For years, businesses would use the break/fix model to deal with their IT, but more and more people are switching to a managed IT service provider. When it comes to executing a corporate strategy, the single biggest problem that businesses face is how to focus people and resources in the direction of their strategic initiatives.
In terms of IT services, the “if it breaks, then you fix it” model neither focuses your employees on the job they were hired to do nor uses your resources effectively.
If figuring out why your wifi isn’t working confuses you, that’s a pretty good sign you should consider outsourcing your IT to a managed IT service provider. MSP’s maintain and manage IT for small, medium and large businesses and they make them more efficient and effective.
If you’re a business owner of any sized business, outsourcing IT can support you in your success.
What Are Managed IT Services?
How much of your business is linked to your IT?
If you have a website, you might have your own server. That means you picked a server and an operating system as well as programmed it.
You likely also have an in-house network that connects the computers of all your employees. That also means local software configuration or workstations set up for collaborations.
You might even use cloud-based technology or have a private network for salespeople to check on pricing, inventory, shipping times, etc. If you have a warehouse, the tech you require is even more daunting. It’s not just managing that amount of technology that can be time-consuming but maintaining all that tech can also be expensive.
The Benefits of Having a Managed IT Service Provider
Improve User Productivity
You use technology in your business to improve and enhance how quickly and effectively people can work, right? When your technology causes more problem than it solves, it’s working against that goal. Anytime that your system goes down or a use encounters technical problems, you’re losing money because your employees can’t do their work.
Managed IT services reduce downtime caused by technical needs and issues and speed up how quickly you do business.
Save on Infrastructure Costs
Outsourcing IT can help you save on both physical spaces as well as hardware costs.
Give Yourself Time to Focus on the Business
Rather than focusing on how to protect yourself against ransomware attacks, you should be focusing your attention on your business and what you need to do to succeed.
Handing over your IT to a managed service provider means you don’t need to think about training employees on new software or processes. Instead, you can focus any additional training on professional development that will help your business succeed. It also means you don’t have to worry about whether you’re compliant and whether your back-ups are done correctly and according to timelines. You’ll also never have to learn about, and keep updated on, industry best practices.
Manage Risk
Any investment you make is a risk. But non-compliance with government regulation and not properly securing your data is a much larger risk. Keeping up to date with changing technologies, markets, software, licensing and regulation can be overwhelming. A managed service provider does all that for you and will also ensure that your information is backed up and stored correctly, making certain you have all the data you need, securing that data and saving both physical space and storage space on your networks.
Keep Your Data Secure
The security of your data and the data you store for your clients should be at the top of your mind. An investment in good security can be as simple as outsourcing IT.
An IT department that isn’t using industry best practices, not keeping updated or simply overwhelmed by other tasks, can lead to a breach in your security that will be difficult to overcome. Breaches in your security can compromise the financial and personal data of clients as well as trade secrets and confidential information. It affects your clients trust in you as well as your ability to create unique products and services.
Engage with Experts in Your Business
Not all managed IT service providers are created equal. Firms typically specialize in specific industries or businesses.
IT service providers are therefore experts in your industry or business. They know your typical technical needs, the best software to use, what data you need to save and what can be deleted, among other best practices specific to your business.
More than just an IT service provider, in this regard they can offer advice on how to make processes more efficient. They may also bring experience and knowledge from different but related industries and offer insights you didn’t even know you needed.
Allows Your Employees to Work During System Upgrades
System upgrades cost you time and money. The worst part is, they are an unavoidable necessity if you want your system to run smoothly.
Having upgrades performed after-hours leads to overtime costs. Having upgrades performed during work hours means your work day is interrupted. Employees can’t do their job and clients can’t receive the same level of service they require.
A managed IT service provider will handle your upgrades for you. They do this remotely and at times when it won’t be disruptive to employees or clients.
Choosing A Managed IT Service Provider
The benefits of outsourcing IT to a managed IT service provider are many. With a high ROI, low-risk investment, you can save yourself time and money. Those savings can then be reinvested into your businesses to help you grow your products and services and increase your profits.
As businesses learn more about how outsourced IT can help them succeed, the number of service providers grows. Check out our world class IT Support for a selection of services that are tailored to your industry and support your specific needs.