What are the real benefits of Managed IT Services?

One of the biggest challenges that faces small-business owners is managing their information technology. Computers, mobile devices, software and, in some cases, servers have to be maintained and updated and replaced. That costs money. For those who choose to hire staff IT professionals, those costs can really mount up as their businesses start to grow. That’s where managed IT services providers (MSP) can shine. They have a lot to offer small, medium and large enterprises.

Below are some of the benefits that business leaders can derive from hiring outsourced managed IT services providers:

1. Affordability. A lot of MSPs offer service packages for the cost of one monthly fee. This makes budgeting easier because, unless the MSP tells them otherwise, the amount that clients have to pay for services each month remains consistent throughout the year.
2. Fewer trip fees. Every time a technician has to visit a client’s office to fix a problem, the client is charged a fee. These days MSPs can solve most minor IT problems remotely, which reduces their clients’ downtime and also saves them money.
3. Regular maintenance. Gone are the days when clients had to wait until something needed to be fixed before they saw their MSPs. Today, many MSPs offer software and hardware maintenance, repair and upgrading as part of their service packages. They monitor their clients’ systems, install updates regularly and when hardware or software needs to be replaced, the MSPs do that, too, at no extra cost to their clients. Business leaders who currently receive services from break-fix MSPs might want to start shopping around for those that include proactive maintenance in their service packages.
4. Dedicated IT team. With 24/7 help desk support as part of their service packages, MSPs allow business owners to enjoy all the benefits of in-house IT professionals without the added costs that go with them. The MSPs are responsible for paying for their teams’ training, education and salaries, not the clients.
5. Regular monitoring. Hackers can attack at any time. That’s why MSPs offer around-the-clock monitoring of their clients’ systems. Often, when issues present themselves, the MSPs alert their clients and resolve the issues. Sometimes, the issues are resolved before the clients have a chance to respond to the alerts. This gives business executives the peace of mind they need to focus on running their companies.
6. Backup plans. Backing up important company files is a must. Data backup and recovery is another service that MSPs provide. Their clients can rest easy, knowing that should disaster strike, their businesses won’t be crippled or ruined completely by the loss of mission-critical data. Regular testing ensures that all important company files are viable and available for use when needed.
7. Protection. MSPs often include data security in their service packages. Spam, viruses, pop-ups and other hazardous programs can all be routed by the system protections that MSPs install on their clients’ networks.

Computers, cloud computing and virtualization are here to stay. Savvy managed IT services providers know that they not only have what a lot of small- and medium-business owners need but also how to market it effectively.

Are you looking for a trusted managed IT service provider to help with all your IT service requirements?  We are your trusted team of IT professionals and we are standing by to help you.