Information technology services are “the application of business and technical skills to support the development, administration, and improvement of, or access to, information and business processes within an organization.”
The technology relies on people’s time and knowledge to function. Typically, it is not cost-effective for small and medium-sized businesses to hire full-time workers to meet this demand. Similarly, to other fields, IT is one where the need for talented workers is high and the supply is limited. They require the assistance of a specialist, although network administration is not a full-time position. They just require a little bit of an expert’s time at the right time.
As a result, 29% of US SMBs outsource their IT support to a specialized firm. Every year, more and more organizations join the ranks of those reaping outsourcing’s many rewards. Many entrepreneurs in smaller enterprises are coming to the same conclusion. As such, they rely heavily on these solutions to keep their business running smoothly and effectively.
Which specific IT services are we discussing? Compared to other possibilities, why is this one so appealing to small and medium-sized businesses? The breadth of accessible IT services prevents us from providing a simple or succinct response to such inquiries. Each business’ activities will necessitate its own set of solutions. Here, we list the 12 most popular services used by small and medium-sized businesses, along with a brief explanation of why they’re useful.
List of 12 Common IT Services
Assisting Customers Through a Help Desk
Help desk support is a staple of the IT industry, and most service providers offer it to their clients. Simply put, this grants you access to a team of IT experts that can assist you in resolving issues and correcting mistakes as they arise. Most technical help is given over the phone or by logging into your computer remotely, but you can also get help in person.
One of the hallmarks of a top-tier help desk service is a promise of rapid response. Every problem will be recorded in the form of a ticket, and the process will be set up to “escalate” to a higher level if it becomes too difficult or requires the assistance of an expert. This guarantees that issues are always remembered and dealt with promptly.
Time is money, which is why saving it can be a lucrative investment. Your end users can keep working and staying productive with the help of the help desk staff. They’re not working as hard as they could be because they’re distracted by IT problems. When problems occur across the network and prevent employees from doing their jobs, this situation can become much more severe. The service desk is quick to respond to these problems and rectify them. The company benefits greatly from the reduction in lost productivity and enjoys a heightened sense of confidence in its ability to deal with challenges. When technology fails, businesses cannot function if they do not have a plan in place like this.
The average cost of IT downtime is $5600 per minute, according to Gartner. While the effect may not be quite as dramatic for most small businesses, it can nevertheless have a major bearing. The overall cost to the company per hour for a worker making the median annual wage of $50,000 is about $31.25. For every hour they are unable to work, that is the amount you will be charged. When there are problems with the server or the network, they affect more and more people. Having a team of 50 people will set you back $1562.50 per hour, or $12500 for a single workday. That just accounts for labour expenses, not lost business or damaged reputation. The calculations are easy to understand. Most SMEs now outsource their IT because of this.
Network Monitoring and Alerting
With this service, you can keep an eye on your network and fix any issues that may arise before they affect your users. Notifications can be set up to go off if a certain performance metric is breached. Set a monitor to notify you, for instance, when the server’s disc space exceeds 90% of its capacity. As soon as your server hits that point, an alert is triggered, and a ticket is created for IT to investigate the matter.
Many different types of monitoring can be set up. There is a way for businesses to track the status of their servers and other network devices. Not only that, but they can track how much time is spent in RAM, on the CPU, and on other resources. You can examine services separately for more detailed monitoring. If services stop responding, which can happen if a crucial application goes down, you will receive an alert. Regular monitoring is also used to guarantee that backups finish without incident and can notify you of any problems.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment, thus there is a clear business case and benefit to taking precautions. Preventing system outages and problems from occurring in the first place is preferable to fixing them after the fact. Your IT team can prevent any disruptions to business operations with the help of early warnings provided by monitoring and alerting solutions. If you have mission-critical workloads that can’t be completed during an outage and/or your customers can’t conduct business with you, this may be of paramount importance. With a monitored backup solution, you can be sure that your data is safe and secure in case of an emergency.
Restore from Tape and Offsite Storage
When a company subscribes to this service, they gain access to a failsafe system that always ensures the smooth operation of its business. This includes anything that makes the company useless, such as broken hardware or ransomware attacks.
A managed backup system that includes both on-premises and remote copies is the norm. In the event of a site disaster, the best BDR solutions will help you get back up and running as soon as possible, regardless of how extensive your server architecture is.
