The retail industry is not immune to the rapid pace of technological innovation. Because IT has become an integrated part of traditional brick-and-mortar retail operations, store employees must juggle day-to-day processes and technology infrastructure. Retailers have been forced to add hardware maintenance and software upgrades to their conventional responsibilities of inventory and point-of-sale displays. But managed services offer a scalable and secure solution to these types of operations, allowing retailers to focus on what they do best.
Improve Store Security: Network, point-of-sale endpoints, and servers that are routinely maintained and managed to reduce a retailer’s vulnerability to evolving cyber and security threats. Hackers and cybercriminals continually evolve, creating new problems that need updates and patches. A managed services company has personnel dedicated to watching and responding to these threats on the etailer’s behalf – allowing the store owner to operate more securely.
Maintain Compliance: An MSP with retail operations experience has a deep comprehension of PCI compliance and requirements and works hand-in-hand with retailers to evaluate and assess their current processes and help them stay in compliance as their situation grows and changes. Managed service providers have specialized tools to scan the online environment for problems and vulnerabilities, allowing retailers to protect cardholder data and other sensitive financial and personal information.
Proactively Handle Network Issues: Many SMB environments are highly reactive regarding their IT environment, but this reactionary strategy can cost far more in the long run. The old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” means that adopting a proactive approach to your IT environment is the most cost-effective strategy. Recognizing and resolving IT issues before they significantly affect your clients, your customer service, and your uptime is not only intelligent, it could save you time, money, and reputation.
Minimize Downtime, Increase Employee Productivity: Nothing is more frustrating to a retail employee than trying to process sales when the system keeps crashing. Managed services help retailers establish and maintain a stable environment that allows for smoother transactions and maximum productivity. While an MSP will work to ensure no issues occur, if they do, retail operations staff can make a phone call to get the help they need.
Rapid Recovery and Response: A managed services provider can offer a retailer continuity and backup solutions to respond to a data breach and limit downtime. Having the assurance that the retail store can rapidly recover from a catastrophic event can bring peace of mind.
Budget Management: Responding to hardware and software issues as they arise, trying to react to cyber threats, and keeping up with software updates can wreak havoc on a strict budget. Managed services offer stability, maintenance, expertise, and recovery for a fixed monthly budget, erasing surprise expenditures and allowing companies to operate more smoothly.
Economies of Scale (Now and Tomorrow): An MSP provides retailers with access to shared innovative technologies, allowing them to keep up with competitors with much deeper pockets. MSPs utilize the best and most popular technologies and offer access to these hardware solutions and services to SMBs who would otherwise not be able to access them.
In Conclusion:
Teaming up with a managed services provider is a cost-effective solution for retailers, giving them the time to focus on the business at hand – and not worry about the latest cyber threats and security updates. MSPs also provide access to the latest technologies and software, meaning that an SMB retailer can enjoy innovations without bearing the full brunt of the cost.
Call Alliance IT today if you are a Sarasota area retailer looking for help with technology solutions.
