Merriam-Webster defines a myth as "an idea or story that is believed by many people but is not true." There are many myths out there such as: lightning won't strike the same place twice or people only use 10% of their brain. In the business world, there are several IT myths that are often misunderstood by many managers.
We are going to breakdown six popular IT myths that are holding your business back and keeping it from growing, from gaining a competitive edge and completely ruining your productivity. Many of these myths tie into each other. At Seras we believe that once you see these IT myths for what they are, ideas that are believed to be true but are false, and you begin to act upon this new knowledge that your business will grow and succeed. We believe your productivity will increase and your frustration level will decrease.
IT Myths:
Myth #1 We don't need regular maintenance or monitoring
This is a very common IT myth. Usually this myth is believed by business owners who haven't yet encountered a major IT disaster. We don't have that many computers and we don't really use that much technology.
Computer systems are complex and they need regular updates and maintenance to help them to function properly. The only way to keep competitive in your field is to ensure that you and your employees are current and up-to-date with their computer systems. You need computer systems that are secure, reliable and fast. In order to do that, you need regular maintenance and monitoring. Here are a few areas that need to be monitored and managed monthly and even more so, weekly:
Security Patches
Firewall updates and monitoring
Backup testing
Malware and Spyware protection
Hardware monitoring
System optimizations
Myth #2 IT Support is Reactive
As we see from the first of the IT myths, IT support needs to be managed and monitored on a routine basis. The common belief is that I don't need IT support unless something has gone wrong.
Yes, you do need IT support if something has gone wrong. IT companies need to be reactive towards issues that come up. However, more important than being reactive, an IT company needs to be proactive in protecting your business from encountering these issues. By waiting until a problem occurs businesses will lose time, productivity and money. Waiting until you have an issue is simply a costly and inefficient way to run a business. If the issue you are having affects only one employee then you lose that employees productivity for that time and are still paying for them to work. If the issue affects more than one employee then... well, you get the picture.
Reacting is not a strategy, being proactive is. Begin to develop a proactive IT strategy with an IT company which will help assess your current situation, forecast for future problems and actively seek out ways to prevent these issues from occurring. When unexpected issues do come and you need someone to react to an issue that has occurred then your IT company will be able to help with this. Seras, by the way guarantees the fastest response times in the Columbia, SC area.
Myth #3 Anyone who is tech savvy can handle anything that comes up
You won't believe how often we hear something along this line when talking with business owners. I know my way around a computer. Our accountant's boyfriend is a young guy who is pretty good with technology. We've heard it all.
While you may be able to get by and survive for a little while with those solutions. That can only last so long and what wasted expenses have incurred? With lack of knowledge and experience leads to much trial and error. With much trial and error comes a lot of wasted time. If you're handling your own IT work, then who is doing your job? If you're wasting your time trying to resolve an issue that is over your head then who is managing your business? There are tons of dangers and risks with handling your IT needs on your own, especially if you only know a thing or two about computers. You put your business at risk of data loss, security breaches and costly computer replacements. If you have a friend or a friend of a co-worker who is tech savvy then how invested are they in doing the job right? How invested are they in accomplishing your business goals? If your accountant's boyfriend is helping you with your IT, then what happens when your accountant leaves?
Having an outsourced IT company handle your IT needs is not only the right way to do it, it's the best way. An IT company, like Seras, is trained and has the knowledge it takes to handle complex issues. Don't fall into the supposed cheap trap of relying on a tech savvy person to handle these complex issues. Rely on a qualified company with trained technicians who can handle this without you having to worry.
Myth #4 An Internal IT Department is better than outsourcing to a Managed Services Company
Many companies believe in one of the most believable of the IT myths: that the solution to their IT needs is to create their own IT Department. We discussed this topic a few weeks ago here about why outsourcing to a Managed Services Company is the right choice. Here are just a few reasons (not all) why outsourcing your IT needs is the right choice:
Full-Time IT people are expensive and actually cost more than outsourcing
High cost of turnover
Difficulty for you to hire and evaluate the staff
Added responsibility on you to manage IT Department
Your time spent hiring, training, replacing, re-training new IT staff
Myth #5 We use an IT company already; It's too difficult to switch and all IT companies are all just the same anyways
This is another one of the most popular IT myths that we hear. There is no such thing as an easy transition in business. There will be some form of discomfort involved with any change. It doesn't have to be that difficult or painful. Don't let short term discomforts affect your long-term strategy. Doing that will only hurt your business.
Not all IT companies are the same. The right IT company will take the time to analyze your current processes, will listen to what your goals are and will develop a plan for transitioning you to a substantially more efficient IT system. The right provider will establish a long-term plan for your IT needs that will help maximize the productivity of your business. At Seras we've been able to positively transition some of our clients from being unhappy with their old IT provider to being 100% satisfied with us.
The right IT company will make sure the process of switching IT support providers as painless as possible.
Myth #6 IT companies only care about billable hours
As with many consultant and service companies, IT companies typically bill at an hourly rate. There may be a few IT companies that care only about billable hours. However, you will find that most IT companies make an effort to make sure that both parties are clear and in agreement about the scope of a project. The IT Company is more concerned about a long-term partnership with you rather than quickly maximizing billable hours. This is in the interest of both you and the IT company's best interest. At Seras, we want to build a strong and long standing relationship.
Seras is the right choice. Contact us today and find out why we are not only the right choice but the best choice!
