Tell me one field that is never the same every minute. Yes, it is technology. The very essence of technology is ‘change’. You see the development of new technology every minute. Even as you read through this article, technology is changing somewhere in the world. Under such circumstances, it becomes imperative for every business organization to adapt to this change wholeheartedly. This is where Managed Services comes into the picture.
What is IT Managed Services for small and medium businesses?
To put it in very simple terms, Managed services allow a business entity to delegate IT operations to an external service provider. This is also known as outsourcing IT services.
What is the role of a Managed Services Provider (MSP)?
The MSP assumes the responsibility of maintaining and monitoring the IT systems of any business concern round the clock. They are also responsible for managing and resolving problems that the IT systems throw up from time to time. This involves updating the systems so that they do not become outdated.
Let us see some of the key benefits of outsourcing IT to an MSP.
a) Effective Cost Control – When you outsource your IT services, you convert your fixed costs into variable costs. This enables you to do your budgeting right by allowing you to reach the Break Even Point earlier. You naturally incur fewer costs when you outsource IT because you only pay for what you use and that too, only when you need it.
b) Save on Labour Costs – Hiring an IT professional is expensive. On top of that, you need to train him/her on a continuous basis for the sake of knowledge updating. Outsourcing your IT services allows you to focus on the areas of human resources where you need them the most.
c) Experience always overshadows qualifications – However, qualified an IT professional you hire, nothing can beat experience. When you fall sick, do you go to an experienced doctor or do you rely on a newly graduated professional? You have the answer right on the tip of your tongue.
d) Focus on your strengths – Not every business entrepreneur is conversant with the finer aspects of IT. This is a specialised field that requires constant updating of knowledge. In case the business uses the time for updating of IT knowledge, they might not be able to concentrate on their core strengths. Outsourcing your IT requirements allows you to focus on your areas of strength.
e) Reduce risks – Every business activity comes with a risk element attached to it. Outsourcing your IT services to an MSP ensures that you have professionals handling this vital aspect of the business for you. They have the capacity to manage and mitigate the risks that IT brings with it.
f) Improve vendor management – The MSP is in the best position to negotiate with vendors. As a business entity, you will find it difficult to deal with these changes and updates on a regular basis. A specialised entity such as the MSP will be able to handle this portfolio better.
g) Ensure scalability – We have seen that technology is changing every minute. This entails that you need to maintain the scalability of your IT systems. As you expand your business, the IT services need an expansion as well. A dedicated MSP will be able to maintain the scalability and ensure that the systems are up to date all the time.
We have seen 8 key benefits of outsourcing IT using MSP. It is the need of the hour to remain updated all the time as the level of competition will not let you survive otherwise.
