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We live in a world where every business uses IT to some extent. The hardware and software we use on a daily basis can be crucial to keeping the lights on and the doors open.

IT consulting services do just that, by anticipating possible problems with your IT systems and reacting to any incidents that occur, whether your business is global, national or local.

This can keep your systems agile during times of rapid change, allow you to embrace new technologies, and protect you against cyber security breaches and costly fines for data loss.

Employee training is another of the most important IT services for small businesses, as properly trained staff are more likely to get the best from the technology they use, without breaking it or unwittingly installing a virus.

So, what is an IT consultant, and do you need one? In this guide we’ll look in more detail at the answers to those questions, to help you decide.

What is an IT consultancy service?

An IT consultancy service gives you somewhere to turn when you’re planning new installations and upgrades, expansions, or just troubleshooting an IT outage on your network.

You don’t have to have a lot of computers to benefit from an IT consultant. You might run a small business with just a handful of devices (e.g. smartphones, laptops, internet, printer, EPOS till and card reader).

Remember, IT also includes the software you use. From your operating system and word processor, through to your accounts software, keeping programs fully updated gives you access to the latest features and blocks any newly discovered security vulnerabilities.

Most small businesses do not have the resources for an in-house IT team on the off-chance that something comes up. That’s where outsourced and managed IT consultants come in.

What services do IT consultants offer?

Let’s return to the original question: What is an IT consultant?

For small businesses, IT consultants can provide expertise that isn’t available in-house. That might be as part of IT procurement processes, or as a 24/7 emergency response if something breaks.

The role is essentially the same for larger clients, even up to multinational enterprises. But the complexity and the size of the IT budget is much higher, and there may be even more pressure to proactively prevent cyber security breaches.

Regardless of the size of your business, the best IT consultants will take your circumstances into account, and provide the right advice for you – giving you systems that work, adapt to changing business conditions, and maximise your productivity over time.

Types of IT consultancy services

You may find it easier to think of IT consultancy as a package of IT support services. This package can be tailored to your needs, and may include:

On-site support

Good IT consultancy services are more than just a helpline. You should be able to get an engineer on-site when you need one, to see first-hand what your systems are doing.

IT problem management

In the event of a problem or outage, your IT consultant should take charge of the incident, restoring systems to full working order quickly and effectively.

Specialist IT support

You may need bespoke IT support services, perhaps due to the complexity or size of your business, or because you operate in a niche market. The best IT consultants see this not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity to tailor your managed IT services and give you exactly what you need.

Ongoing collaboration

Long-term collaboration can allow your IT consultancy to function almost as an in-house department. This ability to understand your IT systems can allow them to spot common problems and take action to mitigate them, saving you money and downtime.

Is an IT consultant right for my business?

You might still be wondering if IT consulting services are right for you. Let’s think about it in terms of the size of your business.

SME

For SMEs it’s not about scale, but significance. If you only have one till or computer and it breaks, you could be forced to close your doors until you can get it repaired.

Having a reliable 24/7 IT consultancy just a phone call away can often get you back up and running faster, as well as giving you access to expert advice to get the best out of your limited IT budget when buying new devices and software.

National

National brands can benefit from using a single IT consultancy with the capacity to cover your entire network. Venom IT are based in Manchester, giving us great transport links with Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, London and other cities up and down the UK.

You want to know that wherever a problem occurs, your IT consultancy can respond. With round-the-clock callouts and a workforce of trusted engineers, we’ve got you covered.

Multinational

The largest and most complex IT networks often suffer from bandwidth and security problems. You want data to flow quickly in and out of your network, without putting you at risk of breaches and cyber theft.

We have the expertise to protect you against such threats, as well as to advise on the most efficient use of large IT budgets when procuring bulk hardware and enterprise software licences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the FAQs we receive most often about our IT consulting services for SMEs, national and multinational clients.

What is the difference between IT support and IT consulting?

There is a lot of overlap between these two terms, and different IT service providers may define them differently. In general, IT support is often more of a helpdesk service, whereas IT consulting is more in-depth and strategic, especially when planning future installations. A good IT support provider will be able to offer both.

How much does an IT consultancy typically cost?

IT consultancy costs vary widely depending on what you need. For obvious reasons, a multinational corporation will likely spend much more on IT consultancy than an SME with just a few computers to maintain. Book an initial no-obligation consultation for a bespoke quote based on the terms and scale of your contract.

Are IT consultancies suitable for long-term projects?

Yes! Long-term collaboration can allow IT consultancies to deliver even more tailored insight and strategy. If you are planning a growth project, or just looking for ongoing maintenance and upgrades to your existing IT infrastructure, Venom IT can provide the expertise you need both now and going forward.

The technology we all use in our workplaces has made it possible to do business in ways that were unimaginable 30 years ago. High-speed internet, pocket-sized devices and cloud computing allow us to access data from almost anywhere.

As a result, IT support for small business networks has become more and more important in recent decades – and is now mission-critical for many organisations even outside of purely digital niche markets.

In this guide we’ll look at a range of IT support services for small businesses, from implementing reliable cloud computing, to improving SME cyber security to protect valuable data.

By the end of this guide, you should have a much clearer picture of how an MSP can support small businesses with their IT, what it means for you, and the types of SME IT support services you could benefit from.

Why small businesses need reliable IT support

SMEs face unique challenges. By definition, you have a smaller workforce (up to 50 employees for small businesses, and up to about 250 for medium-sized companies). You also have modest to medium turnover, up to about £50 million maximum.

As your business grows, it’s likely that you introduce some specialists into your workforce. You may have a dedicated finance department, an in-house recruitment team, or a marketing executive.

But keeping a fully trained, highly skilled IT team in full-time employment can be difficult for SMEs. You might only have an occasional need for tech support, or a fairly small computer network. Bringing in an outsourced IT solution is a great option for small businesses, offering the specific expertise you need, within an SME budget.

Preventing Downtime

Business continuity is a non-negotiate for smaller companies, as any length of downtime is likely to have a proportionally greater impact on your productivity and revenues. With 24/7 support a phone call away, you can get your systems back online in an emergency.

Data Security

Rules on data protection are stricter than ever, with severe penalties for significant breaches. Outsourcing cyber security to an MSP gives an SME protection against hacks and attacks, with comprehensive antivirus software and, if appropriate, training for your staff to reduce human error. A good IT service provider will be there with you every step of the way, with advice on cyber security best practices and 24/7 help should the need ever arise.