For this system, the provider handles all aspects of backup management, hence the “managed” label. They keep an eye on the backups to make sure they’re working and act if there’s a problem. As part of this service, they can also conduct disaster recovery exercises.
An RTO (Recovery Time Objective) and RPO (Recovery Point Objective) that are well understood are essential components of a successful disaster recovery strategy (Recovery Point Object). The two questions we need to answer (data retention) are how long it will take to get better and how far back in time we can go.
Justification/Benefit: With the prevalence of cyber-attacks rising over the past few years, it is more crucial than ever to have a reliable backup and disaster recovery plan in place. In fact, nearly 96% of businesses experienced an outage in the previous three years. Considering that 40-60% of small firms fail to reopen after data loss, it’s clear why it’s crucial to have a plan in place.
Having a reliable backup and recovery system in place is crucial. Many companies can’t survive a major calamity without it. Because of regulations, this is often a necessity in many fields. A lot of insurers also won’t cover your business for cyber risks if you don’t have a DR plan in place.
A reliable disaster recovery system will shield your business from harm and give you confidence that your data is secure. It can also prevent your business from suffering catastrophic financial losses.
Managing Applications for Office 365 and SASS
Even while many companies have already moved their email and other business programs to the cloud, they are learning the hard way that doing so does not free them from having to manage SASS applications like Office 365. Making sure these instruments are safe and are being managed properly still takes a lot of effort. Successfully administered SASS applications might include account creation, user offboarding, permission management, license management, and other similar duties.
Badly managed SASS applications have a high potential for substantial waste, which is a positive for the business case. Most users must pay a monthly fee for licenses. When employees leave, it’s important to make sure their licenses are properly decommissioned, so the company doesn’t keep paying for their time. Payment errors can occur if the wrong licenses are assigned to a user. Your company’s data could be compromised due to careless security administration. You should hire an expert if you want to reduce inefficiencies and protect your SASS applications.
Equipment Compatibility
It doesn’t matter what you do for a living; malfunctioning machinery is always a possibility. If this happens, you’ll want to hire a firm that can assess the situation and either make necessary repairs or submit a warranty claim on your behalf.
Fixing malfunctioning gear isn’t always a good financial move. Don’t waste your money on a laptop that’s six years old. The first step is to locate someone who can evaluate damaged hardware and determine whether it can be repaired.
If it’s worth fixing, they’ll need to know how to pinpoint the issue and order the appropriate replacement parts. If the device is still covered under warranty, they will need to know how to submit a claim. Also helpful is the option to borrow replacement equipment while yours is being fixed.
Commercial justification/benefit: Once again, we want to reduce downtime because of our endeavour. Investing in people is quite costly. The ability to promptly diagnose and repair hardware, as well as the speed with which a warranty claim can be processed, can also lead to significant cost savings.
Data Privacy and Integrity in Networks
When it comes to protecting a network, there are several issues to examine. This is an entirely unique subset of IT support services that merits its own article. Since space is limited, we’ll attempt to be brief. Top-tier network protection services often employ a multi-layered approach. They will have a robust firewall, many levels of endpoint protection, security maintenance, a security policy, and end-user security training, among other measures. These are only some of the components of an all-encompassing safety plan. If your company needs to comply with regulations such as HIPAA, PCI, SOX, etc., there may be further considerations.
When it comes to security services, you need someone who can assess your situation and make suggestions for appropriate measures, as well as carry out such measures and monitor their effectiveness. Network security is an ongoing process that necessitates regular maintenance to stay up with ever-emerging threats and keep users’ data safe.
Data breaches cost businesses an average of $3.86 million worldwide, with an additional $150 per compromised record. Every 11 seconds in 2021, a company will be hit by ransomware, according to predictions. That you will be struck is now a certainty; there is no longer any doubt. Rather than if you’ll be attacked, the true question is when.
Despite the prevalence of hacking, many small firms continue to believe they are immune because of their size. They feel safer remaining anonymous. Unfortunately, you’re wrong about this. What they need to understand is that hackers often aren’t picking on any one company. To find a specific vulnerability, they use automated scanning techniques to scour the internet. They are, essentially, searching for an unlocked entrance. They can select what to do after gaining entry and poking around a bit. If you think your company is too small to be a target, think again.
