Small businesses don’t have unlimited resources. In many cases, they have to meet their business objectives without spending a lot of money on technical support services. Unfortunately, a lack of funds makes it difficult for some companies to get the proactive support they need to prevent unauthorized system access and keep their devices running. An MSP IT support can help a business overcome these challenges.
What Is a Managed Service Provider?
A managed service provider is a company that provides remote support and troubleshooting on an as-needed basis. Depending on the terms of the service level agreement, a managed service provider may provide support during office moves, help with infrastructure management and advise clients on professional services automation. Managed service providers may also help with the following:
- Mobile device management
- Remote firewall administration
- Network monitoring
- Disaster recovery plans
- Cloud computing/cloud services
- Patch management
Remote monitoring helps managed service providers identify potential threats and resolve them before they result in expensive data breaches. Smaller companies can also benefit from working with a managed service provider to back up critical data, preventing data loss in the event of theft or building damage.
Benefits of Managed Service Providers
Working with a managed services provider has many benefits for a small or medium-sized firm. One of the most significant is the ability to reduce costs without doing away with needed services. With a managed services provider, a firm usually pays a per-user fee for monitoring and troubleshooting. This is much less expensive than hiring a full-time employee, giving them benefits, and paying extra overhead costs.
The managed services model also gives business owners access to a wide range of IT expertise. Even the most skilled technicians don’t know how to diagnose and repair every possible issue. Working with a managed services provider gives businesses access to IT experts with experience in many areas of IT, including security as a service, data backup, and recovery, scheduled maintenance, and cloud services.
Signs Your Company Needs To Work With an MSP IT Support
Now that you know what managed services providers are, how do you know if you should work with one? Here are some of the most common signs that a managed services plan is right for your business.
- Routine maintenance has fallen by the wayside. Your in-house IT department can only complete so many tasks in a day. If you have extensive troubleshooting needs, your employees may not have enough time to perform routine maintenance. Routine maintenance is essential for keeping your devices running properly and preventing premature device failure. If your team doesn’t have enough time to perform routine maintenance, you may want to contract with a managed services company.
- You have trouble estimating your annual IT costs. When you rely on in-house IT staff, it can be difficult to estimate your annual costs. You may need to hire third-party application service providers, add new employees to your internal IT department or purchase new equipment to replace broken or obsolete items. Under the managed service model, you typically pay a per-user fee for IT support, making it much easier to anticipate your IT costs.
- Your IT employees are struggling under their current workload. In a typical business, IT staff are pulled in many directions. Other departments need them to set up new devices and create user access accounts for new employees, address IT security issues, and troubleshoot malfunctioning devices. If they spend all their time handling support tickets, your employees won’t be able to perform important system upgrades or provide additional services to help you reach your business goals. They may even seek employment elsewhere, leaving you with even fewer IT resources. Entering into a service agreement with an MSP can help alleviate some of these problems.
- You don’t have the right tools, or the tools you have are going to waste because they weren’t implemented properly. Some companies hesitate to purchase new IT tools because they don’t have the time or money to implement them and make sure users understand how to use them effectively. Others invest in IT tools and fail to implement them correctly, making it impossible to produce a reasonable return on investment. The managed services subscription model often includes best-in-class infrastructure tools. Some MSPs even offer training and other resources to help their clients use IT tools successfully.
- You’re concerned about what would happen if a key IT employee left the company. Institutional knowledge is important, but it’s not a good idea to make one IT employee responsible for everything from system backups to IT troubleshooting. If the employee leaves the company, you’ll be left with an IT department that lacks the expertise necessary to carry out critical functions. Working with an MSP ensures you’ll be able to continue normal operations even if a high-value employee leaves your company.
- You need help growing your business. No matter how experienced your employees are, they may not have the expertise necessary to take your company to the next level. A trusted MSP can provide expertise in several areas of IT, ensuring you have the resources needed to develop and maintain complex networks.
Service Level Agreements
If you decide to work with an MSP, you’ll sign a service level agreement that details exactly what you can expect. Many SLAs contain performance and quality metrics that are used to determine if a provider is adhering to the terms of the agreement. Your SLA should explain exactly what your MSP will manage, including mobile devices, servers, desktop computers, and other IT resources. MSPs use several pricing models, so your SLA should also state whether you’ll be charged a flat fee, a per-user fee, or a per-device fee.
Learn More About MSP IT Support Services
If you need a cost-effective solution to your most pressing IT problems, contact EIRE Systems at + 81-3-5484-7935. EIRE is a trusted partner for clients throughout China, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
