Almost every company has to include technological solutions in their operations, no matter the industry. Once you get past a few employees, it makes sense to set up a tech department that manages your website, your employees’ IT issues, and your customers’ requests. However, setting up a whole department is very expensive, which is why more and more companies employ a cloud IT service. Cloud services can provide the same benefit at a reduced cost.
Because they are external and serve many small businesses at once, managed IT departments are able to operate 24/7, so your employees and customers never have to wait for help. What’s more, the security is always updated, and your data is safe even in the event of a disaster. Because the infrastructure is already there, you won’t have to pay to set it up. Read on to find out why so many small companies are choosing managed IT services.
9 Benefits of Managed Cloud IT Service
1. You Can Save Money
The most important benefit of a managed IT service is that it is a much more affordable option than setting up a whole department. Because many companies have diverse IT needs, they need several specialists who can deal with various aspects of the technology they use. This means that one or two employees wouldn’t be enough, and businesses would have to set up a large and costly team.
When you use a managed IT company, you can access a similar type of service at a much lower cost. What’s more, your finance team won’t have any trouble budgeting for your IT services because the fee is fixed. Therefore, you know exactly how much you’ll pay for the next few months or even years, and you don’t have to worry about unexpected maintenance expenses or the increasing cost of employees and equipment.
2. Cloud Services Are Extremely Secure
Cyber attacks have been a problem for businesses for decades. If you store sensitive client information or you have proprietary technology you don’t want to share with the wider community, you have to take measures to safeguard your data. But unfortunately, hackers develop new ways around these safety barriers all the time, and technology that was completely secure a year ago might no longer be adequate today.
When you book a strategy session with an IT professional, they can analyze your current safety measures and let you know whether you’re at risk. If so, you should consider signing up to a cloud service. Here at Cyber Command, we implement a security model that is powered by AI and machine learning and provides several layers of security. Updates are automatic, so you don’t have to worry about whether your business is still protected.
3. Your Employees Can Focus on Their Strengths
Many small businesses have 1-3 IT employees who have to perform all tasks related to technology, including IT support, customer service, and website management. This can be a problem because not every employee specializes in all those fields. For companies with a small IT team, we offer co-managed services that split the tasks between your employees and our professionals.
Co-managed services allow your employees to focus on their strengths, which might include solving issues related to your specific area of business or working on creative tasks. They will no longer have to worry about customer service and other more general tasks, which can be taken over by our team. If you have a small IT department and would like some additional help at a low cost, you should book a strategy session with our experts today.
4. Everyone Benefits from 24/7 Support
Small companies with just a few employees often have limited working hours. If a fellow employee or a customer needs support, the IT team might not be available, especially if the request comes in during workers’ lunch breaks, after hours, or on the weekend. This can cause costly delays and reduce the reputation of the company.
When businesses start using a cloud IT service, they no longer have this problem. At Cyber Command, we offer 24/7 support 365 days a year, so your customers and employees never have to wait to receive help. As a result, your company can benefit from speedier operations, and you’re likely to receive a much better customer service rating.
5. You Are Covered Wherever You Go
Cloud services are virtual, and Cyber Command can serve businesses all over the country. While this might not be relevant to you at the moment, it could be important if you decide to expand in the future. Our packages are flexible, and if you’re planning on adding another office or business location, you can let us know, and we can give you an updated quote.
That way, you don’t have to switch companies or go through the hassle of setting up an additional IT department at your new location. What’s more, we will already know your business, which saves you a lot of time because you won’t have to explain your company and industry to new people. You can simply inform us about the changes to your company, and we will let you know what kind of remote and onsite support we can offer at your new location.
6. The Onboarding Process Is Simple
Aside from the fact that it’s expensive, onboarding a whole new IT team takes a lot of time. You’ll have to set up each employee and introduce them to the tasks they have to complete. In contrast, our onboarding process is much simpler, and it can be completed within a few hours. You will start by booking a technology strategy session with one of our experts. At that time, we can discuss your company’s needs and figure out a way forward.
Depending on your individual situation, you might prefer an all-virtual service, or you might need some onsite staff to help your employees and customers. In addition to discussing your options, we will also let you know what the cost of our services are. We always aim to be transparent from the start, so you can make the decision that best fits your company.
7. You Can Recover Data after a Disaster
How would you be able to deal with a fire or flood at your business location? Would all your customers’ data be lost because it’s stored on your computers, or would there be a way to retrieve it? And what would happen if an employee inadvertently installed a virus on your computer? Issues such as these, which put customers’ sensitive data at risk, put companies out of business every day.
However, if you have managed IT services, such incidents won’t be disastrous because there’s an easy way to recover your data. Everything is backed up on the cloud, so you’ll never have to worry about becoming the victim of ransomware or losing your data in an accident. This provides you with a lot of peace of mind and allows you to conduct your business without worrying about disasters.
8. No Infrastructure Costs
When thinking about setting up an IT team, you might focus on the cost of hiring several employees. But this isn’t the only expense you should consider. Instead, you should also think about the infrastructure you’ll need to run a fully functioning IT department. You’ll have to hire extra space for every employee to work in and specialized equipment to maintain your own servers.
What’s more, servers can break down, and repairing them represents an additional, unpredictable business cost. A managed, cloud-based IT department is a much safer bet because you won’t have to set up any of your own equipment, and you’ll pay a fixed monthly amount. When your servers have to be repaired, Cyber Command will take on the cost, and you won’t have to pay extra.
9. You Can Compete with Larger Businesses
Larger businesses have several advantages that make it easier for them to attract and retain customers. They are big enough to take advantage of economies of scale and therefore obtain goods and services at a reduced price. As a result, they can offer customers a cheaper price than small businesses. Using a managed IT service means pooling your resources with other SMBs, which allows you to benefit from a similar economy of scale.
Because there is 24/7 assistance, your customer service will be just as good as the service offered by larger businesses. What’s more, your managed IT company will monitor your network and make sure it stays up. You’ll experience much less downtime, which further improves your customers’ experience and prevents you from losing a lot of money due to interruptions to your production process.
A cloud IT service is the optimal choice for a small company because it reduces the cost, increases the availability of support staff, protects businesses from cyber attacks, and provides flexible support. Send us a message at Cyber Command to find out more about our cloud services. We offer 30-minute technology strategy sessions, during which we analyze your company and help you identify areas for improvement.
Most small and medium-sized businesses have a very modest IT team that might only comprise 1-3 people. This can create a lot of challenges. For example, your employees might not be experts in every field related to technology. What’s more, your customers might have to wait for a reply if they have a question out-of-hours. A way around this problem is to hire managed IT services.
A managed IT department is external, so it comes at the fraction of the cost of an in-house team. Since there are various companies out there, you’ll have to select the best provider. So, how can you make sure that your chosen IT specialists are a good fit for your business? In today’s post, we will have a closer look at the factors you should consider when outsourcing your IT department.
How Do You Choose a Managed IT Service?
In the US, there are many managed IT companies, but not all of them provide the same level of service. To find someone who suits your needs, you’ll have to first browse through the websites online and then book a strategy session with a company that fits your requirements. When speaking to the IT professionals, try to find out how their services are organized, what the monthly cost is, and what kind of cybersecurity features they offer.
Select Someone with Good Customer Service
There are two reasons why good customer service needs to be at the top of your list of priorities when considering an IT service. Firstly, you will have to work together with the IT company on a daily basis, so you need to know that communication will be excellent. You should be able to ask your IT specialists anything, and they should get back to you in a timely manner. Secondly, your managed IT department is likely to have direct contact with your customers.
While you handle the more complex inquiries related to your product or service, the IT company will deal with general or technical queries. To enhance your reputation and keep your customers happy, you need to select an IT company with excellent customer service. Here at Cyber Command, we train all our employees in communication strategies, and we offer a 24/7/365 service.
Have a Look at the Company’s Experience
Another factor to consider is the IT company’s level of experience. Have they worked with firms similar to yours before, and are their current customers satisfied with the level of service provided? Most IT businesses’ websites will have an “Industries” section, where you can find more information about the kinds of companies they collaborate with. Browse this carefully to see whether the IT specialists are able to provide the service you require.
Another way to see whether a company will be able to meet your needs is to check their list of employees. If there are many people with very specialized jobs, it’s likely that the company is doing well and providing a good service. Once you’ve found a suitable IT business, you should speak to the experts directly. Ask them about their level of experience and the credentials of their staff. You could even ask for the contact details of current customers.
