11 Reasons Why You Need Managed IT Services (Now!)
More American jobs are being outsourced than ever before.
Indeed, approximately 300,000 of them are now performed by people overseas. That’s a whole lot of roles being moved out-of-house and into external hands!
And it’s really no surprise. Companies in every conceivable industry stand to gain from outsourcing parts of their operation- especially when it comes to IT.
That’s right, moving from an in-house team of IT technicians to managed IT services can make a world of difference. Everything from capital savings and round-the-clock support, to higher levels of technical expertise, becomes available.
Are you hesitating over the transition to managed IT support and want to learn more about its benefits? Allow us to enlighten you! Keep reading for 11 key incentives to outsource IT support ASAP.
What Are Managed IT Services?
As you’ve probably gathered, managed IT services take on the responsibility of supporting any or all of an organization’s IT-related needs.
It’s a modern system of support, whereby companies bid farewell to in-house teams in favor of outsourced input and advice. Alternatively, these managed service providers (otherwise known as MSPs) step in and provide supplemental support instead.
They work alongside the current team, plugging gaps in knowledge and performing tasks that would otherwise be unfeasible. The result?
Businesses are able to handle their burgeoning IT needs without having to hire or fire anyone. Moreover, the newfound external help enables the current team to return their focus to key responsibilities.
However, that’s just one of the many advantages of hiring MSPs. Want to know the rest? Read on!
The Benefits of Managed IT Support
Any company that decides to outsource its IT will enjoy a wide array of advantages. In the coming section, we’ll go through 11 of the main ones. We’re hoping it’ll provide the final push for anybody considering the transition.
1. Financial Savings
Think about how much your current in-house IT team costs your business.
You have to hire and train people, put them on payroll, and pay for their leave (be it sickness or holiday). Then, after all that, you may have to fire them! The money you invested goes down the drain, forcing you to spend more cash hiring and training someone new.
There’s an opportunity cost too.
After all, employees can only do so much. Someone who’s forever doing IT tasks is unable to perform their primary duties. Outsource the IT, though, and their efforts can return to revenue-generating responsibilities.
All told, outsourcing IT reduces overheads and boosts productivity in the process. Your margins increase as a result.
2. Predictable Overheads
Managed IT services simplify your overheads as well as reducing them.
You transform your IT costs into one fixed monthly fee. The outcome? You know what you’re paying, and when, which makes it far easier to budget and manage cash flow each month.
3. Managerial Ease
In-house IT teams aren’t just expensive. They can be a challenge from a managerial perspective too.
Everything from hiring and training to handling disputes and firing bad apples can be a hassle. You have to find cover when people are absent/ill, bring new employees in when older ones leave, deal with raise requests, and so on.
Managed IT simplifies the entire operation.
For one thing, you become a customer! That puts the onus on the MSP to deliver results. You can sit back and relax while they provide consistent support with none of the fuss.
4. Discounts on Tech and Software
Many businesses spend countless hours and thousands of dollars per annum updating their software and IT technology. Here lies an added monetary bonus of working with MSPs.
Basically, these companies have often got pre-negotiated arrangements with tech/software vendors that translate to financial savings for their clients. Outsourcing your IT allows you to take advantage of those reductions! Even better, it saves you the hassle of searching for the right products and negotiating directly with the vendor(s) for the best price.
5. Access to Modern Technology
Do you have the funds to invest in the latest IT tools, software, and equipment?
If you’re like most modern businesses, then the answer’s probably ‘no’. With limited access to capital, many companies are forced to rely on outdated technology and invest their money elsewhere instead.
That’s not the case for managed IT services. Remember, they’re in the IT business!
They make sure they utilize the latest technology so you don’t have to. After all, modern tech helps them attract new customers, compete in a crowded marketplace, and deliver the high standards their clients expect.
6. Become More Competitive
As we just noted, outsourcing IT allows companies to reap the benefits of the latest IT equipment without having to buy it for themselves.
That means they can compete more effectively with much larger businesses.
In effect, MSPs help level the playing field. In the past, small businesses would have no way to compete with the giants in their industry. They wouldn’t have the resources to invest in the latest gear, putting them at a constant disadvantage.
Managed IT services turn that predicament around. Assuming they can afford the monthly rate, a small business could use the very same systems as their largest competitors.
7. Constant Support
IT-related issues are unpredictable in nature. They come in many different forms and can arise at any given time.
Someone could hack into your system while you’re asleep. Your computers could crash at the end of the day. An employee could have data stolen from a work mobile. And so on.
Ultimately, you never know when the next emergency’s going to occur!
That’s bad news when you have an in-house IT team that goes home at 5 o’clock. Something could go wrong at 5.30 pm and you’d have no idea until the next day. Worse still, with nobody around to handle the situation, irreversible damage could be done to your business.
But that’s no longer an issue when you outsource your IT.
MSPs deliver round the clock support throughout the year. They’re monitoring your systems 24/7 and capable of handling any IT emergencies that arise.
8. Expert Input
The expertise to which you gain with MSPs is worth re-emphasizing.
Indeed, it’s one of their main selling points. As professionals in the industry, you can expect the highest levels of IT support from leading technicians.
These businesses can’t afford to provide anything less!
After all, it’s the only way they can expect to stay in business. Nobody’s going to hire them over a competitor if they develop a reputation for shoddy support. Rest assured that your IT’s in safe hands whenever you work with a respected company in the field.
It’s no-risk either. If you ever become unhappy, then you can cancel the subscription and jump ship to a new provider.
9. Minimize Downtime
Downtime is the enemy to any operation.
A single hour of it can bleed $100,000 from a company’s bank balance. Needless to say, it’s imperative that any business keeps downtime to an absolute minimum.
That’s another advantage that comes from outsourcing your IT.
Remember, you’re getting 24/7 support from a team of leading experts. They’re well-trained to handle technical issues and on-hand to do exactly that. Issues are identified and addressed in record time, minimizing downtime and saving money in the process.
10. Restored Focus
Small businesses and start-ups usually have more jobs to do than people to do them! A lack of capital makes it a constant battle to grow the operation. With no capacity to hire extra staff, everybody working is forced to juggle multiple roles at any given moment.
That’s one reason IT tasks and catastrophes prove so incapacitating. They divert manpower away from a company’s primary goals and demand attention that could be directed elsewhere. MSPs can help here too.
With IT experts in place, your employees can get back to doing what they do best. They’re able to do the job they were hired for, which is an obvious boon for the business.
11. Less Stress and Concern
What happens when you combine lower overheads and better technology with 24/7 expert support?
Peace of mind! You know the business is in safe hands at all times. Moreover, you have more money in the bank to handle any problems that do transpire.
Given the threat of cybercrime and the reliance of many operations on IT systems, that’s an almighty weight off many business owner’s shoulders. With less concern over potential trials and tribulations, you can turn your attention back to the task of growing the company.
Enjoy the Benefits of Managed IT
Increasing numbers of US businesses are outsourcing their IT to third party contractors these days. Hopefully, this post has demonstrated why that’s such a good idea!
As we’ve seen, the decision to do so is more than justified by the benefits on offer. Moving away from an in-house IT team creates financial savings, boosts productivity, simplifies processes, and provides expert input that would otherwise be unavailable.
Are you ready to transition to managed IT services? Contact us today to see how we can be of service.
