It’s a decades-old question that businesses continue to ask: should we outsource our IT? What benefits can a managed service provider (MSP) bring to our business, and are managed services cost effective? The ideal option varies from business to business, but the strong growth trend for managed services provision indicates an increased willingness among businesses to utilise managed services. Why? Let’s look at some of the primary benefits of MSPs.

1. Improve scalability

   

   Your IT department’s size and scope are closely linked to the size and scope of your business. Any change in your product or service offering will create implications for IT. Rapid growth of a business can also rapidly place IT resources under pressure.

   But how do you know whether your business will continue to see rapid growth? Can you scale your IT resources quickly enough? Conversely, when your IT requirements shrink, MSPs can rapidly scale service provision.

2. Round-the-clock support

   

   With a growing trend towards remote and flexible employment, your employees now require IT support outside of the traditional, narrow 9 to 5 window. However, you cannot expect your internal IT staff to be available around-the-clock.

   Managed services sidesteps this conundrum by operating at a scale that allows for round-the-clock service provision. As a result, support is available for all of your staff, at whatever time it is required.

3. Proactive provision

   

   Internal IT support teams can often fall into a trap of problem fixing. Seen as first responders, your IT staff will happily fix and repair as necessary, but this reactive approach inevitably leads to downtime and slimmer revenue and profits. Internal teams can be reactive due to being overworked or because they simply lack the tools and the knowledge to be proactive.

   In contrast, your managed IT services provider can monitor your systems from a distance and head off larger issues at the first sign of trouble. MSPs are also highly focused on timely patching and upgrading and can advise your business on reliable backup strategies – all of which prevent downtime and costly losses.

4. Get IT compliance and security right

   

   Small and medium-sized businesses struggle with compliance and security because the issues are so complex. Whether it is GDPR, or the risk of ransomware, your MSP will have a much better grip on the facts.

   Only the largest enterprises can afford to build comprehensive knowledge centres around compliance and security risks. Consider outsourcing IT compliance and security questions to an MSP instead of relying on in-house advice that is not comprehensive.

5. Focus on your business

   

   A quality managed IT services provider will enable your company to focus on what it does best. For most businesses, this is not IT support, and only the largest firms can afford an IT department that can match the strength and breadth of skills offered by an MSP.

   Focus leads to efficiency, and your MSP can respond more rapidly and more productively to your IT requirements. While your employees focus on efficiently running and promoting your business, your MSP’s experts can focus on ensuring each technology service in your business runs smoothly.

6. Introduce cost savings

   

   The cost-benefit comparison between in-house IT and managed IT services is a tricky one to make, and businesses often fail to see the salient costs of running an in-house IT team. Firstly, your IT team is costing you more than just salaries and benefits. Everything from desk space to dismissing an unproductive worker adds to your cost base.

   Furthermore, as previously discussed, your MSP can reduce costly downtime and mitigate the probability and impact of security breaches. Merely comparing MSP service fees to salaries does not tell the whole story: consider the bigger picture, as MSPs can introduce large cost savings.

7. Find novel IT benefits

   

   It is easy for businesses to simply tick over with the same staid but functional systems year-in, year-out. However, it is extremely likely that a quality MSP is more well versed in the current state of technology and the benefits it can bring to a business.

   MSPs are in the business of technology and can help find novel applications that your internal IT team may miss. Technology can provide huge competitive advantages if properly exploited, and your MSP can help you to do this.

When to switch

Businesses often postpone switching to an MSP, but a combination of prompts can lead to a switch. A better understanding of the benefits of managed services is one such prompt, and we’ve outlined several benefits here. Losing control of your IT costs is another reason to switch.

Furthermore, failing to utilise cloud services, and a long lag since the last upgrade cycle, are other solid reasons. Regardless of your motivation, HTL is glad to discuss the benefits of managed services to your business.