Small businesses in the digital age rely heavily upon the use of information technology (IT) to gain a competitive edge and excel in the market. Leveraging IT allows them to boost productivity and ultimately results in streamlined operations and organizational efficiency. However, small companies sometimes encounter different challenges pertaining to IT. 

Cybersecurity threats, lack of ability to scale the tech setup, and limited monetary resources are common examples of IT challenges for small businesses. To compete with established enterprises, startups must understand what these challenges are comprehensively and know how managed services providers like FunctionEight can help.  

What Are Some Common IT Challenges for Small Businesses?  

Small companies, when they start out, face a range of varying challenges for different operations, especially technology. Some of the most common IT challenges for small businesses include:      

Monetary Resource  

Companies that are just starting out often have a limited amount of capital. They need to use the available amount of money they have for things like paying employees and marketing what they have to sell.      

Due to such monetary constraints, their ability to create a full-fledged tech team becomes limited. In such cases, they may have to rely on professionals that have below-par capabilities, which can influence their growth negatively.  

Cybersecurity Training  

One of the most common IT challenges for small businesses is that they have insufficient cybersecurity training. When companies are small and are just starting out, they don’t possess the expertise needed to secure the tech and network infrastructure.  

Not having trained professionals leaves them vulnerable to cyber threats such as data breaches and ransomware attacks. These attacks cause reputational and monetary loss, and forecasts show cybercrime costs can increase by 15% per year in the times ahead.  

Systems Maintenance 

Maintaining their tech systems is another IT challenge for small businesses that is critical. Keeping IT equipment at par with organizational requirements can be difficult for small enterprises as it implies having sufficient skills to troubleshoot and debug the equipment. 

Fluctuations in productivity and operations are two of the product prominent issues that arise when a company fails or struggles with the upkeep of their IT setup. Needless to say, such issues are critical as they can influence the growth and profitability negatively.  

Cloud Migration  

Cloud migration has now become essential for businesses. In fact, the market is expected to have a capital annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 28% in the coming five years. Moving to the cloud can be challenging for small firms due to a lack of expertise or resources.  

An incompetent plan and not having assets prioritized are just some common examples of how such challenges can prevail. Not considering these factors when moving to the cloud can negatively influence the overall productivity of small companies.  

Data Loss Prevention  

Today, companies store information on cloud and on-premises databases. However, it’s important to understand that both these options don’t protect a company from data loss triggered by natural or unethically engineered factors like cyberattacks.      

The effects of data loss on businesses can be paralyzing. Larger enterprises are able to use their tech capabilities to mitigate these effects, however, preventing data loss under such circumstances becomes an IT challenge for small businesses.     

How Can Managed IT Service Providers Help Small Businesses?  

Small organizations face a wide variety of different challenges, with IT being the most important one. However, you need to understand that IT challenges for small businesses can be mitigated by working with managed service providers like FunctionEight. Our professionals use their expertise to help you tackle important IT challenges in numerous ways that include:  

Leveraging Professional Expertise  

When small enterprises work with managed service providers like FunctionEight, they don’t have to worry about having an in-house team. The IT services offered by us are unparalleled, streamlined IT processes, and allows you to focus on core operations.  

Ensuring Data Security  

Working with a managed service provider can also help you ensure the protection of your digital assets and organizational data. We conduct a comprehensive IT security audit and help you understand where vulnerabilities within your network and equipment are.  

Streamlining Cloud Migration  

Another advantage of working with an expert managed service provider is that you migrate to cloud resources with ease. We ensure that you’re able to migrate to Office365 with ease and can leverage it for daily tasks to get better results.  

Having Expert Support  

A significant IT challenge for small businesses is the lack of expert IT support. But, partnering up with an established IT service provider takes care of the problem. When you work with us, we ensure that our IT support staff is available whenever you need them.  

Accessing Premium Solutions  

To stay competitive, businesses must use the latest tech solutions. But, if a company is small, they don’t have the money for it. Working hand and hand with managed service providers solves this since they can offer access to the latest and greatest solutions.  

Developing Custom Software  

As a company grows, the need for tailored software solutions specific to that business also increases. But not all firms have the software expertise to do this. When you partner up with us, we build software systems for you from the ground up and look after them as well.  

Key Takeaways 

The dynamic business environment of the digital age has now made it necessary for new startups to stay on top of their IT game if they want to excel. Limited resources, lack of expertise, and data loss prevention are some examples of IT challenges for small businesses that limit their ability.  

However, small companies can rely on working with a managed service provider. It is a feasible option. The global IT service provider market is expected to have a volume of over $1771 billion by 2028. Data security, expert support, and custom solutions are just some of the benefits a firm has when they partner up with a managed service provider.  

Contact us and learn how we can help you tackle your IT challenges.