Planning and Supporting Growth

Successful SMEs can experience rapid growth, and that can put unexpected strain on your IT resources. Speaking to an SME IT consultancy ahead of time is the best way to plan network expansions, as well as obtaining extra software licences as your workforce grows, so everyone has a working computer from the day they start.

Help with Optimising IT Infrastructure

Finally, don’t underestimate the value of optimising your IT infrastructure. Reduced energy bills, more reliable server connections, and enhanced productivity for individual employees can all have a direct impact on the bottom line of a growing business.

Where to start? Help with choosing the right services

We’ll look at some of the main types of IT support for small business customers at Venom IT – but before we do that, how do you know which services you need?

Size and Scale

Think about the size of your business, and how you expect to scale up over the next five years. IT investments you make now will underpin that growth and support your productivity at your future size. Hardware, software and user licences, along with scheduled maintenance contracts, are all part of what keeps your business going day after day.

Existing Infrastructure

It’s likely you already have some IT infrastructure in place. This can guide you when deciding on the types of small business IT support you need. Think also about anything you don’t currently have, but would like to add in the future e.g. real-time remote backup of data, VoIP telephony or reliable ultrafast business broadband.

Pain Points

Are there any aspects of your IT infrastructure that you and your employees complain about on a regular basis? There will always be occasional annoyances, but if the same issue is arising time and time again, it’s worth tackling it. It may be easier to resolve than you expect.

When to ask for advice?

If you’re already researching IT support services for small businesses, it’s probably already time to schedule an initial consultation. The team at Venom IT are always happy to discuss our services with no obligation, to help you figure out exactly what you need.

Which IT services do small businesses usually need?

At Venom IT we aim to provide a suite of SME IT support services that covers everything your growing business may need.

Some of the IT services we can include in your contract:

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing solutions revolutionise small businesses. It’s that simple. Unleash organisation-wide collaboration, store files remotely with secure real-time backups, provide Microsoft 365 software to new employees via instant downloads, and streamline voice and video communications via VoIP.

Managed IT Services

Our managed IT services range from fixing broken devices right up to full-scale Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) – and we can grow with you as your needs change over time. You get the level of support you need with a bespoke contract for the most cost-efficient service possible.

SME Cyber Security

Small business cyber security should be a part of every IT support package, due to the high risk and high impact of hacks and data breaches. We can work with you to install antivirus and antimalware software, real-time monitoring of emails and attachments, and even train your staff to raise awareness of risks arising from mobile devices, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies and attempted phishing attacks. Comprehensive, cost-effective protection.

24/7 Tech Support

We will do everything we can to ensure nothing goes wrong with your IT infrastructure. But hardware failures, software glitches and human error do happen. When an incident impacts your data or your business continuity, we’ll be there – day or night – to get you back up and running, assess any losses or breaches, and help you decide how best to proceed.

How much does IT support cost for a small business?

No two businesses are the same, and you don’t want to pay for services you don’t need – especially on a small business budget.

That’s why the exact cost of an IT solution can vary substantially, based on elements such as the size of your organisation and the type and number of services you need.

However, it’s true to say that failing to invest in IT support can be much more costly in the long run, especially if you arrive to a broken server or disconnected broadband one morning.

Short-term and long-term gains

In the end, working with an MSP has short-term pay-offs in terms of helping growth and scalability, as well as improving productivity and reducing employee complaints.

Long-term, those gains become exponential as your company grows and productivity continues to pile up, such that the benefits of SME IT support far outweigh the initial financial investment.

Why choose Venom IT?

We welcome all enquiries, whether you’ve already chosen us or you’re comparing several providers – we’re confident that you’ll choose Venom IT in the end.

Our experienced, helpful team will be happy to discuss all of our service options with you, and we’ll be honest about what you do and don’t need.

From an audit and overhaul of your IT infrastructure, to putting in place SME cyber security measures to protect your mission-critical data, we’ll be your long-term tech support partner with 24/7 availability.

To schedule your initial consultation with a member of our team, contact Venom IT today.

A disaster recovery plan for IT company systems and data should be key to your cyber security strategy.

When protecting your network and files, it’s easy to focus on important things like your router’s firewall or antivirus software. However, good disaster recovery planning also considers how you can restore your operating system, programs, and data following an outage.

In this guide to effective IT disaster recovery management, we’ll examine in more detail the business value of implementing a disaster recovery plan and the process behind doing so.

What is an IT disaster recovery plan?

IT business continuity and disaster recovery are about preparedness—literally, planning for any future incident so that you can respond quickly if it occurs.

An obvious example of this is a ransomware attack, where you find your files locked and demand payment in return for the decryption key. However, not all disasters are malware-related.

Here are some common types of IT disaster recovery incidents:

Cyber Security

Cyber attacks are becoming increasingly common. In 2024, the UK government reported that half of businesses had experienced a cyber security breach over the preceding year.

This figure increased to 70% of medium-sized and 74% of large businesses, costing over £10,000 each for those affected firms.

Breaches can occur for various reasons, including viruses and malware, criminals impersonating a legitimate organisation, and phishing attacks.

Natural Disasters

Physical damage to IT infrastructure can occur due to natural disasters like fires and floods, both directly and due to electrical and internet outages in severe weather.

IT business continuity and disaster recovery planning should anticipate extreme weather events and plan to mitigate them.

That can include methods such as remote data backup so it can be retrieved from elsewhere and even an entire ‘Site B’ setup of workstations that can be activated at short notice.

Human Error

Not all disasters are caused by malicious activity. Simple human error can have catastrophic consequences.

A famous example of this occurred during the creation of Toy Story 2, when a Pixar employee typed a ‘delete’ command in the wrong place and erased 90% of the work done on characters, scenery and motion.

Galyn Susman, a producer on the movie, had been working from home after recently giving birth – and her computer was left with the only copy of those files.

While it wasn’t a deliberate remote backup – just a lucky coincidence – Toy Story 2 has become the shining example of why you should always keep data in more than one place.

Hardware/Software Failures

Finally, sometimes things just break. A hard drive failure can leave you with hard or even impossible-to-recover data. Software glitches can close a program without the chance to save your working files.

There are ways to protect against the vast majority of these incidents. Cloud computing has unlocked the potential of disaster recovery as a service.

Hourly incremental backups store your entire file system on a remote server in near real-time, so if you need to restore your data after an outage, you lose as little work as possible.

