Is Outsourcing IT Support Right for Your Business?

is outsourcing it support right for your business
Outsourcing IT Support

Many small businesses simply don’t have the resources and funds to have an entire IT department. However, in no way does this mean these businesses have to go without IT support. If you’re thinking about outsourcing IT support, here is some information that will help you determine whether the choice is right for you.

How Much Will Outsourcing IT Support Cost You?

When determining whether outsourcing IT support is right for you, it’s best that you start with the cost. One of the main advantages of outsourcing IT support is the savings. For the vast majority of corporations, outsourcing IT support will cost far less than running an entire IT department.

Rather than pay a salary to your employees, you will pay a monthly or yearly cost. An IT support company may even be able to provide you with equipment for less than you would be able to find on your own.

Can You Find a Trustworthy and Reliable IT Support Company?

When considering whether outsourcing IT support is right for your business, you should consider if you’ll be able to find a trustworthy and reliable IT support company. Without a doubt, business security is no joke.

If you do decide to outsource IT support, you must be able to trust the company you’re working with completely. A disaster when it comes to security can easily spell the end for the entire business.

For more information about whether outsourcing IT support is the right choice for your business, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Benefits of Outsourcing IT Support For Your Small or Medium Sized Business

benefits of outsourcing it support for your small or medium sized business

Traditionally, corporations hire employees and buy infrastructure for an internal IT department. However, nowadays, more and more people are switching to outsourcing IT support for their needs.

This is especially true when it comes to small businesses, which often don’t have the resources or need for a full-fledged IT department. Here are some of the many benefits of outsourcing IT support.

Outsourcing Will Help You Control IT Costs

One of the main benefits of outsourcing IT support is that it will help you control costs. When you hire an IT support company, you will only need to pay a monthly or yearly fee. On the other hand, if you decide to have an internal IT department, you will need to pay a salary to your employees.

Also, you will have to spend a substantial amount of money on infrastructure, which an IT support company may be able to get for you at a discounted price.

IT Support Companies Are Experienced and Qualified

Some business owners are hesitant to outsource IT support because they wrongly believe the quality of the services won’t be as great. Even though you’re paying less for the services, the experts who work for IT support companies are experienced and qualified.

If you don’t believe this, you will have no trouble getting information about certification from the IT support company. Certification is the best way to confirm an employee is qualified.

For more information about the benefits of outsourcing IT support for your business, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Questions to Ask When Outsourcing IT Support

questions to ask when outsourcing it support

it support

Just about every business needs IT support to operate smoothly and efficiently. While some businesses opt to have an entire IT department on site, many choose to outsource IT support to receive the same quality services at a lower cost.

If you’re thinking about outsourcing IT support, here are two questions you should ask service providers.

Do you have experience serving businesses in my industry?

Technology needs for businesses differ from industry to industry. For example, a business in the restaurant industry won’t have the same technology needs as a business in the finance industry.

Before you hire an IT support company, you should ask whether the IT experts have experience serving businesses in your industry. The answer to this question will help you ensure your technology needs will be met to a T.

What sort of customer service can I expect?

As you may know from experience, disasters can strike at any time. Therefore, you want to outsource IT support to a company that offers excellent customer service.

You should ask about the time frame in which you can expect technology issues to be resolved. That way, if your server crashes, you won’t be left wondering when the IT technicians will be on site to deal with the issue. Look for service providers that offer 24/7 customer service.

More and more businesses are transitioning to outsourced IT support due to the quality services and lower costs.

For more information about the questions you should ask when outsourcing IT support, don’t hesitate to contact us.

What is expected of IT support?

what is expected of it support

IT support

Computer use has become as completely commonplace as telephones, typewriters and filing cabinets used to be. Computers are carefully designed to be as user-friendly as possible. However, computers are really extraordinarily complicated. They rely on a wide range of software, made to different standards by different producers. The software integrates with the internal workings of the computers in different ways. The makers of computers, software, and the governors of the internet have become adept at hiding the complexity under layers of user-friendly processes and standards, but the complexity and technical mysteries of these very complicated systems sometimes do rear their heads and cause confusion. Most business users of computers just want them to perform their tasks and get confused when the technical complexity escapes the computer’s camouflage. Here are some examples of the most asked tech questions for IT support.

