As a small business, you have to rely on technology for almost everything, from accepting payments to general operations. If you’re having IT issues, that could lead to significant issues for your business. You can get help by hiring IT services to help you manage your networks and ensure that they’re reliable.
The one potential problem is the budget. Like every business out there, you have to squeeze as much as you can out of every dollar. Yet, there’s a reason why spending on managed IT services is increasing. It brings value to businesses that can’t hire a full IT staff.
How can you tackle your budget to include IT services? Keep reading to find out.
Your first step in determining your IT budget is to look at your past spending on IT work. Be sure to include labor, staff hours, equipment, and infrastructure.
Look at the past couple of years and note if there were any special circumstances in your IT spending. For example, moving offices or starting your business would require higher spending on infrastructure.
Your first step in developing an IT services budget is to assess your needs. Do you just need assistance with installing a VoIP phone system? Do you need help with maintenance?
The one thing that you cannot compromise on is IT security. Businesses of all sizes are under attack every single day. For the businesses that experience a data breach, about 60% are forced to close within 6 months.
Write down what all of your IT needs are and be sure to include projects that you’ve had on the backburner for a while, along with your daily IT needs.
Once you have your list of IT projects, it’s time to prioritize your needs. You can prioritize your needs by the most pressing challenges now, such as security.
You can also prioritize your needs according to what will move your business forward. For example, if there’s a project that you’ve been putting off that would have a big impact on your business, you can move that ahead of everything else on your list.
Out of these steps, you’re ready to determine your budget. You want to contact IT managed service companies to find out what they offer and their pricing to find the best fit for your business.
Some IT companies offer a flat fee for managed IT services, which means that your budget won’t fluctuate from month to month.
Watch our video: What is IT Outsourcing?
It can be challenging to create a budget for IT services, especially as a small business.
In the end, you want your needs to guide your spending, not the other way around.
When you’re developing your budget for managed IT services, look at what you spent in the past, what your needs are, and what is outsourced.
Finally, look at how much IT managed services can save and add value to your bottom line.
Are you ready to get started with managed IT services? Contact us today for a free consultation.
