Whether you are a small home office or the director of a small business overwhelmed by computer issues and staff requests, you need a better technology solution. However, maintaining the right solution to solve the right problem can be a challenge.
Should you outsource your IT tasks or hire a dedicated tech support pro? Here are five tips that will help you organise IT support for a small business.
- Identify the desired result
It’s no brainer that every small business has different IT support requirements. First and foremost, try to determine the results you want to achieve. What kinds of technical issues do you encounter the most? Are you experiencing regular outages?
Identifying your key IT tasks along with the desired results will help you better understand your needs and, in the end, choose the right type and level of tech support for your business.
Choose the right IT support company
Do not take the decision to outsource tech support lightly. Do your due diligence. Find a company that has an excellent reputation, an affordable support plan, and easily accessible customer service.
Consider in-house tech support
Should you hire dedicated IT staff? The answer depends on a host of considerations, including the size of your company, the complexity of your tech challenges, and the needs of your internal and external customers.
You might also consider exploring hybrid solutions, in which you bring someone on to quarterback critical issues, but also use remote IT support for some projects. For instance, a satellite office might link up to your outsourced IT team to handle emergency issues after hours.
Invest in remote support software
Does your business have multiple locations, time-sensitive commitments, or complex deliverables? Do you have diverse clients (or internal customers) with shifting needs?
Either way, you may need flexible and reliable remote support software to support your clients and allow your staff to access key data whenever necessary.
Get free advice from IT pros
If you experience smaller issues now and then, you may choose to get advice from those who deal with them every day. There’s a number of tech support forums where IT pros provide free consulting services to those in need. You might be surprised to find out that there’s always a simple fix for your “most complex” technical issue.