As was previously noted, cyber-attacks can cause severe financial losses for businesses. Loss of data, client confidence, and brand reputation are also all possible outcomes. Maintaining a high level of security can keep you safe.
Manage your vendors
Vendor management is another type of IT service that most companies need but rarely consider. For any IT product that makes network contact, a network administrator must coordinate troubleshooting efforts with a third-party vendor. Telephones, photocopiers, and computer programs are all instances of technological advancement.
In most businesses, IT isn’t responsible for handling such matters. It’s tough if you must act as a liaison between our IT support and these other groups. You may avoid being during any disputes by having your IT service provider handle vendor management.
Rationale and Advantage to the Company: Negligent verbal exchanges can rack up significant expenses. A nasty game of telephone might develop when a non-technical person acts as a go-between between IT and a vendor. This can increase the time needed to resolve difficulties and the final expense. Having a streamlined method of communicating between departments is essential for an effective vendor management system that may cut down on wasted time, stress, and money.
Solutions for Cloud Computing
The development of this subfield of information technology has accelerated in recent times. It’s also a confusing part of the IT service industry. Much advertising and marketing for cloud computing make it seem as though you no longer require help after you make the transition. Though there are excellent cloud products available that streamline certain aspects of management, a lot of help is still required.
Partnering with someone who can advise you on the best cloud options, assist with the transition to those solutions, and provide ongoing maintenance and support is essential. These three things are at the centre of most cloud-based IT services.
It might be difficult to navigate the cloud computing landscape in search of the best possible solutions. When it comes to internal processes and procedures, every business has unique requirements. Because of these variations, some cloud services may be better suited to them than others. If you work with a reliable cloud, IT service provider, they will assist you in finding the optimal service for your unique set of requirements.
You need to start the migration process as soon as you find the right answer. Most businesses aren’t starting from scratch, so they already have data that needs to be moved to the cloud. Depending on the nature of the data, the destination, and the sophistication of the cloud solution chosen, this might be a big undertaking. The cloud provides numerous alternatives for storing information, creating backups, and other related tasks. A reliable IT company will assist you in making sense of everything, developing a strategy for the move, and carrying it out to your satisfaction.
Do you think you’re done now that everything’s in the cloud? Usually not. You’ll require help in the form of troubleshooting, account maintenance, licensing management, software updates, and strategic planning on a consistent basis. The greatest service providers offer ongoing assistance in maintaining the solution they’ve created for you.
Justification/Advantage to Organizations Being able to work remotely has become essential in recent years. Workers today want more freedom in terms of when and where they put in their hours. Good cloud services will let you give them that freedom without compromising security.
Cloud solutions that are well-managed have been found to reduce server outages and help desk tickets. So, operations at your company can continue as usual.
Furthermore, the cloud has other advantages. It’s simple to scale to larger sizes. Most cloud solutions can be quickly scaled up if your company begins to grow rapidly. Moreover, cloud solutions will typically have higher security than an on-premises server. The fact that you can do your job from any location is a major perk. Some cloud apps allow for simpler collaboration, which can quicken the pace at which your teams operate together. When it comes to strategic value, efficiency, and adaptability, the cloud really shines.
Solutions for Cloud Computing
The development of this subfield of information technology has accelerated in recent times. It’s also a confusing part of the IT service industry. Much advertising and marketing for cloud computing make it seem as though you no longer require help after you make the transition. Though there are excellent cloud products available that streamline certain aspects of management, a lot of help is still required.
Partnering with someone who can advise you on the best cloud options, assist with the transition to those solutions, and provide ongoing maintenance and support is essential. These three things are at the centre of most cloud-based IT services.
It might be difficult to navigate the cloud computing landscape in search of the best possible solutions. When it comes to internal processes and procedures, every business has unique requirements. Because of these variations, some cloud services may be better suited to them than others. If you work with a reliable cloud IT service provider, they will assist you in finding the optimal service for your unique set of requirements.
You need to start the migration process as soon as you find the right answer. Most businesses aren’t starting from scratch, so they already have data that needs to be moved to the cloud. Depending on the nature of the data, the destination, and the sophistication of the cloud solution chosen, this might be a big undertaking. The cloud provides numerous alternatives for storing information, creating backups, and other related tasks. A reliable IT company will assist you in making sense of everything, developing a strategy for the move, and carrying it out to your satisfaction.
