Businesses only have two options when it comes to Information Technology; build an in-house IT department or outsource part of their technical issues to a Managed Service Provider (MSP). Running an IT department is the traditional way of approaching this issue. This is where you put together a team of IT experts, train them and hope for the best.
Today, things have changed. Many small businesses are outsourcing their IT to MSPs, for a good reason. They are relatively cheaper, predictable, and generally better than an in house IT team. So, if you are still on the fence about outsourcing, here are some of the signs you might be missing out.
Your One-Person IT Department
The number of small companies depending on a one-person IT department is surprisingly vast. These poor guys are expected to monitor networks and systems, maintain infrastructure, and deal with downtime. That is obviously too much work for one person.
With an MSP, you get a team of engineers monitoring all your networks and systems 24/7/365. That translates to shorter or nonexistent downtime and overall smooth experience. Plus, they come with a predictable monthly cost, no more surprises.
Ticket Numbers are at an All-Time High
An increased number of tickets will most likely be a problem with your system. And they are usually followed by downtime. For a one-person show, this issue can take hours or even days to resolve, resulting in lost business.
A good MSP will catch all potential issues before anybody else does. They do this by continuously patching and upgrading the system to beef up security and ensure reliability. In case of an unexpected problem, MSPs have the human resources to deal with it, fast.
Your IT Spend is Over Budget
All systems and infrastructure are bound to break at some point. That means you have to bring in a specialist to help your “IT department” repair the mess, resulting in extra costs. Even worse, the rates can also go higher if you are trying to recover lost data or fix stubborn bugs in the system.
With a good MSP, your costs will remain constant, unless you want to upgrade infrastructure or get a new system. The service provider should repair all issues, software, or hardware related, at no extra cost. This predictability is perhaps the most exciting thing for most entrepreneurs. They should also have a reliable support system which works around the clock.