Check That the Coverage Is Nationwide
If you currently only work in one state, you might be tempted to go with a company that operates in your area. But this could be a problem later on. Even if you don’t have any plans to expand your business to another part of the country right now, you might change your mind as the business grows. For this reason, you should make sure that your managed IT department is able to cover you, wherever you go.
That way, you won’t have to deal with hiring a new company when you decide to set up offices or branches in a new location. Instead, you’ll simply upgrade your plan and keep working with a good IT team that already knows your business.
Schedule a Session and Speak to the Representatives
When you’re first browsing for a managed IT department, you’ll compare the websites of potential companies. An IT business’s online presence can tell you a lot about them, including what they do, what industries they favor, how comprehensive their service is, and how much experience they have. However, you won’t get the full picture until you speak to them one-on-one.
Once you’ve found a company that seems suitable, request a technology strategy session. During this meeting, your IT experts will analyze your company’s current situation and let you know how they would help you improve your IT solutions, both for your employees and your customers. This meeting won’t cost much, and it will allow you to get to know the people you’ll be working with. That way, you can assess whether they will fit with the rest of your company.
Check That the Price Matches Your Budget
A managed IT department is a great solution for businesses that want to improve and upgrade their tech solutions without breaking the bank. You’ll gain access to professionals who can troubleshoot problems, integrate new ideas, and work with your customers 24/7 without having to open an entire IT department and hire a lot of employees.
Because a managed IT service is mainly used by small and medium-sized businesses, the cost is kept low. During your strategy meeting, you should ask your IT specialists for a quote. That way, you can determine whether the service they offer is good value and whether it fits your current budget.
Ask About the Security of the System
No matter how careful you are, moving your services online always comes with a certain level of risk. There are thousands of cyber criminals out there, and they are developing new ways of hacking into businesses’ computers all the time. For this reason, you should speak to IT experts about cybersecurity before you hire them.
Here at Cyber Command, we provide you with several layers of security, so the risk is minimized. We can install software that blocks malicious attacks, upgrade all your security systems on a regular basis, and generate reports that show us where we still need to put in more effort. Because we have plenty of experience working with various businesses, we know what the weak points are, and we can protect you from dangerous attacks.
Are Managed IT Services Right for You?
Countless companies benefit greatly from a managed IT service. If you have no IT team, or you only have a few employees and you’d like to expand the services you offer, this could be the perfect solution for you. A good IT department can improve your customers’ experience and lead to greater long-term success. It’s also worth remembering that managed IT services are scalable, so you can keep using the same team even if you expand your company.
Your IT Team Is Overwhelmed
Unless you have virtually unlimited financial resources, you have to take measures to keep your business costs low. One of them is hiring only those employees you really need. This usually means that small businesses have one to three IT professionals on staff. As the company grows, this might not be enough. A managed IT department can take pressure off your employees and help you improve your customer service.
You Have No IT Support
While most of the companies we work with have at least one IT expert on staff, we occasionally get requests from businesses that have no technological solutions in place. They might have been too small in the past to hire an extra employee, or they might not have prioritized getting the business online. In this case, hiring outside help is even more important because the company doesn’t have the internal resources to set up a successful IT strategy.
Your Customers Aren’t Getting the Service They Deserve
One of the main reasons why people contact us is because they want to improve the service they provide their customers. Because we can help your customers 24/7/365, they will no longer have to wait. Even if your IT employees are out of the office, your customers will get help immediately. This improves your reputation and gives you an edge over your competition.
You Are Looking to Expand in the Future
Right now, your IT employees might be able to help your customers and your other workers with their questions and concerns. But what happens when your company grows? Will an in-house team still be the best solution? When you hire a managed IT service that provides a nationwide service, you can grow your company without worrying about technological solutions. You can simply adjust your plan to include new offices or branches.
For small and medium-sized businesses that can’t afford to hire a comprehensive IT team, managed IT services are a great solution. When hiring a company, you should consider the customer service, the level of experience, the extent of the coverage, the price, and the security systems. Schedule a technology strategy session at Cyber Command to speak to one of our experts. We will be happy to show you how we can improve your IT experience.
No modern company can hope to expand and thrive without a robust IT department. IT fuels growth as it helps businesses collect data, manage clients, improve services, expand web presence, and more. Your operations depend on IT more than you know. Whether you’re a startup or a large company, you need to invest in IT. However, rather than hiring several expensive IT professionals, you may want to consider managed IT services.
With managed IT, you get the benefits of a full team of IT experts without the enormous investment that this usually calls for. In lieu of large monthly salaries, you pay a monthly fee to the managed services provider. Can a third party really provide the same level of quality as an in-house IT department? Thanks to modern remote technology and our expertise at Cyber Command, the answer is absolutely yes. In fact, we can do even better.
What Are Managed IT Services?
IT Services That Businesses Need
Regardless of the type of business you run, there are a few basic IT needs that every company has. At minimum, your staff needs the right software to carry out business operations. That may be as a subscription to Microsoft Office software, now known as Microsoft 365. Other companies may need specialized software for their industry, like Adobe products for creative designers. Even industrial companies that manufacture components rely on CAD software to operate.
The software you use dictates the kind of hardware you’ll need in the office. Company data also needs to be stored somewhere. Furthermore, protecting that data is vital as laws have tightened regarding data security worldwide. You also need an IT department that can help your business plan into the future and scale as your company does. Managed IT services can do all of this and more.
Software
Your productivity is directly impacted by the software you choose. Almost every business needs a basic office suite that includes a word processor, spreadsheet program, and a presentation making program. We typically recommend Microsoft 365 as you get those essential programs and a lot more. You’ll also get Teams for video conferencing. OneNote is a powerful tool for taking notes on tablet PCs and brainstorming with your team. Outlook keeps your team connected via a powerful email solution.
If you’ve been using open-source software like Open Office to save money, you’ll appreciate the productivity gains from switching to a more professional solution like Microsoft 365. If you’re reliant on Google Drive, Microsoft’s OneDrive integrates better with Windows computers. You’ll find your workflow moves faster with the right tools. In addition, you get access to all the mobile versions so you can work on the go.
Hardware
A common mistake we find with many companies, especially smaller ones, is spending the bare minimum on PCs for the office. Although you have to respect your budget and cashflow, there are affordable financing options from wholesalers that can help you upgrade your office. Nothing is more frustrating for your staff than having slow computers. Every wasted second waiting for a file to open or for a change to manifest on the monitor is lost productivity.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean you have to buy top-of-the-line machines for every worker. Choose computers that have the horsepower necessary for each assignment. A video editor will need a much more powerful PC than an accountant does. If you provide laptops for your employees, you should likewise evaluate what kind of work they do remotely. Your managed services provider can recommend the right equipment for each position in the company and make sure that everyone has the power they need.
Storage
Your data needs to reside somewhere. Unfortunately, many companies have disorganized data scattered across several devices. If your employees save data on their computers instead of a central location, you run the risk of losing data or having it taken outside of the company’s secure network. If you’ve never configured a company server before, don’t worry. We can help you get the right components and set up an environment that ensures data safety.
However, cloud storage is also an interesting solution to consider. As companies like Amazon and Microsoft’s Azure have expanded their data centers, cloud storage has become extremely affordable. You only pay for what you use, and it can all be linked to your office through high-speed internet connections. You avoid the large up-front cost of building a server and get the advantages of the latest technology. Ask your managed services provider which solution works best for your business.
Tech Planning
Technology advances at a remarkable pace. As computer parts continue to shrink and become more power efficient, your equipment can quickly become obsolete. While you don’t always need to have the latest technology to be a competitive company, it’s important to plan ahead. You should have an eye on emerging technology that could benefit your business so that you’re ready to implement it when it launches. Knowing what’s coming next helps you allocate resources to your IT budget as well.
This is an area where many in-house IT teams falter. They become too busy focusing on problem solving and maintenance. There’s no time for them to look forward. With a managed IT provider, you have a whole team of people by your side. Our IT staff loves technology and is constantly reading up on the next great thing about to hit the market. We can see further into the future and help you draft a roadmap to plan your upgrades.
Cyber Security
Cyber security is paramount today. Cyber attacks have become more common and more sophisticated. Furthermore, governments are starting to hold companies accountable for cyber security failures. For example, California’s CCPA law allows consumers to sue a company if their data is lost due to a cyber attack. Similarly, if you do business in Europe, you’re expected to adhere to the GDPR, which imposes strict rules on how you can collect data and how you must protect it.
Do you have protocols in place if a cyber attack happens? Do you employees know how to spot suspicious emails? You likely have an emergency plan in place in case of a fire. A cyber attack is no different. You need to be ready to respond in the event of a cyber crisis. We can prepare your team to handle any situation through training and drills. We’ll also be monitoring your company 24/7 to alert you and begin defensive actions.
