For many business owners and founders who are growing their business, IT is probably the last thing on your mind. Until something doesn’t work, that is. Enter the mid-market, and you’re all too aware of the pivotal role of technology in scaling your business. You come up against the pressure to attract the right skills.

What we are seeing right now in the new world of work is how businesses are using technology to navigate out of a crisis. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s thoughts on the three stages of the pandemic – respond, recover, and reimagine – offer signposts on a roadmap which keeps changing. Executing this roadmap may be easier said than done, coming from the vantage point of an IT solutions company, however, there was never a better time for merging IT and commercial objectives. Truly smart IT solutions have the ability to drive your strategic objectives, rather than being just an overhead.

With growth projects at risk in 30% of SMEs because of the pandemic, organisations are looking for other ways to survive and thrive – discovering cost optimisation opportunities in their technology platforms, and expecting more out of the IT services they are consuming. And rightly so.

According to a report by McKinsey, however, the productivity of SMEs is far lower than that of larger companies. For this reason, strengthening resilience and accelerating digitisation become priorities leading into 2021.

Undertaking change projects such as this can be challenging and overwhelming at the best of times, which is why you need the consultative approach of a service provider to help you succeed and thrive. Going into 2021 with scalable, smart managed services that have been optimised for your business is a priority for organisations looking to build resilience in unpredictable times.

If you’re unsure of whether or not you need more than just IT support for your business here are four certain signs that you might.

4 Signs you need smarter IT managed services

1. You’re Not Sure What You’re Paying For

There are plenty of incentives available when getting a business off the ground. The challenges mount after scaling up, when you have become used to how you consume resources. Often people have little visibility into why their cloud bills are spiralling – certainly in 2020 most IT budget have been burnt through by Q2. Consultants offer insights and demystify the process, allowing you to spend your valuable time on the things you need to be doing, such as growing your business and building a solid client base.

What Do IT Cost Optimisation Services Offer?

Right off the bat, we optimise your IT budget and let you know where you can cut corners if you need to. Many businesses find this to be tremendously helpful, because it allows them to trim the fat without sacrificing any vital business needs. Many times, companies are paying for redundant or unnecessary costs. IT Cost Optimisation eliminates these costs and streamlines your budget.

We can also strategise with you to better spend your company’s money in the future. We have years of experience working with companies just like you and offer actionable advice that will make a serious difference for you and your business. By putting together a roadmap for financial success, we can eliminate problems now and help you prepare for a brighter future.

2. You Don’t Have a Plan for Growth

Too many SMEs think that they can just go with the flow and deal with problems as they come up, attributing little value to IT and what it should deliver. This approach is not conducive to the competitive market, and can cause significant problems if you are left behind in digitising your business. Having a plan for growth and a problem-solving structure in place before catastrophes strike are the best ways to shield yourself against problems down the line.

Customised Startup Programmes

At Atech, we pride ourselves in crafting customised programs for each of our clients. Since every company is different, there are no cookie-cutter solutions. We take the time to listen to your business and understand your strategic objectives, and design a technology strategy that will help you meet these.

3. You’ve Neglected Your Security

If you’re not taking your security seriously, you’re opening up yourself up to a whole host of problems. Cybersecurity is one of the most critical elements of any healthy and functional business, and you need to make sure that yours is on point. SMEs are particularly at risk of damage from cyber attacks, with 88% of UK businesses experiencing an attack in the last year.

Get a Health Check

Be honest with yourself about how seriously you’re taking cybersecurity. Be brutal: it’s for your own good. Have a skilled consultant do a comprehensive health check to identify any problem areas or vulnerable spots, and then come up with a plan to address these issues in a swift and meaningful fashion.

Avoid Hackers

Hackers know that many startups don’t take their cybersecurity as seriously as they should, so they specifically target them. Once you open up a startup, you’re walking around with a big bullseye on your back. Making yourself a hard target is one of the best ways to encourage hackers to leave you alone. Just as with locking your car door and keeping valuables out of sight, make sure you’re too hard a target to bother with for no guaranteed reward, which encourages the bad guys to move on to something softer.

Keep Employees on Track

At Atech, we know that security breaches can slip in through the cracks. Well-intentioned but distracted employees are often the weak link that allows phishing schemes to pass through, infecting your whole network. Our security checks include simulated phishing scams to test for weak spots and help you train your employees better.

4. You Have No Singular Point Person for Growth

We know that many startup founders like to think that they are a one-person show, capable of handling every aspect of the company. In truth, this kind of thinking very often leads to huge problems when the founders burn out. Startup companies often find that they don’t have the money to hire a full-time CIO to handle day-to-day business, which is why Atech offers virtual CIO services.

A virtual CIO helps you adjust to all of the new technology that you’ll need to succeed as well as work with your team to ensure that they are following your strategic plan for growth. They will also be able to spot problems before they become significant catastrophes and implant exciting new strategies that expand your reach into new markets. They are imperative to success and take a lot of stress off your shoulders.

At Atech we are dedicated to your continued growth and success. The entire goal of our company is to make sure that you have the white-glove, personalised service that you need to navigate out of a crisis.

Aside from taking a holistic approach to your technology strategy to deliver the performance and security you need, at a simple cost per head, backed up by services that are aligned with your business objectives, Atech has the team you need to help you get to the next level with complete personalised service and care.