Covering the cost of software, services, and tech support is an estimated $700 annually, per employee, for SMBs—a cost your company is probably looking to cut without sacrificing the technology it uses to run its business. Fortunately, there are a few simple solutions that can drastically drop the impact of IT on the bottom line.

1. Transition to the cloud. About one to two thirds of all SMBs currently maintain an in-house server. However, switching from company-owned hardware and software to per-use service-based models will not only allow your employees to access your systems regardless of location or the device they use, but your company will only pay for the services needed as they are used, usually with a predictable monthly price.
2. Fix it before it breaks. While “Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke” may be the typical SMB attitude when it comes to IT policy, this often results in frequent, sudden calls to tech support to come and fix a PC or server when it breaks down unexpectedly. This approach typically leaves SMBs calling their tech-support company multiple times per year—or even numerous times a month—while paying additional costs for “SOS” onsite support to restore critical machines or servers. Many tech-support companies offer remote monitoring and management services that proactively check your devices and network for issues and resolve them before they even affect your system’s performance (such as GURU, Inc.’s Guardian program). While remote monitoring was once a relatively expensive solution for SMBs ($75 to $100 per PC per month; more than $250 per server per month), those prices have been reduced as a result of fast, low-cost broadband connectivity and remote support tools and software that can help eliminate or decrease the number of costly onsite visits.

If you are looking to cut your company’s IT costs without sacrificing network performance or reliability, contact GURU, Inc. to learn more about its cloud-based solutions and its remote monitoring system, Guardian.