What are the Benefits of Managed IT Services?

[8 min read]

In our first post, we talked about what exactly are Managed IT Services. If you’d heard MSPs before but had no idea what they are, we recommend you start with that article.

But now that you know what managed it services really are, how do you know if they are right for your company?

Well, you’ve come to the right place. This article is all about the benefits of managed it services for your small and medium business.

One of the most ubiquitous and challenging problems in business is executing a vision while applying the right people and resources to the appropriate tasks. Managing daily duties in-house can prove too difficult, especially in small and medium businesses (SMBs).

Keeping up with all the latest trends in the various areas of technology, networking, IT services, big data, and machine learning can overwhelm SMBs. A colossal budget is often an encumbrance for those who need access to the cutting edge of technology to remain competitive.

Managed service providers (MSPs) have excellent managed tech solutions from resource management to talent on demand. Hundreds of small and medium businesses, corporations, and enterprises save hundreds of thousands of dollars per year utilizing managed IT services.

The value of the managed service industry is expected to skyrocket to over $350 billion by 2050. Why are managed IT services so effective?

Predictable and scaleable spending

IT services, especially the trending and popular innovations, can be extremely costly. For small and medium businesses, investing in IT upfront can be nearly impossible. Managing costs and savings are a small business’ bread and butter.

With IT services, operating expenses are consolidated into a single subscription, plan, or regular rate from MSPs. The cost savings and predictable usage of funds allow businesses to allocate remaining financial resources to other endeavors.

Once a business’ demand exceeds its capability, it can simply increase its IT service requirements from the MSP. Because managed service providers commonly work with SMBs and multimillion-dollar corporations, scalability is linear and manageable. Companies large and small all save time and money with MSPs.

Allows core team members to focus their attention elsewhere

Everyone from hiring managers, subject matter experts, and founding members can benefit from managed services in one way or another. Managed services allow employees to focus on other services they want to retain in-house while ‘outsourcing’ other services that potentially demand more talent, more resources, or higher computational requirements. MSPs give businesses the breathing room they need to find new ways of increasing business efficiency and growth.

High-quality MSPs will allow clients to dynamically adjust their IT needs based on the company’s size, revenue, budget, and demand. This way, businesses can decide whether they want an MSP to keep their servers online or envelop the entire IT department.

Your core team is free to focus on what is most important to your business

Easy access to professional talent

Innovative and cutting-edge technology also brings about new problems and challenges. Sometimes, an organization’s existing IT team doesn’t have the resources or knowledge to tackle these challenges. While businesses can overcome the challenges with new technology through hiring new talent, there are considerable expenses and indirect effects of recruiting new team members.

Companies no longer have to carry the weight of training people. MSPs provide organizations with the talent, resources, and training organizations and individuals need to succeed.

SMBs also have the peace of mind that there is always the right talent at the wheel, no matter what managed services they are using.

More reliable IT services

When businesses have to incorporate extensive and continuous IT services into their day-to-day operations, sometimes quality control issues slip through the cracks. Servers can shut down, websites overload, and even the staff’s internet can malfunction.

Utilizing an MSP for IT services allows SMBs to access highly reliable, robust, and efficient IT administrators, support teams, troubleshooters, and engineers.

When implemented correctly, MSPs can be the key to seamless, effective, and hardened IT service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers value high response times, minimal compliance issues, dependable products, and MSPs can deliver.

Better cyber security

Security is undoubtedly a topic of interest when dedicating IT services to a third party. However, many MSPs have certifications and licenses that ensure the data they handle is encrypted, secure, or resides behind layers of online countermeasures.

Using MSPs can reduce the risk of online bot attacks and credit card scams and prevent users from laundering money. Some of the most basic MSPs offer better standard security than many SMBs. Any added security benefits all parties involved.

MSPs Actively scale with their clients

Scalability and flexible services are huge advantages of using MSPs

As we briefly covered before, MSPs allow businesses to dynamically adjust how many managed services they want, what type, and the MSP’s involvement within the company. As technology evolves, demand increases, or the industry slows down; businesses may reduce or increase their ties with an MSP.

For example, a business uses an MSP to support its entire IT department and support team. Over time, the company begins to scale up with increased demand, more customers, and shifting market conditions.

The business can then seek to have an MSP manage additional IT services to keep up with demand. This can include AI and machine learning implementation, better cyber security, higher volume tech support, and more resources dedicated to maintaining and updating the company’s products.

How to choose an MSP right for your business

It can be challenging for SMBs to take advantage of the many benefits of managed services if they don’t even have an MSP! Here are some key characteristics for an ideal MSP:

• Offer adaptable and adjustable service plans. SMBs must ensure the managed service offerings suit their needs
• Maintain strong relationships with several cloud providers and fellow IT solution providers
• Offer both basic and advanced services
• Provide 24/7 support for both its clients and its clients’ customers
• Capitalize on remote monitoring and maintenance
• Has a robust legal team
• Has licenses or certifications in cyber security practices
• Provide value-based services in addition to IT management services
• Maintain continual updates to both their technology and their techniques
  offer various types of managed IT services that scale with a business’s growth
• Has a pre-existing list of established customers
• Offers managed services for enterprises as well as small businesses

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