How To Determine If You Need to Find a New Outsourced IT Support Provider

Outsourced IT support is quite common these days. It provides business owners with an affordable and effective way to keep their networks up and running. It also takes the stress out of making hiring decisions, especially when a business is still small and growing. If you’ve hired a Managed Services Provider or outsourced IT company, you should take the time to evaluate their performance occasionally. Here are some ways to determine whether your provider is doing its job effectively.

Does Your Company Experience Downtime?

One of the best ways to gauge the performance of an outsourced IT support company is through your company’s downtime. Your IT team should do everything within its power to ensure that your company experiences as close to 100% uptime as possible. If your servers are crashing, halting your office staff from working, or there are recurring issues reducing productivity, it’s time to look for another provider. For example with today’s technologies, businesses should not be impacted during working hours do to updates or by server crashes. If your provider isn’t keeping your company operational during business hours, it isn’t utilizing the latest technologies.

How Long Does It Take Your Support Provider to Respond?

When you have a problem, chances are good that the first thing you’ll do is call or message your IT support provider. After all, even a slight hiccup in the system can create problems and have a tremendous impact on your revenue. It is reasonable to expect that your problems will be resolved quickly when they do occur. If your current IT company takes too long to respond to support requests, that’s time and money out of your pocket. Your computer support company should respond quickly, and if you find yourself waiting for long periods of time, it’s time to find another partner.

Do they request monthly IT calls and quarterly meetings to provide overall status updates?

In any given month, a lot can happen from a technical perspective. A great Managed Service Provider or technology support company will want to speak with you monthly and meet with you quarterly in person. These monthly calls are ideal to make sure both sides of the partnership are on the same page and share expectations for the next month. It’s ideal to review support requests for the past month along with feedback on the services provided. These are some of the key performance metrics to discuss. The quarterly in-person meetings allow for review of upcoming projects, adjustment of services and an opportunity for your IT Support Provider to share what new technologies are available to benefit your business.

Does Your Chosen Provider Advise You or Upsell You?

Finally, it’s important for you to analyze whether your current outsourced IT support provider truly has your best interests in mind, or whether it’s simply out to make money off your business. Your provider should advise you and provide details about products and services that can benefit you the most, not simply sell you services that won’t benefit you to make more money. A good outsourced IT company will be able to present you with a bundle of services that makes sense for your unique needs, so if you feel like your company is upselling you instead of advising you, it’s time to make a switch.

Your outsourced IT support provider should be just as dedicated to your company as your on-site employees. They should offer you the products and services that can benefit you, and they should be there when you need them – not when it’s convenient for them. If you feel like your support provider is letting you down, it’s time to make a switch to a provider that truly cares about your success.

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Understanding IT Security Compliance Requirements for Businesses

February 5, 2025

Protecting sensitive data is more critical than ever before. As cyber threats continue to rise, governments and regulatory bodies have introduced compliance frameworks to ensure businesses take appropriate measures to safeguard data. However, understanding these requirements can be overwhelming, especially since they vary by industry and location. We'll discuss some of the most common IT security compliance frameworks—such as HIPAA, CMMC, and CCPA—and explain their relevance to different industries. Whether you work in healthcare, manufacturing, or serving California residents, this guide will help you navigate the complex world of IT security compliance.

