There are only a few times throughout the year when it is encouraged to "unplug" from your work, when you should spend time with family, eat too much food, and turn your attention away from your phone and email. You probably know where we're going with this… it's officially the holiday season.
How unplugged will you really be over the holidays if you are constantly worried about your business technology? The truth is, you can never really unplug from the chaos if your IT infrastructure is not fully supported.
We encourage businesses (that are able) to unplug over the holidays to leave their IT in the hands of a capable Managed IT Services team.
So, what services should you be able to count on this holiday season?
24x7x365
Your technology is not an 8-5 job and it never will be. It requires 24-hour monitoring, every single day of the year so that your organization can not only stay protected, but competitive and efficient as well. On-call engineers are a great resource as they help to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity within your IT environment. If something were to go awry, they are there to respond. According to Ponemon Institute, only a third of organizations believe they have adequate resources to manage security effectively. That statistic is enough to keep a decision-maker awake at night. Knowing that an IT team is monitoring your business technology for you will help you and your coworkers to really unplug over a holiday break.
CONTROLLED IT COSTS
Your IT team should provide you with 1 - 3 - 5-year budgets so that your organization isn't faced with unexpected costs as you are budgeting for the next year throughout the holiday season. Technology is not going to slow down in the professional world, so it's best to have your IT spending for the next year determined ahead of time before the new year creeps up on you. According to a study conducted by Spiceworks, 89% of companies expect their IT budgets to grow or stay the same over the next 12 months. IT spending is becoming a strategic move by most businesses, and investing in the right technology is something that you must plan ahead for. Long-term budgeting and planning will give you peace of mind towards the end of the year as the direction of your IT environment is more controlled and defined.
FOCUS ON YOUR CORE BUSINESS
Time is limited, you don't want to take the extra time to worry about your IT efforts, especially as the end of the year approaches. Leaving it up to the pros has become the common trend when it comes to specialized departments as a study showed in 2017, 57% of organizations increased their use of outsourcing. There continues to be an increase in IT outsourcing, which is expected to grow another 36% by 2027, because organizations strive to stay focused on their core business. This can be extremely beneficial when you have an IT team worrying about your business technology for you – no more working late nights or long hours trying to squeeze in time to prioritize the direction of your IT. With IT services covered, that can all be handled for you, leaving you the opportunity to have a more stress-free holiday season.
The end of the year approaches quickly, as does the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Rather than juggling everything at once, leave your IT to the professionals and really unplug during your time away from the office. Focus on the things that matter most before the new year.
