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Easy ways to continually assess your IT service

Do you know how well your IT equipment is performing? If you don’t, now may be the time to start checking in.

Evaluating your IT services ensures they’re performing well on the tasks they’re set to execute. It’s also a reliable way to make sure you’re getting value for money and avoiding potential security flaws. If you’re not yet continually evaluating your IT service, here are some ways to do so.

Why you should monitor your IT services

Like most business owners, you’ll probably find that your IT services are the cornerstone of your day to day operations. This makes periods of downtime potentially disastrous. Continuous monitoring allows you to see how well your systems function and identify any flaws before they cause significant problems.

You should also monitor your IT services for potential vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities include security flaws that could result in data being stolen or processes that may inadvertently introduce malware or ransomware to your systems. Ransomware is a particularly big problem. So big that research anticipates a business is attacked by a cybercriminal every 11 seconds, and damage costs from these attacks will hit around $20 billion by 2021.

How continuous IT monitoring works

Continuous IT monitoring is adapted to fit your particular organization. Many companies will monitor how their servers are operating and look for ways to make them more efficient. Such monitoring looks at your IT systems’ overall health and helps you find ways to make it better. It gives you the chance to spot problems at the earliest opportunity. Once you’re aware of them, you can act to reverse the damage.

You can also use vulnerability threat management to keep your IT systems safe. This type of management identifies threats as they arise, assesses the potential damage, and then remedies the issue. Usually, this type of monitoring is automated. You do not want to skimp here. According to some statistics, cybercrime is the biggest threat to every company. Cybersecurity Ventures predicted that cybercrime would cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2021.

Mobile device management

In addition to monitoring the IT systems at your premises and any cloud-based services you use, you should consider mobile device management. As the name suggests, mobile device management monitors any mobile devices you and your employees use. It allows you to operate a BYOD policy without putting too much strain on your existing IT workforce.

Mobile device management can also help you oversee issues such as access control and the type of data your employees have on their phones. You may want to use it to control what your employees can and cannot access remotely. In doing so, you make it easier to remove data and revoke access once an employee is no longer with you. Additionally, you are preventing your employees from introducing security flaws to your network.

Continuously monitoring your IT services isn’t about wielding too much control. Instead, it’s an opportunity for you to keep your systems safe and ensure they’re reaching peak efficiency. By outsourcing IT monitoring to another organization, you can achieve 24/7 cover without over-burdening your IT staff.

The cost of downtime by the numbers

Everybody wants to reduce expenses for their business. Reducing costs ultimately means increasing your bottom line, which in turn means increasing the amount of money in your pocket.

Before, downtime was seen in the form of something like a temporary power outage. However, with our current digital ecosystem, downtime has adopted a whole new meaning.  

Downtime is costly for all businesses, but especially for small companies. It is much more difficult for a small business to cover losses in the hundreds of thousands, and the cost of downtime continues to rise.

As a point of fact, most businesses report a single hour of downtime costs them $100,000. But did you know that downtime is more than just network outages?

Often, downtime occurs in micro-outages — a frozen computer, email servers being down, or a phone system not working as opposed to a single, major outage. In these cases, you may not be losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in one fell swoop, but these micro outages occur more regularly and can quickly add up.

Proactivity is the first step to reducing downtime

The best action to take when trying to prevent outages of all sizes is to have a proactive remediation approach. This means having systems in place to monitor and catch outage-causing problems from ever impacting your staff.

And honestly, this isn’t something you can do alone.

The best way to proactively prevent outage-causing issues is to delegate that monitoring and maintenance to an IT partner. They will have the staff and the tools to monitor and remediate any issues that occur, and they can do it remotely.

Downtime is more than dollar bills

While downtime can directly correlate with things like the cost of rebooting your technology or having a service request fulfilled, it can also be seen in other ways that are not necessarily an immediate withdrawal of dollars from your bank account.

When your business is in the middle of a network outage, customers will not receive the full experience or possibly even a good experience. Your company, and perhaps your reputation, is at risk if a customer’s needs are not met appropriately.

The same applies to the hardware or software an employee relies on for customer service when it stops working. How can they be fully serving the customers when their tools are not available to them?

ITIC’s 2018 survey noted that 59% of respondents said that human error is the #1 cause of downtime. Whether that’s hardware or software malfunction, it’s all but guaranteed that at some point, your staff will cause some amount of personal downtime.

Troubleshooting the cause of things like frozen hardware or buggy software in all likelihood isn’t something your business can handle. That’s why it’s essential to have a dedicated partner who is there to identify and solve these smaller issues before they cause outsized harm to your revenue.

Minimizing downtime

When it comes to minimizing downtime, it takes a strategic plan, both in IT and for your employees’ overall productivity.

You will never be able to eliminate downtime entirely, but with a plan and procedure in mind, you can minimize it and ultimately save your business money. How do you plan to start minimizing downtime?

What to consider when selecting and implementing an ERP system

Selecting and implementing a new enterprise resource planning (aka ERP) software is a huge pain for many businesses. That’s largely because of the inherent costs and logistical challenges that it poses.

You’ve got to consider all of the licensing dollars, maintenance, training, time, and more that goes into making the switch. It’s a common concern for business. Nearly 50% of companies are soon planning (or have already started) to acquire and upgrade their ERP system.