Tech Support
No matter how perfect your IT system is, something will eventually go wrong. This is where managed IT services shine the brightest. Your IT staff may not always be available when you need them. They could be attending to another issue, or simply out to lunch. You might not have IT staff on every shift. Downtime is lost productivity and profit. With managed services, you get a speedy response to every issue so you can keep running at full speed.
Our tech support team at Cyber Command picks up 93% of calls instantly. At most, you’ll get a response back in 15 minutes or less if we can’t pick up the phone. Your problems can be solved remotely so you can get back to business quickly.
How Managed IT Services Work
All of the services we’ve mentioned are included in a standard managed IT services package. In addition, we monitor your company across several levels. We can make sure you’re compliant with data privacy laws, track emails to keep potentially dangerous phishing scams at bay, help you backup and recover your data in the event of hardware failure, and much more. We personalize our services based on what your company needs.
We take the time to get to know your company before recommending services. The process starts with a Technology Strategy Session, where we learn about your pain points and help you develop a roadmap for the future. Since switching to managed services may involve new software or small changes to certain processes, we’ll help onboard your staff as well.
Co-Managed Options Available
What if you already have an IT department? We’re not looking to hand out pink slips to your dedicated team. However, it’s unrealistic to expect a small IT department to handle so many tasks, especially as your business grows. Complement your IT department with a co-managed IT arrangement. We love working with IT experts in our clients’ organizations. Your staff can still provide valuable support on the ground while we work to protect your company behind the scenes.
Monthly Payments, Consistent Results
You’ll find that switching to managed IT gives you much more IT capacity at a fraction of the cost of expanding your IT department the traditional way. You get unsurpassed reliability and a whole team of experts for a low monthly payment. Most importantly, you have peace of mind knowing that your systems will stay up and your business will hum along smoothly.
Technology is rapidly becoming an important element of virtually any business. Whether you work in construction, retail, education, or healthcare, it’s likely that your company is implementing new IT solutions to stay competitive. But employing a team to manage your firm’s tech can be extremely costly. For many small to medium-sized businesses, a co-managed IT system like the one offered by Cyber Command can provide the best return on investment.
This type of service is designed for companies that already have a small IT team. If you’d like to support your tech staff, scale your operations without increasing your expenses significantly, or increase your cybersecurity, teaming up with a managed IT provider could be the ideal solution. Today, we’ll have a closer look at some of the most important benefits of co-managed services.
What Are the Advantages of Co-Managed IT?
If your company has recently grown or you’ve changed the type of product or service you offer, your current IT team might not be able to provide your employees and customers with the support they need. Most small businesses can only employ one to five IT staff, which puts them at a disadvantage compared to bigger firms. When you combine your team with a managed service, you can access dozens of extra employees with various specializations.
This can not only lower your IT budget, but it can also increase your firm’s cybersecurity and versatility. You’ll be able to provide better customer service because there is always someone around to help your clients, even outside of regular business hours. What’s more, your employees can get the help they need when something goes wrong, so you never have to go long before you get technological issues sorted out.
You Can Lower Your IT Budget
New or small businesses often have tight profit margins, so it’s important for them to save money where possible. But if you keep your IT team too small, you might put yourself at risk of cybercrime, you lower the quality of your customer service, and you increase the chances that you’ll miss out on innovations that could simplify your operations.
A great solution is to work with a managed IT provider. For a low monthly fee, you gain access to specialists in a wide range of IT-related fields. That way, you can take pressure off your current team and avoid hiring more people than you can currently afford. At the same time, you won’t sacrifice the quality of your service.
You Can Benefit from Experts in a Range of IT Fields
Large businesses often employ an extensive IT team of 20+ people. Each of them has a different specialty, such as cybersecurity, compliance, cloud management, and networking. But if you’re just starting out or your company is smaller, you don’t have the budget to employ specialists in each of those fields. Instead, your IT team might only consist of one or two people.
It’s impossible to expect your IT employees to be experts in every technology-related field. Therefore, it’s unlikely that your small business is fully covered. By combining your in-house team with a managed IT solution, you can benefit from the expertise of specialists in a wide range of fields. Your employees can concentrate on their own area without having to worry about issues that are outside of their scope.
You Can Get Support When Something Goes Wrong
Almost every business has had to include IT solutions in their strategy in the last few decades. This has allowed companies to lower their costs, improve their service, and remain competitive. But while IT solutions are excellent for building and improving a business, they can cause problems when they malfunction or break down.
A good managed IT provider can help you keep all your systems up and running. They are available around the clock to troubleshoot any network problems and help you get back online. Whenever something goes wrong, you can contact your partners at Cyber Command, and they will address your issues. That way, you don’t have to search for external help, which could cost you valuable time and prolong the problem.
You Can Provide More Consistent Customer Service
For many small businesses, balancing the number of employees with the number of customer calls is a big challenge. If you have too few team members, your customers will wait for a long time, and satisfaction decreases. But if you have too many staff, you lose money. Managed IT services are a great solution because the additional employees you gain don’t just help out your team: they can also work with your customers.
Whenever one of your clients reports a problem, the team at Cyber Command is available to speak to them, even if your own employees are out of the office or on their lunch break. Our representatives are online 24/7, so there are no delays or wait times. This can significantly improve your business’s reputation and customer service score. Your clients will be impressed by the rapid, professional service, and it will therefore be easier for you to retain them.
You Can Grow Your Business More Quickly
Having a big in-house IT team instead of a co-managed IT department slows you down for two reasons. Firstly, it is very costly, so you’ll spend a large portion of your profits on the team. This is an issue because the money could otherwise be used to further develop your product or service, market yourself to new customers, or extend your operations to a different geographical area. Therefore, a large IT team can hold you back.
Secondly, an in-house team is much less flexible than a managed one. When you complete a big project and no longer require a large number of staff, it can be extremely hard to let go of your employees. Similarly, it can take a lot of time to find suitable people when you want to expand your operations. In contrast, a managed team is always there to help, and you can alter your plan with Cyber Command whenever your company’s needs change.
Your Business Is Protected from Crime
Cybersecurity is a growing issue that affects businesses in all industries. Hackers and other criminals are often one step ahead of security programs, so you have to keep your systems updated at all times. If you still have the same security program you had a year ago, it’s likely that you are no longer adequately protected because criminals have found new ways of breaking down the barriers.
Unless they are able to employ several cybersecurity specialists, most small and medium-sized businesses don’t have the resources to adequately protect themselves from cybercrime. By signing up for managed services, you can benefit from our specialists’ expertise. Our security professionals can evaluate your firm’s current situation and suggest improvements that keep your sensitive data safe.
How Does a Co-Managed System Work?
Now you understand why a co-managed system is a good solution for many businesses, you might wonder how it actually works and what you have to do to set it up. When you first contact Cyber Command, we will suggest a technology strategy session, during which we can learn more about your business and IT department.
Once we have an overview of what you need, we can tailor our services to your specific company. For example, we can provide tech support to your employees and customers, which allows your IT staff to focus on work-related to your industry instead of general IT tasks. As part of our evaluation, we will also have a look at your cybersecurity system and make sure you’re optimally protected.
Finding a Good Provider
There are countless managed IT providers out there, and many of them can operate all around the country. So, how can you be sure that we are the best company for the job? To find out more about our business, you should browse the website. We have compiled a number of customer reviews, which allow you to find out what other CEOs think about our service.
While you can find out a lot on the website, you won’t truly know how we operate until you’ve spoken to us on the phone or in a video call. Before you make a decision, you should schedule a 30-minute session with one of our representatives. During this meeting, you can evaluate our communication style and determine whether we are the right fit for you.
Get the Advantages for Your Company
A co-managed IT system could be the ideal solution for your small or medium-sized business. When you team up with a management company, you can reduce your IT-related business expenses, improve the service you provide to your customers, make your existing employees’ jobs easier, provide better customer service, and protect your firm from cybercrime.
The easiest way to begin is to reach out to a managed IT company and ask for an initial consultation for business IT support in Orlando . Together, you and our representatives can discuss your company’s needs and evaluate what additional technological solutions you need to implement. Get in touch with us at Cyber Command to schedule your technology strategy session. We’ll be more than happy to show you how we can improve your firm’s efficiency.
Small businesses face many bottlenecks as they try to scale up their operations. In the past, physical infrastructure was the chief limitation. For a business to expand, it needed new facilities and people to work in them. Today, however, the situation has changed dramatically. As more work occurs online, irrespective of location, cloud services have become the new office building. In particular, cloud networking has become an absolute must for companies looking to grow.