Why do I need to prepare my business for IT disaster recovery?

Any company that relies on data and computer systems to generate productivity and revenue should consider effective IT disaster recovery management essential.

You probably have an idea of what you would do if your car breaks down or your electricity cuts out. However, many organisations of all sizes have no plan to recover from an IT disaster.

This can result in lost productivity or, in the worst-case scenario, an existential threat to your entire company.

Financial Losses

As mentioned above, the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation & Technology found that medium to large businesses lost an average of £10,830 each during the “single most disruptive breach” they had suffered in the previous 12 months.

Yet only 22% of all businesses surveyed said they had a formal incident response plan in place, rising to 55% of medium-sized companies and 73% of large corporations—that’s still less than three-quarters.

Reputational Damage

A lack of a rigorous disaster recovery plan for IT company systems can have a significant negative impact on PR and public perception of your brand.

In many cases, customers will choose to move their data elsewhere following a breach or will reduce the level of trust they put in your business.

Compliance and Enforcement

Avoidable data breaches are not looked upon favourably by regulators, including the Information Commissioner’s Office, which may launch an investigation following a hack or leak of any size.

Enforcement action can range from fines to removing regulatory authorisations, which could leave your business unable to operate in a particular sector due to a lack of compliance with data protection rules.

What does the procedure look like?

There’s a clear business case for detailed IT business continuity and disaster recovery planning, but what is the actual process involved?

Risk Assessment and Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

First, a comprehensive cyber security risk assessment is carried out to determine the incidents you are most likely to face and those that are less likely but high-impact.

At this stage, we are identifying the hardware, software, data and communications you use so that we can ensure that they are all properly protected going forward.

Data Backup and Recovery

Offsite data backup is a core element in IT disaster recovery management. It reduces the risk of losing sensitive data and, equally importantly, accelerates the speed of getting your systems up and running.

We can also conduct a Dark Web check to ensure none of your usernames and passwords have been leaked, which again reduces the chances of your files falling into the wrong hands.

Secure Communication Plan

In a connected world, data needs to be transferred – especially if you have multiple branch offices and/or a hybrid workforce.

We will put in place an efficient and secure communication plan so that your workforce can stay in touch and collaborate on files without exposing them to unnecessary external risks.

Penetration Testing

The best way to verify that a system is secure is to try to hack it. Once your disaster recovery plan is in place, we will simulate attacks and other incidents to test that it works as planned.

As it’s just a simulation, all of this is done without risking your data. This means we can identify any remaining vulnerabilities and date your business continuity plan to factor them in.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any remaining questions, please contact us and ask. We’ll be happy to help. Here are a few of the disaster recovery FAQs we get asked most often:

What is the difference between business continuity and disaster recovery?

The two are closely related. Business continuity ensures your organisation can continue functioning during an emergency, whereas disaster recovery is coordinating the response and minimising losses.

You can find much more detail about the similarities and differences between the two in our Business Continuity vs Disaster Recovery infographic.

How often should I update my disaster recovery plan?

It’s important to review your disaster recovery plan regularly, even if you don’t update it. We recommend doing this annually at the very least and often for larger firms or if your data is at the core of your profit-making activities.

We can put in place a schedule to audit and update your disaster recovery plan on a quarterly or monthly basis if needed – we’re here for you as often as you need us.

How easy is it to create a disaster recovery plan?

A good disaster recovery plan should be fully comprehensive and based on a rigorous audit of your systems, including hardware, software, network security, and staff cyber security awareness training.

Many firms of all sizes choose to outsource disaster recovery to benefit from specialist IT consultancy expertise. If you’re in any doubt about how to create a disaster recovery plan, it’s best left to the experts.

Does my business need an IT disaster recovery procedure?

If your business productivity, revenue or profit depends on computers, data, the internet, or even IP-based phone calls in any way, it’s important to get a disaster recovery audit carried out.

Your disaster recovery plan might not need to be complex – just some remote backup and a 24/7 emergency number to call in case of an outage – or it might involve installing cyber security software to thousands of workstations.

Ultimately, it’s about getting the IT disaster recovery procedure you need. But if you rely on IT to conduct business, you should definitely have a plan in place.

There’s good reason to improve password security in 2024. The UK government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024 found that 84% of businesses who suffered an attack in the past 12 months were targeted by phishing emails – and that’s just one way passwords can leak.

For medium to large businesses, the average cost of a breach is over £10,000, and for companies of all sizes it’s over £1,200. If you’re keen to improve password security for 2025, our top 6 password tips have got you covered.

Remember, it’s good practice to carry out a Cyber Security Risk Assessment on a regular basis, to check that your systems are still secure and to protect against emerging threats.

1. Make a point of variation

Top on our list of password security tips is one of the most common mistakes people make, and that’s using one plain-text password for every website or system.

Using a variety of randomly generated passwords means that if your credentials fall into the wrong hands, a maximum of just one login is compromised. If you use the same password on every site, your entire online identity could be under threat.

This is also a good reason to carry out a Dark Web check for leaked passwords as part of any IT disaster recovery procedures.

2. Use password managers

A secure password manager is a great addition to your preventative cyber security measures. It can store those long, randomly generated, unique passwords so that you don’t have to write them down or risk forgetting them.

Of course, it’s important to protect access to the password manager itself – but it’s much easier to do that than it is to secure everything else if your password is weak.

3. Maximise characters and sequencing

Third in our list of password best practices is probably the most annoying aspect of generating a secure password, but it’s one that you shouldn’t neglect. Nowadays, you’ll often be prompted to include one uppercase, lowercase, numbers and special characters (such as * # @ £ etc.). But when you’re not prompted, this isn’t because the website is super secure! It’s simply a lax registration system, so it’s even more important to follow this rule.

For example, a 3-digit numbers-only password has 1,000 combinations (ranging from 000 to 999). Add the 26 lower-case letters to the 10 digits and you get 36 x 36 x 36 possible passwords, a total of 46,656 different options. Add upper-case into the mix and that number rises to nearly 240,000 for just a three-character password.

According to Security.org, an 11-letter lower-case password can be cracked by brute force in a day. But a 12-character password with upper and lower case, punctuation and numbers would take up to 34,000 years to hack. It’s worth making that extra effort.

4. Avoid easily identifiable keywords

Another of the top password best practices is to avoid using personal information in your password. We’ve all seen movies where a character’s computer gets hacked because their password is the name of their pet dog – don’t be that person in real life.

