The majority of small businesses connect to the internet in one way or another. IT services ensure these businesses operate safely, securely and as efficiently as possible.
Essential IT services include cybersecurity, cloud services, backup and recovery, network security, and tech support.
In this post, I explain which IT-related services benefit small businesses the most.
Key IT Services for Small Businesses: Overview
- Cybersecurity – Securing user accounts, bank accounts, devices, networks, servers, data and more.
- Cloud Services – Setting up cloud servers for storing, managing and transferring data on the web.
- Data Backup & Recovery – Storing data securely and creating new backups regularly, providing a reliable way to recover data.
- Network Security & Maintenance – Setting up a local network and ensuring unauthorized users can’t access it.
- Tech Support – On-call service to get help with any sudden tech-related issues your business has.
- Strategic IT Planning – Aligning your organization’s use of technology with business goals.
- Endpoint Device Management – Setup and maintenance of laptops, smartphones, tablets, desktop computers, printers and point-of-sale (POS) terminals.
- IT Vendor Management – The selection and maintenance of IT solutions your organization uses, such as endpoint device brands and cloud providers.
- AI Integration* – Developing and integrating AI agents with your day-to-day business operations.
- IT Training – Teaching employees how to use devices, navigate software and access networks as well as how to do it all securely.
*Not necessarily an IT service small businesses need, but if you’re going to use AI in your organization, you’re better off having a specialist handle integration.
What are Managed IT Services?
Managed IT services provide ongoing tech setup, support and maintenance, allowing you to outsource IT-related tasks instead of hiring your own IT staff.
This type of service also gives you better access to an IT specialist. Typically, an IT specialist would set up devices, networks and software for your organization, then hand everything over for you to maintain.
You’d then be in charge of calling in a specialist only when you’re having a sudden IT-related issue.
Managed IT services provide ongoing maintenance so you don’t need to worry about handling software updates, hardware maintenance or backup management yourself.
This type of service is often available in tiered packages, such as the IT plans we offer at Digital Technology Solutions:
Bronze Tier
- Basic support for IT services, including network management, endpoint management, cloud services, cybersecurity and backups.
- Support available Monday through Friday from 8AM to 5PM.
Silver Tier
- Advanced support for IT services.
- Support available Monday through Saturday from 8AM to 8PM.
Gold Tier
- Comprehensive support for IT services.
- Support available 24/7.
These are examples of support tiers you can expect from managed IT services. They provide different levels of support at different price points, giving businesses plenty of options to choose from.
Related: The Prevention Playbook: What Proactive IT Actually Looks Like
IT-Adjacent Services
There are also IT-adjacent services businesses need. Your IT specialist may or may not offer these services.
They include:
- Data Analytics – The process of analyzing raw data to identify problems, come up with solutions to problems, and recognize trends and patterns.
- Communication and Collaborative Tools – Choosing and integrating software your organization uses to communicate with one another.
- CRM Tools – Choosing and integrating software your organization uses to manage customer relationships.
1. Cybersecurity
Many security breaches are avoidable and often the result of human error. You can do a lot to protect your organization from threats by securing devices, your network and user accounts.
Cybersecurity services often include the implementation of a firewall, which protects your network as well as your devices from unauthorized access. Intrusion detection is typically included as well, allowing threats to be caught and dealt with quickly.
Your IT specialist might also set up multifactor authentication (MFA) to safeguard user accounts. This might include access monitoring to detect who has accessed what in your network.
Regular vulnerability scans and malware removal are often included as well.
Managed services might even offer to conduct regular security audits to ensure your network, endpoint devices and user accounts are protected.
2. Cloud Services
Many businesses can benefit from cloud computing, especially as a backup solution for key business data.
Physical hard drives can fail, and all copies may get destroyed if your business suffers some sort of disaster that causes widespread damage to your location.
Cloud services allow you to store backups remotely.
Plus, certain cloud-based apps allow employees to work remotely and give you the opportunity to hire fully remote employees.
