IT management isn't just for the big companies.
In fact, small businesses need to be able to properly manage their technology just as much, if not more. Big companies have an entire IT department making sure everything runs smoothly, but if you're a smaller company, you most likely don't have that kind of resources.
So, how do you manage the technology aspect in your company?
If you're scratching your head right now, you're probably not doing very well in this area or you're not exactly sure why your small business needs effective IT management.
Why should you care?
Well, mainly because you're losing money when you could be saving money.
The biggest mistake you can make is thinking that your business is too small to need monitoring. You might even say you have been getting along just fine without it. However, you shouldn't wait for something to actually go wrong before you do anything.
Ineffective IT management can lead to all kinds of problems within your business. The financial risk is real if you don't manage the essential systems within your company in a suitable way. Imagine your server goes down. Your employees won't be able to do their jobs.
This means you'll be losing money, time and productivity. Also, there's always the risk of costly malware infections. One of the worst things that could happen is that you lose private data to hackers.
And then there all the problems that might not even seem technology-related at first. Let me give you a few examples:
- Decreased productivity
- High-stress work environment
- Unhappy employees
How can IT management help your business?
- Improved security
A security breach can be absolutely catastrophic for a small business. That's why you need to take all the measures you can to protect your business and your data against it. And it all starts with good management.
Removing admin rights is a practice that has become more and more popular after it was shown that doing so would better protect companies against malware and malicious intents. What this basically means is that users are only offered the privileges needed to perform their job, so that they are not able to engage in risky activities. Employees who have administrative power can be a weakness in your security system.
As your business continues to grow, you will probably come to realize that things are becoming hard to manage. Periodical reviews, evaluations and assessments of the network within your company are a must. Network Access can help with our NetWatchman Security Suite, offering internal and external vulnerability (Penetration) scans, cyber security monitoring and much more.
- Reduced costs
Budget is a big concern for all small businesses. There's always a price when something doesn't go as it should. If everybody in your company is able to perform their job without having to worry about server or network failure, then you're already saving money.
On the other hand, over the years, the total cost of ownership (TCO) for several devices will far exceed the initial costs of purchasing those devices. However, if those devices are well managed, the TCO can go down as much as 40%-45/% depending of the device.
Also, if your company’s devices are well managed, the total cost of ownership will be much lower. The bottom line is this: The more your company can control its PC environment, the less indirect costs you would incur.
- Manage your resources better IT management is all about getting the most out of the technology you have already invested in. Also, it reduces downtime and leaves you more time to tackle other important aspects of your business. This way, your IT environment becomes more of an asset than a liability.
Who handles your IT?
Managing all your devices so they run optimally and securely can benefit your small business in more ways than one.
However, this is not an easy task, as it can pose many challenges and be time-consuming if you don't know exactly what you're doing. Also, things like license management are very sensitive.
In too many cases, small business owners rely on somebody within the company who might even have a totally different job description to take care of managing all the technology. I'm not saying your programmers don't know what they're doing, but they shouldn't be the ones to handle all the IT issues.
Good IT management requires knowledge and expertise. That's why you should leave IT to the professionals. We'll make sure your infrastructure is always up-to-date and that all of your devices are in pristine condition, so make sure to contact us today.