Accounting firms usually start with a do-it-yourself approach for their IT, which could expose them to risk from a cybersecurity perspective. If you’ve experienced any of these five problems, it might be time for you to consult with an IT professional.
Problem 1: Paying per Problem
When you don’t have an IT partner, you will find yourself having to pay per incident, which can become financially challenging for your company. You never know what your IT spend will be from month to month.
On top of that, trying to find trusted help for one-off jobs can be difficult when service providers are busy with their retainer clients. The hours tick by as you try to get someone on the phone with emergency availability, and your technology situation worsens.
This is how one company knew it was time to enlist IT professionals. “The biggest thing was just trying to get help,” reflects practice administrator Sherry Dawson from Kennedy Vision on life before working with Tech Guru. “Every time we call, we’re needing them now, and they might not be able to do it now. We were paying per incident. We weren’t being proactive, we were being reactive.”
When you partner with a reputable IT firm that understands your business, you are setting yourself up for success. The right provider will be there to answer questions and serve your needs as they arise, so you encounter as little downtime as possible.
Solution:
- Make your IT budget predictable with a managed IT service provider
- Ensure a service desk is available to solve issues in a timely manner
Problem 2: You Have Questions that Need Answers
Many businesses are a “do it yourself” company when it comes to IT. When Tech Guru assesses a company’s technology needs, we talk to a lot of individuals who say that they wear many hats in their organization, even joking about being the resident IT expert. This can be a lot of pressure (and a liability) for an employee who is not a trained IT professional.
Thankfully, employees can go back to doing the job for which they were hired once the company partners with an IT firm. Rana Severson, a firm manager and paralegal with Tech Guru client de Beer & Associates, knows this better than anyone. “They’re always friendly and willing to help,” observes Rana. “I always give them ‘bad’ questions about things that I am not sure that they’re even supposed to help with, but they do.”
Tech Guru takes a page out of Nordstrom’s customer service book. You ask us about how to work your coffee maker, and we’ll do our best to walk you through it!
Solution:
- Find an IT provider that doesn’t believe in dumb or “bad” questions
- Judge a provider on their customer service, because they’ll be serving you for a long time
Problem 3: You’re Losing Sleep Over Security
By now, you know Tech Guru is understanding of DIY IT. It’s where a lot of businesses and nonprofits start. The downside of a self-service tech setup includes feeling worried about potential worst-case-scenarios.
What if the computer shuts off and we can’t get it back on? How do we know if things are backed up and protected? What happens if we are the victim of a cyber attack? The outcome of these concerns ranges from inconsequential to potentially devastating to your company.
Darlene McGee, controller of Cody Management, says that partnering with Tech Guru has given her company peace of mind. “We know that our data is taken care of and backed up. And then we have a confidence that we can do whatever we want, because it’s just a phone call away if something goes wrong.” Darlene continues of Tech Guru, “We turn things over to them, and they just take care of it.”
Solution:
- Turn your IT problems over to a professional, and get some rest
- Feel better about interacting with your technology knowing the experts have your back
Problem 4: You’re Losing Time
Technology can suck a lot of time and energy out of your organization. If your network goes down, you can lose a day of work. If you don’t properly back up files, you can waste a lot of time re-entering data manually. This is something that CPA Steve Zelinsky struggled with before he partnered with Tech Guru.
“Tech Guru set my assistant up so she could do direct data entry into the data file. I knew it could be done, but I didn’t know how. They also set up auto-backup, where before I was doing the backup manually, once a week,” Steve notes. Being able to utilize his time more strategically has made a big difference in his firm’s productivity.
When you don’t have an IT partner, a lot of tasks related to technology can eat up hours – and even days – that you could otherwise spend on generating revenue. Partnering with a knowledgeable IT provider like Tech Guru could help you boost profitability by creating some shortcuts you didn’t even know were possible.
Solution:
- Ask IT experts to help you leverage technology to grow your business
- Stop spending 8 hours doing what would take an IT expert 10 minutes!
Problem 5: You Don’t Know Where to Start
Making sure your business is secure is no longer a bonus for your clients, it is a must. The FBI has reported that since January 1, 2016, more than 4,000 ransomware attacks have occurred on a daily basis (on average). Those are some scary statistics, especially when it comes to your business and the credibility you could lose if you were to become victim to one of these attacks.
Security has become a growing concern for business owners everywhere. When Steve Zelinsky decided it was time to start looking for an IT professional, cybersecurity was his main concern, “I think with identity theft and the importance of cybersecurity being elevated to the area that it was – I just felt that I wanted a second look.” Steve wanted to “make sure that I had the barriers in place that I need to have.”
Partnering with an IT professional not only helps you gain credibility among your clients, but it also keeps you safe from both current and future cybersecurity threats. It’s not your job to solve security concerns. That’s what Tech Guru is for!
Solution:
- Protect your clients and your reputation by securing your data
- Be advised by a cybersecurity expert on when and what security measures to employ
If any of the problems above are ones you’ve encountered in your business or organization, Tech Guru is here to help. Put and end to the drama of DIY IT and set up a free initial consultation.