Over the past few decades, new technology has allowed businesses everywhere to thrive by increasing efficiency and generating useful insights through data. Many processes and tasks can now be automated with the help of technology, and although an in-house IT team is helpful, the hiring process and making sure you are consistently delivered quality gets tricky. One of your most valuable assets is your network, and it is necessary to treat it with attentiveness and care in terms of maintenance.
Every business uses technology to maximize their efficiency and compete in their market. Businesses heavily rely on IT and their networks more than ever, and the cost of maintaining an in-house IT team continues to rise. Many small businesses are not able to afford unexpected costs much less the loss of their data. As a result, the quality and quantity of maintenance efforts to their networks are often sacrificed– leaving businesses open to further issues.
For decades, break-fix services were all companies really needed to rely on. Break-fix services are the companies a business calls when they run into internal hardware or network issues. For example, when a business comes across a server issue, they would consult an IT expert to explain and resolve the issue for them. If they’re lucky, it’s a quick fix; if not, repairs can get expensive and take time away from your business. In an age where time is money, most businesses can’t afford long downtimes and costly repair bills.
What are managed services? Managed services allow a business to outsource both maintenance and repairs to experts with a keen eye on the ever-changing IT world. A managed services provider (MSP) performs tasks such as network administration, data backups, network security, communications, and IT support, so that you can run your business with ease and peace of mind.
What can a great managed services provider offer you? How do you choose a managed services provider?
1: A managed services provider is cost-effective
A managed services provider is much more cost-effective than paying for break-fix services. Instead of running into unexpected high costs, an MSP can provide a predictable and low cost according to the specific needs of your business.
2: Minimizes business downtime
There are many circumstances that can cause downtime within a business, such as hardware malfunctions, power disruptions or surges, and human error; there’s no way for anyone to completely avoid it, really. And the cherry on top: a business’ network is always vulnerable to cybercrime. Two thirds of attacks are targeted at small businesses, likely because small businesses are least likely to have protections in place to prevent an attack. Employing strong safeguards within systems is a way to reduce your risk. A managed services provider has the knowledge and resources to help keep your business secure and minimize downtime.
3: Prevent problems before they happen
Break-fix IT services are out of date and can often be out of budget for a lot of businesses depending on the severity of the issue. Simply put, when it comes to networks and data, repair costs can be prohibitively expensive. Depending on the size of your business, a security breach or other IT-related disaster can cost millions.
Rather than calling an IT company when catastrophe occurs, it is logical to partner with a managed services provider, who can constantly monitor your systems for issues and prevent problems before they happen. Data breaches are particularly costly for the healthcare industry in comparison to other industries, with costs in healthcare being 2.5 times greater than the global average across all industries. The cost-saving associated with this approach is one of the greatest benefits of managed services.
4: Rely on experts
Hiring an in-house team from scratch is not a walk in the park. Training new employees can get time-consuming and expensive, and you won’t know how good they are until they come across network or hardware issues. A common factor with an in-house IT team is that they usually do not have the knowledge or experience that an MSP’s large and dedicated team has. Having a small in-house IT team can be effective for everyday issues, but an MSP can fill in the gaps in knowledge, experience, and resources to help you run a safe and secure business.
5: Focus on your business
If you don’t have an in-house IT team, a managed services provider is perfect for your business. Having an MSP allows you to redesign your workflows, freeing you up to focus on other aspects of your business.
6: Data compliance
A managed services provider handles the intricacies of compliance and audits so that you don’t have to worry about violating data security regulations. If you were to do this in-house, your team would have to sift through hundreds of standards and regulations and figure out which rules are applicable to your business, and which are not. Consequences for failing to meet any security standards or regulations can result in reputation damage that can be difficult to overcome, not to mention fines and/or lawsuits.
7: 24/7 support
Managed services providers use remote technology to monitor your systems both day and night. They can provide you with real-time alerts and potential problems of which you would have otherwise not known. If a system goes down in the middle of the night and no one discovers it until the next day, you could experience significant damage that might have been minimized or avoided altogether had it been caught and addressed earlier.
8: New technology
The world of IT is constantly changing, and one of the most costly aspects of IT is the equipment itself. Companies are constantly pumping out different upgrades and options for consumers, making it difficult to choose the ideal network infrastructure for your business. An important benefit of using an MSP is having constant access to up-to-date technology. No longer do you have to worry about outdated systems or investing in new technology. The cost of system upgrades is included right in your MSP fee.
In 2019, healthcare organizations accounted for 29.2% of all reported data breaches. Having experienced IT professionals maintaining your systems can shield your credibility and finances as well as your data. Let experts manage your network, so you can manage your patients’ (and your business’) health!
