10 Signs Your Association Needs Managed IT Services to Enhance Operational Efficiency
With the right IT infrastructure, employees at associations can streamline their access to relevant data and focus on meaningful projects. By addressing common challenges like data accessibility and security concerns, organizations can create a more efficient and stress-free environment for their teams.
Your IT underpins all your activities. Reliable and cost-effective technology solutions are essential to avoid straining resources and preventing operational disruptions that can hinder your ability to serve your members effectively. Additionally, investing in robust technology can help reduce employee turnover, as research shows that inadequate technology leads 70% of young people to leave or consider leaving their company.
Associations need to prioritize effective IT management to maintain efficiency. If overseeing and maintaining a thriving IT ecosystem is challenging, outsourcing to a managed IT services provider can be an excellent solution. Below, we outline ten signs that indicate it’s time to bring in professional IT services to align your infrastructure with the demands of modern operations and your long-term goals.
The 10 Signs Your Association Needs Managed IT Services
- Frequent IT issues and downtime
Research shows that the world’s largest companies spend roughly $9000 for every minute their systems aren’t functioning properly. It’s expensive for associations, too, no matter their size, if their employees regularly face common technological hurdles that delay their work, like lagging computers, slow network speeds, unreliable communication tools, software glitches, and even system failures.
If this is your reality, you may need a managed IT services provider to ensure your team can consistently access essential tools and your key activities run smoothly.
- Inadequate IT support and slow response times
Sometimes, the complexity of an association’s technology can outpace the capacity of its limited in-house teams or the external service providers it works with. You may be in that situation if you experience delays in addressing technical issues, extending your team’s timelines for completing their vital tasks and projects.
If you don’t currently receive timely and reliable IT support, a managed IT services provider is your answer: they typically outline their guaranteed response times in their service level agreements so you can predict how long something should take. Accessing their team of skilled specialists will also ensure you can always access the required knowledge to tackle your problem promptly.
- High IT maintenance and repair costs
Without an adequately skilled team that consistently and proactively maintains its technology infrastructure, associations often deal with frequent problems that divert resources from more important initiatives.
Has your association had the experience of minor issues in their technology that end up escalating into critical situations? You may have had to spend a lot of unplanned money on expensive emergency interventions and replacements, which prevented you from investing in strategic growth or member services.
This shows a clear need for a managed IT services provider who can provide a more stable environment.
- Outdated technology and lack of modernization
Operational efficiency in associations can decline if they rely on outdated hardware and software. Are your staff struggling to leverage newer technologies or encountering compatibility issues when trying to integrate advanced solutions into your infrastructure? This may be due to infrequent technology evaluations and upgrades, or uncertainty about how to safely incorporate innovations like AI. In such cases, a managed IT service provider can help guide you in modernizing your environment.
- Data security vulnerabilities and breaches
Relying on outdated technologies can also increase your association’s cybersecurity risks by creating vulnerabilities that bad actors can exploit. This is a serious concern, as the rate of third-party data breaches or security incidents has grown by 49% in the past year, with 61% of companies reporting such incidents.
Has your association experienced a data breach or other cybersecurity threat? Even if not, it’s important to consider if your data protection measures are sufficient, including patch management, threat detection, security audits, strong passwords, and staff training on cybersecurity best practices. By adopting a comprehensive zero-trust cybersecurity approach through managed IT services, you can enhance your data security and protect your organization.
- Difficulty in scaling IT infrastructure
Your association isn’t static: the needs of your members are constantly changing, and so will how you support them.
Are your existing technology systems struggling to keep up with your growing operations? Perhaps you’re unsure how to conduct the strategic planning needed to expand your IT infrastructure cohesively, or you might be dealing with a patchwork of siloed systems resulting from years of ad-hoc solutions.
In that case, partnering with a managed IT services provider can help you build a well-integrated IT environment, empowering you to meet the evolving needs of your community effectively.
- Poor member experience and engagement due to IT problems
Often, association staff feel demotivated when they constantly handle frustrated members who can’t access online resources, register for events, or communicate with the organization. These challenges can lead to decreased member participation and engagement with your valuable initiatives, making it harder for your team to fulfill your mission and achieve long-term success.
If this situation sounds familiar, it may be time to seek assistance in maintaining a reliable IT environment for your members.
- Non-compliance with industry regulations
Depending on your specific focus and location, many federal and state data privacy laws in the U.S. could influence your association’s operations. These include the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CDPA), or DC’s Security Breach Protection Amendment Act, among others.
Non-compliance can lead to serious consequences, including legal penalties and fines. If your organization struggles to adhere to the relevant standards governing your technology use, you may benefit from support in conducting regular audits, updates, and risk assessments.
- Inefficient IT management and missing strategic direction
Examine your current technology practices and policies to determine if they are yielding optimal outcomes. Consider whether your association frequently makes reactive technology decisions, resulting in investments that don’t align with your operational goals.
If this sounds familiar, you may benefit from partnering with a managed IT services provider to guide you towards achieving operational sustainability with your technology.
- Overwhelmed in-house IT staff
Your internal IT team likely handles a wide array of responsibilities, from managing system updates and user requests to troubleshooting technical issues and implementing security measures. This often results in them focusing on immediate problems rather than strategic IT projects, which can hinder their efficiency in maintaining a well-functioning IT infrastructure that boosts organizational productivity.
If this resonates with you, partnering with a managed IT services provider can provide the resources and specialized expertise needed, allowing your team to concentrate on more mission-critical initiatives.
Partner with designDATA to streamline your association’s operations
Often, associations struggle with an inadequate IT environment that fails to meet their needs and maintain efficiency.
By partnering with designDATA for our managed IT services and strategic IT consulting, your association can benefit from expert support to ensure your technology empowers your work instead of hindering it.
With our deep expertise in IT management for associations, we can help you streamline your IT operations and proactively maintain your infrastructure, minimizing disruptive downtime. Our experts will also implement cost-effective solutions, allowing you to allocate resources to projects that directly impact your members.
Contact designDATA today to learn how our managed IT services can streamline your association’s operations and enhance strategic management.
