5 Reasons Your Business Should Consider Partnering with a Managed IT Services Provider
An increasing number of small and medium-sized businesses are turning to managed service providers (MSPs) to handle some or all their IT needs. According to Deloitte’s 2016 Global Outsourcing Survey, the number of businesses using MSPs for IT support increased from 26% in 2014 to 31% in 2016. The number one reason respondents to the survey cited for turning to an MSP was reducing costs, followed by the ability to focus on core business priorities, solving capacity issues, and enhancing service quality.
As BizTech Magazine points out, the use of a managed service provider for IT frees businesses to commit more time and resources to other, more critical aspects of their operations:
“By giving IT staff more time to focus on innovation and reducing unexpected costs, managed services provide businesses the support and room they need to thrive.”
Meeting the Challenge of Rapid Technological Change
Gone are the days when businesses could standardize on a single computer model or operating system. At the same time, rapidly emerging mobile and cloud-based technologies have introduced a host of new devices, platforms, and apps, all of which in-house IT departments must learn, manage and secure.
For most businesses, the challenge of understanding and integrating these new technologies means increased costs, including those to hire, train and pay qualified employees, purchase necessary supporting infrastructure and maintain data safety and security. By partnering with an experienced MSP, businesses can reduce those costs while more effectively handling cloud deployments, mobile initiatives, and security, among other issues.
The Benefits of Partnering with a Managed Service Provider
If your business is currently facing these and similar IT challenges, you should consider the following 5 benefits of partnering with a competent MSP:
1. It Will Free Your In-house IT Staff to Focus on Core Issues
It’s inefficient to have your in-house staff tied up with time-consuming and labor-intensive tasks, or bogged down getting up to speed on new technologies. The best MSPs will form an effective (and cost-effective) partnership with your in-house IT staff, one which is forged in transparent communication and comprehensive knowledge sharing. That partnership will enable your IT staff to hand over the tasks which are more efficiently performed by a third party and to focus on those which are most critical to your company’s growth.
2. It Will Help You Fill the Need for IT Expertise
Among the critical IT challenges businesses face is the need to hire and train in-house staff who have specialized skills and expertise (for example, to deal with issues like cybersecurity and mobile app development) which current staff don’t possess. This continual augmentation of in-house staff is expensive, time-consuming and potentially disruptive. By outsourcing the specialized skills your company needs, you’ll benefit from the expertise your MSP can provide and ensure business continuity.
3. It Will Provide Your Business with 24/7 Support
Most small and medium-size businesses don’t have the resources to enable around-the-clock network support and maintenance. A managed service provider will ensure that your business—and users of your system—can get the support they need any time of the day or night.
4. It Will Simplify Compliance
The regulations with which businesses must comply are complex and often confounding. Companies must be compliant with everything from Sarbanes-Oxley to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, among other legislation. This places a tremendous burden on in-house staff. Working with a managed service provider, you can relieve your business of that burden while resting assured that it will be fully compliant.
5. It Will Bring Greater Predictability to Budgeting
Whether it’s new capital expenditures or new hires, relying solely on in-house IT staff typically means unexpected costs. Using a managed service provider, businesses can break down their costs into fixed monthly payments. That means fewer surprises and enhanced budgetary predictability.
Conclusion
Every business is different and has different needs—but more and more business across a wide swath of industries are turning to managed service providers to cut costs and make their IT operations more efficient. Contact us today to learn more about the ways our managed IT and 3CX phone system services can make your business more profitable and help it grow.