As a small business owner, it’s understandable that you will encounter technical issues on a daily basis. In an age where technology is evolving at such a rapid pace, not addressing those issues can leave your company vulnerable to all kinds of attacks. Fortunately, an option that's becoming more and more popular is hiring an experienced managed services provider (MSP).
If you’re considering outsourcing some, if not all, of your IT functions - then you came to the right place! After all, wouldn’t you rather focus on growing your business instead of attending to your tech needs? Here’s everything you need to know about managed IT service providers and what sets them apart.
Why do I need an MSP?
Managed IT service providers aim to provide reliable, affordable, and timely solutions to a business’ IT needs. By choosing an MSP, small to medium-sized businesses can take advantage of a large pool of talent at a fraction of the cost of hiring a full-time IT department. In addition, hiring an MSP means you are getting scalable and affordable IT solutions that take the bulk of IT tasks out of your hands. It is a simple and cost-effective approach that allows business owners to redirect their time and resources to grow their operations without neglecting the quality of IT operations.
What is the role of MSPs?
The main role of an MSP is to allow you and your staff to focus on providing and improving your core competencies rather than worrying about your IT infrastructure. When you outsource your IT needs, your company benefits from the oversight of multiple IT experts that monitors your business processes day in, day out. Also, managed IT services will work to proactively monitor and maintain your IT to avoid downtime and keep your business running.
After all, it only makes sense to leave your tech needs to someone whose entire business revolves around IT, right? Let’s look at some of the other advantages of hiring a managed services provider:
- The salary of a full-time IT employee costs more than hiring a managed services provider
- Predictable budgeting as most MSPs offer a monthly fixed rate
- Proactive support and dedicated staff
- Readily available infrastructure that could cater to various types of businesses
- No more worrying about downtime due to an IT employee not making it to work – depending on your contract, managed IT services could be delivered 24/7
- May seem costly at first but a business will save money in the long run since tech issues are addressed even before they arise
Should your business use an MSP?
As mentioned above, the biggest advantage of hiring an MSP is better business focus. Using an MSP enables your business to access all the necessary IT skills you need when you need it. You’re a businessman first and foremost, why are you spending all your time thinking about improving your IT needs with new technologies when managed service providers exist to provide you with the same type of service - saving you time and saving you money?
Managed IT Services: What MSPs Do Better
For small businesses who see the value in investing in IT, managed service providers seem to be the obvious and most cost-effective approach. If you’re still unconvinced, here are some of the things that MSPs do better:
Cybersecurity and Data Protection
Having a holistic approach to securing your infrastructure, your operations, and your assets should be every single business’ priority. From contact details to sensitive financial information, chances are your business needs layers upon layers of security measures to keep your data safe. The great thing about choosing an MSP for cybersecurity purposes is that these companies are already tried and tested when it comes to overseeing large data centers. It is important to note that information security has a lot of different facets that may be able to cover all of your business functions. Various types of cyber security services exist but it's up to you to determine what your business needs as each business is unique. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Proactive Service to Avoid Downtime
Let’s look at it this way: imagine the break-fix model of the old days which literally meant that if something broke, an IT company would send a technician out to fix the issue. The business would then pay the technician with an hourly rate and, once it’s fixed, the technician and the company would shake hands and that’s it. The break-fix model isn’t ideal nowadays for two main reasons: time and the modern company’s reliance on technology. Downtime means lost revenue and a managed IT services provider should be able to put in place preventative measures to keep your systems up and running for as long as possible.
Dedicated Talent
MSPs employ trained and qualified individuals that are well-versed and up to date with the latest technologies. If you’re thinking about hiring an MSP to address your IT needs, one of the most important things to check is their staff’s credentials. How long have they been working in the IT field? What are their specializations? Do they work with various types of operating systems? Asking these questions will give you an overview of how well-rounded your potential MSP is and if they can adequately service your business’ unique needs.
Predictable Costs and Scalability
Managed IT service companies allow businesses to only avail of services that they most need. With the MSP model, businesses can easily allocate resources on a monthly basis rather than planning a much bigger budget for an in-house IT department. Managed IT service providers offer fixed-rate monthly fees and other scalable options if ever you need more bang for your buck. And, when your business experiences rapid growth and expansion, you can talk to your MSP to negotiate a broader contract.
Key Takeaway: MSPs Bring Peace of Mind
Outsourcing computer networking services for small businesses is a cost-effective and beneficial decision to keep your company competitive and on track with your goals. Select a plan that suits your needs so you can concentrate on important business matters and leave your IT infrastructure to the experts. Now that the year is coming to an end, wouldn’t it be nice to start 2021 with peace of mind and a positive outlook?
Interested in knowing more about IT plans and what it would entail for your business? ETech 7 offers a free network check for your business. Check out the form below and schedule a meeting today!
