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Sometimes, the non-Walmarts of the world take the label 'small business' too literally. Even if your business can be considered 'small' relative to the massive enterprise in town, it still needs all of the same bases covered. IT support, in particular, can't be overlooked. Technology and business are now inextricable. That hand-in-hand relationship will only continue to grow. That's true for the massive enterprise and it's true for the smallest business. No matter where your business falls on that spectrum, it's true for you too. IT support for small business matters. Here's why:

No matter where your business is, it's worth the drive to take your team to Integrity's Learning and Collaboration Center. Centrally located, Integrity's Learning Center is a destination for anyone looking to engage with the business community and continue learning. Why should you bring your team? Review the benefits below and you'll be hard-pressed to come up with a reason why you shouldn't. "Integrity Connects" is all about helping local businesses succeed. The Learning and Collaboration Center plays a major role in reaching that objective. 

It's now crystal clear: every business needs Cyber Security Awareness Training. With cyber crime at an all-time high (and rising), businesses need every possible defense at their disposal. What is your business doing to prepare? Is your first line of defense strong? The first line of your defense is your own people. Educating your team about cyber crime and cyber security will help prevent breaches and thwart scams. Many cyber criminals rely on people's good nature and lack of awareness to steal your private company data. Those attacks, known collectively as 'social engineering,' deceive people into willingly giving up personal credentials and other sensitive data. Cyber Security Awareness Training can train your team to remain skeptical and identify those attacks before data falls into the wrong hands. How can you get your team started? 

If the worst were to happen, is your business prepared to bounce back? It's a question that has to be asked and answered. If the answer is "no," download the Disaster Recovery Plan template at the bottom of the post. That will get you and your business started on developing a Disaster Recovery Plan you can count on. Now, more than ever, companies rely on digital data storage. Servers have replaced filing cabinets. From private customer information to sensitive financial records, businesses are relying heavily on their chosen digital storage methods to keep their data secure. 

It only takes one. One major breach and your business can find itself on the ropes. Attacks like WannaCry are not going away. In fact, current trends suggest that cyber crime is going to continue to increase in scope and severity. The devastation caused by security breaches has forced business leaders to take notice. That's a good thing. Security is a C-Suite problem and every business should be prioritizing it. But, that demand can stretch business leaders thin. There's precious little real estate in the mind when running a business. Fully developing and executing a security strategy is a separate job in itself. Plus, a solid security strategy will need resources and personnel to make it work. It's daunting. It's taxing. It can lead to a start-and-stop process, where the strategy never gets implemented and the company remains vulnerable.

There are more than a few reasons to consider outsourced tech support for your business. One of the most underrated aspects of looking outside of your company for IT support is the planning and perspective that a third party can bring to your team. In business, it's easy to develop tunnel vision. You know your business, you know what you do best, and everything you need is within the four walls of your building. While common, that way of thinking can lead to some significant blind spots. Often, technology is one of those blind spots. Does your internal team have the resources it needs? What about the personnel? Is your team ready to scale at a moment's notice? If you struggle to answer any of those questions, it could be time to consider outside help. 

Here a few things that a third party IT partner can bring to your team:

Gaining clear visibility into what is happening on your network is necessary to detect the nefarious activities of cybercriminals and to understand your users’ day-to-day activities. Security Incident & Event Management (SIEM) is the solution that can take detection of malicious and anomalous activity to a higher level. SIEM tools have historically been thought of as enterprise or carrier-class products, but as the need for better visibility has expanded to businesses of all sizes, SIEM tools have become less costly and more accessible.

Technology and productivity are closely connected. In fact, it's fair to say that the former can drive the latter. So, if your IT department or team is in disarray, there's a good chance that your company productivity is lagging. That's not acceptable with competition closing in every day. If technology is getting in the way of your business instead of helping it succeed, it's time to take a closer look at your IT support solution. It could even be time to look for an external IT partner. With a third party IT team, you'll gain access to more resources, more people, and you're sure to see a boost in productivity. 

Here's what finding the right partner can do for your company productivity: 

Data security is far and away the most important issue in business technology today. If you're a business leader tasked with developing a technology and security strategy, start with a security assessment. Security assessments can give you an in-depth look at your current network security measures and help you make informed decisions on how to move forward with your strategy. When security assessments are performed by a third party IT partner, you bring a fresh set of eyes and years of security experience into your building. That in itself can help shape your technology strategy. A security assessment can identify the next steps you need to take to firm up your security and maximize technology in your business.

By now, it's abundantly clear: every business has to budget for technology. Save for a few unique or old fashioned business models, most companies today rely on technology for nearly everything. Technology accepts customer payment, it tracks hours, it keeps the payroll. It makes things easier for employees and customers alike. But, technology also moves (and changes) rapidly, making it exceedingly difficult to account for. There's high value attached to being able to budget accurately. If you find yourself asking, 'How do I budget for technology for my business?,' it's time you found some answers. Below are a few important aspects to keep in mind: flexibility, predictability, and scalability. 

Here's why each of those aspects are important: