Retirement parties mean cake and celebration, but they also mean that the person leaving the organization is taking their institutional knowledge with them. When only one or a few employees handle the majority of an organization’s IT management, any personnel turnover can lead to major IT problems.
Our team at FreedomLinx recently encountered this exact scenario at the local government level and saw just how much is at stake when only one individual is responsible for IT. Whether you need technology solutions in Circleville, Ohio, right away, or you are thinking about the long-term plan for your agency’s IT needs, find out why you need the support of a team.
When the County Court IT Expert Retired
We encountered a county court system with a serious tech problem: their entire IT infrastructure was maintained by a single individual and had been maintained only by that individual for over two decades. There was no blueprint, no instructions, and no manual for how to maintain this system after his departure.
Because no one else knew how the IT infrastructure was operated and maintained, the entire county court system was in a dangerous situation. They could easily lose confidential data and become vulnerable to a cybersecurity attack without appropriate IT support.
The Challenge of Institutional Knowledge Loss
When only one individual is responsible for an entire IT infrastructure system, it creates fear and uncertainty in the organization. Outdated technology and a lack of documentation make an organization susceptible to technology failures and an easy target for cyberattacks.
The risks to the organization are serious. A single point of failure could lead to data loss, cybersecurity breaches, and downtime for your staff and clients.
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Possible Answers and Technology Solutions in Circleville, Ohio
Many local government agencies, municipalities, and organizations require the support of an in-house IT manager. However, local government leaders may not be equipped to interview and hire that individual. An outside IT service provider can lead the interviewing and hiring process to ensure that the best candidate for the position is selected.
For a long term-solution, the most secure strategy is to partner with an IT service provider who can ensure that turnover won’t result in security risks or tech downtime for your organization. They can prioritize the right combination of unified communications solutions to keep your staff connected, productive, and secure.
By partnering with an IT provider, your organization will benefit from having a safety net in the case of IT personnel turnover. From your phone systems to your WiFi connection, you can rest easy knowing there’s a team, not just an individual, that can take care of any problems your organization encounters.
How To Choose a New IT Partner
Keep these two criteria in mind as you consider your options for your IT service provider, whether you’re looking for technology solutions in Circleville, Ohio, or nearby.
They want to learn from you.
Your new IT partner should be interested in your organization’s goals and current processes. They should want to both understand and comprehensively document your existing infrastructure. A successful IT service provider should configure your existing infrastructure to best support your future goals.
They prioritize an ongoing relationship.
Because goals, budgets, personnel, and technology all change, your IT partner should be someone you can depend upon for the long run. A long-term relationship that includes ongoing consultations will allow your organization to securely address technology updates and end-of-life software and hardware issues. That relationship that goes beyond basic tech support will also allow you to set up your organization with the unified communications solutions, from video conferencing to chat to secure document sharing, you need for success.
How To Evaluate Your IT Service Provider
However, finding the right IT service provider is not always easy. You need to evaluate your options and choose the provider that can best meet your organization’s needs in terms of security and quality of service. Both face-to-face meetings and personal connections are essential to assessing the reliability and expertise of your IT provider.
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You also need to find a partner that won’t contract your problems out to a third-party vendor. Doing so only results in more bills and communication confusion for your organization. Instead, seek an IT provider that shows perseverance and patience in both troubleshooting and resolving your IT issues.
Key Considerations for Public Sector IT Management
Keep the big picture and your organization’s mission in mind to ensure you receive quality IT management. While budget is always a factor in choosing an IT partner, making it the only factor in your evaluation process can lead to more serious financial consequences down the line if and when disaster strikes.
In addition to budget questions, ask your potential IT partner about their expertise in the public sector and their ability to handle specialized IT areas, such as private city fiber networks.
You should also ask your potential IT service provider:
- What is your approach to managing and updating outdated systems?
- Have you worked with local government organizations similar to ours in the past?
- Can you offer customized solutions that align with our specific needs as a public sector organization?
- What are your engineers’ and technicians’ areas of expertise?
Protect Your Organization and Prepare for the Future
The county court system that FreedomLinx encountered is still forging a path forward without the help of their single IT expert. That loss of institutional knowledge and reliance on only one individual could have crippled the municipality.
Tech support is no longer enough. Local government organizations need IT partners they can depend upon for the long run and for issues specific to their public sector needs.
Protect your organization from institutional knowledge loss and ensure your government organization’s technological resilience for the long run. Contact FreedomLinx and let’s start a conversation to find out if we’re the right IT partner for you.
