Who Needs Managed IT Services? Identifying Your Business's Needs

Small businesses have to juggle many roles and can face many challenges, particularly in regard to managing their IT infrastructure. A limited budget, a lack of talent, and difficulty implementing regulatory compliance measures are among the biggest hurdles small-business leaders have to overcome. 

Managed IT services can help by allowing small businesses to outsource their IT services, which can be more effective and cheaper than handling it all in-house. You can level the playing field and compete with much larger businesses without the burden of employing a full-time, fully staffed IT team. 

Understanding Managed IT Services

Managed IT services cover a range of offerings, such as setting up and maintaining your network, handling software installation and updates, setting up cloud services, and manning your help desk. However, outsourcing your IT services doesn’t mean you completely give up control. You can still maintain your own IT staff. You can choose to outsource all of your IT services or just a portion. 

Working with a managed service provider (MSP) frees up your company to focus on its primary business operations. You don’t have to worry about exhausting your resources while trying to keep up with tech advancements and regulatory changes. 

Identifying Your Business's Needs

To get the most out of working with an MSP, you need to start by clearly identifying your business's needs. Sit down with relevant stakeholders and discuss your pain points, including any areas where you’re currently diverting resources that could be used to build your business. 

Also, consider factors such as how large your team is, how complex your IT systems are, and what your budget is. Think about how you expect your IT needs to change in the near future. 

You want an MSP that can meet your current needs and grow with your company. You’ll get the best results from working with an MSP if you carefully align your IT needs with your business goals. Your IT should help you meet your objectives by enabling more efficient operations, whether that’s through artificial intelligence applications, data analysis, or other use cases.  

Signs You Might Need Managed IT Services

If you aren’t sure about whether you’re ready to outsource your IT services, here are some signs to look for: 

• Your team has a backlog of IT tasks because it's overwhelmed and can’t meet the current demand. 
• You’re having recurrent IT issues, including outages, unpatched applications, and other problems. 
• You know you should be implementing more cutting-edge tech advancements, but your team doesn’t have the skills or capacity to do so. 
• You’re not sure if you’re complying with all applicable regulations or following best practices for effective cybersecurity. 

The Benefits of Managed IT Services

In today’s global marketplace, small businesses are competing with huge corporations. Enterprise-level organizations have the resources to build large IT departments and absorb the costs. MSPs offer a similar level of service so small businesses can be more competitive. 

Improved Security 

Because an MSP specializes in providing IT services, it's better equipped to implement strong security and data protection measures that meet regulatory compliance standards. 

Increased Efficiency

Without the burden of handling complex IT tasks, your team is free to focus on high-value tasks in your primary area of business. You can concentrate on growing your business while outside experts handle your IT. 

Reduced IT Costs

Outsourcing your IT services is much more cost-effective than staffing your own in-house team. Highly skilled IT professionals command a high salary and are highly in demand.

Access to Expert IT Support

With an MSP, you’ll always have an IT expert on hand. Whatever type of problem you’re facing, they’ve seen it before. You’ll have the benefits of an experienced IT team without the expense. 

Scalability and Flexibility

By working with an MSP, you can access the IT services you need when you need them. As your business grows, you can scale up your services. You’ll also have the flexibility to expand your services temporarily if you need to — for instance, if you’re implementing a new system and need extra help. 

Choosing the Right Managed IT Service Provider

While many MSPs offer similar services, they aren’t all created equal. When you’re evaluating providers, look into their experience and certifications. You can start by asking your industry peers for recommendations or look up reviews on third-party review sites such as Google and Yelp. 

The service-level agreement (SLA) is the contract between you and the MSP. It outlines the level of service you can expect, the metrics used to track it, and the remedies you have if there's a dispute. Before you commit to an MSP, carefully read the SLA and compare it to others you’re considering. 

Key Takeaways

Outsourcing your IT services can save you time and money as well as mitigate your cybersecurity and data protection risks. Standley Systems has decades of experience helping businesses like yours adapt to evolving markets. 

Our expert team can work with you to tailor a plan to meet your needs while delivering top-notch service. Reach out today to learn more.