Running all of your day-to-day operations in-house can be just fine. Still, there will be days when managing everything on your own might overwhelm you, compromising your business continuity.
For example, your entire team is busy on an extensive project, and suddenly, your server goes down. As everyone, including your IT staff, is laser-focused on their respective tasks, they might be unable to fix the issue immediately. However, if you have an external managed IT service provider, it just takes a phone call or message to have them solve the problem immediately.
A managed IT service provider, or MSP, is an outsourced firm that provides IT infrastructure and support services to organizations. More and more businesses are enlisting the services of MSPs because of their reliability and cost-effectiveness. Let’s have a look at the advantages of outsourcing your IT department.
- 1. Round-the-Clock Support
Your MSP is there 24/7 to fix your IT issues. They ensure that your system and network are up even after your employees have long gone home for the day. Everyone knows that downtime costs the company money, so it should be kept to a minimum.
An MSP will monitor your systems in real-time to check for issues and fix them before they happen and cause even greater problems. Their preventive maintenance procedures also reduce the risk of system failures and cyberattacks.
- 2. You Have Specialists to Count On
While your in-house IT staff are skilled, they may not be equipped to solve every kind of problem that may arise. With an MSP, there is a qualified specialist for every department, ensuring that the issue can quickly be resolved when you need it.
- 3. Reduced Initial Expenses
Purchasing specialist IT hardware on your own can cost huge sums of money. If you have an MSP, they will let you run your operations on their industry-standard equipment without you spending the actual amount needed for such. This makes it easy for an entrepreneur to start an enterprise even with low capital.
- 4. Enhanced Security
As MSPs operate with a robust infrastructure and best-in-class security, you get complete protection from threats and attacks. They thoroughly evaluate your network’s vulnerabilities and work out ways to close security gaps — things that can be very hard and expensive if you wing it on your own.
- 5. Reduced Overhead Costs
Hiring and training in-house IT personnel can be expensive and may not be guaranteed to deliver the results you need. An MSP has highly trained professionals on board to ensure that you are given solutions to whatever IT problems you might encounter. Opting for their services eliminates the need to have additional staff for particular jobs you might not frequently need.
In addition, MSPs make your monthly expenses predictable as you pay them on a subscription basis. In contrast, if you hire an IT firm on a “break-fix” basis, the prices may vary monthly and cost you more in the long run, even if it looks inexpensive upfront.
MSP-provided cloud hosting also helps reduce overhead costs. Having no physical servers in your office means smaller electricity bills and maintenance costs. You also don’t need to rent a bigger space or renovate your current one to accommodate servers.
- 6. Upgrades or Updates Can Be Implemented Right Away
New technologies may need some learning curve for you and your staff. Training can cost you time and money. You don’t need to worry about such with MSPs as they have the resources and knowledge to get the new stuff up and running in no time.
- 7. Complying With Regulations Is Made Easy
Some laws and regulations require companies to have policies that protect customers’ data against cyber theft and hacking. MSPs are well-versed in these and can ensure that your company complies with them, which improves your credibility and also helps you avoid lawsuits.
8. Prevent Data Loss
Nowadays, data means everything to a business. Data loss can be catastrophic for a business. By partnering with an MSP, you get a strategic backup and recovery plan for your data.
9. Scalability
You can scale your system up or down as needed, depending on the evolving needs of your business. An MSP can quickly implement changes as well to avoid downtime. Thanks to their pool of talents and resources, they are always ready to scale up as your business grows.
10. Single Point of Contact
If you manage your IT department on your own, chances are, you would need to contact several vendors whenever there are issues with your hardware or software. If you have an MSP supporting you, they will be the ones to communicate with the suppliers in question. What you get from them is a single point of contact to address your problems promptly, saving you time and effort.
