Managed IT services have become one of the hottest solutions in business today. There are many reasons for its popularity — including it significantly free up resources, boosts profitability, and delivers a competitive advantage for small businesses.
Simply stated, managed IT services are designed to assist companies in maintaining and supporting their networks and IT infrastructures with the assistance of an outsourced managed services provider. The types of managed IT services that are available include remote network monitoring, programming and reporting, firewall monitoring, intrusion detection, preventative tasks, disaster recovery, data backup, and help desk support.
Here are 7 critical reasons why small businesses need managed IT services now, as well as throughout the life of their businesses.
1. Reliability
Managed IT services execute a different approach from the old-school break-and-fix IT services. Instead, they anticipate what IT issues could occur and head them off before they wreak havoc on a business. This helps you sleep at night, knowing your network will still be running your business in the morning.
2. Return on Investment
Businesses want to install the latest tech tools to keep their businesses current. However, many business owners are not tech experts, which leaves them at a disadvantage when it comes to their network. An experienced managed IT service provider can help small business owners harness the power of advanced tech solutions, so they can invest wisely and enjoy IT efficiency and productivity — which, ultimately, impacts their ROI.
3. Efficiency
When a third-party provider manages your IT, you can rest assure that all data storage, application updates, security, monitoring, and reporting is taken care of. This will streamline your resources and allow you to focus on your business’s core requirements and your long-term goals.
4. Cost
When you hire a managed IT service firm versus hiring an IT team, the cost of operating your businesses is greatly reduced. As a result, your resources can be used for other purposes, such as to directly support your strategic business objectives.
5. Security
Detecting cyber threats and intrusions, and protecting business data, including customer data, have become crucial for small businesses — especially if they are using the cloud to store sensitive data. Managed IT services offer 24/7 monitoring to avoid any security glitches. Even on the physical front, they offer a secure data center to support the business’s IT infrastructure.
6. Scalability
Managed IT service providers support the IT requirements of small businesses as they grow, without adding significant costs. As a result, businesses can open new offices, increase their staffs, or reorganize knowing their IT needs will be there to meet their business’s changing needs.
7. Compliance
As security regulations, standards, and norms change, businesses need to ensure that they manage these updates, or could face stiff penalties. Managed IT service pros can tackle these compliance issues to keep small businesses compliant on every critical front.
If you do not currently have a managed IT service firm onboard, consider how these advantages and others could help your business run more productively, cost effectively, and profitably.
