In today’s tech-savvy world, every business needs effective IT systems and services to stay competitive. With modern software and emerging services changing how companies handle their day-to-day IT operations, the most effective way to manage your IT tech and services is by working with a managed services provider (MSP).
That’s particularly essential for small businesses that may not have the resources to support in-house IT teams. It will also be easier for your organization to keep up with technology trends. The initial outlay may be significant, but outsourcing your IT needs has long-term financial benefits.
Financial Benefits of Outsourcing IT Through an MSP
The long-term benefits you can gain by outsourcing your IT to a managed information technology services provider include:
Cost Advantages
The most visible benefit of hiring an MSP relates to cost savings. For starters, you won’t have to incur the cost of hiring, training, and maintaining an in-house IT team. Instead, you’ll have all IT-related tasks done for you by professionals at a lower cost. Multi-location businesses and those that work with remote teams, in particular, can benefit significantly from working with an MSP.
They won’t need an IT team at each location because MSPs primarily work remotely. What’s more, these IT professionals bring in the tools and expertise required to keep your IT-related operations running seamlessly, negating the need for you to spend more money. With time, your organization will save money by cutting back on the cost of managing its IT operations internally.
Outsourcing converts your IT costs into variable costs, allowing you to budget effectively. You only pay for the resources and workforce you use rather than maintaining a bloated team that may be idle at some point. Therefore, outsourcing allows you to focus your resources where they’re needed the most.
Increased Efficiency
Efficient business operations always translate into profits. In today’s technology-driven business world, efficient IT operations can help you stay competitive. If your current MSP doesn’t allow you to attain business efficiency, you need a managed information technology service provider specializing in the technologies your organization needs.
Small and medium businesses that attempt to manage all their IT operations in-house tend to have higher research, development, and implementation costs, not to mention the redundancies that could arise. Ultimately, this affects operational efficiency, translating into poor service delivery and higher expenses.
With a reliable MSP, you’re guaranteed years of experience in IT and expertise in delivering outsourcing projects of different complexity. Their ability to leverage IT and increase efficiency and productivity will go a long way in contributing to your company’s bottom-line and long-term growth.
Allows You to Focus on Your Strength Areas
Many small and medium businesses fail to attain their financial goals because they spend a lot of time and resources focusing on operations they hardly understand. Suppose you run an insurance company. Your tech needs can only be met if you hire the right in-house team or outsource your IT operations.
If you decide to hire an IT team, you may not have an idea about their job descriptions because that’s not your area of expertise. You might spend a lot of time and resources trying to assemble the right team, but with little success. While at it, other critical areas of your business may suffer.
With an MSP, you’re freed to focus on your core strength areas and provide the best-in-class services. You’ll have experts providing value-added services, so all you need to worry about is building your brand and venturing into new markets. As a small or medium business with limited resources, outsourcing allows you to focus on growing your operations without getting distracted by complex IT-related decisions.
Savings on Technology and Infrastructure
It’s easier for your organization to realize its long-term ROI if IT services get outsourced to an MSP. You’ll only need to pay the job contract since your outsourcing partner takes over all your IT processes and uses their infrastructure for the same. You won’t need to spend additional resources on technology and infrastructure, helping you to cut costs.
On the flip side, choosing to manage your company’s IT resources means investing in infrastructure and technology. Scaling will be a challenge because it translates into extra expenditure. A managed information technology service provider brings on board the expertise and technologies needed to streamline your organization’s IT processes and guarantee long-term profitability and a return on investment.
A reliable MSP also has all the resources your organization needs for its IT-related projects. When you outsource your IT operations to them, they’ll get down to work immediately. On the other hand, handling everything in-house means you may need time to assemble the right team, infrastructure, and resources. Managed information technology service providers bring years of experience and resources and can help you implement your IT projects without lags.
Risk Reduction
Regardless of the size and scale of your business, it carries a significant amount of IT risk. Regulatory requirements, competition, markets, technologies, and financial conditions tend to change rapidly and may affect your business effectively. An easy way to stay on top of your company’s risks is by outsourcing its IT operations to an MSP.
The average cost of an IT breach currently stands at $4.24 million, a significant sum for small and medium businesses. Typically, cyber breaches result from the lack of IT security infrastructure to keep threat actors at bay. IT services providers have the resources and expertise to establish robust cybersecurity policies and infrastructure, minimizing your risk.
By handling your IT operations, your outsourcing partner assumes and manages much of the risk on your behalf. Their industry-specific expertise on compliance and security issues can help you prevent breaches and the costly penalties that accompany them. So, with an MSP managing your IT operations, you won’t have to worry about expensive breaches and the related ramifications.
Leveling the Playing Field
Indeed, small and medium businesses don’t have the financial might to maintain the high-end IT support services that large corporations have. For this reason, having an in-house team means you’re likely to be too stretched to manage your IT operations, leaving you at a disadvantage.
