Why Small Businesses in Berkeley are Reaching out to BC Networks for Small Business IT Services

A local laundry/dry cleaning company is one of the latest small businesses in the Berkeley area to reach out to BC Networks for small business IT services. However, it is far from alone in searching for practical, affordable IT management in the local area. Following are just some of the many reasons why small business owners in the Berkeley area are outsourcing some or all of their IT services to IT management companies.

Why are small businesses turning to an IT company?

• Trusted Expertise From Seasoned Professionals
• Monthly Budget For All IT Services
• A Reliable Help Desk
• A Single Number To Call
• A Company Who Gives Who Cares About Them
• And alot more…

Small Business IT Services Address the Specific Needs of Berkeley Business Owners

Small business owners across the nation face numerous challenges when attempting to get a new company off the ground. However, Berkeley residents who want to start their own company face some unique challenges. These include:

• It’s pricey to hire competent IT staff members in Northern California. In fact, it can cost a company nearly $100,000 a year to hire just one IT specialist. What is more, a business owner will also need to provide the staff member with paid vacation, training and benefits.
• There is a great deal of competition from large businesses. Because the cost of running a business in Berkeley can be quite high, many small business owners aren’t able to invest in new technologies that will help the business remain successful long-term. Instead of levering technology and all it has to offer, many small business owners are struggling to pay the bills and use any extra funds for marketing in the hopes of getting noticed by potential customers.

Small business IT services address these and other problems head-on. These services offer affordable IT expertise; in fact, it will cost less to work with an entire team of small business IT experts from an IT management company than it would cost to hire your very own expert. What’s more, IT management companies offer 24/7 services so you don’t have to worry about how you’ll handle IT emergencies when your IT specialist is on vacation or sick leave.

IT management companies help level the playing field by offering small business owners the same expertise and equipment available to large companies and internet-based stores. Additionally, you won’t have to worry about upgrading IT equipment on a regular basis because the IT company upgrades their hardware and software periodically at no cost to customers. An added benefit is that IT management companies typically offer plans in various price points as well as “pay as you go” service. You don’t have to worry about tying up needed capital in IT management as you can simply pay for the services you need, as and when you need them.

Small Business IT Services Protect Companies from Deadly Breaches

A data breach isn’t just a serious incident that you deal with and then move on from. It could actually spell the end for your business. Recent statistics show that more than 60% of all small and mid-size businesses that experience a data breach wind up shutting down within six months of the occurrence. Naturally, the consequences are even more serious if customer data is breached and one or more customers decide to take legal action against your company. Those who work in the healthcare industry face the real possibility of having to pay tens of thousands of dollars in HIPAA-related fines if criminals manage to compromise patient-related data.

There is a common misconception that hackers go after large companies rather than small ones. However, recent statistics show that this is far from the case. Over 60% of small to mid-size businesses were affected by an online attack in 2017 and Federal officials are warning that hackers are increasingly likely to target small businesses because they tend to be easier to hack than large companies with sophisticated security systems.

Thankfully, small business IT services can offer small business owners in Berkeley the security they need to conduct business online without compromising valuable data. Following are some of the many ways professional IT management can help prevent breaches:

• Offering security training for employees. Employee negligence is the biggest cybersecurity risk to small businesses. In fact, a recent survey of one thousand small business owners in the United States showed that nearly half of them had experienced a data breach caused by one or more mistakes made by company employees. IT companies not only provide ongoing security training to company staff members and managers but also help companies create policies to maintain a high level of cybersecurity long-term.
• Maintaining anti-malware software. Software that protects computers from malware needs to be updated periodically. A good IT management firm will make sure that you are using the best anti-virus protection program and will keep the program updated to protect you from worms, trojans, viruses and other types of malware.
• Conduct vulnerability and risk assessments. One of the first things an IT management firm will do is conduct a vulnerability and risk assessment. The results will be shared with company management, accompanied by recommendations for improving cybersecurity to prevent attacks.
• Create a back-up plan. Ransomware attacks are particularly devastating because they require business owners to pay large sums of money in order to retrieve valuable data. However, companies that maintain an updated back-up system don’t have to worry about ransomware attacks as data can be retrieved from the back-up drive.
• Set up email and network security. Help employees avoid clicking on malicious emails by setting up an email security system that alerts individuals to potentially dangerous emails before one has time to click on a link or open an attachment. Network security is also important as it protects sensitive documents that are sent from one co-worker to another.

Introducing BC Networks

BC Networks is an IT management firm that caters to the needs of small to mid-size businesses and local NGOs. The company has been in business for nearly thirty years and offers IT security, managed IT services, cloud services, continuity plans, IT consulting, business VoIP and other services. BC Networks customizes its approach to IT management to meet the needs of any given client, ensuring that IT professionals at the company have the resources and assistance they need to offer the best possible service to each customer. What is more, BC Networks holds itself to a high standard of excellence and has a track record for offering simple yet powerful solutions to the many IT challenges small business owners face in today’s world. With professional, experienced IT management, small business owners are free to focus on generating sales, providing top-notch customer service and growing their businesses.