Have you ever thought of taking your business to the next level? If the answer is yes, hiring a managed service provider can help. Outsourcing your IT to MSPs can help you focus more on the needs of your customers.
Before we take a deep dive on its role, let use first define what it is.
What Does MSP Stand For?
MSP stands for managed service provider. It refers to an IT support company that manages a business’ IT devices and networks. They may do it either remotely or at their customer’s premises. MSPs can offer a myriad of services, including monitoring of your IT network, executing repairs, implementing patches, migrating data to the cloud, and installing new hardware.
The service level agreement between the MSP and the customer will define the exact services that will be delivered, which are usually offered at a flat fee.
Collaborating with an MSP is completely different from having a dedicated staff onsite or paying by the hour for periodic assistance. This IT support model is called "break-fix", as the business only calls the IT company when issues occur or things break.
While some see this as cost-savings, it could also get expensive in the long run. Since you do not get proactive monitoring and prompt resolution, it’s hard to see problems before they arise and you’ll just know about them once they get deeply entrenched in your network.
In general, companies can leverage the expertise of a managed service provider to better strategize the most effective use of IT.
What Benefits Can You Gain with an MSP?
Makes Your IT Operations Reliable and Scalable
A trusted MSP can significantly improve the company’s overall IT operations by providing expert staff and state of the art technological infrastructure. What does an MSP do? They can provide clients with a wide variety of IT services that are scalable to meet changing needs. They can suggest and implement solutions that your company will need now and in the future.
In addition, competent MSPs offer round-the-clock help desk service. This enables employees to have a more seamless IT ticket resolution. Instead of waiting assistance from overburdened in-house tech resources, tickets are processed and resolved quickly.
Another important service that managed service providers offer is performance monitoring. With high-end firewall, agents, and tools, managed service providers can oversee your IT network’s performance. In case something goes wrong in your system, MSPs can flag them down and address them right away. Taking these steps can reduce any disruption to your business processes.
Improved Budgeting
Since you won’t be required to purchase new IT infrastructure for monitoring and hire dedicated employees for IT management, you can reduce IT costs substantially. Managed service providers offer a lot of plans that cater to varying needs. This helps you company handle your IT inventory and predict accurate monthly or annual IT budgets.
Freeing Up Dedicated Resources
A reliable MSP can assign dedicated IT and resources to perform different tasks for your company. Your company can implement effective strategies on how to use your IT assets to achieve your business goals within budgetary restrictions.
Trailblazing Cybersecurity
MSPs can provide companies multiple layers of cybersecurity protection through firewalls, applications, monitoring, filtering, and many more. They have the technology and expertise to keep cybercriminals out or to eliminate them immediately if ever they manage to penetrate their layered defenses. MSPs can also provide robust backups of critical data to ensure business continuity.
Updated IT and Compliance Requirements
MSPs guarantee that your company’s IT network is regularly updated with the most effective version so compliance requirements are constantly met. With their state of the art technology portfolio, your company can reap multiple benefits without the need to research and implement it by yourself.
Regular Backups
What does an MSP give you? Peace of mind. With backups and disaster recovery plans, your management team and employees can rest easy knowing that all your data and business applications are at a secure location. In case a man-made or natural event occurs, MSPs can quickly restore operations with backed-up data and applications. This way, you can dodge the consequences of costly downtime.
Closing Thoughts
Now that you know a thing or two about managed service providers, it’s worth considering to contact one soon. MSPs will be a trusted partner that will take care of your IT needs so you can focus on your company’s core objectives.
Do you want to know how ITarian can boost your bottom line? Reach out to our staff today.
