IT managed services has become a popular option for companies that need or want to outsource all or some of their IT responsibilities and functions to a third-party provider. In fact, the managed services market is booming because of the high need for today’s businesses to have reliable and secure technology. Businesses opt to outsource their company’s IT management and support for a number of reasons. Some companies do not have the resources to commit to the robust IT needs today’s organizations face. Others may lack the expertise or simply need more time to focus on their core competencies while turning their tech needs over to the experts. Whatever the reason, turning to a managed service provider (MSP) offers a number of benefits.
1. Eliminate downtime
Downtime is an issue no company ever wants to face because it kills employee productivity, frustrates customers, and, overall, is very costly. According to a report by Gartner, downtime costs businesses a whopping $5,600 per minute. Most businesses cannot afford this price tag. Having a partner that monitors your tech resources 24/7 can provide assurance your company will not be plagued by downtime, because they will proactively monitor your IT environment. If any problems arise, they will be identified and fixed quickly.
2. Offer predictable monthly costs
One great aspect of IT managed services is you know exactly what your spend will be each month. When managing your own IT, you are paying staff overtime and any expenses associated with maintenance, repairs, and replacements. One of the biggest reasons businesses fail (82 percent) is cash flow issues. By outsourcing your IT to a skilled partner, all those unanticipated costs go away because you pay one agreed upon fee each month, making it a very budget-friendly expenditure.
3. Increase security and maintain compliance
Businesses today cannot afford to ignore cyberthreats and any regulatory requirements associated with handling sensitive data. Just one data breach can put a business under. Not to mention it is difficult to keep up with constantly changing requirements or the latest threats. Employing the services of an IT Managed Services provider means you will be partnering with experts who know the ins and outs of any compliance requirements required by your industry, and possess the ability and current knowledge to ensure your company’s data and equipment is kept safe, secure, and operational.
4. Focus on core competencies
If your company is like many others, you likely have limited resources. Or, when it comes to IT needs, lack the breadth of knowledge necessary in our tech-driven world. Rather than invest in hiring additional employees—which may not be affordable—or taking time away from your existing staff’s responsibilities, by partnering with an MSP you can turn your full attention to your core competencies. This gives you time to place efforts into innovative ways to grow your business, rather than having your attention consistently diverted to deal with computer crashes or email issues.
5. Level the playing field
Small businesses often struggle due to the “little fish, big pond” scenario when competing with large companies who have full, in-house IT staff to meet their needs. Turning to IT managed services helps level the playing field, since you will also have a full support team of IT professionals that provide the same services you would have with an in-house team. Not to mention, you can gain a competitive advantage because your partner is truly an expert in the field, as IT services are their sole focus. This means they are always up-to-date with new products, technologies, and threats. Essentially, from a technology standpoint, your partner will be in tune with everything a business currently needs or should know.
A few of the many services a partner can offer include monitoring networks, providing data storage, hosting email, performing backup and recovery, and ensuring regulatory rules and compliance requirements are met. Turning to IT managed services solution offer good value and ROI. If you are interested in learning more about how outsourcing the management of your IT environment, contact us to speak to one of our in-house IT experts.