Three SMB Solutions to Pair with Telecom Audits for Long-Term Growth
What’s one thing all adaptable small and midsized businesses (SMBs) have in common? They understand that modern, reliable IT and telecom tools are essential for making it through unforeseen events. Three main technologies top that list. Read on for the must-have SMB solutions that will carry your business through the next decade, as well as how telecom expense audits support your modernization efforts.
1. Cloud: King of SMB Scalability
The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council found that small businesses have been increasing their use of cloud services. Recently, 63% of SMBs in a survey said they were using cloud storage, and 35% claimed to use cloud computing for multiple purposes: communication and collaboration, video conferencing and webinars, and multiple sales activities, for instance.
Small businesses have grown to rely on cloud because of its flexibility, scalability, and cost effectiveness. As the legacy systems SMBs host become increasingly unserviceable and unsupported, expect that most will eventually be replaced by a cloud-based alternative.
2. SD-WAN: Not Just for Multi-Location Businesses
Software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) has long been touted as the solution for multi-location businesses needing to centralize IT and network management. And while that still certainly holds true, the technology’s also a boon for the SMB world.
Smaller businesses — lacking the robust IT staff of larger enterprises — can add, change, and manage their networks from centralized consoles with SD-WAN. And it’s the ideal solution to support a network that needs to run multiple cloud applications.
Cybersecurity: The Elephant in the Room
Your tech can turn against you if you leave your business vulnerable to malicious actors. And more to the point, it’s an unfortunate fact that SMBs can sometimes fall behind the eight-ball in terms of security coverage. BullGuard3 says one-third of companies with 50 or fewer employees still use free, consumer-grade cybersecurity, and one in five companies use no endpoint security at all!
For companies with established technology systems, legacy tools can pose a disproportionate security threat relative to the value they provide. To combat the issue, consider adding an IT audit when you conduct your telecom invoice audits.
A Telecom Audit: The Real First Step
The money for new technology doesn’t materialize out of thin air, and SMBs can locate more by conducting telecom audits. An audit will show you where you’re overspending, what solutions you don’t need anymore, how vendors are duping you into paying for services you aren’t using, and ultimately, where you can save. That includes identifying opportunities to consolidate vendors.
With the savings you realize, you’ll be able to invest back into the right technology to keep your SMB solutions working for your business for the long term. That could mean hiring more internal talent, adding new innovations to your tech stack, or having the budget to fix longstanding (and annoying) but non-priority process bugs.
Set Up for Success Today
PAG’s experts and IT auditors have been helping businesses save millions of dollars for years. When we conduct an audit for your SMB, you don’t pay us a dime until we discover where you can save money. If you’re interested in learning more about telecom audits or have other questions for us, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help you grow.