Company Tech Mindset after 100+

Company Tech Mindset after 100+

When a company starts to find itself close to the 100-person threshold, it often finds itself also crossing a threshold of what the IT department can handle. When an organization has nearly 100 employees, companies are faced with the decision of outsourcing IT support or adding more IT salaries to the payroll.

When you consider the latter, business leaders should also consider the capabilities of the team versus what the business needs to not only sustain current operations but to be able to grow from that point as well.

Today’s IT Department

In a world where everyone uses laptops and the cloud, there is hardly any company-owned network hardware. However, the majority of small IT departments are still prepared to install, maintain, and repair hardware. It is easy to see that the historic skills of past IT departments are becoming obsolete. Or at least it is no longer a full-time job.?

Computer people are expensive, so their skill sets must match the true requirements of the business. The question becomes, “if I don’t need the network/hardware skills, what technology resources do I need?”?

In any IT department, you have functional and technical duties. Understanding these two categories will help business owners understand what type of support they want from an IT department.?

Cyber Security Challenge

In addition to the changing roles of IT departments, they must now have to deal with the issue of cyber criminals. Protection of your information assets requires people with specific technical skills that are difficult to find and priced beyond the typical budgets of small businesses.?

Functional & Technical IT Support

Functional IT support assists in configuring systems to meet the needs of the business and works to understand the business processes in order to manage the day-to-day operation of a program or system. As they translate functional specifications into technical specifications, technical IT support assists with the analysis, implementation, and translation of a computer network infrastructure.

Functional support is unique to the mission of your company. It is best handled by personnel familiar with your company's objectives, culture, and structure. Functional support requires superior business, communication, project management, and data management skills. In addition to requiring leadership, functional support also requires direction.

Technical support is not unique to your company, but it does exist in a cryptic, jargon-filled world of its own. It is best handled by external resources with extensive technical knowledge of the constantly expanding universe of available products and services. Technical support requires interlocking teams of cyber-savvy specialists and procedures that extend well beyond the boundaries of your organization.

What is ‘The Picasso Syndrome?’

In short, it is what you want to avoid. Picasso syndrome is when a business does not have enough budget for enough people to fulfill all the roles:? So they hire one or two “IT Guys” who make up the entirety of a team.? A Jack of all trades master of none. Their time and skills are made up of:

• 5% CIO
• 10% IT Director
• 20% Admin
• 20% Engineer
• 30% help desk
• 15% analyst?

Leaving little room for cybersecurity and special projects, which inevitably cause lag and frustration for all parties.?

Why MSP?

Have you ever scoffed at the notion of outsourcing support to a third-party provider because you believed that your current IT structure was adequate or because of cost concerns? Well, once you surpass 100, it is time to reconsider.

Since the days of break/fix IT, technology has advanced significantly, and most internal IT services are ill-equipped to keep up with the rate of innovation. Consequently, many organizations' IT is reactive rather than proactive, and their systems struggle to keep up with the demands of a growing business in a digital world.

The Ideal Scenario

So what does the ideal scenario look like for a business of 100+ employees or one that is encroaching to that level? First off, you want to have IT in the high-level board meetings. A leadership position that has capabilities for effective management and communication and is process oriented.

This leadership position would be followed by a technical support position that can also manage an MSP relationship. Followed by a functional team member who has an understanding of the internal applications and can produce reports, among other functional duties.?

Custom Information Services has the depth of experience in managing thousands of IT end-points.

• We have developed a formal set of best practices that start with customer onboarding and documentation, moving through auditing, and final implementation.
• Are able to utilize our problem-solving experience from each client to the benefit of others.??
• Will actively prevent a problem before our clients even see it happen, and that's an everyday thing.
• Are very effective at working either as a full IT department or providing critical support and fulfilling specific roles within an IT department.? As much or as little as you need.

The IT provider you choose should fit your needs and organizational culture the best. A trustworthy IT vendor will provide you with a balance between value and quality. Custom Information Services has the knowledge and expertise to help you effectively manage your IT without chiseling away at your bottom line. We are happy to be a resource for you. Book some time to talk to a pro today!