No business today can run without the use of some sort of technology. Even if it is just used for data storage, accounts managing and inventory tracking, there will be at least one team in every company whose work revolves solely around computers. For many businesses, making sure these processes run as smoothly as possible is paramount, as any disruption in technology could lead to a significant amount of downtime, lost productivity and any number of disruptions.
But even in such cases, many businesses do not understand the importance of having a designated managed IT service provider to help solve any issues that may arise. This is primarily because of a few myths and misconceptions about IT services in Melbourne, which can cause businesses to back off from contracting with a provider.
Forgoing IT support or doing it in-house can cause your teams to spend valuable time trying to solve problems that would have taken an IT service provider about 10 minutes to solve. Here are a few of the myths and misconceptions that typically keep people away from contracting a managed service provider (MSP):
Myth 1: I can take care of any IT problems myself
Yes, you may be able to solve minor problems by searching for a solution on the Internet. But for every new problem, you will need to spend time and effort trying to understand the solution and then applying it. With the help of a professional, what took you an hour to fix could be fixed within five minutes, leaving you 55 minutes more to spend on what you do best: managing your business.
Think of it this way: you could look up the instructions to build a house online, buy the material and build it yourself. But you won’t. Why? Going the DIY route, especially if you don’t have any previous experience could result in a structurally unstable house, never mind the time it would take you to build an entire property.
Myth 2: Small businesses don’t need IT support
This myth couldn’t be further from the truth. Up to 43% of all cyberattacks target small businesses and more than 60% of small businesses hit by a cyberattack close less than 6 months after the attack. With statistics like this, it is apparent that small businesses may actually be in need of IT support the most! With the help of an MSP, a small business could install the right firewalls and security strengthening software, and then not have to worry about breaches in their network infrastructure. But even apart from the security aspect, studies have found that the average Australian small and medium sized business suffers at least 15 hours of IT outages each year, which can spell disaster for any organisation.
Myth 3: Managed IT support is too expensive
It’s easy to see how this myth became so popular. You have to pay a third party a fixed fee on a monthly basis, whereas without a partnership with an MSP, you’d only need to find and hire an IT specialist on a need basis. However, many studies have found that engaging a partnership with an MSP actually reduces costs of IT infrastructure by up to 24%, reduces application downtime by 88% and offers an ROI of up to 224% in as little as 3 years. In total, partnering up with an MSP can reduce the total IT support costs by 30 to 50%. And when you count in the factor that an MSP will work behind the scenes to ensure problems are solved before they arise and your employees don’t suffer from any loss of productivity, the costs of hiring an MSP become justifiable.
Myth 4: MSPs can’t stop technology from breaking down
This one may not be as much of a myth as it is an overstatement. Yes, there is always the possibility of things going wrong and technology breaking down, but this is the case with any service you hire. IT specialists are experts in their field, but they are still human. Although your managed IT specialist will do all it can to prevent problems that are within their expertise, there are problems that are beyond the control of even the best IT specialists, such as an employee losing their laptop or spilling a drink on it, or a nationwide network breakdown.
However, what your managed IT specialist can help with is ensuring these issues don’t lead to major downtimes or loss of business. You don’t assume that by going to a doctor, you are suddenly immune to all diseases for the rest of your life. Hiring IT support is much the same. They can help fix a problem and help prevent it to a certain degree, but nothing can provide absolute prevention.
These are the four most common myths that prevent small businesses from hiring dedicated managed IT services in Melbourne. The truth of the matter is, if you use any kind of technology involving computers, whether it is a cloud based software to store your data, laptops or other hardware or frequent use of the internet, you need IT support.