Why is cloud networking so important for small and medium businesses? What even is it, exactly? Let’s take a closer look at how this technology is changing the business landscape and how you can integrate it into your operations.
How Does Cloud Networking Help Small Businesses?
Understanding the Cloud
Technology is advancing at an incredible pace. While your parents and grandparents had similar childhoods, odds are your children will live in a radically different world. Barely a decade ago, the idea of working in “the cloud” was science fiction. Today, it’s a necessity. What does it mean to work in the cloud? The cloud is essentially a cluster of computers and the connections between them. The cloud is accessible using the internet exclusively.
Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, just to name a few, have dedicated immense resources to building cloud infrastructure. A data center, for instance, holds hundreds of servers and thousands of terabytes of storage. All of these machines are linked and accessible using any internet connection. While we live down here on the ground using private networks and personal computers, your business data and computing can live in the cloud.
Why the Cloud Works
At a glance, it may seem counterproductive to use the cloud. After all, it does require internet access in order to use. However, these days internet access is widespread. 5G networks are being deployed worldwide, and broadband connections at home only continue to get faster. Business internet connections are already lightning fast. Not having internet access today is like not having electricity or running water. It’s a basic need, so it shouldn’t be seen as an obstacle.
Once you get past that initial resistance, it becomes clear why the cloud is the superior choice. It’s accessible from everywhere, unlike your office computers that are trapped behind four walls on a specific plot of land. Best of all, it’s not limited by your investments in hardware. When you hire a cloud services provider, you get all of their infrastructure. Every computer in a data center can work for you, and you only pay for what you actually use.
What Does Cloud Networking Encompass?
Within the cloud are specific technologies that make work possible in the cloud. When we talk about cloud networking, we’re referring to how devices connect to one another using the cloud. There are a few different tools that you may want to consider for your business. Opting for these cloud-based tools will save you money in the short and long term while also giving your business the flexibility it needs to scale.
The main services that companies need are cloud storage and cloud computing. These are the two primary services that data centers provide, and they’re the backbone of cloud networking. Consider the advantages of using these modern solutions and how they can help your company to grow.
Cloud Storage
Most small companies with physical spaces use network storage to allow everyone in the office to work on the same files without generating redundancy. To do this, you need a server with storage, and it has to be connected to every computer in the office. Cloud storage takes that to the next level. Instead of paying for an expensive file server in your building, you can pay for cloud storage at affordable rates. Most cloud storage providers charge per gigabyte.
You’ll never have to upgrade a server again by switching to cloud storage. This is perfect for companies looking to scale up. Besides, you’ll have access to your files regardless of where you are. Any authorized user can access the cloud as long as they have an internet connection. Companies that had already switched to cloud storage found themselves at a huge advantage during the COVID-19 pandemic. Work from home was easy for those organizations, while others struggled to adapt.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing may not be necessary for every small business, but we would recommend you start planning to use it sooner rather than later. Compute power is vital once your organization reaches a certain size. For example, if you want to perform data analysis, you’ll need powerful computers to process your data and output valuable insights. Data analytics is vital for growth, especially for SMBs that are close to reaching 100 employees. But that compute power requires hardware.
Data analytics is just one example of a situation where computing power is necessary. If your company produces many videos, rendering them requires many GPUs. If you do lots of CAD or graphic design work, you might also benefit from extra computing power. Instead of spending tens of thousands on servers, send your jobs to the cloud and let them do the computing for you. You’ll pay for the time you occupy CPUs in the cloud, nothing more.
Run Applications in the Cloud
Another reason to consider cloud computing is that you can run custom programs in the cloud and never worry about them slowing down. Perhaps you run a company that needs to track lots of information about clients. You set up a database, and your developers write a GUI for the program so your employees can track clients and make modifications to the database. So far, it sounds great. You might already have proprietary software in your organization.
But what happens when your company outgrows its servers? Now your proprietary application slows down and everyone in your company finds it frustrating to use. Even simple programs can become unwieldy when there isn’t enough computing power to keep them running smoothly. As your organization scales, you need computing to scale. Instead of spending on more servers, switch to the cloud. If your program uses more power, the cloud will simply bill you a little more.
Connect Multiple Locations
When your storage and processing happen in the cloud, your business becomes more connected. One of the main reasons companies look to cloud services is that they can operate anywhere, making expansion easier. A virtual company in France can open a virtual office in New Zealand tomorrow and operate without a single hiccup since all of its files and processes are in the cloud.
If you have a large volume of data that needs to be passed from one office to another, there are cloud-based networking solutions that provide precisely that function. Instead of shuffling data randomly through data centers, you can work with cloud services that provide direct connections between ISPs in different regions to allow for high-speed data transfer between locations. Using cloud-based networking is like working next door to your other locations, even if they’re thousands of miles apart.
Benefits for Small Businesses
All of this technology sounds great, but does it really have benefits for small business customers? The answer is a resounding yes. Using the cloud eliminates many of the technological hurdles that hinder companies’ growth. Furthermore, it can be a very cost-effective solution.
Scale Faster
The faster your company can scale, the more it can stay ahead of the competition. Every SMB hopes to scale up faster, and cloud technology makes that possible. As we’ve seen, cloud storage and computing scale as your company does. With the cloud, you’ll never run into a storage limit; you’ll simply pay for more storage. Likewise, when your company’s software is under greater stress because you have more users, the cloud will simply allocate more processing power to you.
Essentially, cloud services work like electricity or water: The more you use, the more you pay. But unlike your utility companies, there’s really no limit to how much you can scale with the cloud. Your company can grow infinitely as you leverage cloud services, meaning you’ve found a solution that will last a lifetime.
Spend Less
In most cases, using the latest technology is an expensive endeavor. However, cloud services actually save your company money every month. You sidestep high up-front costs since you won’t have to invest in servers. But you also avoid significant long-term costs because you dodge downtime (the cloud never fails), and you don’t have to pay people to perform maintenance. The cloud essentially runs itself, and it does so with incredible reliability.
Simpler Solutions, Less Trouble
Overall, the cloud delivers remarkably flexible solutions that can scale to any company’s size. SMBs should look to switch to cloud-based workflows as soon as possible. However, if you’re not sure how to get started or worried about the complexities of switching systems, get some professional help.
Managed IT services will take care of everything for you. At Cyber Command, we help SMBs like yours find the perfect solution for growth and prosperity. We can manage your cloud services and recommend new implementations. Contact Cyber Command today to learn more.
Most modern businesses rely on the expertise of IT specialists that manage the various technological aspects of the business, from the basic network used for business communications to software that customers may use to access products. Regardless of the breadth of an IT department, there may come a time when a co-managed IT solution may be necessary for a business to flourish.
Essentially, co-managed IT is a service that allows a business to integrate a managed service provider for additional IT support into an internal IT department. The ability to collaborate with different IT management allows for a more customized and flexible approach to IT projects and issues. For the most part, any business large or small can use a co-managed service. That said, organizations that are interested in growth may benefit the most.
What Are the Benefits of Co-Managed IT?
There are several significant benefits of using co-managed services to fortify IT structure. For example, the ability to collaborate allows for easier troubleshooting of any problems that may come up, helps an internal IT department close gaps in security, and can allow management to focus more on building the business.
As an outsourcing strategy, it’s important to use co-managed services strategically for the benefit of the business, which is why it’s necessary to be aware of all the ways this type of service can help support an organization. Some of the most significant benefits include:
1. Client-Centric
First and foremost, co-managed IT services are tailored to the client, which means that the needs of the business are prioritized. The software, security protocols, and other IT techniques that will be used to aid in an organization’s IT management will all be customized to the current IT needs and overall goals of an organization.
By taking a client-centric approach, co-manage services are able to maintain flexibility and responsiveness that will help businesses grow. Furthermore, the ability to collaborate with a co-managed team can create a new IT structure that will push a business forward into the future.
2. Transparent Network
Another benefit of a co-managed service is increased network transparency. Although internal IT managers will generally know what is going on within the network at all times, limited staff resources and technology that isn’t up-to-date may not allow for the best transparency in the network. With increased network transparency, it’s much easier to monitor all devices that interact with the network and counter potential security risks.
3. Cost Management
Cost management is another significant factor that makes co-managed IT services especially attractive. The ability to mix and match types of IT services will enable management to create a plan that is within the budget of the business, but also provides all the services that the business needs.
