Outsourcing IT to a managed services provider is an increasingly popular business strategy, with an estimated $64 billion spent on IT outsourcing in 2017 alone.
It’s not just large companies that are using managed IT services, either. Even the smallest businesses are reliant on an effective IT infrastructure that meets their needs, without breaking the bank. Plus, having a very small in-house IT team and/or budget means there are limitations to what small businesses can achieve if they don't outsource.
We’ve discussed previously how managed IT services for business can be very cost-effective. But how is using an MSP good for business efficiency?
If you have an internal IT team, you might think you have all of your IT bases covered; but using a combination of both in-house and external IT support could be more beneficial than a single strategy approach.
Here a few ways that managed IT services for business can help you operate more efficiently…
Enhanced security
Managed service providers (MSPs) have entire teams dedicated to one aspect of IT, so it’s likely that they will have more expertise in certain areas than an in-house team, like security, for example. Network security is paramount to most organisations, so you want the best possible measures in place to protect it. Your MSP will use the most current and robust security software and provide round-the-clock monitoring of your systems, giving you a service that far exceeds what most businesses could achieve in-house. With security taken care of, your in-house team can focus on other tasks and you can relax knowing your network is protected.
Free up in-house staff
By carefully choosing which areas of your IT to outsource, your in-house team can have the time and flexibility to work on strategic projects that will add value to your business. Your MSP could look after security, network monitoring or email, for example, keeping things ticking over in the background while your in-house team work on other projects. What's more, your MSP may be able to perform these tasks better than your in-house team could by using the most current software and technology; a win-win situation for any business.
Better continuity and up-time
If there’s a problem with your network, you need to know it will be resolved quickly before your sales, service and/or reputation are affected. But what if your in-house ‘go-to guy’ is away that day? What if the one person who can fix the problem is out of the office? Using managed IT services for business mitigates this risk. Your MSP will have lots of employees with skills in different areas of IT who can look after your network and resolve issues as quickly as possible. This gives you better up-time (which will also be outlined in your Service Level Agreement) and business continuity. Business as usual, under any circumstances, is the aim of the game!
24/7 support
Managed IT service providers offer round-the-clock support to customers, so they’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can report any problems outside of office hours and know they will get picked up, which isn't always possible with just an in-house team. Your Service Level Agreement will also include the response and resolution times that the MSP will work to.
Do you already use an MSP for some of your IT? Has using managed IT services for business helped you run more efficiently? What benefits has your business seen? Let us know in the comments!
For more information on how using managed IT services can help your business run more efficiently, drop Core a line.
