2020 threw us a curveball and many of us were left scrambling to sustain our business in the new face of uncertainty.

2021 brought in a lot of hope and opportunities with learnings from 2020. We’re presently at this crucial point in the industry where adapting to new technology and finding better ways to manage our IT systems can make a whole lot of difference.

This is when we need to make a decision — the best way for managed IT services to position for business growth.

In this blog, we’ll look at various reasons and ways to hire managed IT services to survive in the new normal in 2021 and accelerate your business development.

4 Reasons Says You Need Managed IT Services

The need for managed IT services is steadily increasing. In 2019, the global market size of managed IT services was $185 billion, while in 2020, it hit $207 billion. In five years, it’s expected to grow to over $356 billion.

This increase in the market size of managed IT services shows the demand it has.

There are so many reasons why companies look for managed IT services from external firms. As a top IT consulting firm, LayerOne Networks has worked with several businesses providing custom IT services to manage their business and remove bottlenecks.

So, are there any specific reasons or situations when you need an IT service provider’s help? Yes, there is.

Reason 1: When You’re Risking Overrunning Your IT Costs

It’s a good thing when your business grows. But your IT system should also be capable of growing and accommodating that development.

When you don’t have a large budget for IT system management or when you’re registering unprecedented growth and you’re quickly overrunning your IT budget, then it’s a sign that you’re headed for some serious damages.

There are only two ways to go from here. One is to update your IT system quickly and invest loads of money in resources, technology, and workforce to compensate for the new needs. Or, you can hire an IT consulting firm that already can supply you with the workforce and technology to handle your current and future needs.

The latter can be achieved with less budget and less accountability, while the former needs a heavy budget and lots of time to create such a system.

This is when many companies go for managed IT service providers to make the work simpler and better with the best resources.

Reason 2: When You Want Your IT Infrastructure to Be in Its Best Shape

Installing a hi-tech IT system is only the start of the job. You need to constantly update it, maintain it and modify it to adapt to the changing business needs.

And when your system is becoming outdated or not maintained adequately, it can run into several technical issues, all of which would deter your business operations.

Hiring an IT service provider to manage your IT infrastructure will make sure that your systems are always healthy and ready to manage your rising volume of IT operations. You wouldn’t ever have to worry about the capacity of your IT system when you’re planning a new business move. The IT consulting firm will take care of the expansions on the IT side while taking care of the rest.

Reason 3: When You Want to Stay Ahead of Your Competitors

There’s barely any industry right now that’s not influenced by technology. From agriculture to teaching, technologies have taken over the progress and innovation.

So one of the best ways for companies to be at the top of their market is to be technologically advanced. And this is only possible with intelligent IT systems that can propel your business forward and implement new initiatives to stay ahead.

Having a reliable and experienced firm offering managed IT services would mean that you’ll always be kept informed of the new tech trends in your industry and how you can implement them fast before your competitors do.

Reason 4: When You Want to Minimize the Hassles of IT Management

As we discussed earlier, when your business grows, you need to keep hiring a bigger team to manage your IT needs. This would mean constant changes to the IT department in terms of employees, tools and technology. All of this takes a lot of money and, most importantly, your time.

If you want to focus on your core business objectives, you can do away with all of this work and just outsource to a local firm that can manage your IT needs as and when that happens. So, all you need to do is communicate your plans and your idea and the team can help you come up with the right technologies needed.

How to Choose the Right Provider for Managed IT Services in 2021?

Since the landscape of IT services are changing, you need a team that is:

Experienced enough to handle any complications.
Updated enough to keep you abreast of the industry tech changes.
Certified enough to provide you with IT services that are tangential to the current needs.
Resourceful enough to help you create backups and store your data securely .
Flexible enough to change with your business dynamics.
Skilled enough to manage any complications in the IT system and resolve them swiftly.
Reliable enough to take charge and pitch in during emergencies.

Conclusion

Getting the help of IT managed services for your business is the best way to handle your IT needs, prepare your business for future growth and position yourself at the top of the industry. Make sure to be aware of when you require the support of managed IT services and hire them before the critical point arises.

