Regardless of the industry your small business operates in, you will need to consider IT support. But, to move forward you need to work out what kind of support is best for you and whether it is within budget.

With technology becoming more and more integral to our lives, it’s never been more important for small businesses to utilise the power of tech. However, introducing new technology can bring challenges, especially if your business is relatively small. That’s why it’s important that you have support for your tech, to help you understand how to get the best out of it and fix any problems you may encounter.

There are many different types of IT support to choose from, and each varies in features and price. Let’s take a closer look into whether your small business needs IT Support and the best options for you.

Do I need IT support?

Regardless of the type of small business, you are running, IT support is likely to benefit you in some way or other. But it does depend on the type of technology you use (hardware and software), and whether you have any in-house IT support.

For example, if you are operating a website or social media accounts but have no technical support, you may encounter issues that could seriously disrupt trading. If your website is down and customers can no longer purchase your services or products, it will impact your profits. That’s why having access to IT support can ensure that any issues are resolved quickly, and your business continues to run smoothly.

Basically, unless your business is run completely offline, which is unlikely, you will benefit from IT support. Let’s take a closer look at some of the different types of support you can choose from.

What are the different types of Managed IT support?

If you need a rapid response rate and a detailed level of technical stability, one option is to form an in-house IT support team. However, this option is considerably more expensive than others, the average salary for an experienced IT manager starts at around £44,000 per annum. That’s why this option works best for larger organisations or smaller companies that are undergoing rapid growth.

Another option is to outsource your IT support, usually to a company that specialises in giving IT support to several clients. This option is much cheaper that in-house support and is better for companies that need support less frequently or have a smaller budget. IT support companies will usually offer you a monthly subscription service, also known as managed services, that offer support around the clock for a standard monthly fee. Choosing this type of service will allow you to log as many issues as you have each month and receive response and support every time. This can help you resolve issue much faster than in-house teams, as the IT company can commit more resource to fixing the problem.

The third option is to opt for a service that charges on a case-by-case basis. This is ideal for companies that have infrequent IT issues and low risk attached to them.

However, if your business is very new and has limited funds to set aside for IT support, you may want to look into some of the free online serves that are available. You can find a wealth of information and troubleshooting online that could help you solve any minor technical issues you may have. This is obviously the cheapest option, but it will take more time and effort and is perhaps not viable long term.

Lastly, the final option to consider it to find IT support through your tech function providers, such as your website host or hardware supplier. These companies will usually have tech support integrated that can deal with any issues you may have. For instance, Microsoft offers its user support on any service they are using. This option could work for you; however, it may take longer for issues to be resolved and you will by required to have a basic understanding of what has gone wrong.

We can help

Before you make any decisions, it’s best to have a good understanding of what option are available to you, your requirements and financial stability. Technology is vital to business innovation and growth, so we all must adapt to keep up with the ever-changing business climate. The more technologically advanced your business becomes, the more issues you are likely to encounter, some of which you just can’t tackle alone.