Human error is one of the most common risks to cyber security, and that includes choosing a password that is easy to guess.

This again goes back to the benefits of using long, randomly generated, unique and complex passwords (and it’s a reason why using all of these top 6 password tips is better than using just one or two).

5. Add layers of protection

Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is commonplace when logging into online banking and some social networks. It ensures that even with your password, an unauthorised individual cannot log into your account without a one-time PIN or passcode that is sent to your phone or email.

If you’d like to know more about how to implement this on your own systems, ask your cyber security provider for advice. All of the other password security tips on this list still apply, but 2FA adds that extra layer of protection during the actual act of logging in.

6. Have some social awareness

With more cyber crime every year, social awareness is higher on the agenda than ever when it comes to protecting your password security in 2024. Employees should be trained to spot phishing attempts and suspicious links, as well as spoof online forms that hope to collect your login details.

It’s important not to let your guard down, especially as your human workforce is located inside your network’s secure firewall. In case a successful hack slips through that safety net, make sure you invest in cloud-based disaster recovery as a service to get you back up and running.

The coming months will start to reveal the developing trends in password security for 2025, but following our password best practice tips will give you a head start against the hackers. If you haven’t reviewed your passwords recently, make a plan to do so before the end of the year.

If you would like to speak to one of our experts about how to make your systems even more secure using 2FA, email antivirus and other techniques, ask Venom IT about our security solutions today.

At Venom IT we provide a whole range of services to clients of all sizes. For our small business customers, that includes a choice between Managed IT and IT Support. But is managed IT and IT support the same thing, and if not, what’s the difference?

This guide will give you a better understanding of both terms, how they’re similar, and the difference between managed IT and IT support. If you need any more help deciding between our small business IT services, please contact us directly and we’ll be happy to help.

Is Managed IT and IT Support just the same thing?

Before we dive into a full comparison of managed IT vs IT support, let’s deal with the big question: Is managed IT and IT support the same thing?

The short answer is no, it’s not the same thing. One key difference between managed IT and IT support is when and why you use the service.

In simple terms:

 

So there’s a difference in scope and in the ‘style’ of support you receive. You can think of it as being similar to planned and responsive maintenance on your premises. Managed IT is the preventative maintenance that keeps things running smoothly, and IT Support is the reaction and repair following an outage.

IT Support explanation

IT Support is a key part of our IT Consulting service. A comprehensive IT consultation plan should allow for the potential of future problems, no matter how carefully you mitigate risks or improve Cyber Security.

There are many elements to an IT Support contract, covering round-the-clock telephone support and rapid response in-person engineers to repair damaged hardware.

At Venom IT we offer specific support for Microsoft 365 applications (including Outlook 365 email) and for small businesses with remote workers.

We offer a 24/7 business-critical response service with two-hour SLAs (including for cyber attacks) to minimise the negative impact on your business and reduce disaster recovery times.

Managed IT explanation

Managed IT is another way in which Venom IT helps small businesses to thrive. The success of your business should not depend on your personal understanding of server load balancing or how to encrypt email on a Microsoft Exchange server.

You might prefer to think of it as outsourced IT management. We worry about your hardware, software and the security of your data, so that you can focus on the activities that make you money.

Managed IT underpinned by an in-depth Cyber Security Risk Assessment not only improves your business continuity, it can also protect you against costly fines and reputational damage associated with a data breach.

Venom IT blocked more than 200,000 viruses in emails in just 12 months, leading us to include Threat Migration Services on our list of top technology trends in 2024. These numbers are likely to get higher in the years ahead, making outsourced IT management a crucial investment for any growing business.

Key differences

We’ve already touched on the major difference between Managed IT vs IT Support, in terms of one being an ongoing service and the other being largely responsive in nature.

By outsourcing your IT management to Venom IT long-term, you’ll benefit from us having a deeper understanding of the systems you have in place. We can also spot problems when they are only just emerging, before they have any real negative impact on your operations.

IT Support is an essential safety net when you need it. Even if you have some in-house IT expertise, it’s good to have an external IT consultant on hand for when something happens that you’re not sure how to fix.

Remember too that keeping your IT infrastructure in good condition requires continual optimisation, hardware upgrades and software updates, or your systems will eventually become obsolete.

Managed IT can cater for this with regular IT audits, whereas IT Support can cover one-off expansions of your network. It all depends on what you need.

Which is best for a small business?

The vast majority of small businesses who use IT systems in any way could benefit from having a Managed IT contract in place. The potential to reduce your admin burden, prevent IT outages and free up time for profit-making activities is huge.

But whether or not you have an ongoing Managed IT arrangement in place, one-off IT Support is also there for you if and when you need it. It’s not a case of either-or, it’s all about keeping your systems running, and restoring them if they ever fail.

Conclusion

Venom IT’s versatile IT services for small businesses span fully and partially managed contracts, outsourced IT consultancy and one-off IT support. Whatever you need, we’re here for it.To find out more, contact Venom IT today and our friendly team will talk you through all the options.

Cyber security is an area where all SMEs need to regularly reassess their level of protection. The ever-growing prevalence of cyber threats to small businesses means that, even if you have taken action in the past, you may now be more exposed than you think.

At the same time, research shows that business owners often underestimate the financial cost and business interruption arising from SME cyber security risks.

Venom IT are the experts in cyber security for SMEs. As part of our suite of small business IT services, we can audit your risk level and make recommendations that will help to protect you against the type of cyber threats that are affecting SMEs like yours right now.

How has cyber security changed in 2024?

The threat landscape changes all the time, as hackers discover new vulnerabilities and exploit different techniques to gain access to private data.

Here are just some examples of cyber security trends in 2024, which are worth taking into account when planning ahead for the coming year.

1 in 4 SMEs concerned about remote working cyber risks

The pandemic led to an overnight surge in the number of people working remotely, with many employees still reluctant to return to the office five days a week.

This has raised concerns for UK SMEs. According to a survey by small business insurer Markel Direct, a quarter of SMEs are worried about how to properly secure their remote working environments.

Alongside this dilemma, a massive 62% said they are troubled by the increasing sophistication of cyber threats.

Nearly half of the survey’s respondents did not think they were ready for an attack – and said that they would not know what steps to take if they were to fall victim.

Zero-day vulnerabilities top list of biggest cyber threats

Cyber attacks can happen fast. In November 2024, the national cyber security centres of the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand co-authored an advisory note warning about zero-day exploits.

