Out with the old and in with the new! For far too long, small businesses have taken an old-school approach to IT services and security: they wait until something goes wrong before they call an IT services company and request help.

Back in the day (think the 1990s and 2000s), this approach worked. External threats, such as hackers and viruses, were still few and far between. A data breach wasn’t on anyone’s mind. And so, it made sense to wait until something went wrong before taking action.

In IT circles, this is called the “break-fix” approach. Something breaks, and someone comes in to fix it. Then, they charge for their services accordingly (usually by the hour). If something small breaks and takes a short time to fix, you could expect a smaller bill. If something big breaks, well, then costs will add up quickly.

This break-fix approach is 100% reactive.

These days, with almost every business relying on technology, the internet, and internet-connected devices, there’s a lot of opportunity for something to go wrong. And, with IT specialists in high demand and a hard-to-find commodity, hourly IT support has become expensive.

The rise in cybercrime is of significant concern in this scenario. To give you an idea of how big an issue this has become, I refer you to a new report published by Chainalysis, Inc. According to the report, hackers netted a whopping $1.3 billion from hacking victims last year! That is unprecedented. With average payments totaling $118,000, these cyber threats will only go away if we, as business owners, protect ourselves and start firmly locking the doors to our networks. The incentive for easy money is simply too great.

Hackers rely on flaws in the system and will exploit them at all costs. Only proactive IT services will include 24/7 protection against these threats.

If you still work with an IT services company that only comes out when something breaks, it’s time to get them on the phone to ask them four big questions. These are questions they absolutely need to say “yes” to:

  1. Can you monitor our network and devices for threats 24/7?
  2. Can you access my network remotely to provide on-the-spot IT support to my team?
  3. Can you make sure all our data is backed up AND secure?
  4. Can you keep our network protected with up-to-date malware solutions, managed firewalls, and web filtering?

If your IT services partner says “no” to any or all of these questions, it is time to look for a new IT services partner.

If they say “yes” (or, even better, give you an emphatic “yes”), it’s time to reevaluate your relationship with this company and tell them you’re ready to take a proactive approach to your IT support, and you’ll be happy to have them onboard.

Far too many small businesses don’t bother with proactive support because they don’t like the ongoing cost (think of it as a subscription for support and security). They would rather pay for things as they break.

However, can you imagine your bill if your IT support partner were to bill you for behind-the-scenes cyber protection on an hourly basis?! Or, if, heaven forbid, you’re hit by a data breach and need recovery services?

Don’t be that person. Instead, make the call and tell your IT services provider you want proactive protection for your business. Ask them how they can help and how you can work together to avoid disaster.

Need a trusted Orange County, NY IT partner who can proactively manage your network and loves doing so – call us today at (845) 237-2117. We can help.