For that matter, a co-managed service is much more affordable than a fully managed service. This is because a co-managed service will utilize the staff and infrastructure a business is already using, while a fully managed service will completely take over all the organization’s IT needs and will cost more in the long run.
4. Total Coverage for IT Services
The scale and scope of IT services relate to many devices, software, and other technology solutions that may be involved in the day-to-day management of a business. Because IT services can manage issues from network security to internet access to data breaches, it’s important to use a co-managed service that provides total coverage for any blank spots the current IT team may have.
Total coverage for IT services will begin with a network assessment to understand security needs, as well as an assessment of other potential IT issues the organization has. The co-managed service will then identify areas in the current IT infrastructure that need additional support and will create a plan that will allow for total coverage.
5. Maintain Current Employees
Particularly for small businesses, it can be very important to maintain good employee-employer relationships, so it’s especially beneficial that a co-managed service will allow businesses to maintain current IT employees. It’s always a good idea to keep the current in-house IT staff because they already have a working knowledge of the network and IT infrastructure.
Additionally, the co-managed service is usually able to provide support off-site or remotely, which means the business will likely still need to have in-house support for day-to-day IT needs. Keeping the current IT staff allows businesses to have the best of both worlds.
6. Escalation Point for IT
Co-managed services also provide an escalation point for any IT needs the business may have. For example, if the organization runs into an issue like a network security problem or the inability to access email, if the in-house IT staff can’t resolve this issue, then they have a support team ready to help them remotely through the co-manage service.
The ability for an internal IT team to reach out for support when necessary means that the organization benefits from a safety net that will ensure the productivity of the business and reduce downtime the network may experience. The escalation point is also helpful because the co-managed service may have staff that have expertise in IT knowledge that the in-house staff doesn’t have, which ensures that an organization’s IT support is well-rounded.
7. Stronger Security
Network security benefits when more eyes can detect potential issues. Hand in hand with network transparency, it’s very important to ensure an organization’s network has the strongest security possible.
In the age of cybercrime, small and large organizations have to fend off security risks daily to prevent issues such as data breaches. By having an integrated co-managed service, a business can fortify the current network security it has and adopt protocols that will prevent security issues in the future.
8. Faster Response
Another important benefit of a co managed IT service is the ability to have a faster response time, particularly during times when in-house IT are unable to resolve IT issues. It’s very important to have a fast response time for IT issues, because the faster response is, the faster a business can resume normal activity or prevent security breaches.
9. Data Compliance Support
These days, there is an ongoing evolution in data compliance laws and regulations that businesses need to continually maintain to avoid penalties and other legal consequences. Because data compliance needs to be maintained constantly, it can be a challenge for in-house IT staff to monitor all data compliance regulations at all times.
However, with a co-managed service, an organization will benefit from the ability to immediately respond to any data compliance breaches or new aspects of data compliance regulations. By maintaining data compliance regulations, a business will be fully supported in terms of legal requirements.
10. Proactive Monitoring
In cybersecurity, it’s ideal if an organization’s attitude towards security risks is proactive rather than responsive. This means that IT infrastructure and protocol is designed to prevent cyber risks rather than respond to cyber risks after they have happened. Part of having proactive monitoring is the ability to create an IT plan for the security of the network that covers all potential risk factors and entry points.
With proactive monitoring, not only will an organization’s response to any potential data breaches be much faster, but the organization may be able to prevent those breaches from happening in the first place. A co-managed service working with in-house IT staff can make proactive monitoring much easier.
11. 24-Hour Response Time
Finally, using a co-managed service for IT needs also enables an organization to have a 24-hour response time. Businesses that are interested in growing or that continually use IT resources even during off-hours will benefit from a 24-hour response time that can be found with a co-managed service.
This is one of the greatest benefits of using a co-managed IT service. By partnering with a service that provides 24-hour monitoring of the network and can respond to any IT needs immediately, a business benefits by having more protection and overall faster response that will help the business move forward.
How Can You Implement Co-Managed IT?
Implementing co-managed IT services is much easier than business owners and organizations may first assume. The easiest way to implement a co-managed service is to first schedule a technology strategy session and a network security assessment that will analyze IT infrastructure to identify any weak points an organization may have.
From there, the co-managed service will work with in-house IT staff to create new strategies and protocols that can be integrated into the current structure. The co-managed service will then be on-boarded into the organization and the business will benefit from a trusted one-stop-shop for any IT solutions and services it may need.
Regardless of the size of a business, a co-managed service for IT needs can be beneficial, particularly for growing businesses and organizations. A co-managed service is important to maintain a fast response time, network security, proactive monitoring, data compliance support, and an escalation point for current IT staff. To learn more about integrating co-managed IT services into business operations, contact Cyber Command today.
IT business as we know it is fast changing, and there is a need for every business owner to meet the technological demands of the modern-day world. With the increasing adoption of technology in business today, there is a very vital need for modern-day businesses to have service solutions to manage their technological needs. As a result, providing IT services and solutions is becoming very important for all companies, no matter the industry in which they operate.
There are technology needs for every business that wants to remain relevant in the modern world today, from setting up and updating your company website to creating an online store that brings your products to your customers. You may even need to go the extra mile by creating a mailing list and regularly updating your company’s operations.
Previously, technology cloud services-related wants and needs were restricted to technology-related businesses and large businesses; however, as business dynamics are fast changing, they were not extended to small to medium-sized businesses. To remain relevant and continue to sustain and grow your business, it is important to integrate technology and its related services into your business operations.
Why You Need Managed Services Provider
Getting all these together and still managing to boost and scale your business can be challenging, especially for small businesses that want to leverage and make the most of their resources. The hiring software development process is daunting, and getting an in-house team for your company can be very expensive, time-consuming, and can also translate to many added costs. Why go through the hassle of having an in-house software development team and spending the high cost when you can make the most of your company’s finances by hiring a managed IT service provider to care for all your technological needs?
Cyber Command works with a range of security, technical, and other solutions and strategic support experts. We have over two decades of experience in these solutions for many businesses. When you start working with us, you can access full service, 24/7 support, and superior security solutions that keep it company and your customers and employees’ data safe. Your IT-related expenses will be predictable, so you can easily plan your business’s finances.
What is a managed IT services company?
Managed service providers are the extra help that you get for your business. You have to manage your business operations while at the same time managing your business information technology can be a challenge. Getting an in-house team can be equally expensive and time-consuming. With a well managed services company or service provider, you can take care of all your business-related needs without investing the capital and time needed to hire a team.
You can opt for a well managed services company, consulting firm, or managed service providers, that offer ongoing service assistance, periodic assistance, and active management for your data, customer data, and other technological aspects of your business’s IT needs.
Is Hiring managed Service Providers worth it?
When you consider the cost and stress that go into hiring and managing in-house IT services and realize that a managed IT service provider is as good as the best option you can have for your business, 247 comes with the benefits of running your business without having to tie down forms or have the resources of having your own in house team.
What Can You Expect from Managed IT Services Providers?
For many businesses, especially those focusing on administrative aspects, having an in-house service team for their technology founders is unsuitable for their business model. However, with the fast expansion of the digital age, from data management and data processing services to software development and updates services to equipment management solutions and network security solutions, technology is needed in every business. It is where managed service providers come in.
If you own a small to medium-sized business, you may not have the resources or capital to invest in an entire IT department. However, you still enjoy the many benefits technology offers your business. Hiring IT professionals is no walk in the park, and getting the best hands to meet your small business needs is daunting and challenging. With managed IT and other cloud computing and hosting services, you can meet all your small business that’s technological needs at a much lower and more efficient cost.
Depending on the service provider that you choose for your business, you can get a comprehensive technology solution that covers all your technical and strategic IT needs. With the help desk support of a managed IT service provider, you get the technology you need to help your business remain relevant, but you also get help with your everyday operations to scale and increase your business efficiency while keeping your data safe.
IT Support for Small to Medium Sized Businesses
Some small to medium-sized businesses already have an in-house IT team but still need some added IT services. In cases like this, your business might need to opt for private cloud services, a managed services,, or for co-managed IT service support, which gives you the benefits of having your in-house team while still having external expert professional help for your IT needs. To improve things for you as a business owner, here is a breakdown of all you stand to gain where business continuity is concerned when hiring a managed or managed cloud services provider.
A Comprehensive Solution
As a business owner, you must integrate technology solutions into your operations to stay relevant. Usually, most businesses and companies IT department consists of individuals with multiple skill sets who help the business manage its IT needs. In the long run, a lot of money goes down to managing the team and taking care of the resources and equipment required, including software and equipment, to have your IT department functional.
