It’s a challenging time for businesses in Chicago. As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, budgets citywide are under strain. Every penny saved now could put your business in an advantageous position later.
IT is the biggest line item in almost any company’s HR budget. If you’re looking to save capital, it’s natural to look here for efficiencies. Often, not only is it cheaper, but it’s also more productive to outsource tech functions to a managed IT services firm.
How can a managed IT services company help your firm get ahead? Let us count the ways.
They Provide Service Around-The-Clock
We live in an always-on, globalized world. These days, staff at even small Chicago firms work well into the evening. Distributed teams allow some companies to run 24/7. When talent in Chi-Town clocks out, team members on the other side of the globe clock in.
However, if your network goes down at 9 pm, everything grinds to a halt for 12 hours – or longer. What a disaster! This doesn’t have to happen, though, as the best choices in Chicago for managed IT services have network administrators available at all hours. For example, one of the local IT support companies, Ntiva, now offers 3 hour SLAs and 24/7 coverage to entice Chicago businesses.
If anything goes wrong, they respond immediately. From unexpected downtime to password resets, they’ve got you covered. This way, customers and workers can continue to access your site with minimal interruptions.
They Allow Talent To Shine
In smaller firms, employees are often forced to wear many hats. Your accounts payable clerk may also have to handle accounts receivable. Your marketing coordinator might also be your social media manager. And your lead programmer may handle all things tech support.
You should only multitask out of sheer necessity. Anytime you do it, it comes with enormous productivity costs. Researchers at Tennessee’s Bryan College have pegged the global expense of multitasking at $450 billion annually. Suffice to say, the more you can focus on your core competencies, the better off your business will be.
In the case of our poor programmer, a managed IT service firm can help. Rather than wasting time resetting passwords, your coder can focus on creating fantastic software. Meanwhile, outsourced IT techs can tend to the time-wasting (but necessary) tasks in your company.
They Offer Chicago Businesses Greater IT Flexibility
Of all the people you’ll hire, IT professionals are by far the priciest. According to salary comparison site Glassdoor, the average IT worker in Chicago makes $71,000 annually. Considering this fact, you may not be able to hire for all the roles you’d like.
As a result, many SMEs opt for an IT generalist. On paper, these professionals should be able to cover most of your IT issues. However, the cliche, “Jack of all trades, master of none” became a cliche for a reason. If this employee encounters a situation out of their depth, they could spend many hours/days trying to fix it.
During this time, your team’s productivity may be severely curtailed. You can avoid this scenario by hiring a managed IT services firm to handle your company’s tech needs. Rather than depending on one employee, an outsourced IT firm draws on a variety of talented professionals.
A network administrator handles the day-to-day operations of your server. A cybersecurity specialist helps keep your digital assets safe. And tech support can aid forgetful employees who have lost their login details for the umpteenth time.
Could you afford that level of comprehensive IT coverage on your own? Likely not. For this reason, it’s often best to opt for a managed IT services firm.
They Save Valuable Capital
Even if you have the budget for a full IT department, outsourcing may still be the superior choice. We now live in unpredictable times. Given how 2020 has gone thus far, it’s wise to have abundant financial reserves.
Having a strong cash position is advisable for two main reasons. One, if the economy tanks suddenly, having a fat bank account can help you survive lean times. And two, if a buying opportunity comes up, you’ll want to have enough cash-on-hand to take advantage.
By employing an outsourced IT firm, you’ll fill your coffers faster. The difference in the cost of paying employees versus an outside IT firm makes this possible.
Focus On What You’re Good At
You code mobile apps. You make cool shades. You crunch numbers for busy companies. You’re not in the business of managing networks. Whatever it is you do, you ought to be doing more of that. Let the experts handle your IT needs while your team focuses on making it happen.
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