4 Ways a Managed Service Provider Helps Your Business

Companies have a variety of technology and network security issues they need to address at any given time. When you’re trying to run a business, it can be hard to find a balance between addressing these problems and growing your company.

Enter managed service providers (MSPs). For a flat, monthly fee, these IT experts help your business manage its IT operations and devices. They’ll take care of your hardware, servers, and network so that you can focus on critical business projects.

While the thought of an outside source essentially becoming your IT department might seem daunting, there are many perks. Here are four of the best:

 

Expert Assistance

Appointing someone who “knows computers” as the office IT guru might be okay for minor (e.g. all that was needed was a hard refresh or a computer restart). However, when bigger problems arise it’s a different story. Your team can spend copious amounts of time and money trying to diagnose an issue. Or, you can hire an MSP.  

The majority of SMBs have limited in-house IT capabilities. Opting to partner with an IT service provider is a great way to get an industry expert in your corner, 24/7. No matter what the day or time, your MSP’s help desk is available to help you solve IT issues.

An IT professional can also help your business with important technology decisions. Rather than trying to sell you something, your IT service provider will inform you of all the possible solutions to help you make the best choices for your company.

Cost Savings

According to Gartner, “Worldwide IT spending is projected to total $3.7 trillion in 2018, an increase of 4.3 percent from 2017 estimated spending of $3.5 trillion.”

Simply put, IT spending is on the rise. Partnering with an IT service provider can save your business money in several ways:

  • Since all services and vendor management is provided by MSPs, your company no longer needs to focus on the day-to-day issues of IT. For one flat rate, your business will receive the IT support it needs with no hidden fees or conditions.
  • A set cost is much more affordable than unexpected costs throughout the year, especially when major issues arise. The flat, monthly rate will help your company budget correctly, freeing up more capital for other business needs.   
  • ITC found that “98% of organizations say a single hour of downtime costs over $100,000.” That’s more than a little loose change! Having an IT service provider will also help your business avoid downtime by keeping your technology and software up to date and running smoothly.

Proactive Solutions

According to Business Insider, “51% of small business owners cite time as the single biggest obstacle to adopting new technologies.” Fact is, business leaders are focused on growing their business, not worrying about IT.

With an MSP, you don’t have to worry about spending time keeping your business technology compliant, secure, and functioning. Your IT service provider handles all of that for you. They help prevent violation fines, security breaches, and downtime before they happen. Your IT service provider will also be proactive in monitoring for future threats, saving you time and money down the line.

 

Boost Productivity

There are plenty of ways outsourcing your IT services can help increase business productivity. Contracting out your IT needs will help you:

Free Up Time

If employees are spending time troubleshooting IT issues, they’re not working on their other projects. Partnering with an MSP will free up your staff so they can spend time taking care of their responsibilities and focusing on new ways to grow your business.

Additionally, if you have an in-house IT department, it’s likely stretched pretty thin. Outsourcing day-to-day help desk and user issues will help your onsite department dedicate their time to more pressing backend projects.

Depend on Only One Provider

Making several calls to fix one issue is exhausting and takes up valuable time. When you work with an MSP, you can stop dealing with multiple service providers to resolve issues. Your MSP will serve as a one-stop shop for all of your IT needs.

Get Faster Response Times

Downtime can be a pain, even when it’s only a few moments to quickly fix something. Your MSP will keep your hardware and software running efficiently, helping you avoid downtime and increase productivity.

Next Steps

Working with an IT service provider to handle your technology needs will help you focus on what really matters: your business. You’ll gain peace of mind knowing that everything from hardware maintenance, software updates, and more are covered in your flat, monthly rate.

If having 24/7 access to IT experts, proactive solutions, cost savings, and a productivity boost sound like things you want for your business, contact us. PRO Oncall is ready to be your managed services provider and help your company thrive.