How IT Support Services Can Enhance Your Business's Cybersecurity Strategy

October 23, 2024

In today’s interconnected digital landscape, cybersecurity is more than just a necessity—it's essential to business survival. Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and evolving in sophistication, leaving companies vulnerable to data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage. A robust cybersecurity strategy is critical to safeguarding your business from these growing threats. One of the most effective ways to enhance your cybersecurity defenses is by leveraging the expertise of professional IT support services. The Importance of a Strong Cybersecurity Strategy Every business, regardless of size or industry, is a potential target for cybercriminals. The consequences of a successful cyberattack can be devastating, ranging from financial losses and operational downtime to legal liabilities and damage to your brand's reputation. This is why developing and maintaining a robust cybersecurity strategy is more important than ever. A strong cybersecurity strategy helps your business: Protect sensitive data: Safeguarding customer information, intellectual property, and financial records. Ensure compliance: Meet regulatory requirements, such as CMMC, HIPAA, and SOC2, to avoid fines and legal repercussions. Maintain business continuity: Minimizing disruptions caused by cyberattacks and ensuring quick recovery when incidents occur. Build customer trust: Demonstrating to customers and partners that their data is secure, which can lead to stronger relationships and business growth. While some businesses attempt to handle cybersecurity internally, IT support services offer a more comprehensive, proactive, and scalable approach to protecting your business. Cybersecurity Services Provided by IT Support Teams IT support services can significantly enhance your cybersecurity strategy by offering a wide range of specialized services. Here’s how they contribute to protecting your business: 1. Risk Assessments and Vulnerability Audits One of the first steps in strengthening your cybersecurity strategy is understanding where your business is most vulnerable. IT support teams conduct risk assessments and vulnerability audits to identify potential weaknesses in your network, applications, and infrastructure. These assessments provide a clear picture of your business's risks, enabling you to take targeted action to mitigate those risks. 2. Implementation of Security Protocols Once vulnerabilities are identified, IT support services implement security protocols tailored to your business’s needs. This may include: Firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): Establishing barriers that prevent unauthorized access to your network. Data Encryption: Ensuring that sensitive data is encrypted in transit and at rest, protecting it from cybercriminals. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adding extra authentication layers ensures that only authorized personnel can access critical systems and data. Endpoint Protection: Securing all devices (laptops, desktops, mobile phones) connected to your network from malware and other threats. Applying these and other security measures can help IT support services fortify your defenses against internal and external threats. 3. Ongoing Monitoring and Threat Detection Cyberattacks can happen at any time and often occur when businesses are least prepared. IT support services provide 24/7 monitoring to detect suspicious activity in real-time. Through advanced monitoring tools and threat intelligence, IT teams can quickly identify and respond to potential threats before they escalate into full-scale attacks. This proactive approach to monitoring reduces downtime, prevents data breaches, and minimizes the impact of cyber incidents. IT support teams can continuously update and patch systems to address emerging vulnerabilities, ensuring your cybersecurity defenses remain current. 4. Incident Response and Remediation Even with robust security measures, no system is entirely immune to cyberattacks. When an incident occurs, the speed and efficiency of the response are critical in minimizing damage. IT support teams are equipped with incident response protocols to quickly isolate affected systems, investigate the root cause, and restore normal operations. With a well-coordinated incident response plan, businesses can significantly reduce downtime, prevent further data loss, and recover quickly from attacks. 5. Security Awareness Training for Employees Employees are often the weakest link in cybersecurity, with many attacks originating from phishing schemes, weak passwords, or social engineering. IT support services provide security awareness training to educate your staff about the latest cyber threats and best practices for staying safe online. Training employees on recognizing phishing attempts, using strong passwords, and securely handling sensitive data can dramatically reduce the likelihood of human error leading to a security breach. 6. Compliance Support For businesses in regulated industries, staying compliant with data protection regulations is not optional—it’s mandatory. IT support teams can help ensure your business meets all necessary compliance requirements, such as CMMC, HIPAA, or SOC2. This includes maintaining audit trails, ensuring data encryption, and implementing security controls to protect sensitive information. By working with IT support services, businesses can avoid costly penalties and demonstrate their commitment to protecting customer data. Conclusion A strong cybersecurity strategy is vital to any business's success in today’s digital world. By partnering with an IT support service, businesses can enhance their cybersecurity defenses through risk assessments, security protocol implementation, continuous monitoring, and employee training. These services protect data and help ensure business continuity and compliance with industry regulations. If your business wants to strengthen its cybersecurity posture, now is the time to consider working with an IT support provider. Doing so lets you stay ahead of evolving cyber threats and focus on growing your business with peace of mind. Ready To Strengthen Your Cybersecurity With SDTEK? Don't leave your business vulnerable to cyber threats. At SDTEK, we offer comprehensive IT support and managed cybersecurity services designed to protect your business and ensure seamless operations. Whether you need risk assessments, ongoing monitoring, or incident response, our team of experts is here to help. Contact SDTEK today for a free consultation and discover how we can enhance your cybersecurity strategy and safeguard your business. Protect your data, reputation, and future—partner with SDTEK now!