Outsourcing the IT operations levels the playing fields by enabling you to access the same services that the bigger companies use. The best part is that you won’t need to break the bank to access these technologies and expertise. Your small business will be able to offer the same quality of services as its bigger competitors. In doing so, you’ll attain your long-term financial ROI on IT support services faster.
You Work With a Qualified and Experienced Team
If you’re not IT-qualified, understanding your organization’s IT needs will be difficult, regardless of how experienced you are in running a business. On the other hand, few IT-related problems are new to managed information technology service providers because they handle the same issues repeatedly.
In-house IT teams lead an isolated existence regardless of their level of training because they’re used to working in the same environment. On the other hand, MSPs serve clients across multiple industries, so they understand the IT challenges that different businesses face. With them, you’re guaranteed an experienced and reliable team that can handle all your tech-related needs and a return on investment.
Comprehensive Systems Monitoring
Businesses must monitor the progress and performance of internal operations and customer outreach efforts ceaselessly. However, doing that yourself can be challenging, especially if you lack the IT infrastructure and expertise to undertake comprehensive systems monitoring.
A key benefit of working with managed IT service providers is that they can help implement refined and effective supervision of your organization’s core operations. By monitoring your systems around the clock, it’s easier for you to improve quality control and service delivery. You won’t need to hire a parallel team for the task because your MSP partner will do that for you.
Improved Customer Support
Through managed IT support services, it will be easier to implement multiple communication channels that give customers more choices when they want to reach you. Often, MSPs provide their services in bundles, so the chances are you might get auxiliary services that help you understand customers’ behavior better and connect with them more effectively.
Businesses with limited workforces often find it challenging to keep up with the growing volume of customer queries. However, your MSP partner can help you establish a reliable customer support system that supplements your company’s current team of support representatives. You may not even need to spend extra resources on this, thus saving time and money.
Flexibility, Resilience, and Security
Managed information Technology service providers typically offer workable payment plans that bring flexibility to your organization. You can either sign a no-obligation short-term contract or a long-term contract depending on your IT needs. Therefore, your business will only pay for the services it uses. Thanks to the round-the-clock services MSPs provide, you’re guaranteed business continuity with minimal downtime.
The secure and high-quality software and infrastructure you’ll access when you partner with an MSP guarantees data security and streamlined business operations. Rather than investing in an in-house team with no long-term ROI, you’re better off partnering with an MSP.
Key Takeaways
Businesses often think of outsourcing IT operations purely in terms of getting the dirty work off their plates. Nonetheless, working with an MSP can help you attain your company’s long-term ROI goals. For this reason, always look at the opportunities an MSP provides for you to grow, innovate, and meet your financial goals.
If you’re looking for a trustworthy and reliable MSP partner in the Los Angeles area, look no further than Frontline. For over 15 years, we’ve provided unmatched managed IT services that drive business performance and boost profitability. Contact us today to set your business on the path to profitability.
FAQs
How Much do Managed IT Services Cost?
There’s no standardized price for managed IT services. Each MSP offers different services, and all you need to do is identify one that provides the services you need at the right price.
What Happens to My In-House IT Team if I Hire an MSP?
By handing over your day-to-day IT operations to an MSP, your IT team will have the time and flexibility to pursue other equally essential projects and tasks that propel your business forward. The MSP partner you choose takes tedious and complex tasks off your team’s hands.
Is My Company too Small to Hire an MSP?
No company is too small or too big to hire an MSP. Smaller companies, in particular, can benefit significantly from outsourcing IT services because they save the cost of maintaining an in-house team. Bigger, multi-location companies can also benefit by avoiding the stress of managing IT teams spread across different locations.
How do I Choose the Right MSP?
With so many MSPs, choosing one that suits your organization’s IT and operational needs isn’t an easy task. However, your search will be easier if you evaluate your company’s tech needs, overall IT posture, and improvement areas to get an idea of what you want. After that, find an MSP partner that suits your requirements.
What Does Managed IT Services Include?
An MSP like Frontline, LLC provides a broad range of managed IT services, including application management, cloud management, and network and infrastructure management. With these services, you’re guaranteed enhanced IT posture, technology expertise, operational efficiency, improved business continuity, and ultimately, a return on investment.
Why Do Businesses Need Managed IT Services?
The primary reason to work with an MSP is their ability to help you streamline and optimize your IT operations. You’re also guaranteed improved dependability, enhanced compliance and security, access to emerging technologies, and predictable pricing. Your MSP partner also takes up some of your organization’s operational burden.
How Do MSPs Differ from Consulting Services?
MSPs and IT consultants perform somewhat overlapping roles in supporting your company’s IT operations. Both experts help you pinpoint and implement the best technologies and IT infrastructure. Nonetheless, a consultant is likely to walk away when an implementation ends, while an MSP develops long-term relationships and supports your organization for years.