Zero-day vulnerabilities are weaknesses in software code that have not yet been patched, and are one way hackers can gain access to high-profile networks.

Among the 15 most-exploited vulnerabilities in 2023, more than half were zero-day weaknesses, highlighting the importance of real-time protection backed by regular software updates.

Ollie Whitehouse, chief technology officer at the UK National Cyber Security Centre, said: “We urge network defenders to be vigilant with vulnerability management, have situational awareness in operations and call on product developers to make security a core component of product design.”

What are the most common cyber security issues that affect SMEs?

The UK government published its Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024 based on surveys conducted over the winter of 2023-24. It detailed the most common SME cyber security risks during that time.

According to the report, the most common cyber threats to small businesses were:

Many businesses report experiencing multiple kinds of attack during the same time period, which is why the percentages shown sum to more than 100%.

The research also found the average cost of each respondent’s most serious breach to be around £1,200, although this increased to more than £10,800 for medium to large businesses.

What happens when there’s a breach?

When a breach occurs, the first and foremost thing to do is to plug the hole. Allowing a vulnerability to remain exposed opens you up to repeat attacks, which could increase your financial losses both directly and as a result of any later enforcement penalties.

This is why Venom IT offer 24/7 support as part of our IT services for small businesses. Hacks can occur at any time of day or night and we want to be here for you when they do.

It’s important to identify the source of the breach. Once you know how the hackers have gained access to your systems, you can take mitigating action, either by changing login passwords, reinforcing your network’s firewall, updating virus definitions, and so on.

Do I need to inform the ICO of a data breach?

You may need to inform the Information Commissioner’s Office if a breach of customers’ personal details has occurred. That doesn’t mean you’ll be investigated.

In Q3 2024, 50% of incidents reported to the ICO featured fewer than ten people’s personal data. Only 2% of these resulted in an investigation by the ICO.

We can help you decide whether you need to report an incident – but we would rather help to stop it from happening at all.

Can SMEs afford cyber security?

Investing in security solutions is largely a business decision. While you might want to protect your customers’ data as an ethical concern, it’s obviously preferable for any profit-making company if this decision is backed by solid financials.

However, research by Sky Business found that SMEs underestimate the cost of cyber threats to small businesses by nearly 70%. Companies who had suffered a breach in the past said it cost them around £124,000 and an average of four days’ interruption to trading.

In comparison, SMEs not yet affected by a cyber attack estimated that it would cost them just £40,000. One in six thought they would be able to continue trading without any closure, whereas one in four SMEs who had been through a cyber attack expected any future incidents to take them offline for at least eight days.

Assess the added value of cyber security

All of this is to say that you need to make an informed decision based on real industry data, and on your company’s own unique circumstances.

Venom IT’s Cyber Security Risk Assessment can do this for you, identifying potential vulnerabilities so that you know the threat level to your business, and can accurately forecast the significant added value of investing in cyber security for SMEs.

How does a small business get the right protection?

Navigating the world of SME cyber security risks can be challenging, especially if it’s not an area you’ve dealt with in your past personal or professional life.

This isn’t really something you can guess. If you want to guarantee the best level of protection for your business, work with an IT company like Venom IT with a proven track record of helping smaller businesses.

It’s a good idea to have a checklist of key cyber security questions to ask your IT provider, so that you know their recommendations are comprehensive and well-informed.

We’re always happy to discuss our services with SMEs, with no upfront obligations. To talk about how to get the right cyber security protection for your business, contact Venom IT today or call our sales team on 0330 202 0220.

The importance of digital transformation in finance industry organisations should not be ignored. Embracing digital transformation enables financial institutions to become more agile, more scalable, and to make better decisions based on big data.

At the same time, there are challenges to the digital transformation finance businesses would like to put in place. Issues like maintenance of hardware, management of IT services and cyber security are obstacles, but they are not insurmountable.

In this guide, we will look at digital transformation in finance sectors, the benefits of going digital, and how financial services organisations of all sizes can get started.

What is digital transformation?

Digital transformation means embracing digital processes in your day-to-day operations. That can mean putting IT hardware infrastructure in place, the software you need to carry out your work more efficiently, and policies that promote the use of IT within your workforce.

In present-day terms, digital transformation often includes cloud computing and sophisticated business management platforms, which increasingly are powered by AI.

The end result is an agile and intelligent business model, which unlocks higher standards of customer service, more efficient processes and, ultimately, decision-making that boosts your business’s bottom line.

What impact can digital transformation have in finance?

The benefits of digital transformation in finance industry markets are compelling. The clue is in the name – this is a truly transformational opportunity for businesses right across the finance sector.

As a service industry, finance organisations act as intermediaries for both businesses and consumers. Whether those are bank account-holders, investors, borrowers or something else, service providers need to be able to cater to their customers’ desire for digital services.

In an FCDO policy paper published in March 2024, the then Conservative government stated: “The digital economy has grown 2.5 times faster than global GDP over the previous 15 years, with estimates of the size of the digital economy ranging from 4.5% to 15.5% of world GDP.”

“The industries that … shape the experience of citizens’ everyday lives span hospitality and tourism, healthcare, retail, education, financial and professional services, and transportation,” it added. “Digital is changing the way these industries work.”

Benefits of digital transformation in finance

The digital transformation finance businesses are putting in place is helping to achieve new levels of efficiency, reducing operating costs in a challenging economy, while improving – rather than compromising – on service levels.

Some of the direct benefits of digital transformation in finance include:

Digital transformation is a broad term and while the benefits are huge, they can vary substantially between different organisations. Venom IT’s accounting and finance sector expertise can help you to understand the value of digital transformation for you.

Why is the finance industry struggling with digital transformation?

The digital world changes fast. Just look at consumer spending. UK Finance reports that cash now accounts for just 15% of transactions. That’s about seven billion purchases per year, down by two thirds since 2012.

Nearly 60% of payments are made by credit or debit card, and most of these are contactless. The figures show that over a third of UK payments (37%) are made using contactless methods, either by card or using a mobile app like Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Adapting hardware and POS software to support emerging payment technologies can be daunting, and this is just one example of the new fintech developments seen over the past decade.

But with access to expert IT consulting like Venom IT’s finance team, you don’t need to be daunted by the road ahead.

How can an IT service help with digital transformation?

IT consultancies exist to deliver value for our clients. At Venom IT, we have developed a suite of IT services for small businesses that span everything you need to get started.

