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Why is IT such a headache for small and midsized businesses (SMBs)? Because technology often creates a vicious circle that smaller companies can’t seem to escape.

It starts when a small company realizes it’s not getting all it can out of its aging technologies and infrastructure and decides to upgrade. But with limited in-house expertise, the company can’t make the right choice of technology – and hiring more IT staff is out of the question. Rather than risk spending precious budget on a costly mistake, the company stands still.

Will the company’s business needs also stand still? Of course not. But business users will have to continue to make do with outdated technology, rather than using new solutions that can support innovation and growth.

Does This Sound Like Your Company?
If you’ve ever experienced the kind of decision-making paralysis described above, you’re not alone. Many SMBs run IT with a hand-to-mouth approach that’s designed to fit their small budget – but probably not their business needs.

They’ll add a new server here, a couple of new desktops there, but they hesitate to build a formalized IT plan. As a result, they often find themselves thinking:

“I know that I need IT to run my business, but I don’t know a lot about it – and I don’t have time to figure it all out.”

“When we buy a new piece of equipment we generally just upgrade to the latest model, without really understanding if that’s the best choice for us. We have no idea if we’re spending wisely or wasting money.”

“We’re often forced to rely on paperwork and manual systems and that leads to a lot of mistakes. It also affects our customers!”

Don’t Panic. Focus on These Six IT Challenges. (And Call Us for Help.)
What trends and factors are putting SMBs in their current IT predicament? We can think of several:

• Limited IT resources. Small IT budgets lead to small IT headcounts. And when headcounts are small, only the most urgent IT problems tend to get addressed, while other significant issues go unresolved.
• Growing data volumes. We live and work in an age of rapidly growing data. SMBs are eating up their available storage just as quickly as larger enterprises.
• Security risks. Security breaches are costly to companies of all sizes. But to an SMB, a single incident and its accompanying fines (not to mention, the PR damage) can be devastating.
• Difficulty accessing and processing information. It requires quite an up-front investment to implement the technologies and systems that enable fast queries and agile decision-making.
• Aging infrastructure. Older technologies and infrastructure can not only hamper business productivity, but also waste energy.
• Reliability issues. According to a Coleman Parkes Research study, small businesses lose about $15 billion from IT system downtime each year – more than any other segment in the study.

Of course, there’s no need to panic. Just call Corporate Technologies for help.

Corporate Technologies offers a wide range of IT solutions, including managed IT services, staffing, voice and data systems, storage and virtualization, consulting, and networking solutions. With 30 years’ experience and more than 260 employees, we’re ready for any challenge you send our way. To learn more, call (800) 680-8415.

There are a number of good IT consulting companies in and around Minneapolis. If you do your homework and interview enough providers, you’re sure to find answers to all your technical challenges. We hope this blog post helps you focus your search.

The Advantages of Working with a Consulting Firm Want to take the risk out of your IT operations? Gain greater technical knowledge and insights? Stay ahead of your competition through IT innovation? Forming a partnership with a full-service technology consulting firm is a good way to accomplish all of the above.

And if you’re working in a small or midsized business (SMB), be aware that more and more of your direct competitors are changing the way they think about IT. No longer do they see technology as expensive overhead – they now believe IT can help them achieve their goals, grow their business, and plan for tomorrow. In fact, in the 2008 International Small Business IT Survey, 96 percent of respondents thought IT was important to their growth, and 91 percent felt small business owners could benefit financially from a greater awareness of IT.

Minimum Requirements for Your IT Consulting Firm
No one consulting firm will be a good fit for every company. But as a starting point, look for a firm that offers:

• True IT services—not just new hardware.
• A local presence in your area.
• Business savvy as well as technical knowledge.
• Speedy response to your issues.
• Valuable partnerships for the areas they can’t cover by themselves.
• A true partnership, and a willingness to get to know your unique network.
• Flexibility to your budgetary and service-level needs.

Bonus Requirements for Your IT Consulting Firm
Want to be sure your IT partner will be prepared for anything you throw their way? Ideally, you’ll find a partner that can also offer:

• IBM Premier Partner status. Get the specialized guidance you need to select the right IBM small business solutions for your situation.
• A wide range of industry certifications. Ask your prospective partner for a complete list of the certifications they hold.
• A long, stable client list. IT providers that do large volumes of business often have greater buying power and can offer you deeper discounts on hardware.
• Teams that specialize in areas such as storage, virtualization, and networking. Large, well-established firms often hire top engineers and technicians in each discipline.
• A secure, remote data center. Leading IT consulting firms can give you the option of storing your company’s data remotely in data centers that meet the highest security standards.

Here’s a Good Fit: Corporate Technologies
We do encourage you to research your options – but we want you to know that Corporate Technologies can meet each of the requirements above. Not only are we headquartered in Minneapolis, but we also offer customizable IT solutions that support the unique needs of any business. Ask about our Technology Advantage® program, which is designed to provide Fortune 500-level IT support and services to SMBs at an affordable price.

Learn more today. Just give us a call at (800) 680-8415.