Support network You've set up your business, everything is in place and you're ready to start selling. But is your IT back-up system as strong as it should be? T he last thing you want is to lose all of your business's important information - including client data - because of a computer crashing or due to a virus. A study by KPMG showed that IT failures can cost businesses an average of £410,000 per incident. Unfortunately, there is always a risk of these things, so 138 it's important to be proactive rather than reactive. Getting a strong IT support system in place from the outset doesn't just offer you peace of mind - clients may also want to know what sort of support network you have. If you are able to demonstrate a good one, the chances of gaining and keeping their business will be even better. Below are some options to consider. REMOTE SERVICES Given the costs involved, as well as the ever-changing nature of technology, SMEs can consider outsourcing their IT services. This means having qualified engineers based remotely, managing