Many small businesses are already taking advantage of the cost-savings, scalability, and productivity enhancements that MSPs provide, especially when it comes to IT Services. Recent reports show that 29% of small businesses already use MSPs and 90% agree that they have a positive impact. Yet, each business is different and the decision to outsource should be measured against what you need, the resources you have and your budget. If you’re wondering if it’s right for you, read more about how Managed IT Services can help a small business …
Why Should I Outsource My IT?
When people think of contracting MSPs for IT Services, they often think of technical support and help desks. Yet, there are many other ways a MSP can augment or support your existing IT capabilities. Let’s quickly run down the list of most-used services and exactly how Managed IT Services can help a small business…
Managed IT Support: This involves traditional tech support and help desk services.
Benefits: Avoid the cost of a large in-house team of IT professionals but gain the same level of support and expertise. Access trained agents familiar with commonly-used systems, who can support you even outside business hours.
Managed IT Security: Security services such as implementing security protocols, IT security planning, monitoring networked services and systems, and ensuring security compliance.
Benefits: Reliable monitoring of IT systems and infrastructure can better prevent malware and ransomware attacks. With a team dedicated to your company’s IT, it is easier to stay on top of current security protocols and requirements. Minimize security lag with upgrades and patches that are installed seamlessly and on-time.
Managed Hardware as a Service (HaaS): Instead of investing in equipment purchases, you essentially “lease” hardware from a MSP with an agreement that covers hardware and software updates, systems maintenance, and administration.
Benefits: HaaS allows you to keep up with the latest hardware through lower-cost monthly payments that you can deduct as an operational cost. No more worry about the additional or sudden costs of replacing, updating, or repairing equipment, or hardware and software licensing requirements. The service contract takes care of all that, and with Com Pro, we guarantee new tech every 3 years, plus super fast deployment.
Managed Cloud Services: Managed cloud hosting involves leasing cloud space for additional data storage and backups, as well as running your operating system and local networks through the cloud.
Benefits: With cloud space that is entirely managed by the MSP, you increase your technical capabilities and infrastructure, plus you get the added benefit of scalable storage, and technical support for cloud usage, without having to maintain or manage the cloud-based services yourself.
As you can see, there are many services under the “Managed IT” umbrella. A company can choose to work with certain niche services, or they can choose to have all their IT managed by one provider.
Going “All In”: How Managed IT Services Can Help a Small Business Succeed
Having all your IT Services with one MSP means you have one point of contact for all your questions and concerns. You won’t have to juggle multiple accounts, with multiple IT staff, and varying reliability, especially if certain services don’t work seamlessly together.
Here are other benefits to having one MSP as your IT Services provider…
More Secure Systems
According to Verizon, 43% of cyberattacks involve small businesses and a 2018 study by IBM and the Ponemon Institute found that the average cost to Canadian companies is $5.9-million.
A dedicated MSP can monitor your entire IT network, from cloud storage to operational systems and print networks, without having to spend unnecessary money building costly in-house teams. They can prevent disasters by ensuring that you have up to date security on all your hardware and they can plan and implement system-wide measures to keep hackers out, as well as disaster recovery plans, that can be otherwise expensive and daunting to develop in-house.
Scalable Technology for Less Cost
Outdated technology can burden a growing business. But while large enterprises can easily afford to scale their infrastructure and security as needed, smaller companies can have a difficult time keeping up. MSPs offer scalable infrastructure that allows you to access the latest cloud-based systems, software, and hardware, as you need them, while you also profit from a pool of experienced IT experts that can ensure all your tech runs smoothly, for a fraction of the cost.
Freeing Up Staff
Recent studies show that the average employee wastes 46 minutes per day on tech issues. By hiring an outside IT Services provider, you free up your staff, so they can focus on growing your business. You also provide them with a common, single source for tech support issues, so if they encounter a problem, rather than wasting their time on fixing it, they can have it quickly and easily remediated by your MSP support team.
Make Work from Home Effortless
With more and more employees working remotely, companies need to give access to company systems, no matter where their staff is located. MSPs like Com Pro can help you find the right solutions that allow you to easily shift workloads to the cloud, making access from home effortless. MSPs can also maintain the utmost levels of security by constantly monitoring systems for potential attacks.
As you can see, there are many benefits to hiring MSPs, and while you may know how Managed IT Services can help a small business, how do you choose the right provider?
What To Look for in a Managed IT Services Provider
The important thing is to find an IT Services provider that can quickly identify and resolve problems, and who also has the expertise and experience to recommend and implement system-wide measures to prevent root issues from recurring.
At Com Pro, we can work with you to find the best combination of services to complement your existing IT, or we can manage everything so you no longer have to worry about your technical needs. Find out more about how Com Pro can help support your business’ IT. Get a free assessment today.