6 Ways That An IT Security Consultant Can Save Your Business

6 Ways That An IT Security Consultant Can Save Your Business

The threat of malicious cyber-attacks is more than just a myth for Chicago small businesses. Cybercrime is an insidious menace that could bring your company to its knees in short order. To protect against the range of known perils and to anticipate the threats that are yet to be discovered, taking a serioius view of IT security is a must.

Malware, ransomware, and other threats are ever-evolving, so the solutions must be comparably nimble. But what if you don’t have an in-house IT team? Even if you do have IT, specialists, on staff, how well-versed are they on freshly minted perils or the new high-tech solutions that are available to fight them?

If you can’t answer these last couple of questions decisively, you probably need to hire an IT security consultant. It might just be the best decision you’ve ever made for your company’s future.

Why hire an IT consultant?

There are dozens of reasons to hire an IT security consultant, and none of them are meant to reflect negatively on the competence of your IT team, staff, or infrastructure.

Think about it this way: if your car needed a new transmission, you wouldn’t do it yourself. You’d take it to an expert. Same with the electrical wiring in your home – you name it. If you want something done right, it’s just smarter to call an expert. The job will be done faster, it will be done correctly, and you’ll get an honest assessment of the situation from somebody who hasn’t got any skin in it.

You need an unbiased professional who isn’t involved in your office politics, can offer a bipartisan view of the available solutions, and whose only goal is to deliver the best possible solution for you.

Six Reasons You Need To Hire An IT Security Consultant

1.      Experience

Your IT team is probably fantastic. If you have one, that is. Chances are, though, that IT security is not their area of expertise. Sure, most IT professionals have a good working knowledge of IT security, but do they specialize in it? An IT security consultant does nothing but focus on IT security issues. With new and more robust threats appearing almost daily, it’s impossible to keep up unless that is all you focus on.

An IT consultant will look at your IT infrastructure with fresh eyes. As an outsider, they will have no blind spots or preconceived opinions about how things should be. They will also have in-depth knowledge of current threats and best practices to protect your data. Your security consultant will recommend hardware, software, and policies that are suited to your business and prevent you both from loss and from spending too much time and money on the wrong solutions

2.      You’ve got no time to waste

Whether you have been affected by an attack or are just concerned about the potential, there is no time to waste in shoring up your cyber defenses. If you leave this to your internal staff, you risk them getting distracted with day-to-day tasks and leaving things half-done. When you hire an IT security consultant, they are there to do the job you hired them to do, nothing else. Every minute of their billable hours will be dedicated to completing your job, whether it happens to be after hours, on the weekend, or any other time. Ultimately, this will help your staff become more efficient because they can focus on what they need to do. Working with the IT security consultant may also help them to enhance their existing skillsets, ultimately adding value to your workforce.

3.      It’s more economical

While some SMBs might think twice about spending on an IT security consultant, it will likely save you a lot of money in the long run. You’ll get the job done much faster than you would if you kept it in-house; it will be done right the first time, and you’ll be able to get back to work in record time, knowing that you have the most advanced solutions in place. Additionally, the costs will be predictable, as your IT security consultant will quote the job before starting and tell you how long it will take. They’ll make it look easy. They’ll even train your staff in new security best practices. Your planning and projections will be much more efficient, and you will look like a hero in the end.

4.      Your consultant will never sell you something you don’t need

IT security consultants are focused on bringing you the best possible solution. There are hundreds of security products and appliances available, and no cookie-cutter solution works for everybody. The good news is, recent advances in IT security solutions mean that it is realistic to have an enterprise-level solution at a small business cost – and it only makes sense that the consultant recommends something that can scale with you and that you won’t have to re-think anytime soon.

You could think of your consultant as your own personal IT security guru. They will look at your systems objectively, tell you where you are most vulnerable, and explain your options. It might not always be what you want to hear, but you can always be confident you are getting the straight goods. If it’s possible, they’ll do it. If it’s not possible, they’ll tell you that too. They’re not salesmen. They don’t get points for selling a specific brand, service, or device. What you get will be what you need, nothing more, nothing less.

5.      Improve your workforce performance and productivity

Being an IT security consultant goes beyond fixing problems and shoring up defenses. Consultants work closely with your IT staff to develop security policies and procedures that are right for your organization and how it works. They will also work with your entire workforce to ensure that these protocols are understood, educating your staff on recognizing threats before they happen. Once the job is done, your team will be united and stronger than ever.

6.      Convenience and availability

One of the most attractive things about hiring a consultant is that they are available 24/7. If you have an issue in the middle of the night, you don’t have to feel bad about calling them up because somebody will always be on call, ready to help. If you have a task that needs to be completed on a weekend when the office is vacant, no problem. No matter the problem, no matter what the hour may be, you can always be sure there will be somebody on the other end of the line, ready, willing, and able to help.

CTI Technology: Your IT Security Consultancy

If IT security for your company has been on your mind, call CTI Technology today. Our technicians know IT security and can help give you the peace of mind you deserve. Results-oriented, people-driven, and passionate about technology, we are always ready to help. Call today to speak to one of our security experts, and find out how we can help.