With the rapid shift to digitalisation in 2020, it’s become essential for every small-and-medium-sized business (SMBs) to keep evolving in order to remain competitive. This has resulted in small businesses shifting their priority towards creating a secure remote working environment while also integratingadvanced cloud technology.
There are, however, a few more small business IT support priorities that you need to consider as you ease into the New Year.
Let’s take a look at the top 5 priorities which, according to our IT support specialists, are likely to play a crucial role in your business in 2021.
1. Right IT Support for Remote Employees
While cloud-based apps like Office 365 offer exceptional levels of IT support along with FAQs to troubleshoot common issues, your remote employees also require human helpin the form of 1st, 2nd and 3rd line support.
With a responsive IT support service you not only create an open line of communication between your employees and your IT service desk but also help them improve their overall productivity,further enhanceing your organisation’s efficiency while also helping you grow your business in a competitive market.
If you’re not sure how to find the right IT support for your business, then click here!
2. Inexpensive AI (Artificial Intelligence) Technology
After the unexpected need to make technological adjustments in 2020, many SMEs will now have to try and make up for their lost productivity.
However, with additional resources unlikely to materialise quickly, investing in low-cost AI may be a key requirement.
That said, you could start leveraging cloud computing solutions like Microsoft Azure which offers face recognition, conversational AI services and computer vision – many of which are in-built services.
Moreover, with the digital age evolving faster than ever, it only makes sense for you to take complete advantage of these AI opportunitiesand ensure that your business remains resilient; your customer support department being the primary example.
3. Cloud Collaboration and Other Online Solutions
In April 2020, Microsoft Teams sawa 70% rise in active users (75 million users, to be precise) – thanks to the massive shift to remote working.
However, even as offices started reopening, the usage remained steady. The daily active users reached 115 million by October 2020 with much of this growth attributed to the sudden change in mindset, predominantly by small business owners.
That said, it’s time to make cloud-based collaboration and communication tools one of your top priorities for small business IT support.
Investing in these solutions on a long-term basis would not only help you improve your efficiency but also offer flexibility both in terms of business expense and virtual communication requirements.
To learn more about how communication & collaboration tools can help your business, get in touch with our experienced IT specialists today.
4. Vulnerability Management
According to studies conducted in 2020, it was found that nearly 50% of people in the UK worked remotely at some point.
This not only led to the increase in demand for robust IT support but also forced small businesses to focus heavily on disaster recovery, fraud detection systems, identity and access management (IAM), and vulnerability management.
As a result, cloud computing has witnessed a massive boost, pushing companies to start embracing a robust cloud storage strategy.
Click here to find out more about how cloud storage can benefit your business in 2021 and beyond.
5. Tech Support for Better Security
To quicklyimprove your workflow and processes and to elevate the level of security in your business network, it’s worth looking into adopting a robust IT service management suite.
As a business owner, you’re already aware of the various cyber threats and security issues that your organisation is vulnerable to. This raises the question – do you have enough resources to patch and resolve issues when they arise?
If you didn’t answer “yes” it means your IT capabilities are lacking, exposeing you to a range of digital threats. You need to concentrate on strengthening your network security and a dedicated IT support desk is a great way to provide the necessary technical fix.
The whole point is to ensure that you are not compromising your company’s data integrity at any cost and robust IT security support is the obvious solution.
Contact Redpalm for Professional IT Support
It’s been almost two weeks since we entered the New Year, so it isn’t too late for you to start implementing these small business IT support priorities.
Nonetheless, if you require professional assistance from experienced managed service providers (MSPs), then contact the team at Redpalm today. Our IT team is available 24/7 to offer the best technical support possible to you.
Alternatively, you could also book your review with one of our experienced IT consultants.