This includes round-the-clock support for cyber attacks and disaster recovery, remote backups to the cloud to protect your mission-critical data, and support with the software you use every day, such as Microsoft 365.

We believe that we are in the perfect position to support digital transformation in finance industry organisations, to ensure that you succeed in getting full value from your digital strategy.

The rise of digital transformation consultancy

We continue to see a rise in the digital transformation finance businesses are putting in place, as well as enquiries about digital transformation consultancy services to help support those strategies.

As a homegrown IT consultancy with over 15 years of experience behind us, Venom IT understand the challenges of embracing digital technologies in small businesses – and in large corporations.

But we believe in establishing a long-term relationship with our clients, so that when you ask us a question, we are able to give you not only the industry-standard response, but to tailor that response to the unique characteristics of your organisation.

In doing so, we can maximise the value of our digital transformation consultancy services for your business, while improving the outcomes of hardware, software and cyber security upgrades.

How does a finance or accountancy business get started?

We welcome all enquiries relating to digital transformation in the finance industry. Our friendly team is ready to discuss what you need, with no initial obligation – just a conversation to see how we can help.

From there, we can advise on whether you’re likely to need new hardware, including network infrastructure, storage and workstations, new software such as Microsoft 365, SAP Business One or Sage, and any initial cyber security recommendations.

This is about giving you safe, reliable and efficient IT infrastructure to power your business through its digital transformation. And as you continue to embrace this transformational change, we’ll be here to help you choose your next steps.

For more information, fill in our contact form and our team of IT experts will get in touch. Alternatively, call our sales team on 0330 202 0220.

Businesses across the UK with hybrid workforces are increasingly becoming the norm. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have had some years now to analyse the benefits of remote work, striving to meet the demands of these flexible environments. A key technology enabling secure data access and consistent performance for remote employees is hosted desktop infrastructure.

Why hybrid teams are using hosted desktops

Hosted desktops are referred to by many names including Hosted, Desktop Virtualisation, Cloud Based Desktop, and Virtual Hosted Desktop. However, the easiest way to understand a hosted desktop is to think of a desktop hosted in the cloud. This makes accessing a more traditional office desktop environment accessible from anywhere.

In essence, a hosted desktop is a cloud-based solution that virtualises business applications and data, allowing users to fully access their desktop environment from any device, at any time, and anywhere. With little more than an internet connection, hybrid-working teams can access their entire desktop without the need for an in-office IT infrastructure. 

IT considerations for a hybrid workforce

To maintain productivity and efficiency across hybrid workforces, these teams must opt for a scalable infrastructure that is capable of addressing all of the key remote work challenges. This includes considerations such as managing cyber security risks, ensuring seamless connectivity, and providing secure data access. 

In this guide, we’ll cover both the benefits and challenges hybrid SMEs face when adopting a cloud-based IT infrastructure like hosted desktops. 

What are the benefits of supporting Hybrid working with hosted desktop?

Enhanced Security 

As company data and applications are hosted on centralised servers, there are fewer concerns related to the data loss or theft of endpoint point devices, such as laptops or tablets. Instead, IT teams can adequately control access to sensitive data and monitor any unusual behaviour or patterns across the network. 

Cost Efficiency

With the use of hosted desktops, SMEs can accommodate diverse devices and extend the lifespan of their existing hardware. There’s no need to invest in additional computers or systems specifically for remote workers. This  allows resources to be better spent in other areas of the business. 

Greater Flexibility

Above all, hosted desktops provide a hybrid team with greater working flexibility.  A virtual hosted desktop can be accessed from anywhere in the world, which means remote employees can benefit from a consistent desktop experience while adopting a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy.  

Ability to Scale 

Another advantage that hosted environments can bring to hybrid teams is the ability to scale IT systems, according to organisational needs. Desktops can be easily added or removed without additional hardware considerations, an important factor for growing SMEs. Most DaaS (Desktop as a Service) providers work with a flexible subscription service, ensuring you only pay for the resources you actually use. 

Centralised Management   

Last but not least, hosted desktops offer simplified IT support as administrators can manage, update, and troubleshoot hundreds of virtual desktops from the convenience of a central console. Similarly, security policies and updates can be updated and applied across the entire network to reduce the risk of potential vulnerabilities. 

Key challenges for hybrid SME teams

As with all technologies, hybrid working can also present SMEs with a few challenges. Here are five key issues SMEs may experience when adopting a hosted desktop hybrid working model: 

Businesses need to rely on technology to help improve efficiency and lower entry-barriers to all sorts of daily tasks. When technology instead makes things more difficult, you’ve got a challenge that needs addressing. Poor IT support is a textbook example of this, where even small mistakes poorly managed can turn into a devastating crisis. From phishing scams to password policies, having an adequate IT support provider by your side can mark the difference between a minor hiccup and a full-blown security breach. 

As a result, a cheaper upfront costs is usually an indicator or risk further down the line, with hidden costs likely to mount up. If you’re looking to avoid these hidden IT support costs that are commonly associated with subpar service providers, here’s everything you need to know about spotting bad IT support. 

What Does a Bad IT Support Service Look Like? 

The simplest definition of a bad IT service is providing solutions that work against you, not for you. As a business, you may believe that finding a low-cost and fixed-fee IT provider will patch up any potential issues that may arise. However, bad IT support can branch off this and manifest itself in several ways. 

Tell-tale signs to look out for include miscommunication, poor decision-making, slow response times, and a lack of round-the-clock assistance. If you find yourself speaking to a chatbot every time you need help with an IT problem or waiting days for a simple fix (only for it to reoccur in a month), this may be a sign to rethink your IT support.    

Top 5 Things That Can Go Wrong with a Poor IT Support Service 

When you work online, anything can go wrong at any time. In the UK alone, half of all businesses experienced some type of cyber security breach or attack in 2024. Aside from the loss in profits and reputational damage these kinds of incidents incur, there are additional costs of poor IT service that all entrepreneurs should consider. 

  1. 1. Higher Risk of Security Breaches

    Most importantly, a bad IT support provider will result in a greater risk of security breaches and vulnerabilities. Without a strong security infrastructure and robust policies in place, businesses become an easier target for attackers to infiltrate. If undetected threats and outdated systems are unaddressed by a poor IT support provider, the financial consequences can be severe. This is a consideration of growing importance as we move through 2025 and beyond, where your reliance on professional IT security services are crucial to keep your data protected.

