When running a small to medium sized business, it is essential to allocate funds where necessary. IT looks different depending on the setting and needs, but it definitely remains at top of the priority costs when running a company. Companies may pay a significant amount of money to a designated IT person, but many times they aren’t receiving the level of service they’re needing. When data security isn’t the area of expertise among employee efforts, this often leads to unforeseen costs and problems down the line.
When considering IT expenses, think about what expertise is required to run IT. Whether it’s managing your network or diving deeper into hardware and software installation and maintenance, there are a plethora of hidden costs of IT. With the average cost of a data breach for small businesses in 2022 averaging around $108,000, it’s important to consider the potential ROI of outsourced IT support. Let’s explore the most common hidden costs of DIY IT so you may decide the best options for your company.
Resources and Technology Expenses
When it comes to software, resources, and general expertise, things quickly add up. Beyond the general scope of a software installation, there are many technologies used to ensure digital security. Unique training (especially to those who are not familiar with the digital world), specialized equipment, and ongoing maintenance parameters are all hours that conflict with other projects employees would otherwise prioritize.
With the amount of tools out there, it is difficult to know what is the right one for your company. When you combine world-class tools and in-depth industry knowledge, outsourcing an IT company comes in with both.
Lack of Support and Management
Once the software and technologies are established (or if they don’t need to be), there’s always a need for support. IT- expertise with flexible availability is essential. When there’s a single designated person (or smaller department) that doesn’t usually mean they’re available at all times, and this is especially problematic if there’s a data breach. When you outsource your IT, it’s actually more budget friendly. Ongoing management capabilities come with advanced prioritization and planning, protecting a company before a cybersecurity crisis can occur. A fixed/monthly investment in an IT company not only mitigates the risk of a data breach, it delivers a better ROI in the long run.
Creating an Ineffective IT culture
As mentioned above, employees who are also required to solve IT problems themselves can either incorrectly solve them, or ignore them. Naturally if they’re busy with other tasks, an IT glitch will not slow down to fix this. And this makes perfect sense: it’s difficult to carve out extra time to solve or fix an IT problem if they’re already busy doing other things. A DIY culture absolutely slows down a business with employees either ignoring a problem or continuing working with disorganized/ineffective tools. Save your employees time, your company money, and invest in the long term health of your business by not creating more problems within company culture.
The takeaway: consider how sustainable you DIY IT practices are. The risks outweigh the benefits in most scenarios. Since our inception in 2005, Neptune 9 has been focused on providing transparent, dependable IT Solutions, Services, and PEACE OF MIND to our growing customer base. Contact us today to learn how we can enhance the security of your business needs today.