Some of the solutions a cloud computing service like Microsoft Azure provides include application and data modernization as well as cloud servers, databases and analytics.
Your IT specialist can help you choose the right cloud services for your business as well as integrate them into your organization.
3. Data Backup & Recovery
A robust backup system includes a combination of on-premises backups and offsite backups, such as cloud backups, that include recovery options and testing.
An IT specialist can set up a backup system that works for your business based on your size, storage needs and budget.
A managed service will facilitate recovery operations for you if your network loses data. They also conduct regular testing to ensure backups are being created and stored properly and that data can actually be restored when needed.
Plus, if your IT specialist handles most IT-related tasks for you, they’ll also ensure your backup system is secure and integrated with your network.
4. Network Security & Maintenance
Local networks allow devices that share the same location to communicate with one another, but they’re not immune to attacks. Even routers can be hacked.
Your IT specialist can implement a firewall, install patches, maintain hardware and conduct regular audits to ensure everything is running properly.
Common network security tactics include implementing (and monitoring) access logs, firewalls, VPNs, DDoS protection, threat detection and server monitoring.
If you don’t yet have a local network, ask your IT specialist to set one up for you. A consultation about the devices and software you use in your day-to-day business operations will help them determine everything your network needs.
5. Tech Support
Tech support is one of the most common IT services businesses need. Every business encounters tech issues at one point or another.
Your IT specialist will provide support for any tech-related issue you run into, such as issues with your laptop, network errors, intrusions and data loss.
This is also a common reason to hire a managed IT service.
You might not be able to hire a full-time IT specialist, but you likely can afford to pay for a subscription-based service to have an IT specialist on call if and when you need one.
6. Strategic IT Planning
Strategic IT planning is the process of ensuring the tech you have can support your day-to-day business operations and whether it aligns with your overall business goals.
Your IT specialist can pinpoint bottlenecks in your system, which are hardware or software insufficiencies that slow down production.
They can also predict if your current setup is capable of helping you reach performance goals as quickly as you expect to as well as how soon you’ll need to upgrade or expand your operations.
Related: Questions You Should Be Asking Your IT Provider
7. Endpoint Device Management
Endpoint devices are physical devices used by your organization, including desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, printers and POS terminals.
Because these devices likely connect to your internal network as well as the internet and are crucial for keeping your business up and running, they need to be secure and functional 24/7.
An IT specialist can help you choose the best endpoint devices for your needs and budget as well as set them up, secure them with a firewall, conduct regular maintenance, and fix them when they break down or stop working correctly.
8. IT Vendor Management
Tech management doesn’t end when you select, purchase and set up a system. That system needs ongoing maintenance and regular audits to ensure it’s operating as efficiently as possible and doesn’t create any security gaps in your network.
An IT specialist can manage IT vendors on your behalf by choosing the best cloud, hardware and software partners for your organization, installing updates and security patches, maintaining licenses and contracts, and keeping an eye on recalls and other industry-wide issues.
Most importantly, an IT specialist can facilitate migrations if you need to move from one technology partner to another or integrate new technology partners into an existing system.
9. AI Integration
If you’re interested in using artificial intelligence (AI) in your organization, you’re better off asking a specialist to integrate it into your system rather than doing it yourself.
While AI platforms are advertised as do-it-yourself software models, they’re not as easy to navigate as you’d expect.
It’s better to let a specialist handle AI integration on your behalf. Not only are they more experienced at writing prompts, they also know how to integrate AI into existing systems.
10. IT Training & Documentation
User error is inevitable, leading to device failures and unauthorized access. Plus, some employees may not be operating as efficiently as they could because they don’t know how to use certain systems properly.
Your IT specialist can train employees on how to use endpoint devices and user accounts safely and effectively.
They can also train administrative staff on how to fix small yet common issues on their own. That way you don’t need to call in a specialist every time a minor error occurs.
Have your IT specialist create personalized documentation for your organization as well. Every employee should be able to access it so they can solve common IT issues on their own or recall how to do something if they forget.
Related: How to Train Employees On Cybersecurity
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