If your business is expanding and you see your in-house IT team having difficulties dealing with their new tasks, perhaps it’s time to consider managed IT services. Much like any other growing company or even large business, your business can benefit from the solutions managed IT service companies provide.
Are you unsure of how these service providers can help your brand? Broaden your familiarity with this probable solution by reading this article.
Keep all this essential information about managed IT services in mind so you can decide whether it’s right for your company.
1. Managed IT Services Can Improve Cybersecurity
Today’s digital world poses significant threats to businesses of all sizes, including cyberattacks, hacking, insider threats, and data loss. Even small businesses fall victim to these malicious acts.
However, despite knowing the need to take cybersecurity seriously, most small and medium-sized enterprises have no clue where to start in reinforcing their cybersecurity measures. This is where a managed IT service provider like Shipshape Managed IT comes into the picture.
When your business grows and adds new infrastructure, IT professionals can identify and resolve system vulnerabilities. This team of professionals won’t leave anything to chance as they strengthen network security and update all systems regularly.
Moreover, some IT service providers adhere to industry-standard practices like HIPAA (protecting sensitive patient health information), GDPR (EU law on data protection), or PCI-DSS (payment card security standard). Working with a provider that is compliant could save your company thousands of dollars per year.
For example, Uploadcare handles files on the web and ensures HIPAA compliance. Staying HIPAA compliant could cost $35,000 annually, but instead one can build an app on top of Uploadcare at little to no cost.
In the worst-case scenario even if security breaches happen, your managed IT service provider can reduce damages and formulate strategies to prevent recurrence in the future. While your in-house IT staff can create similar efforts, they might lack the specialized cybersecurity skills that experts in managed IT service companies have.
Also Read: 7 Ways Managed IT Services Drive Small Business Growth
2. Managed IT Services Save Time
It’s common knowledge that businesses should invest more in information technology. Having a full-time IT technician may be a great idea, but this could be an expensive labor expense for any company. As a result of the general lack of these IT technicians, regular employees often need to troubleshoot their own IT-related problems.
And even if you have an IT department in place, some employees may not be the most qualified IT technicians, so dealing with serious IT issues could take days or even weeks. This will mean wasted time, which also equates to wasted money.
With a managed service provider, many IT issues can be avoided in the first place, which saves you time. Managed IT, service providers, closely monitor the IT activities of their clients and they only use the best quality systems and services. Thus, when something goes wrong, business owners can take advantage of instant, expert assistance.
Depending on the package you’ve chosen, some services are available 24/7, which guarantees that your business can run as smoothly as possible.
3. Managed IT Services Can Be Tailored To Specific Business Needs
Another thing you need to know about managed IT services is that they’re flexible and customizable. There are packages that you can choose from, and you can add or opt-out of certain services depending on your business needs.
It’s guaranteed that the IT company will respond to requests and resolve issues within a preset budget. This will ensure you spend within your budget while ensuring that all concerns are resolved.
And since these services come with open contracts, you’re not committed to any long terms as well. However, you have the choice to renew your deals as often as you want, as long as both parties agree on the terms.
4. Managed IT Services Are Provided By Experts In The Trade
Advances in IT are continuously taking place. What may have been considered cutting-edge a few years ago, hardware and software were cutting-edge may no longer be used by many innovative companies today. Because the IT sector changes systems so quickly, it might be hard for the average worker to keep up.
The reality is most small businesses don’t have the time to stay on top of the latest technological developments. However, managed IT service providers are keen and well-versed in all the changes and developments in their trade. They also ensure to purchase the newest equipment to offer their clients the best possible service.
Furthermore, IT service providers are adept at dealing with any IT-related issue. They’re professionally trained, well-educated, and experts in the field. This makes them the right experts to hire for all your IT concerns.
5. Managed IT Services Reduce The Stress Of Your In-House Employees
A variety of technical tasks are involved in IT infrastructure management. These might mean problems could occur in both hardware and software systems. When your average workers experience such challenges, they’ll most likely feel stressed out.
They couldn’t continue working, which will impact your business productivity too. Even your internal IT department staff also has limitations when it comes to technical problems.
As they may already have too many things on their plate, handling complex IT problems will only lead to them being overworked and stressed out.
To support your in-house IT team, managed IT service providers can help them deal with these issues. Service providers help clients manage their businesses more effectively and efficiently by handling these tasks to experts. This way, your IT department workers can now focus more on their core tasks.
6. There Are Factors To Consider When Choosing Managed IT Services Provider
There are so many managed IT, service providers, in the market today. Each one boasts its own specialties and skills, brands, technologies, and performance capabilities.
The choice will ultimately come down to what type of service you want, how much assistance you need, and your budget.
Hence, when considering a managed IT service provider, take these factors into account:
Experience
Find a managed service provider that is tenured and has had several clients in a wide range of industries. It will help if they’ve worked with a business that’s similar to yours. This way, you can gauge how knowledgeable and familiar they are with your type of industry.
Qualifications And Service Offerings
An ideal managed service provider (MSP) should offer the right services for your company’s needs. During interaction and advising, they should be able to spot what your IT needs are.
They should also show and provide qualifications and certifications, so you can rest easy knowing that the right team of professionals is handling your business.
Professional Relationship
Hiring an MSP isn’t just about paying them for their services. You need to find a company that looks out for your business genuinely. You’d want to establish a professional relationship where respect is of utmost importance.
By partnering with a company that has these values, they’ll ensure to provide tips and support your business to make it grow and be better.
Also Read: How to Select the Best Magento 2 Development Company for your E-commerce Project?
Conclusion
These are some of the most vital information about managed IT services. The goal of managed IT services is to increase business efficiency and reduce costs. A managed service provider (MSP) shields you from cyberattacks and keeps you operational.
In addition to cost-saving benefits, this also gives business owners an edge in the marketplace. If you like what you’ve read, then it’s time to invest in hiring these experts for your IT needs.