People like to run Windows in their offices on their lap tops but they also want to access the Windows format on their other devices. Some of the most common questions have to do with running Windows on other operating systems. The LogMeIn app is a subscription service that allows users to access their Windows systems on their portable devices.

Microsoft Office is one the most popular multi-function office utilities. Many people ask how they can access the functions of Microsoft Office on their Android system devices. Microsoft does offer acomplete version of office for Android 4.0 and later.

A lot of questions concern wrinkles in the installation of applications. Sometimes applications require special licenses or the use of thumb drives for licensing purposes.

Transferring of data is a big concern in business. Limits to the size of files is a problem for business that want to transfer large graphics or data files. Many business people have not embraced the cloud and want data to be stored on their own drives. There is a lot of confusion in the business community about the transfer of large data files.

The problem of software licensing is at the root of many questions. Small business people want to extend the use of their software. Questions concern the constraints to buying more licenses and distributing them to staff.

The use of email accounts is the source of a lot of questions. Since there are several major email systems (Yahoo, Gmail, Outlook, etc.) questions often arise about syncing multiple email accounts. Businesses just want one inbox.

The problem of too much access to email also comes up. Business people ask how is it possible to set permissions which can give others limited access to email. The area of administrative permissions is something that confuses many business questioners.

Control of malware is at the nub of many questions. Removing malware can be very difficult and costly. You can get training in how to remove it yourself, or can find experts who can do it for you.

Running applications faster and speeding the operation of systems that seem to run slowly is another big question source. Issues like hard-disk defragging, removing unused drivers, removing software from the start-up tray are all part of the answer. Sometimes more memory is also required.

Syncing file content across devices is an issue that frequently comes up. ActiveSync is a way to keep mobile devices up to data. When you use ActiveSync you have to set it up correctly for best results.

Battery life poses a lot of questions. How do you make batteries last longer? How do maintain battery life? Lithium Ion batteries which run most modern electronics work best if you recharge them frequently, not from full drain but with shallow charges. Keep the batteries cool and don’t plug in your device when the battery is 100% charged.

4 Corner IT is a managed services provider offering for your Florida business. Aligning heavily with the cloud, we successfully serve industries ranging from legal firms to assisted living facilities to emergency air rescue.

Please contact us to learn more.

 

 

IT Support Solutions That Increase Efficiency

it support solutions that increase efficiency

Increasing efficiency is a common goal for many small businesses. Streamlining your operations leads to increased productivity and revenues. One of the most effective ways to increase efficiency is by improving your IT infrastructure. The following are several ways you can use IT support solutions to help increase efficiency in your business.

Upgrade Your System

Relying on old equipment is risky. If your workstations are extremely outdated, you will run into software issues, computer crashes, and more that could slow down productivity. Upgrading your equipment is always optional. However, new hardware can greatly enhance user workflow.

Outsource Your Technical Support

Dealing with IT security and network problems takes up a lot of productivity hours. Hundreds and even thousands of dollars are lost due to network downtime. Outsourcing your IT support to experienced IT technicians can alleviate a lot of the hassle of common IT issues. You and your employees will have immediate access to tech support when you need it.

Data Backup

A major disaster could occur at any time. Is your data safe? Without a data backup and recovery plan, your business will have a difficult time recovering and becoming operational again. A managed services provider can create a continuity and contingency plan for your business to help ensure your data is safe and secure.

These are only a few of the ways in which you can use IT to help improve the efficiency of your business.

Contact us today and learn how you can prevent hundreds of lost hours due to inefficient hardware and software. We provide preventative, proactive, and reactive IT support solutions for any IT infrastructure.