However, with a managed services company, you can get the same benefits for your business, such as in-house support, remote access, customer support, and technical support, without investing much of your capital and resources into getting an IT team. What this means for you and your business is that you not only save time, but you also save yourself the expense of establishing your IT department.
At Cyber Command, we will offer you comprehensive IT support with the help of our IT industry professionals and experts to help you scale and manage your business technology needs.
Technical Support
Everyone needs a little help sometimes, including the IT professionals that make up your in-house web development team. So what happens to your business when your in-house IT department lacks the necessary skill sets to offer technical support for your business? Or when you need an IT service department or the resources to pull one together.
Whether you are a lawyer, a law firm, a healthcare professional, or even a consultant, you will end up at the point where you need technical support for the continuity and sustainability of your business. As long as you care about your customers and give them optimal services, technology must be close to your business operations.
Cyber Command has a large, extensive team of experts and professionals ready to offer technical support whenever and however you need it in less than 15 minutes.
Strategic Support
Don’t let anyone pull you down. Every business out there is integrating the best technology and meta solutions to ensure they remain at the top of their game. Where does that leave your business? At the bottom of the food chain, you need more support to stay at the top of your game and ahead of the competition. It is about more than bringing in the latest equipment, tools, and software to put you at the forefront of your industry.
A solid IT foundation, managed services, and strategy consulting are crucial to business continuity and success. It managed services and strategy consulting can help attract new customers, provide relevant information, and help your target market. Services offering strategic support for technological needs take work and are not cheap.
However, selecting the right IT-managed service provider will make all the difference for your business strategy. With Cyber Command, we offer comprehensive business strategy consulting to discuss your current strategic business plan as well as come up with ideas of how we can improve it or develop an even better and more efficient strategy.
Supporting your existing team
Your business might have an existing in-house service apartment if your business is not where it should be. It is good to have an in-house team, and it is also better to know when your in-house techspert services team needs some help or support. Many medium- to small-sized businesses need help to hire an expensive person with all the skill sets needed to get the job done.
Most of the time, they work with a maximum of one to two people who handle and juggle many tasks. As a result, they needed help to cope with their business needs. In situations like this, the business can greatly benefit from a hybrid approach where teachers will manage the managed service providers’ support, and the employees and managed support providers work hand-in-hand to meet the business’s technology needs. A lot of money is spent on managed techspert services by now, and one of those benefits is that part-time work takes the stress and pressure off the employees, which allows them to focus on what is important as regards the business.
IT support services like data management, cybersecurity services, and routine maintenance can be managed and carried out by a managed IT service provider. At the same time, your team focuses on scaling and growing your business digitally. You no longer have to worry about keeping up with your technical issues. Handle all technical-related issues and support you 24/7 so you and your family benefit from a better work-life balance. With the right technology
What Are the Advantages of Working with a Managed Services Provider?
As a business trying to make its mark and make a difference in the modern world, technology can not be ignored. There are so many benefits that come with working with a managed services company or IT service provider. Managed IT services company is cost-effective, offering you high-level industry expertise with 24/7 support services so that you spend as little as possible. Now that we know there are many benefits to hiring a leading provider of it managed services IT and using IT managed services IT company let’s also look in depth at some key advantages of hiring IT managed services IT and using IT managed services IT company for your business.
24/7 Support
With managed IT support services, you no longer have to worry about suffering downtimes as your service provider is available all day to provide you with all the help you need. While you might have an in-house computer support team, they might only sometimes be available, especially when issues arise at the worst times.
Once they are done with their shift, there is very little you can do if an issue arises, as your service provider is available all day to provide you with all the help you need. While you might have an in-house tech support team, they might only sometimes be available, especially when issues arise at the worst times.
When they are done with their shift, there is very little you can do if an issue arises, as IT managed services are. With it managed services and service providers in Orlando of tech support and managed services, you are covered, assisted, and protected 24/7.
Industry-focused network support
Every business is different, with different business goals and objectives. With an IT-managed service provider, you too can get IT-related services that accurately align edge network technologies with your unique business’ needs. With our help, your company can efficiently eliminate the backlog of IT project work that can cause inefficient network systems. At Cyber Command, we help you address your business challenges effectively and on time by removing obsolete equipment, software desk services, and components from your system.
A Predictable Budget
Managing a small or medium-sized business is expensive, and the more employees you have, the more salaries, benefits, and taxes you must pay. Moreover, when people get sick or take time off work, you’ll have to cover their expenses, making your small business side’s finances extremely unpredictable.
You can save money and simplify your budget by choosing managed IT services. With a fixed IT expense and fixed monthly fee amount, it becomes even easier for your financial team to predict your small to medium business side’s future revenue and success.
Support in Multiple Locations
As your company grows, you should expand into different areas, which is good for business. If you have in-house managed cloud hosting services Orlando IT services company providers in Orlando with a team, you’ll need to hire more people to cover the needs of your new branches.
But when you choose a fully managed cloud hosting and other managed services company in Orlando, call, IT department, or business IT support service providers in Orlando, you get virtual 24/7 support for your business, regardless of your new branch location Orlando fl is. Support that covers all aspects and areas. You can take your Cyber Command team wherever you go and expect our support with all the technical aspects of your business.
Contact us now at Cyber Command to book your initial consultation with our specialists and learn more about how we can cut your costs and help your business expand faster.
Protect your data from the worst-case scenarios.
Data protection is a critical factor in disaster recovery for every business. A well-managed IT service provider like Cyber Command offers high-quality data security technologies and products. You may lose your precious data from the server’s inability to move files to power interruptions or virus attacks.
Our backup plan enables us to maintain an accurate and consistent backup schedule so that your data is accessible. We also have many backup storage options for your protection. We can help you through all the steps needed for data recovery during your disaster and relief efforts.
Our Orlando-managed IT services can secure your network.
Our Orlando management team approaches security based on our client’s needs, infrastructure, and future expansion plans. With our team of experts and years of experience in cyber attacks, we know what you need and have the skill sets, tools, equipment transfer knowledge, and resources to make it happen.
Get more for less when you hire Cyber Command to handle all your IT needs.
Businesses rely on technology now more than at any point in history. Hiring a full IT department, or even just a couple of experts, is costly and can limit your company’s growth: nevertheless, most companies swallow the cost knowing that there’s no alternative. Well, now there is. You can get cloud IT services, essentially a full IT department that operates remotely. Save time and money with managed IT services.
This way of handling essential business tasks is nothing new. Third-party companies have allowed businesses to outsource everything from cleaning the bathrooms to accounting to physical security. Rather than take the time to hire personnel for these functions, you can just bring in a company that knows how to do the work. IT has reached that same level thanks to higher internet speeds and increased interconnectivity. So, how do cloud IT services work, and how will they help your company?
Should I Move My Information Technology Services to the Cloud? Cloud IT Services Explained
What Does It Mean to Have IT Services in the Cloud?
At first, the idea of having your IT department far away in the cloud might seem strange, perhaps even impossible. But IT in many ways is the perfect fit for remotely managed services. After all, remote work was pioneered by IT professionals. And now that most applications and services are connected to the internet, it’s possible for an IT team halfway around the world to manage your IT without any issues.
Cloud IT services also go by the name IT as a service (ITaaS) or Managed IT Department (MID). The idea is that you’ll pay a monthly fee for 24/7/365 IT service. If there’s ever a problem, you simply reach out to your service provider and we’ll get right on it. This equates to cost savings as you may not need any full-time employees in your IT department at all. Managed IT services are available any time of the day too.
What Your Business Needs to Do
Virtually every business can take advantage of ITaaS. However, there are a few things you’ll need to do in order to enjoy the full array of options that a managed services provider can offer. Of course, if you decide to switch to a cloud-based IT service provider like Cyber Command, we’ll be sure to help you set up your systems to get the most out of your services. So, what will you need to get started?
The most important thing is internet connectivity. Cloud services can only intervene on devices that are connected to the internet. If your office needs additional networking equipment to make this possible, we can provide you with recommendations and help you set up your new hardware. The more you’re connected, the easier it is to support you with whatever you may need. But can a remote IT department really do everything that an in-house team can? You might be surprised.
What Can Cloud IT Services Actually Do?
A managed IT department can handle the vast majority of your IT needs. In fact, there are many things cloud-based service can do that your typical in-person crew cannot. Cloud-based IT experts are available all day, which reduces downtime if problems arise. In addition, we can leverage other technologies to protect your systems. For example, machine learning algorithms can detect suspicious activity on your network or on your website, allowing us to react faster and prevent problems before they happen.