  2. 2. Workplace Inefficiencies

    Slow networks, frequent system crashes, and a mediocre user experience are contributing factors that lead to workplace inefficiencies. For any technological business processes to be truly effective, employees must be able to use it with confidence and ease. Repeated IT issues can often lead to disrupted workflows and frustrated employees, which are ultimately detrimental to the financial success of an enterprise. You don’t want to add staff to the list of issues a poor IT infrastructure could create.

  3. 3. Greater Downtime

    Another hidden IT support cost associated with below-par providers is the downtime caused by slow response times and unresolved technical issues. When systems go down, every minute counts. Slow response times and miscommunication only add further fuel to the fire. Finding an IT support provider that is both proactive and reactive when recquired can help prevent potential issues from occurring and keep downtime to a minimum. Providers that offer 24/7 support with multiple data centres can help mitigate these issues, ensuring your systems are instantly backed up and recoverable.

  4. 4. Increased Operational Expenses

    The UK Gov estimates that the single most disruptive breach from the last 12 months cost each business of any size approximately £1,205. Putting aside the lack of revenue and loss in productivity, security breaches also lead to an increase in operational expenses. Resolving outdated systems, replacing expensive equipment, implementing robust security measures, and paying staff for overtime are just a few of the additional expenses companies must consider.

  5. 5. Hidden IT Support Costs and Add-Ons

    Last but not least, choosing an inadequate security provider can also lead to an array of hidden IT support costs that crop up when you least expect it. When dealing with poor IT support providers, it’s crucial to resolve any recurring issues at their source and watch out for hidden costs related to emergency repairs, maintenance routine checks, data storage upgrades, and software licenses.

How to Avoid Choosing Poor IT Services 

Adopting a reactive approach will no longer suffice when it comes to building a robust IT infrastructure. Instead, companies must avoid poor IT service providers at all costs, and opt for a provider whose expertise lies in rapid issue resolution, scalable solutions, and proactive security measures. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for reviews and references before agreeing to work with an IT service provider, as positive feedback is a great indicator of customer satisfaction. Compile a list of hard-hitting questions and make sure to read all the fine print before handing over your security system to a new provider. Trustworthy IT providers will always be transparent about their security protocols and dealing with the details before you get started can save you from costly mistakes down the line.

Venom IT are proud to associate themselves with the very best in both IT Support and managed solutions. If you’re looking to change provider or simply find out more, get in touch with us through our simple enquiry form, or call on 0330 202 0220.

When your business is in a growing phase, it can be difficult to scale up your IT infrastructure smoothly. You might not have fast enough servers, experience with cyber security, or the other in-house tech talent you need.

That’s where managed IT services for small businesses can help. By outsourcing to the experts, you gain the knowledge and experience you need, while offloading many of the collateral costs and the burden of training an in-house IT team.

On this page, we’ll look at the potential for managed IT to grow business rapidly, without the teething problems that are often seen when new startups try to do everything alone.

Can managed IT help grow business? Absolutely! Let’s run through some of the managed IT benefits for growing businesses, to see why this kind of support is even more crucial during times of expansion.

 

Managed IT solutions help get the best value from your requirements

So, how exactly does a managed IT company help grow business? It’s all about getting return on investment and supporting your company in its efforts to drive revenue growth.

This is at the heart of all our managed IT services. By providing scalable, good-value services, we help our clients to grow, which helps us to thrive too.

A good managed IT company understands that success is shared. IT services should be tailored to meet the requirements of the client, and designed to deliver maximum value on the investment made.

While there are many different managed IT solutions to choose from, ultimately the goal is the same: to keep the client’s business running and to support the client in providing high standards of service to their customers.

 

Professional security support to help growth goals

It’s impossible to talk about managed IT services for growing businesses without discussing cyber security.

Keeping data safe is one of the most important ways you’ll see an IT company help grow business for its clients, because data breaches are among the most catastrophic events that a new startup can experience.

Periods of rapid growth are often the times when unsuspecting businesses are exposed to the most risk, whether that’s due to human error by new employees, or scaling up IT systems without putting enough focus on network security.

It’s crucial to work with a managed IT provider who appreciates this. That’s why we put together our list of key cyber security questions to ask your IT provider, because any good IT company should be able to answer those queries for you and give you some much-needed peace of mind.

Peace of mind is a precursor to confidence, allowing you to focus on your growth goals without any nagging doubts about your data security, and giving you support when you need it most.

 

An expert IT partner scales with your business needs

The next big question is, can managed IT help grow business over the long term? Of course it’s good for an IT company to help smaller businesses, but you don’t want to outgrow their capabilities too quickly.

If you’re aiming for the stars, you don’t want to leave your IT partner on the launch pad. By choosing an expert IT company with proven ability to scale rapidly, you again benefit from some peace of mind that your IT provider will be able to keep up with your growth.

The ability of managed IT to grow business indefinitely can include relatively simple practical concerns like your number of Microsoft 365 user licences, or your server’s ability to handle an ever-increasing number of data transfers.

But it also includes the provider’s ability to offer you scalable support. That means being there for you 24/7 with a good understanding of the urgency in any periods of downtime, which can cost large firms millions within a matter of minutes.

 

Proactive managed solutions to reduce downtime

It’s important to note that there is a difference between IT support and managed IT. When you enter into a managed IT contract, you’re committing to a long-term ongoing partnership, with the IT company taking on a lot of the responsibility for looking after your systems.

Responsive IT support is different. It’s usually a much more hands-off solution, providing a response only when an incident or outage occurs.

Both are important for growing businesses, which is why you’ll often see 24/7 IT support bundled into managed IT contracts, so make sure you’re getting the level of support you need (and not just an out-of-hours voicemail number).

Downtime can happen at any time of day, and it’s sometimes more difficult to get things back up and running at night, when third parties like your telecoms provider are unavailable.

A committed IT support provider will work through the night if necessary, providing engineers with the necessary expertise to reduce downtime to an absolute minimum, and to eliminate avoidable losses from your business’s balance sheet as a result.

 

Avoid in-house growing pain with a professional managed solution

Finally, don’t see outsourced IT services as being at odds with building your own in-house expertise. Instead, see it as a way to level out the learning curve and fill in any gaps until you find the in-house talent you need.

It’s a common managed IT myth that outsourcing your tech support will leave you without local support from on-site engineers.

