We love talking to small business owners. We love your passion. Your vision. Your commitment. Your desire to have an impact. We see the blood, sweat, and tears that you pour into your business. We respect the endless hours that you spend trying to make your business a success. We also see your fear. Your fear of failure. Your fear of making a mistake. Of losing your customers. Of not meeting your bottom line. Of not being able to “cut it.” Above all, we see your fear of change. When you think of successful companies, what are the benchmarks of their success? Yes, they have a great idea or product. But they also know how to make the changes that will improve their business. This can mean hiring the right people and firing the wrong ones. Or dumping archaic practices that no longer produce the desired results. And in our modern world, it also means embracing the technology that allows you to better serve your customers. Most small business owners know this. And so you have personally taken on the role of Chief Technology Officer and invested in computers, smartphones, and tablets. You have purchased software to help expedite or automate your daily actions. You have created a website and set up a social media presence. And yet many of you continue to feel overwhelmed by the very technology that is supposed to make your life easier. You find your day continuously interrupted by someone else's tech emergency. You fear that you don’t know how to utilize the programs your company is currently using. And you definitely don’t have any time to research and try out the newest releases. The time has come to fire yourself as your IT guy. “Wait,” you say, “isn't that a bit drastic?” We can already see all the excuses forming in your head. Frankly, we've heard most of them before. And there are 5 that come up more than others. So today, to help you understand why firing yourself is the best move you can make, we’re addressing them head on.

Excuse #1: I really can handle it myself

Maybe you have a background in technology. Or you just consider yourself to be pretty tech savvy. Sure the big problems are more than you can handle, but they don’t come up all that often. In the meantime, you can handle any of the everyday things that happen. This may actually be true. However, we want you to take a moment and think back to why you started your business. What was your passion? Your interests? What got you out of bed every morning? Unless you’re CEO of a tech company, we’re guessing that technology wasn't the reason. The reality is, your business needs you to do what you do best. Sure, you might be able to take care of your IT issues if you put your mind to it, but if you really want to succeed you can’t waste your valuable time trying to figure out tech problems that can be easily solved by someone else. By delegating your tech support to another, you’re giving your business the necessary gift of you.

Excuse #2: I have a friend or coworker who can help out

No offense to your “willing-to-help-out” nephew or your employer with “some-computer-experience” (and seriously - bless them for wanting to help you out), but this is a classic case of you-get-what-you-pay-for. The first potential problem is that your business is going to suffer from their lack of professional IT experience. While it may save you some money up front, when the problem is bigger then they can handle (or worse, made bigger by their inexperience), you’re going to be out both the time and money it takes to get it professionally fixed. The second potential problem is that if your Good Samaritan actually is trained and certified, your free or low-cost help is going to end up at the bottom of their priority list. After all, while they may be willing to help out in a pinch, they still have to take care of their paying customers first. You need someone who is both qualified and dedicated to your business.

Excuse #3: I can’t afford a CTO

We get it. Budgets in a small business can be really tight. And it’s true - most small businesses can’t afford the cost of salary+benefits of a Chief Technology Officer. In reality, most small businesses don’t actually need to have someone who is dedicated full-time to their IT. What you do need is someone to set you up, monitor your activity, do preventative maintenance, answer your questions, and solve problems when they arise. That is why so many small businesses choose to outsource their IT to a tech company. By using a company like Digity, you are only paying for the time and services that you actually need. The cost is substantially lower and you still get the support and help that your business deserves.

Excuse #4: I don’t trust remote-access

You may fully understand the need for a dedicated IT person. However, using an outsourced company instead of your local shop gives you pause. The truth is, companies that use remote-access support are actually doing you a HUGE favor. With a local shop you are required to do one of two things:

1. unplug all your devices, take them into the shop, wait for the technician to finish, and then bring them back
2. wait (and wait...) for a technician to show up at your office

Both of these things are extremely inconvenient and waste a lot of your time. With remote-access support, the tech can access your computer the moment you contact them. Instead of leaving your devices in the hands of someone else who you hope is trustworthy, you can actually sit and watch the tech work on your computer. And with bank-level security in place, you can rest assured that your computer is fully protected during and after your support call.

Excuse #5: I actually want to learn how to use my technology correctly!

Knowledge is power! The ability to understand your devices and fully utilize your programs is not only commendable, it’s very wise. For this reason, you don’t need a tech that will just stop by, fix your computer, and leave you with a bill. You need one who you can talk to. Someone you can ask questions to. Someone who will walk you through the different features of your software. Who will recommend the best software for your industry. Who will explain how you can better utilize your programs. Because truthfully, a CTO is not just responsible for solving your tech problems. A good CTO will figure out how technology can help your business thrive. That’s why Digity offers the Tech Advisor portion of every membership. Because we don’t want to be the person that just fixes your problem. We want to be the person you call whenever you have a question or thought about technology.

“Change is inevitable. Progress is optional.” - Tony Robbins

If you want your small business to succeed, you have to make the changes that inspire progress. By firing yourself as your IT guy and turning your technology over to the hands of those who can truly help your business utilize it, you are making one of the best changes you can for your company. So stop with the excuses and get the IT support you not only need but deserve.