6 Benefits of Working with a Managed Service Provider

Going back to the way things were before the pandemic may take a while, and for businesses, it may never happen because of the global shift to a remote work environment. A study done by Harvard Business School reveals that one out of six employees will make the move to work at home full-time, even after the pandemic is over. This means that remote work is here to stay, and small businesses will need IT and network security assistance. Therefore, building a partnership with a managed service provider (MSP), which functions as an extended or outsourced IT department, can provide a great resource to a small business. An MSP offers expert IT support and network management while saving your business money.

Top six benefits of outsourcing your managed IT services with an MSP:

1. Substantial Cost Reduction. Selecting, hiring, and training the new IT employees and purchasing hardware is costly. There’s no capital, or added training expense with a managed IT service. Companies can budget the exact cost each month. Additionally, a managed service provider will have all the necessary updated software and a staff of experts to oversee any technical questions or requirements.
2. Improved Cyber Security. The rising percentage of cybersecurity attacks on smaller businesses can mean many sleepless nights for business owners and the operations team. Outsourcing managed IT services will provide peace of mind because MSPs offer 24/7 monitoring — better yet, the response to possible attacks is almost immediate. For small businesses, hiring a staff of IT professionals to monitor the network 24/7 is impossible to do with limited budgets.
   MSPs use various advanced tools and system installations, such as antivirus and intrusion detection and prevention systems, to keep clients well protected from any cyber threat. Cyber security measures that managed service providers offer clients include detecting, diagnosing, and fixing security problems with utmost precision.
3. Expert IT Support. When starting a business or growing a small business, there’s not usually enough budget to hire experienced and proficient IT personnel to make necessary updates or monitor and respond to cyber threats. However, managed IT services provide you with access to IT professionals with years of training and experience. MSPs have a team of certified IT experts with a deep knowledge of technology who are extremely  proficient in handling all kinds of IT operations to keep your business running smoothly. Another advantage of working with a managed service provider is that business disruptions usually don’t happen or are kept to a minimum because the response to any problem is immediate.
4. Access To Premium Tools and Solutions. Bringing in new technology is often expensive and can take time to implement. Therefore, having the most current systems and software in place is difficult for any small- or medium-sized business. Technology changes quickly, so it’s unlikely for many SMBs to have the most current stack.  By providing clients with the most up-to-date IT tools and solutions, working with managed IT service providers allows a company to have the “latest and greatest” technology without the substantial financial burden. This also helps keep your business compliant with any standards and regulations required or technology. MSPs are familiar and knowledgeable regarding technology compliance requirements. As the service provider, remaining compliant with the technology falls on the provider—one less challenge for the business.
5. Reduced Downtime by Proactive Measures. If your perception of a managed service provider is that they are someone you use if there are problems with your system or something needs to be fixed because it’s not working. Think again. MSPs are not in the business of fixing things. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Managed IT service providers take a proactive approach to prevent and eliminate a connection break before it happens. But nothing is foolproof, so if something does occur, MSPs provide 24/7 network monitoring to make sure resolutions and fixes happen before it critically affects anything. Managed IT services use the quickest and the most advanced remote monitoring and management tools to detect, recognize and troubleshoot the potential glitches in the system. This approach stops problems from escalating and reduces downtime for your business. The longer it takes to fix a systematic error or deal with a cybersecurity threat, the longer your business will suffer. That’s why, even in enterprise-level companies, IT teams will use managed IT services providers to monitor their network.
6. Increased Productivity. One of the best things about working with an MSP is the ability for small businesses to focus solely on their core goals and future milestones without disruptions. All too often, we see employees from the IT department drawn away  from key projects in order to handle problems and system interruptions. Outsourcing the network management to an MSP enables the IT staff to concentrate on meaningful work rather than dealing with malfunctioning equipment and software.

Outsourcing managed IT services improves the company’s overall productivity and indirectly influences user productivity. By outsourcing and allowing the company network to be managed by experts, you are also providing a secure, problem-free network for customers and clients. The chances of your customers facing any problems are minimal, providing a great end-user experience.

Partnering with an MSP allows small- or medium-sized businesses to stay compliant with technology if needed, reduce downtime, increase productivity, work within a secured network, and have access to a pool of talented and expert IT professionals.

Visual Edge specializes in managed IT services and security, cloud computing, and print/copy solutions for businesses across the U.S., including remote offices. The company has more than 20 years of technology service with a national network of expert engineers. Request your no-obligation assessment today and get a free dark web analysis.