IT Services for SMBs: How to Find the Right One for Your Business

IT is just one of those things that small business owners don’t really think about until something needs fixing. 

You’ve got a ton of other things on your plate, so it makes sense that this would be the case. But think about what would happen to your day if your computer’s USB or charging ports suddenly stopped working. What if you’re in the middle of fulfilling a slew of customer orders, and your printer decides it needs a mental health day?

A full-blown network interruption can quickly turn into missed orders or worse yet, losing that prospective customer who called in to ask about pricing.

IT issues turn into unnecessary and often money-draining downtime. Downtime that could end up costing you quite a lot as a small business owner. 

You need IT services to come and save the day, but how do you know which one is right for you? In this blog, we’re going to break down how to find the right IT services for your business and key things to consider during your search.

Why SMBs need reliable IT services

A lot of people probably don’t realize that SMBs operate in a pretty fast-paced environment where every minute and every dollar counts. Small business owners often wear many hats, fulfilling jobs that amount to three full-time jobs. 

Unlike large companies with dedicated IT teams, SMBs usually don’t have the bandwidth to manage complex tech needs. This could leave you juggling IT issues on top of your (many) core responsibilities. 

To add insult to injury, the consequences of not having proactive IT support can be severe. We have that unplanned downtime to consider, but that isn’t the only monster under the bed. 

Cybersecurity becomes a huge issue. Without the right IT support, your business becomes not just an easy target for cybercriminals but also incredibly vulnerable to breaches. A breach can cripple your business in less than a week. 

With cybersecurity threats on the rise in the SMB space, you have to protect your business. A reliable IT service provider can help you mitigate those risks by ensuring that you never become a target at all. You get the expert support you need, proactive security, and scalable tech so that you can focus on growing your business and not on IT issues.

Let’s explore the different types of IT services that you’re most likely to encounter.

Types of IT services for SMBs

Now that we’ve convinced you that you really should have an IT partner in your corner, we’re going to get into why choosing the right IT services for your business is so important. Step one is to understand what’s available. Whether you need full-scale IT management or targeted solutions, the right provider can help you supercharge your operations, improve security, and support your business growth.

In-house IT teams: Hiring someone to cover your IT corners sounds great on the surface. You would have someone who could cover all the bases full-time, they would understand your business needs on a deeper level and could provide the support you need right when you need it.

But—yes, there’s a big ‘but’ to consider—having just one person seriously limits the bases. They might understand how to fix that wonky printer and maybe how to get you back online, but what if they aren’t well-versed in cybersecurity? Your budget is likely limited, so this isn’t the direction we recommend you take.

Independent IT contractors: If you only need occasional IT help, this might seem like the next best option. While cost-effective in the short term, the same cons apply as an in-house IT team.

Individual IT solutions: This is the one that a lot of SMBs go for. It’s the manual version of IT support. So this means that you go out and find your own targeted services, like cloud computing, cybersecurity services, helpdesk support, and more, to address specific needs without a long-term commitment. 

The challenge here is that you have to go out and source it all yourself. This means that you have to already have a base understanding of how to build a sustainable and effective IT infrastructure and be okay with resolving your IT issues on your own. 

If that sounds like a lot of work, it’s because it is a lot of work. We’re going to save you the headache and tell you what we think is best for small business owners.

Managed IT services: A fully outsourced solution that includes round-the-clock monitoring, maintenance, cybersecurity, and support. Managed service providers act as an external IT department, which gives you easy operations and proactive security.

Now that we’ve covered why you need reliable IT support and the different avenues you can take as a small business owner let’s dive into what to look for when choosing your managed services provider.

Key factors: What to keep in mind when choosing an MSP

Choosing the right IT service provider is an important decision for any SMB. The company you choose to partner with impacts security, your efficiency, and most importantly, your growth. A great place to start is by choosing a managed service provider that specializes in small businesses. You have unique needs, and your managed IT service provider should understand and be able to work with those needs. 

Consider scalability and flexibility. You’ll want to work with a provider that can easily adapt to your growing business without requiring major changes to your IT infrastructure. Out the gate, you may have to make IT changes to support your growth, but this shouldn’t be an ongoing issue. 

Security is also a massive factor here. A strong provider will implement robust cybersecurity measures and have 24/7 monitoring capabilities to ensure that your business and your data are always protected.

When you’re a small business, response times and support capabilities become that much more important. As we said earlier in this blog, downtime costs you more than just frustration. You need a provider that can resolve issues quickly and offers accessible support when problems arise. 

And finally, cost and pricing structure. Your managed IT service provider should be transparent, building a solution that fits the needs of your business. Choosing the right provider is about finding a partner that can grow with your business, protect your valuable data, and be an asset in keeping your operations running smoothly.

Network Thinking Solutions: The Right Choice for SMBs

The digital world is moving fast, and you need a partner that can help keep you ahead of the pace of change. For SMBs, managing day-to-day operations with technology management is a constant challenge. 

At Network Thinking Solutions (NTS), we understand that your focus should be on growing your business, not troubleshooting IT issues. 

We offer customized IT solutions that align with your unique business needs. Whether that’s securing your data, migrating to the cloud, streamlining your processes, or protecting your data, we’ve got you covered. With our proactive and customized approach, you can trust that your systems will run smoothly your data will be safe, and your tech will always be the driver of growth. 

“At NTS, we have over 25 tools in place for security that cover the desktop, cloud (AWS andAzure), and email solutions. It’s hard to imagine just one or two people in IT managing, monitoring, and responding to that many products,”- Wally Hass, CEO

If you want to learn more about how to make your IT work for you and not against you, contact us to learn more about managed IT services.