The social and economic fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic was felt across the globe. With temporary closures, social distancing and reduced travel measures being introduced, our lives were limited. The virus has proven to be an unexpected and unprecedented challenge for organisations, forcing them to transition into a new routine. Whilst the pandemic wears on and nations come together to combat the long term effects, businesses find themselves in a unique situation adapting to a hybrid/remote working model. As a result, the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2021 (gov.uk) has found that four in ten UK businesses reported having cybersecurity breaches over the past year. Moreover, AgilitySMB reported that 40% of small and medium businesses suffered eight or more hours of downtime due to a cyberattack. When businesses get overwhelmed by IT demands they cannot handle, one of the most efficient ways to address this is through investment into an IT package. This article highlights the numerous benefits offered to maintain and drive business productivity levels, whilst most importantly minimising IT downtime and optimise budgets.
What is an IT package?
An IT package is the collection of the latest applications, targeted towards a specific industry. It is designed with the sole purpose of helping a business to establish and grow its IT infrastructure through cost-effective and time-saving solutions. It provides the necessary capabilities for a company to function and thrive, especially in a post-Covid-19 era.
Benefit #1: Saves time and effort.
IT infrastructure and its management may be a task that is considered too complex and technical by business owners, and often overlooked in favour of other aspects of business continuity. However, businesses rely heavily on scalable and efficient IT systems – it is an absolute necessity for the successful daily operation of a company. Without an in-house IT department or adequate support to maintain IT, a business is not only risking its staff productivity levels, but by not being able to safeguard its critical database – including clients’ information – there is the distinct possibility of causing severe, irreversible reputational damage too.
How an IT package can help: Outsourcing your IT infrastructure and investing in an IT package benefits a business, especially SMEs & start-ups, for several reasons. A long-term partnership with an experienced and reliable IT solutions provider reduces operational costs by eliminating the need to hire and train expensive IT staff. It also removes the pain managing their own hardware and software, as the package comes with 24/7/365 infrastructure support to troubleshoot any issues that may occur.
Benefit #2: Transfers know-how within your company.
An experienced Managed Service Provider (MSP) will always help you to maximise your IT. It actively monitors the performance of the applications included in your IT package and stays on top of any emerging threats. You are consistently informed about the state of your current IT infrastructure, with in-depth detail explaining the reason behind every step or decision when solving an issue. This results in confidence when managing your day to day activities and will also boost your team’s overall productivity levels.
How an IT package can help: By deciding to invest in an IT support package, your company will gain access to the extensive knowledge of specialist engineers. They act as an external IT department and provide remote support whenever you require. With your IT infrastructure being in one place and handled by an IT services provider, your IT maintenance costs will also be reduced, resulting in seamless execution of your daily activities.
Benefit #3: Cutting-edge technology at your hands.
One of the main factors when considering making an IT investment is to receive the latest available technology in the most inexpensive way possible. An IT solutions provider with demonstrable experience working with a company in your industry knows the challenges your business encounters on a daily basis. Due to its product-agnostic approach, it is always one step ahead of any shift in the market; therefore, it only offers you state-of-the-art, ‘off-the-shelf’ products targeted to serve your business needs by utilising the power of modern technology.
How an IT package can help: It has a considerable advantage of collecting the latest applications available to the market. As the solutions come as a package compared to purchasing solutions individually, it is available for a considerably lower price. With the technology landscape progressing rapidly each day, managing in-house IT is also becoming more challenging for smaller businesses. However, an IT package delivers the most advanced, industry-leading suite of applications available, giving business owners peace of mind and a flawless experience, whilst also minimising business expense.
Benefit #4: Guaranteed service at all times
A modern-day business striving for excellent service depends on top-class, quality tools to grow exponentially and to consistently meet its industry’s ever-changing needs. By entering into a strategic partnership with an IT solutions provider, a commitment is being established. In this Service Level Agreement (SLA), particular aspects of your contract are set up, including the level of service, quality of the products and responsibilities your vendor agrees to deliver in a given timeframe. All this translates into the highest, most demanding levels of service, preserving business integrity and growth in all instances.
How an IT package can help: It guarantees undisturbed, high service levels at all times due to the industry-leading Service Level Agreement your provider adheres to. TWC, for example, provides first feedback within 10 minutes as part of its SLA, when a problem occurs. Whether your internet connection is problematic and affects daily operation, or perhaps your main phone line is down because of a power outage, your IT infrastructure will always be taken care of as quickly as possible.
IT package: To invest or not to invest, that is the question.
2020 will forever be remembered as the year that has altered our lives for good. Society shutting down from one day to another has forced us to reinvent the way we live and work. It has also shone a light on how we should never take things for granted. But, primarily, it has made us realise how we always need to have a plan B. In an ever-changing business landscape, the key to being at the forefront of any change, and to stay ahead of competitors, is to prepare for the unexpected and have all our bases covered. By strategically deciding and defining a business’ IT infrastructure in the post-COVID-19 era, the pain SMEs will face in the coming months will quickly be eased. An IT package that offers a suite of scalable, future proof solutions, equips businesses with all the necessities to help them thrive and deliver outstanding results. To address this, TWC IT Solutions, one of London’s leading IT services companies, has launched three bespoke, targeted IT packages. These best-in-class, ‘off-the-shelf’ applications are accredited by some of the world’s leading and most prominent vendors. They are also designed by utilising the latest technologies, delivering the highest level of business capability and innovation. If you are interested to learn more about TWC’s newly introduced, industry-focused IT packages, please reach out and contact me. We’ve got IT covered.
