Technology moves fast. So the right IT company for your business 5 years ago might not be the right fit today. As your business grows your needs and demands will change as well. Not all IT providers can keep up with those new needs.
But it can be hard to understand if your technology is working for you the way it should be. To help we have put together 6 signs that show you have outgrown your current IT provider.
Your IT support provider company doesn’t talk to you
If your IT provider isn’t coming to see your business regularly then how can’t they get to understand your business? How will they offer the right advice or build the best technology roadmap for your business if they don’t understand your business?
Good IT support goes beyond hitting SLA’s and closing tickets. The right IT provider can be a technology partner for your business. They can help your business succeed and meet its goals through the right technology solutions.
An IT support provider that just fixes issues for you is useful if you’re a small business not looking for growth. However, if you have designs to grow, technology has to play a part in that growth. So, you need a provider who understands your business and can help you hit your goals.
Your provider is not up to date
Technology moves at a frightening pace. That is a good thing for a business because new and better solutions are always coming along. It’s not so good news if your IT provider can’t or isn’t able to keep up.
Are you getting advice on the latest technology and solutions? Are you able to have conversations about remote working or the latest firewall solutions? Relying on an IT provider that can’t stay up to date with the latest technology puts your business technology at risk of becoming stagnant and outdated.
They respond too slowly
When your business is growing and becoming a well-established company you don’t want to keep waiting around for your technology issues to be fixed. If you have to wait hours, even days for them to respond to you that’s even worse.
The bigger your business the more revenue will be lost waiting for technology problems to be fixed. That is why you will need a partner that not only responds promptly but can fix your issues quickly.
They aren’t being proactive
When there are big issues with your technology is your provider calling you or do you have to call them? Are they working in the background fixing issues before they become full-blown problems? Are they making recommendations on new solutions or improvements that can be made?
Technology isn’t something you can put it in place and then only worry about it when things aren’t working. Continuous improvements can always be made and they can help your business be more productive. Only fixing issues when they happen and not looking at the longer-term role technology plays within your business will hamper your business over time.
Your stuck working with slow technology
This is a big no-no for any business to have to put up with. It’s been calculated that we waste 167 hours (4 weeks) each year dealing with slow technology. That’s an incredible amount of time for a business to waste.
Slow technology that hampers your business is an issue your IT provider should be fixing for you. You won’t be able to hit your goals if each year you are wasting 4 weeks.
You can’t remember your last cybersecurity checkup
Small and medium-sized businesses are prime targets for cybercrime. Don’t think that your business is too small for criminals to be interested in. Often SMB’s don’t have the budget or the resources to put the proper security in place, making them ideal targets.
Your IT support provider should be a driving force behind keeping your business secure from cyber threats. They should also be working with you on disaster recovery and business continuity plans if the worst should happen. Data is too important for a modern business to risk losing and the threat of cybercrime is so high nowadays that it’s only a matter of time until your business is targeted.
Why having the wrong IT support provider is a problem
Bad IT support hurts the bottom-line of your business. IT issues like frequent downtime, slow technology, and increased cyberattacks will reduce your productivity.
A business can’t afford to let a worn-out relationship with an IT support provider they’ve outgrown harming their bottom line. Technology is meant to be a business enabler after all.
Having the right IT partner will have a positive effect on your bottom line. You will waste less time chasing technology issues or using slow devices and more time working on your business.
How do you know how good your IT is?
Sometimes it can be hard for a business to know the state of their IT. If there are no visible signs then its easy to assume everything is okay but that shouldn’t be the case. The examples listed in this article show that there are plenty of issues that can be causing your business harm and you’re not aware of them because they’re not visible.
Summary
Modern technology can do wonderful things for a business. However, If it’s not looked after or not set up correctly in can seriously hamper your business.
Understanding the state of your technology is important for any business. For more information on how Provello can help your business call 028 9099 4420 or email [email protected].