Do you think you’re done now that everything’s in the cloud? Usually not. You’ll require help in the form of troubleshooting, account maintenance, licensing management, software updates, and strategic planning on a consistent basis. The greatest service providers offer ongoing assistance in maintaining the solution they’ve created for you.
Justification/Advantage to Organizations Being able to work remotely has become essential in recent years. Workers today want more freedom in terms of when and where they put in their hours. Good cloud services will let you give them that freedom without compromising security.
Cloud solutions that are well-managed have been found to reduce server outages and help desk tickets. So, operations at your company can continue as usual.
Furthermore, the cloud has other advantages. It’s simple to scale to larger sizes. Most cloud solutions can be quickly scaled up if your company begins to grow rapidly. Moreover, cloud solutions will typically have higher security than an on-premises server. The fact that you can do your job from any location is a major perk. Some cloud apps allow for simpler collaboration, which can quicken the pace at which your teams operate together. When it comes to strategic value, efficiency, and adaptability, the cloud really shines.
In-House IT Director/Chief Technology Officer
To a great extent, small firms can benefit from fractional IT services. You might think of a virtual chief information officer as an excellent illustration of this. When it comes to information technology (IT), most businesses require a high-level plan and strategy. The finest advice can only be given after extensive dialogue on needs and a thorough familiarity with the firm. The chief information officer also provides strategic direction. Even the smallest enterprises would thrive under such leadership and guidance.
Expenses are the main hindrance for small firms. The compensation of a chief information officer is out of reach for most start-ups. Now, then, what should we do? CIO functions that are handled by a third party advise your company and perform the duties of a chief information officer or chief technology officer. They still contribute, but on a much smaller scale and for a number of different groups. This allows a smaller company to reap the benefits of its superior knowledge at a price that is manageable.
The Reporting of Information Technology
Reporting is another type of reporting that is provided by IT but is often forgotten. Data collected through your IT infrastructure can be compiled into useful reports that help guide future service delivery, strategic planning, and problem resolution.
Many reports exist that can improve service delivery. It’s helpful to have reports that show you which problems and requests come up most frequently. It enables the use of automation to address frequent issues and prevent their occurrence. In other cases, it may serve as a warning sign, indicating the need for further investigation into the cause of the problem before it can be resolved. Superior problem-solving solutions and satisfied end-users are the results of both.
Effective planning can also be aided by the information provided by IT reports. You can plan for hardware replacement, factor it into the budget, and schedule the process of swapping it out with the use of reports that offer you data on aging gear and when it will need to be replaced. Downtime and the expenditures it brings about can be avoided if you take this proactive approach.
In order to learn how long it takes for your IT team to fix problems, you can consult the data gathered by monitoring service levels. It can guide your choices about the support staff and how they are organized. You can see if your third-party service provider is living up to their end of the bargain.
Usefulness and justification from a business perspective: information is king. Accurate IT reporting facilitates smarter choices that boost response times, cut down on waste, and optimize planning.
Informatization Robotic Process Automation
There are several uses for IT automation, which is a type of IT service. A wide variety of IT tasks, including updates, backups, user creation, software installation, virus removal, monitoring, and alerting, can be automated.
Case in point: It looks like the disc space on your server is completely full. The monitoring system detects the problem and generates a ticket for the engineer to fix it. With automation, you can have a pre-written script run whenever a new alert is generated. With a few clicks of a button, the script may clear out the server’s trash, remove temporary files, and perform other tasks in the sequence you choose. The system will recheck after that. When the script detects that the user space has dropped below the threshold, it will label the ticket as resolved and close it. Avoiding any kind of communication with actual people.
That’s only one scenario where this could be useful in IT, but the truth is that it could be applied to any number of mundane, repetitive tasks. Scripts can be prefabricated for an engineer to utilize while troubleshooting to automate a portion of his job and save time, or they can be scheduled to run based on a particular alert like the one above. Each network and set of requirements will require a unique collection of scripts.
Justification/Benefit: Downtime costs can be reduced if problems are avoided by automation. If used efficiently, it can also save your IT department a tonne of time every day. They’ll end up being more productive as a result, which means less money spent.
Conclusion
You may want to consider outsourcing your IT services if you are unhappy with the solutions you have in place for any of these problems. Loss of productivity, dissatisfied workers, and dwindling profits are all possible outcomes of the issues. Fears about data backups and security measures could put your company in jeopardy.
