Managed Services Provider Pros and Cons You Need to Know
Organizations that have no IT staff or are seeking to free up personnel for other duties can turn to managed services to monitor their IT infrastructure at a low cost.
Outsourcing IT tasks to managed service providers give companies the chance to focus on running the business instead of troubleshooting tech problems.
Managed service providers maintain networks and perform necessary updates to keep the system running smoothly. They also make recommendations to optimize the network.
Managed services are costly, but may save money for a business since serious tech issues are typically avoided.
Your employees cannot work if your technology is not working. Many businesses still hire a dedicated IT employee, but that’s not always the best answer. Managed service providers (MSPs) are an increasingly popular option for businesses. Considering outsourcing your IT tasks? Here’s everything you should know about MSPs.
What are managed services?
Managed services are available for businesses who are looking into outsourcing options for their IT needs. Managed service providers offer support for your company’s tech at a monthly flat-fee. Managed service providers proactively monitor a business’s network, minimizes IT problems and troubleshoots any issues that come up on the network. With advancements in cloud computing, most of the IT work is available for outsourcing. The managed service provider remotely accesses networks and deploys solutions for any computing issues without being in-house.
Managed service providers present contracts to clients as a way to detail what services are included. Contracts also list start and end dates for services. Outsourcing solutions available through vendors could include mobile device management, software as a service, platform as a service, help desk and backup recovery. Most managed service providers promote all-inclusive packages with unlimited IT resources while hired, including day to day network management.
Why does a business need managed IT services?
Businesses need managed service providers because they negate risks. Instead of outsourcing IT when a problem occurs, managed services allows consistent monitoring of a network. Also, all updating and maintenance tasks are handled by a managed service provider. This allows managers to focus on their businesses instead of worrying about the company’s IT. A prospective managed service provider should also evaluate current and future IT needs. The company advises on what type of products and services a company should implement over the next year.
Pros and cons of MSPs
MSPs differ from other methods of tech upkeep because they are designed to support many facets of IT and centralize IT for a business. For instance, an MSP can handle your company’s networking, help desk queries, server upkeep, Identity and access provisioning, Website Development, Maintenance, Hosting, IT Development, Testing, project management and desktop support, to name a few. MSPs support many clients — many more than a computer store or independent professional would have. That means more resources at their disposal and a deeper knowledge base to draw from.
However, there are factors a business should consider before subscribing to an MSP. For instance, does it fit into your budget? Do you need someone onsite who can fix problems like printer jams? If you don’t have a service like this, are you sure your technology is secure? Read on for the pros and cons of outsourcing your IT needs.
Hiring the services of a managed IT services provider can be beneficial to your business in several ways, but it also has its drawbacks. If you’ve been wondering whether or not you should outsource your IT needs to another company, here are the top pros and cons that you should know.
Pros
Cost-effective
One of the biggest advantages of managed IT services is that it helps businesses cut down their operational costs. When you sign up to a managed IT services provider, you instantly eliminate costs associated with buying new hardware, training IT staff, paying the salaries of in-house IT professionals, and other expenses.
Skills and knowledge
When you subscribe to a managed IT services provider, you are outsourcing the needs of your business to professionals that have been adequately trained to offer an ever-deepening level of expertise. This makes it possible for you to stay competitive since you will be able to enjoy the unlimited expertise they provide.
Security breaches
Security breaches are becoming rampant like never before but outsourcing your IT needs to a provider allows you to enjoy the services of experts that are up-to-date with the latest defenses. This will help reduce the risks of data breaches since there’s a provision of security strategies to ensure that your business is up-to-par with security standards.
24/7 availability
Another advantage of managed IT services providers is that they are always available to attend to issues that can potentially affect your business. Unlike an in-house team that has working hours, managed IT services providers are always available, and this contributes to maximizing up-time.
Data compliance support
As the rate of cyber-crime continues to climb, businesses today are required to meet strict data privacy regulations. Many companies often are unable to comply with these requirements because they are either unaware or forget to do so. Hiring the services of a provider allows you to transfer the responsibility to experts in the industry who can help you with data compliance.
Cons
Physical presence
Signing up with an MSP means you are opting to allow another company to manage your technology remotely. This means you will have to bear the brunt of fixing any issue that occurs on-site yourself.
Loss of a dedicated IT team
All businesses are not the same. Hiring the services of a provider means you are foregoing the option of having a dedicated IT team that understands the nuances and peculiarities of your business, and this may limit the efficiency of the provider in meeting your IT needs.
Scope
Unlike an in-house IT team, a managed services provider seldom covers every single aspect of technology. You may have to choose from a list of applications you need support for, meaning when you have an issue outside the services you signed up for, you are likely out of luck.
Security and control
When you hire the services of a provider, you are giving access to the sensitive data and information your business runs on. This may be an issue if the nature of your business puts a premium on data security and control of information.
Longevity
Although it is seldom considered, businesses fold up. If your managed IT services provider goes under, you may have to scramble to find a new solution, and this may take its toll on your business.