Think you can do without proper IT support in a place like Arlington Heights? Think again.
Arlington Heights, the 13th most populous municipality in Illinois, has experienced steady growth in the last decade. To stay competitive, small businesses need a well-managed IT infrastructure that helps them operate efficiently, serve their customers, and expand.
However, many small business owners lack the skills or time to manage (and protect) their IT all on their own. As a result, IT systems go unprotected or underutilized in small business environments, leading to system failures and the potential loss of data that could cripple a company.
Arlington Heights IT services can fill this void for small businesses.
An Arlington Heights IT company connects small businesses to a team of remote IT technicians who handle all their IT needs. They focus on delivering solutions to maintain, protect, and optimize its technology so that don’t SMB owners don’t have to.
Do you need help managing the IT infrastructure for your Arlington Height small business? Here is everything you need to know when looking for a local IT services provider.
What Are Arlington Heights IT Services?
Before finding the right provider for your specific needs, you must clearly understand what Arlington Heights IT services are and why they matter for small businesses.
An IT services provider does exactly what you might expect – it serves your business’s technology needs and supports its authorized users. They act as a remote IT department by providing your business with a team of expert technicians who are always ready to leap into action whenever you need IT help.
An Arlington Heights IT services provider like ours will:
- Build a service plan that fits your IT needs & budget
- Deliver IT solutions that increase your IT productivity
- Enhance your IT security
- Keep your IT systems operating at optimal levels
- Troubleshoot & resolve IT issues quickly
- Implement upgrades as needed
Ultimately, the goal of any worthwhile IT services provider is to equip your business with solutions that optimize performance for long-term success while saving you both time and money.
Top IT Services to Look for in a Local Provider
Now that you have a better understanding of what an IT provider is, let’s discuss some of the IT services your small business could benefit from in a partnership.
IT Security
An IT services provider will help your business improve its IT security, but why is this important?
Well, any business can fall victim to a cyberattack or data breach – no matter its size. In fact, 43 percent of cyberattacks in the United States are targeted at small businesses. If you’ve been hoping to go unnoticed due to your small size, that’s not the best strategy.
An online attack can have a lasting and devastating effect on any company, but small businesses tend to suffer the most. Just one security breach can cost your small business upwards of thousands of dollars. Additionally, an IT attack can damage your business’s reputation among current and potential customers.
IT security services through a trusted provider can help minimize these risks.
A quality IT company will install multi-layered defenses to minimize the chances of an unauthorized user gaining access to your network and devices. They will also monitor your network for potential threats, make frequent updates, and run penetration tests. This ensures your business is keeping up with the latest schemes cybercriminals are using to infiltrate IT systems.
Business Continuity Planning
If your data is only backed up to one location, a data breach, or a natural disaster (such as a fire or flood) can make it inaccessible.
An Arlington Heights IT services provider company that offers business continuity planning services will minimize your chances of losing important data. This service provides off-site data storage solutions that automatically back data to a secondary location such as the cloud. This allows you to restore your vital business data even if it’s stolen or your systems are damaged or destroyed in a disaster.
IT Consulting
Another solution to look for in a great Arlington Heights IT services provider is IT consulting.
With this service, your team will meet regularly with a dedicated IT expert (consultant) who will review your infrastructure and brainstorm opportunities for improvement. Then, after a thorough evaluation of your systems, they will suggest new technology and solutions that fit your budget and help operations run more efficiently.
IT consultants may also advise you on ways to automate repeatable tasks and streamline your current processes. In addition, they can provide IT training for your employees to help them avoid IT mistakes and make the most of your company’s technology.
Unified Communications & Collaboration
If your business relies on an outdated phone system, you may want to consider an IT services provider that offers unified communications & collaboration services.
This service addresses issues that plague traditional phone systems, such as outdated calling features and spotty service. It also offers a great deal of flexibility when it comes to placing and receiving calls. For instance, your team will be able to take business calls and check voicemails from anywhere on personal mobile devices and laptops.
Qualities to Look for in an Arlington Heights IT Services Provider
Not all IT services providers are created equally. It’s important to do careful research before partnering with an Arlington Heights provider, even if they seem to offer the services your business needs.
Here are a few attributes to look for in a great IT services provider:
1. Industry Knowledge
Business technology differs significantly among various industries. As a result, a provider specializing their IT services in your specific industries will better serve your needs. Your small businesses would benefit from an IT provider that works exclusively with similar clients in and around Arlington Heights and knows the region’s common threats and trends.
An Arlington Heights IT services provider like ours will have more experience working with businesses in the most popular industries of the surrounding area, such as manufacturing, finance, and legal firms.
In short, an IT services provider that’s familiar with your business’s industry will know what tools and technology that best support it. This means you will receive solutions that genuinely improve your internal workflow right from the start.
2. Proactive Approach to IT
You need to find an IT company that will proactively monitor and maintain your network instead of reacting to issues when they arise.
A proactive Arlington Heights IT services provider will monitor your network and infrastructure 24/7 to protect against potential IT threats and incidents. They will also ensure that your IT equipment is up to date to keep your systems running smoothly.
If an issue does arise, a proactive IT company will identify the source and suggest preventative actions that may stop similar problems from happening in the future.
3. A Proven Track Record
Finally, the Arlington Heights IT services provider you partner with should be trustworthy and reliable. You must ensure they actively build and enhance IT solutions for your business that will last, rather than simply checking items off a list.
That’s why it’s a good idea to look at reviews and customer testimonials before partnering with an IT company. The opinions of past clients will help you gauge how the IT provider operates and whether they would be a good match for your business.
A quality IT provider will be proud to show you references from past clients and will be able to tell you how they managed to help them. On the other hand, a provider who is unwilling to share this, or seems a little nervous when you request it, may not be trustworthy.
In Conclusion
As you can see, there are many great reasons for small business owners in Arlington Heights to consider outsourcing with a local IT services provider.
The right IT provider can help you and your team achieve business goals and foster long-term success. You don’t have to oversee every element of your business’s infrastructure on your own. You deserve reliable help right when you need it.
How can an Arlington Heights IT services provider benefit your small business? Let’s find out together.