We’ve worked with plenty of companies in the past, and we hear this question time and time again: “How do I know if my IT provider has a cyber security first approach?”
Threat actors and hackers have always targeted small and medium-sized businesses (or SMBs). According to research provided in a recent survey by ConnectWise.com,(1) there is no end in sight to these attacks in the coming decade. SMBs are realizing they cannot protect against threats(2) themselves. Many are looking for a new IT partner because they know it’s critical to have a cyber security conscious company to mitigate and monitor all possible threats effectively.
If you’re working at an SMB, how do you know if a potential IT company or managed service provider is the right one for your business now? Who can keep up with continual and ever-evolving changes in 2023 and beyond?
Want to Explore Your Options?
Considering Switching IT Companies? You Wouldn’t Be The First
In a survey, SMBs were asked the following about their MSP:
- Do you trust this MSP’s ability to deliver on its promises?
- Does your MSP have the right technicians and resources to keep up with certifications?
- Can you safely rely on the ability of your current MSP to respond to security incidents?
- Do you have confidence in your MSP to minimize loss and damages
The survey results revealed that a large portion of SMBs don’t see their MSP partnerships as long-term and 42 percent actively anticipate looking for a new IT partner soon.
The biggest takeaway is that 94 percent of respondents would consider using or moving to a new MSP or cyber security-conscious company if they provided the “correct” cybersecurity solution.
Is Your IT Company Adequately Informed?
While it might seem that most cyber security-conscious IT companies offer comparable services, there is a significant gap between their expertise and their level of effectiveness.
Ensure that your current or potential new IT company is continuously monitoring:
- The security market and the security product landscape.
- The complex legal and regulatory landscape.
- The ever-evolving technological landscape.
- The emerging threat landscape.
Want to Explore Your Options?
Choosing the Right IT Company: Our Expert Insights
There are lots of other questions to consider when choosing the correct MSP for 2023 and beyond. Effective communication is the key to finding, using, and keeping the MSP that’s the correct one for your SMB.
We’ve interviewed Amir Sachs, CEO of Blue Light IT and bestselling author of cyber security guides, to help explain in more detail what you can do as an individual to make sure your IT company is conscious of cyber security.
“If you’re appointing a cyber security [IT company] externally, then you should appoint somebody that displays knowledge about cyber security and takes interest in your business other than just getting their bill padded at the end of the month,” Amir says. “This is an ongoing engagement, this is not a one-off engagement.”
If you’re in the market for a new IT company, consider booking a meeting(4) or contacting us(5) to discuss any questions you may have. Whether you decide to move forward with us or not, you’ll walk away with some tips and ideas on how to beef up your IT.
Sources/useful links:
- https://www.connectwise.com/globalassets/media/asset-docs/ebook/stateofsmbcybersecurity2022.pdf
- https://www.bluelightit.com/cyber-security/
- https://www.bluelightit.com/book-a-meeting/
- https://www.bluelightit.com/contact/
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