Maximizing Your Technology and IT Relationship During COVID Times by Brad Mirza

With many businesses and organizations now required to switch to working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the spotlight on technology has been beyond-expectations for some and less-than-ideal for others. The spotlight is on some epic-fails …  especially for those businesses and IT gurus who were unprepared to support remote work environments. In fact, under the current circumstance, a reliable and professional IT set-up and support team may be the most important component for workplace (and work-from-home) success.

If you have an established relationship with an outsourced IT service provider to manage or assist in the management of the IT aspect of your business, you are probably up-and-running by now with remote work environments. While your immediate demands for reliable and sustainable IT might be met, you may be asking yourself: is the tech part of my business functioning at its best? 

Below are the top five ways in which a managed service provider can help your company put its best foot forward when it comes to IT:

1. Staff capacity matters. If your business’ IT team is small in comparison to the rest of the staff, unexpected tech challenges—like establishing remote work environments quickly and efficiently—can turn into huge problems. Be sure your internal or outsourced team has a deep bench of hands on deck to find immediate and tactful solutions in the wake of challenges to keep your business running smoothly.  
2. Cyberthreats are preventable and manageable. A strong defense against cyber-attacks is critically important to all businesses and organizations. With an uptick in hackers leveraging work-at-home technology, be sure your IT team can not only aid in the prevention and manage the aftermath, but take all precautionary measures so it does not happen in the first place. 
3. Access perks and deals through vendor partnerships. Your IT providers may have specialized vendor relationships with access to unique programs, incentives, and perks such as specific products and cloud technologies. Ask about ways to save money and take advantage of these best-in-class resources.
4. IT services should be tailor-made to fit your business. While every company is different in terms of IT essentials, your IT vendors must understand the needs and nuances of your specific organization or business, both for custom solutions and related pricing.  Whether your business has less than 10 or over 100 employees, seek highly personalized pricing and services so you are getting exactly what you need at a price you can afford. 
5. Look for professional IT support 24/7. Now more than ever, we are juggling families and tasks and working outside of normal business hours; accordingly, your IT support professionals should be available outside of normal business hours, too. Be sure your managed service provider has a live support team that is available 24/7 for our round-the-clock work life. 

Brad Mirza is the Executive Vice President of Secured Network Services in Providence.  SNS specializes in tailor-made IT solutions and works with a broad array of businesses and organizations including healthcare organizations, municipalities, financial institutions, nonprofits, and many more. For more information on how Secured Network Services can assist in taking care of your company’s IT needs, visit www.sns.com or email brad@sns.com.  

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