There’s a major problem for many small and mid-sized businesses these days: they need someone to oversee their technology and cybersecurity just as much as the big boys — if not more — but don’t have a big-boy budget. Hiring a dedicated chief technology officer or CIO in business just isn’t feasible for most smaller companies. Everyone is trying to improve their bottom line and understanding the risk and making sure they are only keeping what the essential services that help them.
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. There are Managed IT services that can help you with your strategic planning, business processes and digital transformation. Best of all, their CIOs can help you gain a competitive advantage in the following ways without having to dole out an executive salary.
Budget Planning
Some Managed IT services have experienced and dedicated CIOs who can serve as an extension of your own staff. They can meet with you to assess your current IT environment and any potential risks, and then strategize with you to find a budget-friendly plan.
Technology issues can come up unexpectedly and circumvent a well-planned budget and business plan. A dedicated CIO can help you put together a 5-year plan so you can anticipate when your technology expenses will hit. That way, you can budget accordingly and not be siderailed with unexpected capital expenses. Hiring a CIO as part of Managed IT service also helps even out cash flow with consistent monthly payments.
Reliable Resources
It’s one thing to have an IT person on staff who sets up a new computer or helps you figure out why an application isn’t working right. It’s another to have a dedicated IT manager or CIO in business whose job it is to proactively address issues and make sure everyone on your staff understands your technology.
An IT manager typically has a team of people who take care of the day-to-day support, whether that be a call to the help desk or a technician who visits your office to troubleshoot. When you partner with a Managed IT service, you have an entire staff of technicians at your disposal who can provide round-the-clock support 365 days a year. This will allow your IT manager or CIO to focus on the big picture and help you leverage your technology to its fullest.
Reporting Capabilities
Understanding what you have and how it works is what owners and board members want to see. In other words, they want to know where their money is going. A dedicated CIO can put together reports and graphics that clearly outline your IT initiatives and spending in various areas. Every board on C-level wants to see different things. So being able to create custom reports is vital. They can also offer industry insights and answers to pressing questions about cybersecurity risks, backup and disaster recovery, business processes, workflow improvements, and provide recommendations for the future.
Peace of Mind
Chances are, you don’t have a cybersecurity expert on staff. One of the top priorities of an IT manager or CIO is to stay on top of the latest cybersecurity threats and strategies. They live and breathe data security and have the expertise and industry focus to make sure your company is safe from cybercriminals and potential data loss from other threats.
When you’ve got a dedicated CIO, you can leave the worry to them and know that they’re laser-focused on protecting your company from hackers and even your own employees’ mistakes.
Documentation
If you’re in an industry where audits and compliance are commonplace, you know how time consuming and stressful it is to gather the necessary documents and data. As part of a Managed IT service, a dedicated CIO has the latest and most advanced technology and reporting capabilities at their disposal. Any necessary documentation will provide all the details you need and will be easily accessible.
The quicker (and more accurately) you can complete these documents, the more attentive and service-focused you can be to your clients. Plus, they can feel confident knowing you work with technology experts whose top priority is keeping their personal data safe.
Hiring a dedicated CIO or IT manager doesn’t have to break the bank. When you partner with a Managed IT service like Technology Pointe, you receive all the major benefits at a fraction of the cost of what it might cost to fill a new leadership position. For more benefits, check out our complimentary guide below. And be sure to reach out to us to explore what a Managed IT solution might look like for your business.