Lost productivity. Inefficiency. Escalating costs. Security risks. If your IT infrastructure and maintenance schedule aren’t up to par, you could be facing all of these issues and more. But for many businesses, the problem of insufficient IT management is greater than the sum of its parts. You can’t afford a data breach, but when growing IT needs start outpacing the ability of your staff to keep up, something’s gotta give. And that something better not be your customer data.

If you can relate to that kind of stress, it’s time to look for an alternative solution. Here are seven ways an MSP relieves the pressure.

1. Cost Reductions
   Anytime you outsource a part of your business, you have to weigh the costs against the value provided. That’s good news when you’re talking about IT support, because the value you receive from the MSP far outweighs the monthly cost of the service.
   
   For example, let’s say you have 25 employees and your current IT department consists of one person. Your growing IT needs have exceeded this individual’s ability to manage them all, so you have two options: hire another staff member (or several) or outsource some or all of your IT department to an MSP. In most scenarios, you could partner with an MSP at a flat monthly per user rate far less expensively than you could hire a new staff member at current market rates plus benefits.
   
   And let’s not forget opportunity costs. If your system goes down, you will lose money for every hour you are offline. The MSP can provide varying levels of support and monitoring based on your needs so your system stays up and running and your data remains safe.
   
   
2. Security and Risk Mitigation
   Cybersecurity threats are multiplying every day, and risk management has to take top priority. Keeping your data safe is a huge task that may require round-the-clock monitoring, threat identification and analysis, immediate responses to attempted breaches, and specific expertise in evolving cybersecurity risks. 
   
   With an MSP, you receive all of those services, plus the benefit of working with people who make it their business to stay up-to-date on the latest technology risks and best practices including network security, secure code maintenance, secure communications, security audits, and disaster recovery. If an attempt is made to access your data, the MSP can take immediate action to neutralize the threat and safeguard your secure information. 
   
   
3. Hands-Off Maintenance
   Routine maintenance is par for the course in the IT world. Technology systems need updates, data backups, operating system upgrades, network audits, security patches, and new or updated hardware and software on a regular basis. Your IT staff may be able to handle some of those tasks internally, but some of them require either more time or expertise than your team currently has. An MSP can step in to manage these maintenance needs for you, and they can also help you design a long-term maintenance strategy to keep your network and business software running efficiently.
   
   
4. Innovation and Best Practices
   It’s not always easy to stay up-to-date on the latest technology innovations, but if you don’t, you could find yourself struggling to remain competitive with others in your industry. An MSP offers a cost-effective and efficient way to stay on top of security requirements and cutting edge technology in your industry. That’s especially important for risk mitigation, but also for business software and IT infrastructure.
   
   
5. Scalability 
   Scaling your business has huge implications for the IT department: more users, more devices, security protocols, disaster prevention and recovery, server capacity, network bandwidth, and the staff to manage it all. Partnering with an MSP helps you scale your IT function proactively and strategically rather than simply reacting to additional needs as they come up (which creates an inefficient, piecemeal IT approach). They will also provide the support you need to make sure your system stays online, any glitches are solved quickly, and end-users can get help with troubleshooting issues. 
   
   
6. Remote Office IT
   If you have several office locations, you need a reliable way to ensure that all your data is safe no matter where it is uploaded or accessed. One of the best ways to make sure all of your office locations can interact with data securely is to utilize cloud-based solutions. An MSP provider can help you develop custom strategies for each location so that critical data is both secure and accessible, while also managing any local systems that can’t be moved into the cloud. 
   
   
7. Peace of mind
   What if you woke up tomorrow and didn’t have to worry about IT? What if you could table the discussion because you knew it was completely taken care of? That’s what an MSP can do for you. Not only will outsourcing give you peace of mind that your IT issues are being handled efficiently, but it can usually help small businesses get the job done at lower cost than it would take to hire and train new IT staff.

What You Can Do Today To Solve Your IT Challenges

Problems in the IT department translate into trouble across the entire organization. Working with an MSP gives you the upper hand by handing off your technology management to a team of experts who serve as your IT partners. If you’re ready to take the next step, start by talking to some MSP providers about your support needs and technology challenges and comparing service offerings among providers.

Not sure which providers serve your local area? We’re here to help! Visit our IT company search page to find quality MSP providers in your region.