Another reason to consider switching to managed IT is that you’ll never be without the skills you need. No matter how great your in-house IT team is, there will always be something they don’t know. Technology is constantly evolving and branching out. Gone are the days when a single person could know it all and keep the ship afloat. You need a team with diverse backgrounds, which is exactly what we have. Ultimately, managed IT can accomplish everything you need.
Protect Your Data
One of the most important things your remote IT team will do for you is protect your precious data. Data breaches were already on the rise before the pandemic sent many workers home. From there, they only increased further. Remote work has led to a lot of lapses in cybersecurity since a company’s IT department couldn’t monitor activity outside of their facilities. But a cloud-based IT service provider can see everything everywhere.
When your files are in cloud storage or on internet-connected servers that allow remote access, we can keep a watchful eye on all your data. If something seems amiss, we’ll notify you right away and take action to prevent damage. For instance, if an employee that has never logged in at night suddenly does, our automated software will follow their actions to see if there is anything unusual. It could be that their credentials were compromised.
Help You Achieve Compliance
Is your business ready to be compliant with data privacy laws? If not, it’s time to get up to code. Laws like the CCPA in California and the GDPR in Europe are only the beginning of data privacy legislation. We expect to see national legislation on data privacy in the United States in the near future, and many other nations are likely to follow suit. These new laws force companies to protect consumer personal information according to strict standards.
In addition, they grant consumers the right to request a data report. You will have to provide the individual with a full report that details all the data you have on that person. They can then request you delete that data as well, and you must comply unless you’re actively using the information for business with that individual. Is your company able to fulfill these requests? Managed IT will always make sure you stay compliant.
Help Your Business Scale
Not having enough IT staff can be a bottleneck for your business. With MID, you don’t have to worry about hiring new IT personnel since you’ll have a whole company backing up your business. Besides, hiring is a hassle. If you’re not an IT expert yourself, you may not even know what skills you need to look for in potential candidates. You could wind up hiring people who can’t carry your business further.
That’s why many SMBs prefer managed services over hiring. It’s much easier to scale up when you only have to worry about your core business activities, the ones that actually make you money.
Planning for the Future
Another way MID helps you company scale is by giving you insight into what the future holds. The people that work at managed IT companies are not shy about their passion. We love IT, and we’re always keeping up with the latest developments in the field. We know what’s just around the corner, and we can help you stay ahead of your competition. If we spot a new technology that could benefit your business, we’ll help you set it up.
Likewise, we can also recommend upgrades to help improve your productivity. When everything’s managed through the cloud, it becomes easy to spot weak links in your systems. Maybe you need faster networking, more storage, or better computers. Whatever the case, we’ll find your pain points and help you heal them.
Set Up New Software
Can cloud IT professionals really work on your office computers? Thanks to remote desktop connections, this is actually easier than ever. If your office is set up so that each computer opens a session from your main server, then it’s as simple as telling the server to push new software to each machine. But even if all of your computers are independent, we can remotely access them to install any software you need.
We’ll help you keep them clean too! If you need to remove old programs, we can take care of it and keep each computer running well. Software management is just the tip of the cloud IT iceberg.
Troubleshoot Problems
If you’re having problems with a computer, we can examine it ourselves remotely. Of course, there are certain things that may require a hand in the office. We can’t pull a plug out of the wall remotely. But managed services are there to help people understand how to execute some of these tasks successfully. So even your least IT-capable employee can get the support they need.
Train Your Staff
Speaking of working with employees, we can also train your IT team. If you do have an IT employee on site and would like them to handle more responsibilities, we’ll work with them. Your IT personnel become our closest partners, and together we make great things happen. We call this “co-managed IT”, and we’ll never turn down the opportunity to help your staff grow.
Get Started
Cloud IT services are the future of IT. There’s no need to build your own team when you have one of the best available at a moment’s notice. Whatever your needs are, we can cover them. Contact Cyber Command and schedule a technology strategy session to go over your IT goals and learn how we can help you reach them.
Almost every business uses technology to compete in our increasingly-connected world. Although technology opens up new possibilities and increases productivity, anybody who has used it knows that unexpected problems often arise. That’s when the support provided by in-house or outsourced IT support services can be absolutely vital to your business’ successful operation.
As you develop a plan to tackle your business’ own IT needs, you may be wondering about the difference between in-house and outsourced IT services. Our guide will provide you with more information about outsourced services and the advantages they offer so that you can make the right decision.
What Are Outsourced IT Support Services?
Methods to Meet Your Business’ Technology Demands
By and large, handling your business IT needs involves using one of two different methods. You may decide to staff your own IT team to handle any technical issues that arise with your business’ own resources. This allows you to have full control over the IT solutions that your business receives, but also adds to the demands that your business faces by adding a whole additional team to the resources you need to maintain.
An alternative solution is provided by third-party companies that offer outsourced IT support services. These third-party companies can provide your business with high-quality, 24/7 support that uses the latest tools of the industry to get you the solutions that you need. This is often seen as a more efficient way of meeting your business’ IT needs, since you won’t have to devote energy and resources towards managing your own IT department.
Disadvantages of In-House Support
Traditionally, businesses have relied on their own IT support teams to handle all of the issues related to technology. However, this can come with a number of downsides. Perhaps most obvious from a business perspective, one disadvantage is that you will have to account for IT needs in your business’ budget. Training, wages, and equipment for your IT staff add a number of expenses to your spending.
There are some other disadvantages to handling your own IT support in-house that may not be as readily apparent. For example, you might not have the support you need when you need it if your business doesn’t have the resources to maintain 24/7 IT support. You’ll also need to focus on ensuring that your IT department is using the latest technology and practices, diverting the attention you could be focusing on your business itself.
Solutions that Managed Services Provide
As you can see, managing your own IT support involves a lot of work. That provides an extra burden on top of everything you already need to do in the day-to-day operation of your business. Here are some of the ways that outsourced IT support can benefit your business.
Scalable Resources
The demands placed on your business often fluctuate over time. Depending on the exact nature of your industry, this can be for a variety of reasons. For example, some businesses rely on the increased demand of a busy holiday period, while others may see an increase in business during certain seasons. As the demands placed on your business change, your needs for IT support will also increase or decrease accordingly.
Having managed or co-managed IT services on your side helps give your business the flexibility it needs to change to match these shifting demands. You won’t have to worry about being understaffed to tackle issues or being overstaffed without enough work to justify paying the number of professionals you have on the team. Outsourced, managed services provide exactly the right number of technicians to match your business’s current needs so that you’re never wasting resources.
Increased Productivity
Along with eliminating waste, you might otherwise have from your IT department managed services also help the rest of your team to perform productively. Technology impacts just about every aspect of the way that you handle business. That means when there’s an issue, it prevents members of your team from doing what they do best. This loss of productivity can have a big impact on your bottom line, damaging you financially.
Having technology solutions on hand when you need them is vital in today’s fast-paced business environment. Using managed support services ensures that you’ll always have professional help on hand to promptly address any technology concerns you or your staff may have. That speeds up the process of getting things back to normal working order, allowing your team to focus on doing their job instead of having to try to troubleshoot their technology.
More Cost-Effective
Any business owner’s first concern is the financial well-being of their business. You may think that you’re saving money by not hiring an outside firm to handle your IT needs. After all, one less item on your list of expenses is good for your bottom line, right? While this seems intuitive enough, the truth is that you’re most likely able to use your financial resources more effectively if you use managed IT support instead of relying on your in-house team.
When you use managed IT services, you’ll pay one predictable flat rate for your IT solutions. Compare this to the unpredictable and ever-changing expenses associated with managing your own IT department, where you’ll have to cover training, replacing, and maintaining the best resources for your professionals. The predictable expense of having a third-party IT support team on your side is another advantage for your business.
Better Customer Experience
In our fast-paced business world, customers expect an experience that is convenient and easily accessible. Even a momentary lapse in the services that you provide can create a frustrating situation for your customers. This may lead them to seeking out a competitor for their needs instead, hurting your business’ ability to turn a profit and grow your customer base.
Avoid these negative customer experiences by having cohesive IT solutions on call when you need them. That helps you to avoid any lengthy outages or downtime for the service or product you provide. Customers will get a predictable, comfortable experience without any unexpected obstacles getting in their way of getting the best possible experience that your company can provide.
Increased Level of Security
These days, it seems like barely a week goes by without some high-profile cyberattack making headlines around the world. Ransomware and other types of malware attacks cost businesses in every sector of the economy millions of dollars every year. If you aren’t using the latest cybersecurity tools and practices, your business may be at risk.