In fact, due to the 24/7 support call-outs mentioned above, outsourcing your tech support can be one of the best ways to guarantee the availability of a repair worker at short notice, even in the middle of the night.

As your organisation continues to grow, you can develop an in-house team if you want – but professional outsourced managed IT services from a reliable and scalable provider should give you all you need and more, for as long as you want.

There are many benefits of 24/7 IT support for SMEs, as part of a suite of managed IT services that can be tailored to the specific needs of the business.

In a perfect world, nothing would go wrong with IT systems. But even then, SMEs would still need help when installing new servers and workstations during times of expansion, and when making upgrades to keep computers up to date.

With this in mind, there is a long list of benefits from round-the-clock IT support across a number of different areas, for example:

If you’re a small business and wondering if 24/7 IT support is necessary, this guide is for you. We’ll take a look at some of the biggest benefits of 24/7 availability and how these contribute towards the business case for investing in this kind of IT partnership. Let’s dive in.

1. 24/7 IT support keeps your business competitive

The at-all-hours nature of 24/7 IT support is exactly why it helps to give your business a competitive advantage.

It’s different from managed IT, although there is some overlap. Managed IT services are an ongoing, outsourced contract, whereas round-the-clock IT support is there when you need help with a problem you’re facing in-house.

This allows you to learn from your experiences of IT, both good and bad, to reduce the chances of the same issues arising time and time again.

Ultimately, one of the biggest benefits from an always-on service is effectively cancelling out any downtime. By responding quickly to support requests, systems can be brought back online as soon as possible, so you don’t lose that competitive edge over your rivals.

2. Delayed responses can impact downtime

It goes without saying that the longer it takes to respond to an outage, the longer the downtime that will be experienced. However, there can be more to it than that.

For example, if a problem arises from corrupted data, a failing hard drive, or the introduction of malware on your network, a fast response can have a material impact in terms of saving more of your data from damage.

If you already have managed IT services in place (or you plan to enter into a managed IT contract) you might be question whether 24/7 support is really necessary.

We addressed this in our article Five Common Managed IT Myths Debunked. Outsourced managed IT services don’t mean you can’t also benefit from round-the-clock reactive support.

By combining the two, you get the best of both worlds: minimised IT management burden, with on-site and remote tech support when you need it most, no matter when that is.

3. 24/7 IT support protects your business in and out of office hours

Remember, 24/7 IT support includes the daytime too. It’s not just an out-of-hours helpline.

Downtime during office hours can be even more costly, as it prevents your employees from being productive at a time when you’re paying them to be there.

Having a professional IT team on hand at all times, day and night, gives your business the maximum level of protection against human error, mechanical failure and malicious attacks.

It’s just one example of how an IT company can help smaller businesses, who are much less likely to recover from a substantial period of downtime due to the much greater impact of any loss of productivity and earnings.

4. Customer satisfaction benefits from uninterrupted support

Another angle to help form the right decision on this level of IT service is to approach things from your customers’ perspective. Modern consumers want confidence in the brands they use, and in the security of their data.

Businesses with a website or app may find that there are no longer any times of day or night when downtime is acceptable, or when customers will not notice an outage.

That’s why the speed of response is one of the key cyber security questions to ask your IT provider, so you know that remediation measures will be implemented as soon as possible, even in the middle of the night.

Uninterrupted support improves your chances of offering uninterrupted service to your clients, allowing your business to generate revenues around the clock.

5. Reliable and consistent IT support helps fuel your business growth

In the end, it’s all about fuelling growth. You want to maximise your profits and minimise your losses, and the key 24/7 IT support benefits help you to do exactly that.

Some of the biggest benefits of round-the-clock IT support include:

 

We understand that investing in outsourced IT support can be challenging, especially for new startups. That’s why we tailor our IT services for small businesses to suit your company, so you’re not paying for services you don’t need.

What you need, when you need it – and fast. That’s what makes 24/7 IT support as valuable for SMEs as it is for multinational corporations, and a worthy investment to drive your growth in an upward direction at all times.

Keeping up with the latest trends in IT support technology 2024 can be difficult when you’re faced with a multitude of tasks. However, refusing to embrace the latest IT support technologies may lead to a loss in productivity, profits, customer satisfaction, and even compliance – no matter what industry you’re in. 

Technology trends 

Technology trends are constantly growing and evolving, which means IT support services must also follow suit. In the past, IT support technologies were limited to tasks like reducing downtime and minimising the loss of data during hardware, network, or software malfunctions. 

Fast forward to the present day and real-world companies must battle with a wider range of challenges, such as dealing with remote working environments or warding off sophisticated phishing campaigns. Many organisations also want to improve their operational efficiency by implementing data analytics or artificial intelligence into their workflows. All of the above requires a diverse arsenal of IT support technologies and tools. 

Five popular trends and IT support services 

Here are five emerging yet popular IT support services to look out for and what they may entail:

1. Data analytics services: visualising data and using machine learning algorithms to inform data-driven decisions.  

2. Threat migration services: providing rapid remediation services in the event of a breach. 

3. Cloud flexibility services: managing multiple cloud environments and ensuring scalability. 

4. Artificial intelligence services: improving user experience via automated support. 

5. IT management services: monitoring network performance and ensuring reliability. 

 

Benefits of enlisting IT support services 

No matter the size or sector of a company, there are many advantages when it comes to enlisting the help of IT support services. For example: 

 

Choosing the right managed IT support provider

To benefit from the best IT support technology 2024, you’ll need to find the right provider for your unique circumstances. Here are some aspects to consider: 

Technical expertise 

Without the right technical expertise, it’s unlikely that your provider can perform to your desired standard. Make sure to enquire about certifications that demonstrate their adherence to industry standards. 

Security measures 

During the interview stage, it’s important to ask your managed IT support provider about security measures. How do they approach cybersecurity and data protection? What are their measures for preventing, detecting, and responding to prominent threats? 

Response times 

IT support services must be both reliable and readily available. Determine what your provider’s response time is and ask whether they can provide round-the-clock assistance. 

Service offerings 

Last but not least, make sure their service offerings line up with your expectations. This is vital if you need specialised services that focus on emerging trends such as AI or greater direction in terms of IT consulting.  

Overall, the scope of IT support services is constantly changing as new trends and threats emerge. Protecting data and preventing breaches is far more complex today than it was a decade ago; therefore, modern IT support services must be reflective of this.  

If you’re looking for a provider who’s up to date with IT support technology 2024, don’t hesitate to contact us.