Knowing and predicting IT maintenance costs is one of the main concerns for decision-makers. For too many, IT costs seem to be an opaque and ‘non-productive’ expenditure; fortunately, that is rarely the case. As an IT professional services company, we work with businesses to streamline their IT expenditure and maximize return on investment.
In this article, we look at the broadheads of expenditure that make up your IT costs. Keep reading to find out what may be covered under your service level agreement. Note that every SLA is unique, and you should check your contract or with your IT company to see what is and what is not covered.
Think IT is expensive? Think again! The top five expenses for small businesses are rent, payroll, inventory, advertising, and travel – not IT.
IT maintenance costs broadly
Here are five of the most common services that are included as part of an IT services contract.
Monitoring – 24/7 monitoring is a critical aspect of any SLA. An IT support services team ensures minimum downtime of the network, operational systems, internet connection, and more.
CIO support – Many small and mid-sized businesses in Toronto & Oakville outsource their IT decision-making to experienced professionals. At a basic level, this means budgeting and proposing upgrades; at a deeper level, an expert consultant can even represent the company at internal and external meetings.
Help desk – Live IT support services provide a direct line of communication for immediate troubleshooting. Most SLAs include a pre-set number of support tokens and guaranteed response times.
Resource allocation – An IT team assesses usage and optimizes resources to reduce bottlenecks. Regular reports are provided, helping the business invest intelligently in the resources it needs.
Back-ups – Regular back-ups are integral to IT maintenance and protecting the business from disasters, data loss, and cyberattacks. In a worst-case scenario, the business’s integrity can be contingent on complete data recovery, making back-ups absolutely essential.
The ‘hidden’ benefits of IT professional services
The fast-paced nature of technology means no business can afford to be complacent with its IT. Software, hardware, and delivery systems are always evolving, and a professional IT team can help your business discover improved productivity and future-readiness. Here are some less appreciated benefits of professional IT management.
- Upgrade planning – IT strategy to upgrade systems for a growing team and evolving operational needs.
- Flexibility – Our SLAs allow resource flexibility so the business can shed legacy systems and adopt new technologies.
- Capacity – Internet connection, data storage, VPNs, cybersecurity, and data back-up needs to evolve rapidly. An agile IT company can help you channel maintenance into the things you need.
- Future-proofing – Adopt and integrate analytics, AI, and collaboration technologies and stay one step ahead of your competitors.
- Compliance – Stay abreast with upcoming industry and regulatory standards.
Affordable IT services in Oakville & GTA
NUMENTIS works with businesses across Oakville & Toronto to provide affordable IT maintenance costs. As great business partners, we are committed to transparency and helping clients find the right maintenance package. Speak to a representative to find out how we can help your business make the most of its IT budget.
