Top Benefits of Managed Service Providers (MSPs)

Managed services are more important than ever for organizations, especially with the rise of data compliance legislation, frequent software updates, and ever-evolving security risks.

Managed services allow you to outsource your repairs, updates, maintenance, and other IT concerns to experts who work around the clock to ensure peak performance for your site and company. But what if you’ve never used a managed services provider and don’t know whether it’s worth your time and money?

Let’s break down the advantages and top benefits of managed service providers in detail.

Make IT Costs More Predictable

For starters, managed services make your IT costs more regular and predictable overall. When you sign up for a managed services package:

All of your costs are included in the monthly or annual rate you pay
Any unexpected expenses are covered under your managed services provider

In this way, you can budget your IT costs more evenly. Small businesses, in particular, may benefit from the predictability and low upfront cost of managed services.

Plus, if your IT systems ever encounter a massive repair that would cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars, you’re covered under the shield and expertise of managed services.

Low Downtime

The right managed services provider can also significantly reduce downtime for your website or network. The majority of downtime occurs because of equipment issues, such as malfunctioning servers or computers.

Managed services may cut down on the costs of downtime (both in dollars and in reputation) by implementing protective strategies such as:

Keeping cybersecurity protocols in place
Updating software regularly
Minimizing the chance for human error by employing experts in your company’s IT systems
Employing other safeguards as necessary

When your organization’s reputation hinges on maximum uptime, a managed services provider might be the best way to go.

Increased Scalability

As your business grows, you’ll need to add new networking capabilities, new software, and hardware, and otherwise scale up your IT systems.

Managed services providers make scalability much easier. They can coordinate scaling your network up, provide the new equipment necessary for the expansion, and even train anyone in your organization who requires special skills.

Alternatively, managed services may allow you to expand and upgrade your systems when it’s necessary without having to permanently hire and train employees who you may not need afterward (which can save you thousands of dollars).

In this way, managed services providers offer you both easy scalability and flexibility without requiring you to commit to massive expenses upfront.

Boosted Security + Preventative Measures

There’s no denying that cybersecurity concerns are important in this day and age. Small businesses in all industries are routinely targeted by cybercriminals. Even if you have antivirus software in place, keeping it updated and ensuring your security measures are up to snuff is a full-time job for several employees.

A managed services team can take care of cybersecurity for you. Not only can they monitor your system 24/7, but they can also:

Ensure that your security protocols and technologies are updated and suitable for modern cyber threats
Provide regular security training material as needed
Anticipate new cyber threats
Implement preventative measures, such as not allowing your day-to-day employees access to critical files or security systems

In many cases, a managed services provider can majorly boost your company’s IT security across the board.

Data Compliance Assurance

Data compliance issues are becoming more common, especially as legislation like the GDPR and CCPA is implemented. Even without this legislation, standards such as the PCI DSS and HIPAA often require compliance from your business to avoid heavy fees and reputational damage.

A managed services provider can ensure that you stay compliant with data security and consumer protection rules at all times. This way, you can reduce the administrative overhead and man-hours required to keep track of such compliance issues yourself.

This is even more important as legislation expands and as new rules are drafted. Once again, you or your employees don’t have to stay up-to-date with each new development. Let a managed service provider do the heavy lifting and free up your time for other aspects of your business.

24/7 Tech Support

Even modern IT systems still require tech support from time to time. A managed services provider can offer 24/7 Tech support whenever you need it without having to wait for another organization or a customer service channel.

This flexibility and immediate responsiveness can help you get back on track after a minor technical hiccup or prevent small issues from spiraling out of control.

Regular Upgrades Without Increased Workload

As your software and hardware reach the end of their lifespans, it still needs to be upgraded. Your managed services provider can ensure that your software, including all your security measures, is properly updated without increasing your employees’ workload unnecessarily.

Not only does this free up time for your workforce, but it also ensures that you aren’t subject to a technical glitch or a cybersecurity attack because your company forgot to upgrade to the latest version of a major piece of software.

Expertise on Your Side

Perhaps most important of all, a managed services team provides instant access to technical expertise at all times.

You never need to worry about being unable to understand some core part of your IT infrastructure or tech stack. Your managed services team will know the ins and outs of your IT systems and be able to handle maintenance, security checks, repairs, and even replacements when needed.

This technical expertise is more important than ever, especially as tech becomes more complex and as systems interlink with increasing regularity.

Summary of Benefits of Managed Service Providers

Ultimately, the advantages and benefits of managed service providers are too critical to ignore. That’s why LI TECH’s managed services are ideal for organizations just like yours.

Not only do we offer full network auditing, security, and risk mitigation, but we also provide scaling technologies and support to assist your enterprise as it grows. With LI TECH on your side, your company will thrive in the modern tech environment.