is a fast response time, and most MSP (Managed Service Provider) remote IT support teams are ready to address any issues as soon as they come up - with some engaging their clients via video conferencing. One of the advantages of MSP IT support teams over in-house teams is that the provider always has enough personnel to take care of your IT infrastructure. If your primary IT support contact goes on vacation, gets sick, or quits their job, you can be sure that another person is there and ready to take his or her place.

Conclusion

Outsourcing a tech support team may reduce the control you have over your IT processes, but if you lack in-house expertise, your company will definitely benefit from the expertise provided by a Managed Service Provider. Typically, small and medium-sized businesses have 1-5 people in-house (if any). If the loss of control doesn’t interfere with your business processes and operations, the advantages will outweigh all the disadvantages it may cause. After all, without proper IT support, your organization’s advanced technologies become useless.