LayerOne Networks offers managed IT services in Corpus Christi. Reach out to us if you want to grow your IT system to support your business ideas.

Finding the right IT company to hire isn’t easy.

And if you’re reading this, then you probably know this from first-hand experience.

There are so many IT companies present around the country with varying expertise and resources. So, if you’re wondering, ‘then how can I go around finding that perfect IT company near me?’

Well, this blog is your answer.

We have put together our years of experience in offering IT consulting services to several companies to analyze and present the best way to identify the right match. So, let’s dig in and find out how you can find a suitable IT consulting firm to cater to your needs.

5 Questions to Ask Yourself

Before we go on to talk about finding the IT companies near you, let’s take a breath and analyze what your preferences are.

You need to be very clear on your requirements. This is the best way to shortlist the companies quickly. So, here are 5 questions that you need to prepare for.

1. Do you want the outsourced team to work along with your in-house team?

This is completely based on the IT project. You can either ask the outsourcing team to work standalone and deliver the final project. Or, you can hire a few developers, designers, and engineers from the IT consulting firm and ask them to work with your in-house team. Whatever it is, it’s essential to know what your choice is.

2. Are your needs long-term or short-term?

If you’re planning to hire the IT team for a one-off project, say a VoIP installation project or an in-house software implementation, then you can look for people that match the exact expertise. If you’re planning to hire them on a long-term basis, you need to make sure that the company can use resources to match your scaling plans.

3. What kind of expertise in tools and technologies should the IT company have?

Your in-house IT team would already be working with a set of software, tools, and technologies. So make sure to enquire with the outsourcing IT company about their knowledge in these.

4. Do you plan on extending the scope of the services beyond the current project?

Some plan to hire a team initially for a single project to assess and then extend the scope of their services later. If that’s your plan, then make sure to be clear on the expertise that you may need for future projects.

5. What kind of working model do you prefer?

IT consulting firms work in several pricing models: per-project cost, per hour cost, or monthly retainer cost. While most companies give you a choice to choose, it’s best to calculate your needs and budget to figure out the cost-effective model and working style you prefer.

How Can You Find a Perfect IT Company Near You?

Now that we’re clear on your requirements from the IT solution consulting companies, the next step is to actually search for them. How do you do that? Let’s find out.

Look for the IT Consulting Firms Near You

When you need onsite support from the IT firm, then it’s best to search those in your city, preferably around your area.

If there’s any kind of emergency or quick assistance you need, a support team that’s working in your timezone and present near you would respond quickly. You can also set up regular meetings with the team, get their opinions on your IT processes and make them an extended part of your in-house IT team.

Research About Their Expertise

Once you identify the IT companies near you, research about the industries they’ve worked in, the companies they’ve worked with, and the years of experience.

A team of IT specialists who know how your market operates and who your target audience is will have a better understanding of executing the IT systems. As you enquire about their experience, make sure to ask about the tech stacks they’ve worked with.

You need a team with a multitude of expertise in the tech stacks you currently use and exposure to the upcoming technologies. This way, you can depend on the team for new projects in the future.

Analyze Their Size with Your Scaling Needs

You may have plans of expanding your company a few years down the line.

If you’re planning to stick with the same IT service provider, then you need to make sure that they can handle your scaling requirements. You don’t want a company that promises you to supply resources when they are running short now.

You want a company that already has the staffing to meet your scaling needs, even if that occurs only a few months from now.

Notice Their Speed of Response

Timing is everything in the IT department. When hacking happens within seconds and IT systems collapse in milliseconds, you want someone who’s highly responsive, smart, and intuitive.

While you may not know their responsiveness without working with them, you can ask around in the circles where their current clients are. Or, you can also run a trial period to understand if they can match your working style.

Wrapping Up

While there can be so many IT companies near you, the best way to find them out is to analyze their working style, expertise, and scalability.

When you follow the pointers mentioned above and test the company to see if they’re a good match, you can quickly choose a perfect IT company that can contribute to the bottom line.

If you’re looking for a reliable IT consulting firm in Corpus Christi, reach out to our IT specialist at LayerOne Networks now.

Tag: IT service company

Reason to Use of Managed IT Services & Boost Business in 2021