Signs it’s time to upgrade from the “I gotta guy” IT strategy

Signs it’s time to upgrade from the “I gotta guy” IT strategy

Savvy owners and managers of small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) know how to bootstrap their way towards growth and profitability. It’s not uncommon for startups to have new hires use their own laptops instead of company-issued computers, and they either set up their networks themselves or hire a one-person team to do it for them.

At first, SMBs can often get by with that “I gotta guy” strategy. However, there comes a point when that strategy starts to lose its appeal. Here are the tell-tale signs that the time has come to upgrade your approach to IT services.

Signs you need to outsource IT infographic

#1 – Your guy can’t come by fast enough

As your business grows, you’ll keep adding more and more IT assets such as desktops, operating systems, firewalls, and servers. You’ll encounter networking challenges or user support issues at an increasing rate — and soon, your IT guy won’t be able to keep up. This is because they are serving multiple clients by themselves, and they don’t have the time or extra staff to dedicate to you.

And if your guy decides it’s finally time for that three-week vacation in Fiji? Too bad — whatever your need or idea is –- it’ll just have to wait until they get back.

In short, your business growth will be at the mercy of their availability, and IT problems will become a huge bottleneck until you go for an IT services provider you can rely on 24/7/365.

#2 - Your guy is “going rogue”

It happens slowly, but over time you realize that things are happening without your knowledge — your backup server is in your guy’s basement, cabling is sprouting from the ceiling in strange places, or some unknown open-source tool is the only cybersecurity your network has. And when you ask for documentation, your “gotta guy” has “gotta go!”

This can go from a bit of a joke to something very serious if your guy starts to withhold server or network passwords to avoid scrutiny over their activities (citing “security” as their justification). If this is the case, an in-person intervention may be required and a knowledgeable third party may need to be present to oversee their activities during the intervention.

#3 – Your guy asks for help from buddies more often

IT infrastructures tend to grow in complexity with age — and your guy can only retain so much knowledge. Often, they’ll ask buddies to help on the job, which not only means having to pay extra, but also comes with no guarantee that the extra help will fare any better. Furthermore, you’ll be exposing your IT environment to unknown and unvetted sub-contractors, which could increase your risk of poor performance or even security breaches.

If you’re willing to have your guy form a team, why not take control and switch to a team with certified skills across the broad field of IT?

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#4 – Your guy starts to say “I can’t help you with that”

In IT, there are so many things to keep up with. Cybersecurity patches, software updates, systems monitoring, and data regulations are but some of the things you need to master. You’ll hear about a region toughening its data privacy rules, or perhaps find out that an app update renders the integration your guy did obsolete. You call your guy, explain what you need, then they say words that make your blood run cold:

Once they say this, your guy — the one who’s helped you get this far — will have reached the end of their journey with you. Now, you’re at a crossroads. Either you’ll have to find another IT guy — someone who can start where the first one left off but will face the same limitations sooner rather than later, or, you’ll realize you need a team of accountable professionals who have an abundance of experience and expertise working for firms in your industry, can hit the ground running, and can anticipate your needs as you grow. You need a managed IT services provider (MSP) to help you unleash the full potential of your business.

Outgrowing your IT guy is a good sign that your business is growing. To accelerate further, upgrade to our Exponentially Better™ IT services. Talk to our team at XBASE Technologies Corporation to learn more about how we can meet and exceed your business requirements today.

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