Many small businesses start by managing their office IT tasks in-house. This can work if your business only has a couple of employees. However, as the business grows, you will not have the time or patience to complete data backups, perform software updates, or troubleshoot employee tech issues. If this situation sounds familiar, consider outsourcing your IT tasks to a Managed Service Provider (MSP).
Why does your business need an MSP?
- You cannot afford system downtime or data loss. Imagine your data backup and recovery systems stopped working for weeks without you realizing it. Then, your email server goes down. Since your company did not back up the email server, valuable emails, including customer information, legally binding documents, and company reports, are lost. Repeated long-term outages and data loss can disrupt your operations, erode client trust, and even threaten your business’s survival. An MSP will deliver fast, secure IT operations by assessing your current technology environment and developing a customized business technology plan. Over time, executing this plan will increase employee productivity, reduce financial losses, and provide peace of mind.
- Monitoring IT systems can become complex: Most businesses rely on multiple vendors for software, including Microsoft, Adobe, Symantec, VMware, Oracle, and more. An MSP already has a comprehensive alerting system in place for monitoring the activity of your applications, devices, data backups, and security. Additionally, they will send you a report via email at your preferred interval (daily, weekly, etc.).
- System operations could be at risk from unapplied software patches. Software vendors, such as Microsoft and McAfee, will send updates for their products to address issues related to performance, usability, and security. For example, if the company does not apply a McAfee patch, your employees can leave their computers vulnerable to viruses and malware, resulting in hours of lost work due to downtime. An MSP will monitor your software and update it regularly.
- You might be losing money fixing a preventable issue: Traditionally, small businesses usually call on an IT support technician only when something breaks. However, if a major component fails, such as a server, a technician could spend many hours trying to restore the device. These hours of labor can result in a significant invoice for your business. An MSP uses a combination of quantitative data and real-world experience to forecast any upcoming IT issues. That way, you and your MSP can still choose to find and use less expensive, less time-consuming solutions.
- You may have limited expertise in IT support, or you may know your industry like the back of your hand. However, someone who has been focused on running a restaurant, for example, will not have the same level of IT expertise. An MSP’s employees are a source of true IT knowledge, thanks to a combination of certifications and on-the-job experience. As the business owner, you can access this expertise with a single call to the MSP’s help desk.
- Your tech systems do not enable company innovation: most companies spend 80% of their budget on basic infrastructure, which does not drive business growth. An MSP can help you spend less overall by offering a predictable monthly fee for keeping your IT systems well-maintained. With your savings, you and your MSP can discuss using technology to grow your business and adapt to changing business conditions. For example, you might consider purchasing automated software that will help your employees complete everyday tasks more efficiently.
If you’re interested in hiring a Managed Service Provider for your business, SwiftTech Solutions can help. You can call 877-794-3811 or email info@swifttechsolutions.com for a free consultation.
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