Oklahoma IT Support: Everything Oklahoma Businesses Need to Know
It’s no secret that running a business is expensive. As a small business owner in Oklahoma City, you may want to do everything yourself to cut down on expenses.
Maintaining an enterprise-grade IT network requires significant skill and expertise. Unless you are an experienced technician yourself, you will struggle with fixing computer glitches, setting up firewalls, monitoring network infrastructure, etc.
This can lead to cybersecurity incidents, prolonged network downtime, and reduced employee productivity, all of which can have a grave impact on your business.
Also, given Oklahoma’s competitive market, you need to innovate at a rapid rate to stay relevant. If you spend all your time troubleshooting technical issues, you won’t be able to focus on growing your business.
Hiring a team of IT experts can help you avoid these problems conveniently. However, if you don’t have the budget for an internal IT team, you can always outsource your IT needs to an IT support company.
If you’re wondering whether your SMB needs IT support, allow us to explain.
Do You Need IT Support in Oklahoma?
The short answer is, yes. For the long answer, we’ll first share some insight into Oklahoma’s thriving business environment.
Home to a vibrant, business-friendly ecosystem, Oklahoma City has always been a haven for SMBs. According to a recent survey, OKC has the third-lowest cost of doing business among 53 metro areas. Additionally, new entrepreneurs in the city can get easy access to a host of financing options.
Hence, it’s no wonder why millennial business owners are flocking to OKC to realize their entrepreneurial dreams. Given the importance of IT and intense local business competition, you will need a solid game plan to stay ahead of the curve.
Expert IT support will help you with that.
With an Oklahoma IT support team optimizing your IT network, you can improve your business’s overall efficiency and output. Plus, IT support specialists enable you to make the most of your peak business hours by minimizing downtime. These two benefits alone can help you outshine your competitors.
What is Outsourced IT Support?
When it comes to IT support, some businesses prefer setting up their own IT department comprising multiple staff and high-tech equipment. But as the average annual base pay of an Oklahoma IT support specialist is $43,194 (in 2021), this may be a tall order for SMBs with limited capital. This is why most small businesses outsource their IT requirements to an external tech company.
Often seen as a pocket-friendly alternative to in-house IT, outsourced IT support services handle your tech network in exchange for a flat fee payable either monthly or once a year. Also, a Service Level Agreement (SLA) defines the services they provide and establishes the performance standards they are obligated to meet.
Here are a few common services offered by most IT support companies.
- On-site and remote support
- Cloud computing
- Emergency helpdesk services
- 24/7/365 end-user support
- Web filtering
- IT project management
- Expert IT consultations
- Preventative care
- Network monitoring
Benefits of Hiring External IT Support in Oklahoma
Hiring expert IT support in Oklahoma can offer a lot more than just technology benefits. Here are a few advantages of joining forces with an Oklahoma IT support provider.
1. They Help with Network Security
In 2020, there were reports of 407 cybersecurity incidents against businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees, as per Verizon’s 2020 Data Breach Investigation Report. For SMBs with more than 1,000 employees, the number rose to 8,666.
With the increasing number of cyberattacks on small businesses, it’s natural for you to lose sleep over network security. Cybersecurity incidents can lead to a range of economic and legal consequences, such as loss of revenue, regulatory sanctions, and fines. Furthermore, they can cost you your market reputation.
An Oklahoma IT support company can protect your IT infrastructure from malicious security threats. Apart from combing through your network for potential gaps, they will also establish protocols to boost your network security.
2. They Can Resolve IT Glitches Immediately
No matter how advanced your IT infrastructure is, it can run into trouble once in a while. And, even the smallest technical glitches can interfere with employee uptime.
Most third-party IT support companies have a dedicated helpdesk, with multiple technicians ready to address technical emergencies round the clock. In the event of a network failure, they jump in remotely to resolve the glitches as quickly as possible.
3. They Use the Latest Technology
While Oklahoma is rich in tech resources, SMB owners working on a shoestring budget may not have access to expensive IT tools. But what if we told you that an Oklahoma IT support agency can fill this void?
Most reputable IT support providers use high-tech infrastructure to cater to their clients. For example, they employ advanced hardware, software, and cloud computing platforms to carry out day-to-day IT responsibilities.
With access to the latest tech via your IT support provider, you can leverage your restricted budget in smarter ways and work towards business success.
What to Look for in an IT Support Provider?
If it’s your first time hiring Oklahoma IT support for your SMB, you may be unsure of what exactly to look for. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of things that every IT support provider worth their salt should have.
1. Long-Standing Experience
Only the most competent tech support companies thrive beyond their initial days. Look for IT companies with a verifiable history. IT support agencies with experience on their side will have well-defined strategies to combat both common and uncommon system issues.
2. Quick Response Times
When it comes to network failures, time is of the essence. An extra minute of downtime can set you back thousands of dollars. This is why your IT support team should mitigate network glitches quickly and efficiently.
You can ask simple questions to estimate how long it takes your prospective IT support company to respond to a request. For example, if a software platform starts acting up, how soon can they start fixing it? And, about how much time do they take for complicated tech repairs – like network failure?
4. Constant Availability
Like most disasters, IT problems come unannounced. As a result, you are likely to benefit from hiring an IT services company that monitors your network 24/7. They will be able to detect and resolve IT problems even when your business isn’t operating so that everything is in order before you begin your workday.
5. A Flexible Business Approach
Every business is unique. Two businesses in the same industry with an equal number of employees may have different tech needs. A competent IT support company will understand this and customize IT solutions for their clients.
See if the prospective IT support provider takes an interest in your business operations. If they stick to a one-size-fits-all approach, you should probably keep looking.
Conclusion
Unless you’re a technician yourself, you may find it difficult to keep up with the rapidly evolving technology. As a business owner, you need to integrate the latest tech advantages to stay ahead of the curve. The good news is that teaming up with an IT services company can help you build a robust IT network without sending your overhead expenses and labor costs through the roof.
Do you need quality IT support for your SMB in Oklahoma? We’re here to help! Contact us for more information.
Recent Comments