In recent years, the number of startups launching in the UK and around the world has hit record numbers. More people than ever are throwing off the corporate life and taking charge of their careers and earning potential.
608,000 new businesses were established in 2015, with even more – 660,000 – in 2016, according to the Centre for Entrepreneurs Startup Tracker. Government statistics show that there are over 2 million new businesses now operating, including sole traders, since 2000.
One thing many entrepreneurs, sole traders and startup founders soon learn is that you can’t do everything. Although in the early days you need to wear every hat, as your company grows you find that delegation makes juggling multiple tasks significantly easier. Business IT support is one area where help proves invaluable and profitable.
Benefits of Outsourcing IT Management
Launching and growing a new business involves doing work you probably didn’t expect or think about before you started. From marketing and sales to admin and payroll, in the early days you need to do everything, or at least have a good understanding of each business function. In the corporate world, prior to running your own business, if your email stops working or you fear you’ve downloaded a virus, the IT department or an outsourced IT provider fixes the problem.
When you’re growing a business, fixing those IT problems suddenly falls to you, or an emergency (i.e. expensive) call to an IT support desk.
Outsourcing your IT in a more proactive (rather than emergency reactive way) is a popular and cost effective choice for overworked business owners. Once you’ve established that you are spending too much time resolving IT problems that take you away from more strategic business activities, business IT support from a trusted provider is a cost effective and valuable solution.
Here are a few good reasons to outsource your IT:
#1: Save time, generate more revenue
Unless you’re an IT expert, the revenue most business owners can lose spending time trying to manage IT in-house far outweighs the cost of outsourcing. Time is money when running your own business, which means knowing how and where to spend it as well as bringing it in.
#2: Deliver efficient services for your team
Whether that means secure cloud storage, VOIP phones, or emails, you need services that make it easier for your team to work together and with clients. An IT provider can identify ways to improve efficiencies, how to implement them effectively, and how to make the most of your technology infrastructure. This increases productivity and in turn positively impacts the bottom line.
#3: Keep your business secure
Small businesses are particularly vulnerable to cyber attack. Although they may not have the volume and quality of data, an enterprise may process and store, small businesses and startups are ‘easy pickings’, cyber security defences tend not to be as robust and breaches are not spotted as quickly, but the impact of a breach is devastating.
Working with an IT firm means you will have the tools and systems at your disposal to prevent cybercriminals from stealing data and sensitive information – keeping you, your team, finances and customers secure.
With the right IT support for your business, you can rest easy knowing that you have the IT expertise, capacity and security needed to focus on other business activities. Instead of fire fighting every IT problem your business encounters, you can reduce the number of IT issues and ensure that an experienced provider has your back, taking care of any incidents as they arise. While they’re doing that job, you can focus on yours – growing your business and doing what you do best.
Get in touch if you would like to discuss IT support and services and whether your start up or small business is at a point where you can gain ROI from an outsourcing to a trusted IT provider.
Call 0330 124 3599 or email sales@prodriveit.co.uk