Protect your business’ critical data by hiring an IT firm that will put in place the highest degree of protection possible. They’ll work with the rest of your organization to educate and inform people of the safest practices when using technology. They’ll also have access to the most powerful anti-malware tools available to keep your business protected, giving your customers the assurance that any personal information they trust you with is kept secure.
Support at All Hours
There’s no telling when an issue with your technology may arise. While problems may crop up more frequently during busy times when the demands placed on your business are at their highest, they may also occur in the middle of the night when your business is running at minimal staffing. Maintaining your own IT team that can be on hand every day at all hours is an expense that many businesses cannot afford.
Fortunately, outsourced IT support services provide a more cost-effective way of meeting your business’ IT demands whenever they may arise. Find a third-party firm that can offer 24/7 support 365 days out of the year. That sort of reliable sort will increase the peace of mind you feel as a business owner, knowing that solutions are always within reach when you need them most so that your business experiences minimal downtime.
Expertise at Your Command
Technology is a field that is constantly changing as new innovations push the boundaries on what is possible to achieve. Staying up-to-date and keeping your business on the cutting edge of all of these new innovations can seem like a daunting prospect. Add that to the already demanding workload of keeping your business at the forefront of your specific field and the task can seem nearly impossible.
Give yourself one less thing to worry about as a business owner by hiring a professional IT firm to handle your tech needs. With a trustworthy team on your side, you’ll have access to the latest tools and technology that your business needs to run effectively. They’ll stay on top of what’s new in the IT world so that you can focus on what your business specializes in instead.
Wondering if outsourced IT solutions are right for your business? A technology strategy session with a member of our team of IT experts can give you more insight into the advantages working with our companies provide. We’ll show you all the ways that we can transform IT support from being an annoying expense into an asset that helps your company thrive.
Information technology (IT) is dynamic and constantly evolving. This means that to stay competitive, businesses not only need to maintain their infrastructure, but also need to keep abreast of new developments that are constantly giving people more powerful, flexible, and streamlined ways to work and collaborate. Enter managed IT.
Staying current can be daunting even for businesses able to devote the resources to a dedicated in-house IT department. Fortunately, these same technological advancements have made it easier than ever before to take advantage of a managed IT solution. At Cyber Command, we have the expertise and versatility to work with you to put in place just the right solutions for your business.
What Is Included in Managed IT Services?
Given a long enough timeline, something is going to go disastrously wrong. It could be a single truly exceptional event like a fire. It could also be an unfortunate confluence of circumstances, like a simple user error affecting just the wrong set of shared files at exactly the worst moment. Either way, you have clients waiting and your business has ground to a halt.
By the time a disaster strikes, you’ve already made the most important decisions that will determine how quickly your business is up and running again. Minimizing your downtime is about realistic assessment and preparedness.
A Specific Assessment
Even within the same industry, two companies will operate a bit differently. We work with each client to assemble a risk assessment specific to them. In particular, we look at which areas of their infrastructure are most vulnerable, and which ones are critical to continuous operation.
A Ready Plan of Action
Guided by a thorough assessment, we lay the groundwork ahead of time to minimize your downtime when the unexpected strikes. Typically, this means mitigating risk using strategies like regular server backups and off-site data storage, as well as having fail-over systems ready where it’s practical.
Cloud Services
A great deal of IT infrastructure is stuff that you want to use, but don’t really want to have. A properly-implemented cloud-based infrastructure offers a number of productivity advantages while simultaneously lowering your exposure to risk.
Where the Cloud Boosts Productivity
A cloud-based infrastructure by its nature makes it simpler to keep your staff on the same unified system and to quickly apply updates or refinements to that system for the entire team at once. The cloud also lends itself very nicely to collaboration and data-sharing.
Where the Cloud Mitigates Risk
The larger cloud-based software suites all have very active cybersecurity teams working to keep them protected, and you benefit both from the scale of the operation and the efficiency with which the systems can be updated. Also, when you host your cloud services with Cyber Command’s expert staff, you remove some of the risk that’s inherent in storing everything locally.
Co-Managed IT
Information technology is now a part of every business to a greater or lesser degree. Our goal at Cyber Command is to work with your internal IT staff. Whether you have a dedicated IT department or just a technologically-inclined staff member, we want them to be able to focus on big-picture strategies that will push your business forward instead of needing to react to glitches or to maintenance demands. We want to free them to focus on growth.
While your team is proactive, ours is also on standby. We strive to minimize problems, but when a support issue does come up our team has the scale and experience to resolve it promptly. Because we have a large staff that has worked with IT systems for years, we’re in a position to field a broader range of skills, and maintain a higher level of availability, than it’s reasonable to expect from a department with just a few individuals.
Company
At Cyber Command we have been helping our clients succeed since 2015 by delivering expert maintenance, IT services, and consulting. Our clients’ success is ours as well, and we’re constantly looking for new ways to maximize their productivity.
We Work With You
Because we succeed when you do, we strive to be a seamless extension of your own business. That means learning how you operate so that we can be of the most use to you. It also means consulting with you to find just the right solutions that are tailored to your business, and answering any questions you have in straightforward language, without obscure tech jargon.
Our Monthly Rate Is All-Inclusive
Our all-inclusive support plan means that you always understand what your IT costs will be, and you won’t be blind-sided with a large bill if there’s a rough month.
Since our price doesn’t fluctuate with the number of issues we need to troubleshoot, we’re highly motivated to be proactive in our approach and to keep your IT problems as minor and as infrequent as possible.
We Prioritize Rapid Response
It is in exactly no one’s interest for you to be stuck with a support issue, and we know that even little problems can escalate quickly. That’s why we offer 24/7/365 live support, as well as a guarantee that a call you put in for support will be responded to within one hour.
Managed IT Department
We make it simple for you to gain the benefits of an in-house IT department in addition to the advantages of a large and diverse team. We offer 24/7/365 live support so that you always have access to a technician when you need it. Our service also includes around-the-clock monitoring of your network and data, so that you can have the peace of mind to focus on growing your business instead of on technical hassles.
If your business operates multiple locations then our nationwide support coverage can provide the kind of rapid response that a conventional in-house IT department would struggle to match. And as different segments of your business grow, our managed support model allows us to easily scale with you.
Managed IT Services
At Cyber Command we understand that your staff’s time is valuable and that a team member who is troubleshooting a technical problem is doing so instead of directly profitable work. That’s why so many companies fall into the trap of only putting resources toward their IT infrastructure when there’s a problem to be resolved. Unfortunately, the most efficient time to deal with IT issues is before they reach the stage of being a problem.
Letting us manage your IT infrastructure for you means that, first of all, your entire team is able to focus their productivity on the work that directly benefits and grows your business. Secondly, our team has the depth of experience to proactively address potential issues before they can interfere with your operation. Our all-inclusive services include monitoring and maintenance of your devices and network, backups of your critical data, and more. Your focus stays on running your business.
Managed Print Services
The printing needs of different companies vary, but too often businesses address their printing needs by just connecting a few printers to the network and nothing more. This is both a missed opportunity and a security risk. Printers usually don’t receive the same attention to security as workstations, making them convenient entry points into the network for malicious actors. Printers may also expose sensitive data or user credentials.
Cyber Command can tailor a managed printing solution for your company’s specific needs. This will always include monitoring and attention to security vulnerabilities, but we can also help boost productivity by streamlining the way that your printers talk to the software you use. Additionally, we offer printer fleet management to handle toner replacement or any repairs.
Microsoft 365
Our team is familiar with a wide range of software solutions and that certainly includes Microsoft 365. We have the expertise to consult with you, in straightforward language, about how this flexible software can improve your company’s workflow and communication. We also have years of experience integrating and managing Microsoft 365, making it painless to adapt or scale as your company’s needs evolve.
Versatility and collaboration are more important today than ever. At Cyber Command we have the know-how to help you leverage Microsoft 365 to let your team work in a more streamlined way using tools they can easily access from different devices and locations.
The trend in recent years, and it’s an accelerating one, is for companies to become more and more distributed. Information technology has a major role in facilitating this and has made it so that a company trying to keep up with the competition faces challenges that didn’t exist even a decade ago.
Excell With Managed IT
At Cyber Command our expertise is in working with these technologies, both existing and emerging. Our focus, however, is always on you. On your productivity, and your ability to take your attention away from matters of maintenance and monitoring, and put it where it should be: growing your business and profits. Your success is ours, so everything always begins with a jargon-free discussion of your needs and how we can meet them.
Our value proposition is simple: We proactively monitor and maintain your devices, servers, and network to secure your revenue through business continuity. Schedule a technology strategy session with us today.
