Turning to a managed IT service provider is becoming more common among businesses of different sizes. The Managed Services market is anticipated to witness a CAGR of approximately 11.27% over the forecast period of (2020 – 2025). According to Clutch.co, IT services remain at the top of all processes that small businesses outsource.
Whether it’s for network monitoring, storage, backup and recovery, cybersecurity, email hosting, remote server, desktop, and device management, etc., more and more businesses are adopting a proactive approach by hiring a managed IT services provider.
By doing so, business owners and managers can make sure that their technology is available and operational at all times. At the same time, they can significantly reduce the IT management burden on their in-house IT staff.
There are many good reasons to outsource IT managed services. Here we’ll discuss the top 5 reasons why every organization should consider hiring a managed IT services provider:
Improved Security
There isn’t a day that goes by when some organization or small business isn’t making the news because of some cybersecurity-related incident. Cybersecurity is a growing concern as ransomware attacks are estimated to cost $6 trillion annually by 2021.
No matter the size of the company, its network is exposed to new and different threats each day. Besides infiltrating the network, these threats can also cause widespread damage.
Managed IT services providers can secure organizations by remotely managing their network security risk. Their cybersecurity services include:
- 24/7 remote threat monitoring to prevent hackers from stealing confidential data or accessing critical systems
- Detecting and resolving misconfiguration issues
- Enhancing security with active firewalls. These scan incoming traffic and help identify attacks in real time
- Reducing risks by closing security loopholes
- Protection against unpatched network vulnerabilities
- Keeping antivirus programs up to date to reduce potential downtime, etc.
Cost-effectiveness and return on investment:
Financial benefits are one of the top reasons why companies use managed IT services. Software and network infrastructure costs, hardware costs, and maintenance costs are just a few examples of what IT budgets consist of.
If we add the cost of labor to the mix, expenses can be immense and overwhelming, especially for a small or medium-sized business. Outsourcing IT services helps businesses to budget effectively. And that’s by reducing large capital expenditures that are mainly related to managing systems in-house.
Managed IT services allow businesses and organizations to drastically reduce operational costs, lower IT operating expenses, and conserve capital budget. In addition, they offer scalability and help companies see savings related to consulting, licensing, training, and emergency repairs.
Another great financial benefit of using managed IT services is the predictable monthly costs. This offers businesses more flexibility when investing in other areas that can be more beneficial to their growth.
Data compliance
There are many strict standards and regulations, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), that companies must comply with. These regulations are designed to keep information secure and are constantly changing. The violation of these and other standards can result in hefty fines and can gravely damage the company’s reputation.
Keeping up with the latest policy can be difficult. By hiring a managed IT services provider, businesses can rest assured that the risk related to credit card numbers, client data, etc, is minimized.
Increased team efficiency and narrowed business focus
The ability to stay focused on core business is another significant advantage of outsourcing IT management. By letting the managed IT services provider handle day-to-day operations and complex IT decisions, the work can be focused on revenue-generating activities.
Putting all of the IT management responsibility in the hands of a team of IT experts can also increase team efficiency. As it reduces the strain on the in-house IT staff, enabling them to focus on innovation and strategic work rather than prioritizing mundane IT tasks.
Keeping up with the latest technology advancements
Staying ahead of the game means keeping up with the latest technology trends. And adopting them to ensure technical success. One of the most cost-effective and convenient ways to do so is by hiring a managed IT services provider.
As IT experts and specialists, they ensure business and operational security. And that’s by keeping the company’s IT infrastructure up-to-date and fully-equipped with the latest software updates and security patches.
Thanks to managed IT services, businesses can also gain access to IT tools and resources that are not available internally.
The bottom line
With more businesses operating in the cloud, a reliable, robust network and rock-solid IT infrastructure should be among the top priorities for any organization.
Managed IT services present a proactive and cost-effective approach to anticipate problems rather than reacting to them. With the 24/7 remote monitoring, small and medium-sized businesses won’t have to endure downtime and service interruptions. This increases productivity and frees-up the internal IT staff for higher-value pursuits related to strategic planning and business growth.
