If you’re struggling to score a skilled and competent IT workforce, you’re not alone.
As more and more businesses are embracing the digital realm, skilled IT support is becoming the backbone of this equation. In Toronto particularly, IT solutions have experienced a massive overhaul to accommodate the entry of new key players in the marketplace. This surge in modernization is being fed by evolving computer hardware, cloud services, and mobile devices.
41% of businesses plan to increase technology spending significantly in the next coming years. Small and medium enterprises are already spending to the tune of $686 billion per year to cater to their IT requirements.
To stay ahead, IT consulting firms is the need of the hour. These help companies access the right labour and strategies to get ahead and stay ahead.
IT Support Gives Businesses That Competitive Edge
Every business has a strong survivalist instinct. To stay competitive, businesses both small and large must explore newer digital transformations. The challenge is that there is an alarming dearth in skilled IT folk out there. As such, many companies find themselves unable to put together a reliable IT team to match their growing requirements.
These challenges emerge due to the fact that the digital realm is growing faster than ever before, and even professionals are finding it harder to keep up. WiFi 6, wearables and IoT (Internet of Things) are just a handful of the latest trends set to take the world stage by storm.
With this competitive landscape, companies are compelled to resolve the IT skills shortage – or be engulfed by their competitors. Worst case scenario – companies endure expensive data breaches because they don’t have the right backup or malware protection. Right now, there is more data than ever before stored on the cloud, ergo greater value for cybercriminals to tap into.
As far as computer and network breaches are concerned, there is one attack every 39 seconds. Only 14% of small businesses under attack are able to successfully mitigate it.
What does managed IT services mean? These are end-to-end solutions provided by an IT support team that includes unlimited IT support for a fixed flat rate. It also includes proactive monitoring of your infrastructure and workstations.
IT Skills Can Be Taught If Not Hired
Apart from cybersecurity (which accounts for the biggest talent gap in the industry), IoT is an emerging area for which the availability of skilled IT folk is in short supply. When expanding an IT team, you need to give some thought to not only what skills are needed today but those that will come in handy three or four years down the road.
IT training doesn’t only involve technical qualifications. It also involves critical thinking that requires professionals to reach outside their primary area of expertise. You could introduce simulations of real-life situations like a cyber attack to give the team something to train with. Soft skill training is also crucial to improve communication.
Thus, it’s important to grow a team that thinks on their feet – people with diverse skill sets in diverse backgrounds. This goes a long way to minimize internal talent gaps without spending on new hires.
Your Mission Should You Choose to Accept – Managing Network Complexity
Cybersecurity cannot remain stagnant. As networks grow in size, protective measures must also scale up. This is a task that is easier said than done. Oftentimes, IT teams will find this tricky, especially for larger companies with complicated network architecture.
One way to mitigate this is to simplify networks by centralizing network security policies across all platforms. This also helps save a load of time in the long run. A second way to manage the complexity of the network is by improving visibility. Increased visibility streamlines application delivery across platforms and accelerates data compressions.
Automate Your Network
What is automation and why is it used? As the name suggests, this is the process of ensuring that all control systems for operating your IT infrastructure are automated to reduce the likelihood of human error. This gives your company’s manpower plenty of time to focus on more pressing tasks, rather than spend time running damage control for a situation that could have easily been avoided in the first place.
Talent gaps in the IT workforce can be compensated for by making smart automation decisions. This is immensely valuable, especially when addressing cybersecurity. This is an area where a majority of tasks call for hours upon hours of manual and repetitive processes.
These tasks are often the victim of human error – and automation is about to change all that.
It is estimated that IT labour spends 30% of its time dealing with unforeseen security issues.
Security breaches and complexities can be done away with and greater levels of efficiency in both time and budget are achieved.
Machine learning and automation are limiting human error to a significant degree while also allowing the workforce to spend their time on issues of a more immediate nature.
The Secret to Getting Ahead (and Staying There)?
Outsource your IT. Your workforce is already spreading itself thin trying to manage existing resources and tasks of a more critical nature. The last thing you need on your plate is to hire and train IT folk – this amounts to greater capital expenditures.
What you need is a highly qualified team that oversees your automation needs and provides enterprise-grade networks that are secure. Managed services bridge the gap you are facing with your current IT needs.
An outsourced team also offers start-to-finish evaluations and delivers comprehensive reports on what you can do to scale up your network.
Get Your Business to Its Best
It All Starts at M.I.T.
The online world is rife with threats. Don’t spend insane amounts of money trying to keep up with your IT needs and putting a strain on your existing resources. Eliminate risks in the most cost-effective way possible by choosing an IT team that has seen it all – no task is too big for us to handle!