To make the implementation as painless as possible, you’ll want to ensure that you do your homework on selecting the right software ahead of time.

Lucky for you, you’re reading something that can help you out.

Here’s what you need to know before you implement your new ERP system.

Consider your organization’s needs

ERP software can vary greatly in terms of software capabilities.

Keep in mind your needs, both in the present and the future. The last thing you’d want to do is spend on a system that is a bad fit for your business. That goes for both overkill (too many features that cost a lot and aren’t relevant to your business) and underkill (limited features that save money, but can’t fulfill your needs).

Did you know? According to Panorama’s ERP report, the most common reason to implement ERP was to improve business performance.

Additionally, you’ll want to look into ERP software that’s relevant to your industry and company needs. It’s always a plus if you’ve got the tools that are custom-crafted to answer your unique issues.

Key takeaways:

  • Define the scope of the project and your organizational needs
  • Study the capabilities of potential ERP software to prevent a bad fit
  • Seek out a system that works within your vertical

Consider the flexibility and ease of use

You’ll be relying on your ERP software a whole lot. Choose a system that both has the features you need AND offers an intuitive user interface that works for your staff.

Pragmatically, that means having customization options that present the exact data that specific people need to see – and nothing else. If you need to create weird workarounds and frustrating loopholes to get work done within the ERP system, you should look for a better fit.

Additionally, make sure that your ERP system fits the needs of the modern business. It’s extremely beneficial to get a system that’s cloud accessible so you can work from wherever you are. That’s also true for mobile compatibility, which is quickly growing in adoption and usage in the ERP space.

Key takeaways:

  • Test out the ERP software first to see if it’s easy to use and intuitive
  • Ensure that it’s customizable to your needs
  • (Optional) See if it’s mobile and cloud-friendly and accessible

Consider the long-term ROI

Remember that ERP software is a means to an end – that is, growing your business and becoming more profitable than before.

While the immediate costs are something you should definitely consider, also keep the total cost of ownership (TCO) in the back of your mind. If your ERP system can evolve to fit your growing needs, you’ll find that the TCO is well worth it overall.

It’s easy to go overboard with costs. In fact, 64% of ERP projects go over budget.  That’s why it’s important to calculate the tangible ROI math of your ERP software. We like Acumatica’s calulator for that purpose.

Key takeaways:

  • Determine not just the initial costs, but the overall costs of the ERP software
  • Partner with an expert to help you determine ROI and TCO

To help with understanding the costs and implementation feasibility, it’s always a smart move to partner with an ERP systems expert. The value that they add comes in handy when determining which ERP platform is best for you in terms of capabilities, costs, implementation, and more.

What are the 5 most compelling reasons for managed IT services?

What is it about managed IT services that make them so appealing to businesses?

For starters, they allow businesses to shed the tedious (and challenging) task of managing technology and put it in the hands of experts. Many companies are already working with a “reactive” IT provider to some degree – that is, someone who been coming in to fix things only after they’ve broken.

But managed IT services changes the break/fix dynamic by putting proactive care of technology first.

It’s a win-win for both customers and IT service providers alike. IT service providers get to build partnerships that help them grow and sustain their business. Similarly, business owners get to unlock multiple benefits that they’d otherwise never get.

Let’s take a look at 5 of those benefits.

1. Reduced costs

Here’s a core business truth – broken technology quickly racks up a hefty bill. Managed services give you access to a team of IT experts whenever you need them for a flat monthly rate. The costs are far less than an in-house team with similar experience or a break-fix provider that charges by the hour.

2. Improved security

It’s not always about keeping things operational. Managed service providers also take great care to keep both your hardware and your software secure from dangerous cyberthreats that could cost you dearly.

The average cost of a single cyberattack sits around $5 million, with $1.25 million – a quarter of the total – attributed to system downtime and another $1.5 million (30%) to IT and end-user productivity loss.

3. Expedited growth

Partnering with a managed service provider gives you access to tools that enable better growth and scalability. Having a technology partner that understands your business lets you gain a CIO that can roadmap and plan your technology to support your growth with ample documentation along the way.

Helpful: 5 Server Maintenance Tips and Tricks to Better Support Your Business

4. Expert collaboration

Many organizations assume that outsourced IT providers “take over” everything IT. In reality, that’s not always the case. Managed services agreements are built to customize offerings to the unique needs of each company.

“Co-managed IT services can provide businesses with a broad range of experience and deep bench of experts beyond that of the existing in-house staff.” – The Business Journals

Of course, while that can mean taking over every aspect of IT, it can also mean working with an established in-house team to complete projects and upgrades together.

5. Functional technology

There’s little worse than subjecting your staff to the tortures of working with old and outdated hardware. Managed service partners ensure that your office is using technology that fits within your budget … while being conducive to a productive and functional environment … and not one that incites rage.

Related: Common Technology Problems Solved By an MSP

Finding the right IT partner

Locating the right partner doesn’t have to be hard. It’s simply a matter of talking to a managed service provider and seeing how they can help you run your business better.

Of course, before you go seeking all the IT people in the Tri-State Area, you could always give us a shot. We can help you turn your technology into a powerful asset for your business growth.

Looking for more to read? Check out the 6 IT Best Practices for Your Business.