Small Business IT Services
IT services help individuals & small companies operate successful businesses. Read a helpful guide on small business IT services available in 2021.
Running a small business today is highly rewarding but not without its technology-based challenges. You want happy, returning customers and to accomplish this you need all your information technology (IT) services and software-based systems running properly. How do IT services help run your business? Is it better to keep IT services in-house or outsource them in 2021?
IT services carry typical average pricing, which also vary based on numerous factors and service-related needs. How do consumers find the best local IT services? What is the difference between IT services for individuals and small businesses? Read ahead for a helpful guide focused on small business IT services available in 2021.
Typical IT Services (what they consist of today)
The most successful information technology (IT) providers in modern times are the ones capable of visualizing the services they provide from both technical and personal perspectives. Issues involving advanced technology along with its application & infrastructure are addressed. Customers and clients, however, view IT services from the perspective of results and ease-of-use. Therefore typical (and successful) IT businesses provide technically proficient, client-friendly service with an intuitive understanding of customer needs.
In addition to these two overview descriptors, jobs and tasks provided by IT services are further broken down into dozens of more detailed categories. It is challenging to define any IT service as typical because of the wide variety of responsibilities in which each service is tasked and the multiple ways IT services help daily businesses operate. For example, IT services help businesses maintain inter-office email/communication programs. They also handle cloud computing, network management, data synchronization, transaction processing, workflow and data analytics. Additional jobs and tasks provided by IT services in 2021 include:
- Equipment repair/replacement.
- Global support services in any time zone (as applicable).
- Developing an integrated portal capable of handling all requests.
- Developing/operating mobile platforms.
- Information security & network monitoring.
- Event management/processing.
- Automation of events/processes.
- Improving office productivity.
- Internet of Things.
- Robotics implementation/operation.
Pricing Information
Typical pricing for IT services today varies based on whether the services are provided in-house or through a third-party company. Prices also vary based on the type of business, depth of the issues/technical challenges and area where the service/your business is located. IT service rates are also commonly charged as break-&-fix or managed services, each of which has different pricing tiers for various reasons.
An in-house IT technician or consultant generally commands a salary range between $50,000 and $100,000+ per year. While convenient to have an employee with these skills/experience on-hand, paying up to $100,000 or more a year is not possible for many sole proprietorships and small businesses. Outsourced IT services typically charge anywhere from $60 to $150/hour or more for break-&-fix IT services, however. Break-&-fix services are great for individuals and companies on a budget where IT repairs/issues are not a common problem, but costs for certain services accumulate fast.
Managed IT services typically cost approximately $150 per user on average but could cost $75 or $300/user on the low and high ends, respectively. Managed IT services are provided as either partial or full services, which also impacts pricing. Managed IT services are excellent ways to conserve money depending on the number of employees/users and types of services required. For example, most managed IT services are billed monthly. A company with ten employees might pay $1500-$3,000/mo for managed IT services, whereas one a bill from a break-&-fix service might cost the same or more for just one week of work.
Outsourced or In-House? (benefits of each)
Many small businesses put comprehensive thought into the benefits of hiring in-house or outsourced IT services. Because smoothly running technology & functional software/equipment is crucial to the success of businesses today, comparing the merits & costs of various types of IT services is essential. Why is this especially true for startups and small businesses with limited budgets? Small businesses and startups lean on the quality of their IT services but must also avoid exceeding budget limitations.
In-House Benefits
Having an in-house IT staff is convenient and often improves the speed at which your issues get resolved. In-house staff commonly know the needs of each employee, making it faster and easier to resolve issues. Relationships are built between IT employees and other staff members as well. This improves comfort-levels and morale company-wide pursuant to employees knowing issues will be promptly fixed. A huge benefit of employing in-house IT services is the speed at which your problems are solved. In modern business wasted time equates to lost profits and having an in-house IT staff helps get your employees back to work fast.
Outsourced Benefits
Outsourced IT services potentially save your company money. In-house IT staff are paid hourly or salary, both of which often cost more than outsourced services. Using outsourced IT services literally frees up valuable resources such as office & equipment storage space.
IT Services for Individuals
IT services for individuals have similarities & differences to those provided for businesses. Some small businesses are sole proprietorships owned/operated by one individual. Smaller sole proprietorships still need IT solutions in modern times but the scale at which they need them is usually much different.
IT services for individuals are typically geared towards consulting rather than managed/break-&-fix providers. An IT consultant service helps assess business operational environment and IT infrastructure. Suggestions are made pursuant to present needs and requirements for future expansion. IT consultant services are sometimes more limited in what they can and cannot do for you, but this is not always the case. The timing of how soon services is available and how long until they are completed is also different between IT consulting and IT management services. Some IT consulting firms make themselves readily available, especially when looking to develop a long-term relationship with your business.
Ways to Find Local IT Services Today
The best way to find local IT services is to enter your search query in Google along with your zip code. Yelp is another commonly used search directory & customer review website. Thumbtack is also an increasingly popular website helping hundreds of thousands of people connect with service needs nationwide. Additional ways to find local IT services in 2021 include:
