Small businesses are often in need of IT support outside of business hours. Larger businesses often have an in house tech support department but this department might not be active out of business hours. If your department cannot be reached, it is important that you have a backup option to provide you with tech support outside of business hours.
Here are some examples of problems that could occur:
· A power out at your local exchange means you lose access to the internet.
· Your equipment is damaged by flames
· Your security system malfunctions and won’t let your employees leave the building
· If your business is online, many people may be purchasing items from your website late at night.
· A virus enters your computer system late at night. If this isn’t dealt with ASAP it could have had a whole day to entrench itself in the system
You can choose to either have external monitoring by an IT professional or just the phone number of a company you can call when things fall apart. If you choose to get external monitoring, your IT service provider will be able to let you know as soon as a problem occurs. It is important that you plan ahead so you know what services you will need. A lot of businesses may try to cut costs with their IT support but this may come back to bite you when your system fails with computer usage and safety. Furthermore, 24/7 support can be useful as IT service during business hours can sometimes be disruptive. New companies can also benefit from 24 hour support to help with teething problems as they start up.