You’re never going to want an out-of-the-box IT solution. Your business isn’t built to be one-size-fits-all, so neither is your IT network. Instead, it’s best to review the most popular solutions and then make a checklist of which would be impactful for your company and your employees.

For instance, If your business is embracing the expanding popularity of a mobile workforce and the growing “bring your own device” (BYOD) trend, then you will probably want to consider an around-the-clock help desk to provide constant tech support for on-the-go, out-of-office employees.

Here are 4 IT services you should consider first:

1. Network Monitoring

Think of your IT network as a magnificent fortress. If you knew you were going to be under constant siege, would you just leave the drawbridge down and go about your business inside the castle? Probably not.

Well, it turns out your business IT network is under constant siege by cyberattacks and other disasters, and it’s up to you to build a good defense.

The first step in a good defense for your network is a solid watchtower. It’s almost impossible to run a productive, disaster-free network without the use of network monitoring. Proactive network monitoring enables technicians to streamline productivity and watch for traffic and security anomalies.

For example: Without a network technician, something as simple as needing to download a patch can mean your network is shut down across the board and your employees aren’t able to work. This becomes ridiculously expensive. In one study, 98% of organizations reported that a single hour of downtime costs over $100,000.

With network monitoring, a technician could have downloaded the patch and kept the business up and running without the system shutting down at all.

If you have no 24/7/365 network monitoring solution, you should consider how network monitoring could benefit your business.

2. Cybersecurity

There’s really no way to run a successful modern business without a comprehensive cybersecurity solution. So many businesses overlook the importance of cybersecurity that 73% of businesses fail cybersecurity readiness tests.

Cybersecurity protects your business from a hellacious onslaught of malware – viruses, spyware, adware, trojans, and worms, that financially plague businesses just like yours every day.

You’ll want to make sure that you work with a managed service provider who can build a custom, evolving cybersecurity solution that will protect your business. The last thing you want is to be caught with your guard down. 60% of small businesses close within 6 months of a significant cyberattack.

3. Data Backup

If the hard drive on your office computer is one of the 140,000 hard drives in America that fail every week, what will happen to your data? Would the month’s work you’ve been doing disappear?

Cybersecurity solutions and network monitoring will help to prevent possible intrusions to your system, but if a natural disaster or human error impacts your physical components, you must have a backup to continue business. We already know that downtime can eat up your profits faster than Usain Bolt in an Olympic footrace.

When you’re building your multi-pronged IT solution, it’s imperative that you consider data backup. One common strategy is the “3-2-1 Rule”, which mandates that you keep three copies of your data on two different devices, with one of those copies being offsite.

You will have to work with your managed cybersecurity provider to see which practices work best for your business.

4. Professional Services

Some IT solutions don’t really fit into categories or regular schedules. Still, projects are a necessary component of running a powerful, productive IT operation. Make sure your program accounts for special projects that will come up in your department.

One example is a hardware refresh. Nobody knows your network better than your managed services provider. When it comes time to update your business computers, phone systems, and other hardware, you should go straight to your MSP to make sure that your IT solutions can be integrated with new systems.

Projects are 2.5 times more successful when businesses use proven project management practices. Make sure your IT solution involves a professional service provider that can work seamlessly with your office to maximize uptime and productivity.

What does your checklist look like?

If you are missing any of these four essential elements of an IT solution, or you believe that you could use some major improvement in these areas, then you should consider consulting with a managed services IT provider.

Here at Vision, we are experienced in all of these 4 solutions, as well as cloud solutions, Office 365, and data recovery. We would be happy to share information and tips on how to better protect your business. You can reach us here.