With around 37% of small businesses outsourcing at least one process within their business, outsourced IT companies offer the perfect solution to streamline operations and get more done in less time.
Outsourced IT services can help with a variety of tasks, ranging from cloud computing and big data analytics, to software development, maintenance, and more.
Businesses that outsource are able to leverage their resources in order to maximize productivity and achieve competitive advantage over their peers.
What Does Outsourcing IT Mean?
Outsourcing IT is the practice of hiring an external IT company to manage, maintain, and implement the technology needed for a business. It can help businesses grow by allowing them to focus their resources on core competencies or activities that are not handled in-house.
By outsourcing IT services, companies can ensure that they are using the right technology, while also freeing up their internal staff to focus on more important tasks.
7 Big Ways Managed IT Services Can Help Small Businesses
The true annual cost of one in-house IT employee is in the ballpark of $100,000—depending on benefits. That’s a whole lot of money! We’re not saying, of course, that an in-house IT team isn’t worth it; they make sure your systems are up and running, help keep your data secure, and can solve complex problems when they arise.
But for small businesses who are just getting started or don’t have the budget for an in-house team, managed IT services can be a lifesaver. Here are seven ways a good managed IT service provider (MSP) can help your small business thrive:
- Save Time
When you have an in-house IT team, there are a lot of things they need to do on a regular basis, including monitoring your systems 24/7, patching and updating software, and responding to problems as they arise.
With a managed IT service, all of those tasks are taken care of by the MSP. That means your in-house team can focus on more important things, like developing new features for your product or providing better customer support. And it also means you don’t have to spend money on things like expensive software licenses or hardware repairs.
- Expertise and Support
Another big advantage of managed IT services is that you’ll get access to a team of experts who can help you with all your IT needs. Typically with in-house IT they have quite limited exposure to complex problems and concepts but an MSP has front-line support staff backed by much more experienced highly technical staff who can solve the most complex problems in a fraction of the time. Also if a significant catastrophic IT event occurs (like a Ransomware Attack), an MSP has a much deeper experienced technical bench that can parachute in to contain and address the issue quickly and professionally.
Not only can an MSP solve problems quickly and efficiently, but they can also offer advice on products, processes, lessons learned and IT efficiencies from their other clients. This simply doesn’t exist with in-house IT.
And if you ever have any questions, you can always rely on your MSP for support. They’ll be happy to help you out, whether it’s over the phone or through their online support portal.
- Better Uptime
One of the most important things for any business is to have reliable systems that are always up and running. But with an in-house IT team, there’s always the risk of something going wrong. A server might crash, a power outage could take your systems offline, or a hacker could breach your network.
You can rest assured with a managed IT service that your systems are always up and running. That’s because MSPs have the tools and expertise to prevent problems before they happen. And if something does go wrong, they can quickly get your systems back online so you can avoid any costly downtime.
- Increase Productivity
If you do have an in-house IT team, they’re always working on something, whether it’s fixing a problem or updating your software. But with a managed IT service, all of those tasks are taken care of by the MSP.
That means your in-house team can focus on more important things, like developing new features for your product or providing better customer support. And it also means you don’t have to worry about things like patching and updating your software; the MSP will take care of that for you.
- More Flexibility
Managed IT services can also give you more flexibility when it comes to your IT needs. If you have an in-house IT team, you’re usually stuck with whatever they can provide. But with a managed IT service, you can choose from a wide range of services that can be customized to meet your specific needs.
For example, if you only need help with monitoring and patching your systems, you can get a managed IT service that only provides those services. Or if you need more comprehensive support, you can choose an MSP that offers a wide range of IT services.
- Better Preparation for the Future
With a managed IT service, you can be sure that your business is prepared for the future. That’s because MSPs always stay up-to-date on the latest technology trends and can offer advice on things like which software to use or how to improve your network security.
And if you ever need to scale up your IT infrastructure, you can be confident that your MSP will be able to support you. They’ll be able to quickly add new users or services to your account so you can avoid any disruptions to your business.
- Save Money
Perhaps the biggest advantage of managed IT services is that they can save you money. When you have an in-house IT team, you have to pay for things like salaries, benefits, and training. And if you ever need to scale up your IT infrastructure, you’ll have to pay for new hardware and software.
With a managed IT service, you only have to pay for the services you use. That means you can save money on things like expensive software licenses or hardware repairs. Plus, you can avoid the costs of downtime by choosing an MSP that offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
