Managed IT Services for Sole Traders

There are many sole traders who find it difficult to keep their IT up and running, never mind have the time or talent to make it work better for them. We all know that sole traders need good IT more than any other type of business. It is a huge part of our day to day lives. Whether we’re looking for information about products online, keeping in touch with friends and family through social media or sending emails as a matter of course, the sole trader needs an efficient computer system or network set-up in place purely to help run his/her business smoothly and profitably.

Sole traders can benefit from Managed IT Services with IT support offered for things such as such as security, backups, network support, internet connectivity and computers & servers for home offices!

What Are The Benefits Of Managed IT Services?

1 – It’s Affordable      
2 – Running Costs Reduced   
3 – Predictable costs         
4 – Resale Value Increased   
5 – Improved Network Security        
6 – IT Support 24/7     
7 – Spend time on what matters most!     

Read on for full details and explanations!

Benefits Of Managed IT Services for Sole Traders Explained

1 – It’s Affordable 

As a sole trader, there are expenses that you can’t avoid. These include your home mortgage and business costs relating to sole trader operations such as telephone calls. These sole trader businesses can be run efficiently with managed it services which will effectively control expenditure. The cost of outsourcing IT management is typically very affordable. By contracting out the maintenance of software and hardware, sole traders have more capital to invest in their own business. Efficient operations will always bring success!

2 – Running Costs Reduced 

There are many advantages associated with outsourcing IT services including price reductions on running costs and labor saving initiatives. Bridge IT, a leading provider of managed it solutions, helps sole traders to reduce their running costs by automating processes and having the ability to purchase services in bulk. The sole trader will need to pay a monthly fee, but this is usually a great deal less than your current expenditure on telecommunications and network administration. 

3 – Predictable costs

When you have Managed IT Services, you’ll normally be paying the same set amount for computer maintenance regardless of the amount of support you need each month. It gives you a solid idea of your regular monthly IT expenses you’ll have and exactly what service you’ll receive. This then allows you be flexible when investing in other areas of your business. Changes, installations and projects are charged as an additional fee but overall you can accurately predict your expenses.  

4 – Resale Value Increased

When small businesses invest in new computers, phones and tablets, they need to remember that these items have resale value. All small businesses should consider outsourcing managed it services because there will be a higher resale value on these pieces of technology when it comes time for resale. If the technology is maintained and always running at its best you will get both a longer life and better returns if reselling the items. 

5 – Improved Network Security

When outsourcing managed it services with a provider, sole proprietors are able to improve the security of their network due to ongoing service monitoring and equipment maintenance. With modern technology, sole traders are able to protect data by implementing solutions that have been proven as being effective at preventing network intrusions. By combining various technologies including hardware-based VPNs, firewalls and intrusion detection systems; protected networks can be created. This ensures sole proprietors can protect themselves from hackers and data thieves whilst maintaining sole trader liability!

6 – IT Support 24/7

A 24/7 managed IT support solution is one of the most valuable services available for businesses. The monitoring and maintenance software runs 24/7 and then there is also the support specialists who can help maintain your 24×7 uptime at a reasonable cost.

7 – Spend Time On What Matters Most

By outsourcing your IT services , you free up valuable time for more important projects in the office. Employees who would normally be tasked with these responsibilities can focus on other tasks like sales and customer service . If you do not have an IT employee dedicated solely to updating the technology in the office, then having 24/7 coverage ensures that you will receive support when you need it most, regardless of the time of day.

Tips on how sole traders can improve their IT

An effective infrastructure can be expensive but it’s important to recognise that there are ways to make improvements without breaking the bank! Here are some tips on how sole traders can improve their IT without complete system upgrades.

Space doesn’t have to be an issue for sole traders! While sole traders work from home, they may find that space is limited; but it’s surprising how much you can fit in to a little room – if you know the right tricks! The main thing that sole traders need is a decent sized desk area with open floor space around the edges so documents and files aren’t left on your desk as well. There are also other ways of fitting extra equipment into small spaces, such as places to hang posters or photos on a wall behind your PC – anything to give more space for cables and leads etc. A shelving unit nearby will help keep things tidy too. Each piece of equipment needs its own power socket which a sole trader can run off their computer or PC. However there are new wireless devices you can get these days that don’t need to be plugged in.

When choosing a printer or scanner sole traders will usually opt for the cheapest option at the time they buy it, but this isn’t always wise! Scanners especially have got better and cheaper over the years so now is an ideal time to invest in one if sole traders haven’t already. To save on space a sole trader could look at buying two smaller printers rather than one big one. One inkjet printer is good enough for sole traders who only do occasional printing jobs, but sole traders who print frequently might want to consider an all-in-one machine, as it includes a scanner and copier as well as printer.

Sole traders can make their computer more efficient by keeping an eye on the clutter! If sole traders aren’t careful, their desk will be stacked high with papers, books and other items that have no place being there in the first place. This is where a neat shelving unit comes in handy again – everything should have its own home so sole traders know exactly where to put things back at the end of each day or when they finish working on a particular project.

It’s important not to underestimate sole trader network security . Most sole traders use standard protection but it’s worth looking into firewalls and anti-virus software upgrades if sole traders haven’t thought about getting these before; sole traders can find the latest software packages much more reliable and easy to use than older versions. Along with this sole traders also need strong passwords so that their IT is safe from people trying to hack into it.

Technology has come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years but sole traders shouldn’t feel intimidated by it! It’s all about learning something new, buying a piece of technology you didn’t have before or even just changing something around in your home-office/workspace – anything that improves sole trader IT will make sole traders’ lives easier without costing too much.