5 Signs it’s Time to Evaluate MSP Solutions
When it comes to managing IT operations, businesses primarily have two choices.
- Deal with issues as they happen with a break/fix approach.
- Rely on managed service provider (MSP) solutions to handle everything for you.
For many business owners and key decision makers, this decision is more difficult than it might seem. A business in its startup phase may not have the budget to hire an IT outsourcing firm.
The startup firm may also have a tech-savvy founder who can handle day to day operations of the IT network without losing sight of the business as a whole.
But as businesses grow, they often face difficult challenges when maintaining IT operations on their own. It’s easy for a once lean startup business to outgrow its in-house IT infrastructure, and at that point begin evaluating MSP solutions.
1) You Take a Reactive Approach to IT Issues
Do you spend your days fighting fires and dealing with endless IT issues? Is your time spent recovering deleted files and managing server space? Do you live in fear of a 2 a.m. phone call – the one that means a key hard drive has crashed, or a server is having issues?
If you are always reacting to IT problems, it’s probably time to move beyond your current approach. By moving to a managed IT service, you can avoid that reactive strategy and start to plan for the future. In the business world, standing still is a sure way to get run over, and reacting to IT issues simply keeps you on an unsustainable treadmill.
2) You Lack a Clearly Defined IT Budget
If you don’t know what your IT budget is, let alone what it should be, you could probably benefit from MSP solutions. It is not easy to clearly define an IT budget, and even more difficult to execute one.
The prices of IT equipment, from desktops and laptops, servers and storage, is always changing, and you may not have time to keep up with those changes. By hiring a managed IT firm, you benefit from specific expertise, so you know what you will be spending and how you will be spending it.
3) The Most “Tech-Savvy” Employees Are Responsible for Managing IT
There is nothing wrong with hiring tech-savvy people, but relying solely on a handful of individuals is extremely dangerous. Just think about what would happen if your most tech-savvy employee did not show for work. What would you do? Would you be able to function, or would you be counting the minutes until they return?
Many small to medium-sized businesses go without a dedicated IT staff, relying instead on a one or two tech-savvy individuals to keep the desktops virus free and servers running properly. Even if those tech-savvy individuals are backed up by consultants, they often receive inconsistent and unreliable service.
When your tech-savvy staff is stretched too thin, things get lost along the way, including vital security upgrades. These small problems can quickly escalate until they become overwhelming, threatening your business and putting your customers at risk. By hiring a dedicated IT service, you can avoid these dangers and keep the business running smoothly.
If you’re relying too much on your most tech-savvy employees, it is time to take a step back. MSP solutions allow you to gain access to advanced technology and an entire group of tech-savvy experts you can rely on every day.
4) You Lack an IT Strategy
Whether you are the owner of the business or a manager, strategy matters. If you want to succeed, you need to have a sound strategy for every problem the business faces, from how to hire qualified employees to how to manage costs.
Every business, no matter how big or small, should have a sound IT strategy in place. If you do not know what your IT strategy is, or if you do not have one at all, it’s probably time to seek outside help. A managed IT service can help you develop a comprehensive IT strategy, one that will grow with your firm and protect you from the unexpected.
If you really want to grow your business, you need to have an IT infrastructure that can support that growth. A professional IT service can help you manage your growth while eliminating the chronic IT issues that have been plaguing your organization. Instead of constantly fighting IT fires, you can focus on growing the business and planning for the future.
5) You Experience Frequent IT Issues
IT issues should not be a daily occurrence. If you are spending time every day dealing with IT issues, you are spreading yourself too thin and putting the business at risk.
While an occasional deleted file or hard drive crash is par for the course, those issues should be few and far between. If you’re spending your precious time keeping the IT infrastructure running, it is time to hand off your operations to a professional.
If you recognize any of the five signs listed above, it is probably time to abandon your DIY approach to IT and work with a managed IT provider instead. Managed IT provides many vital benefits for growing businesses, from greater reliability and better security to lower costs and superior opportunities.
What to Expect After Upgrading to MSP Solutions
The move to MSP solutions can provide a number of important benefits to businesses of all sizes, but it is important for business owners and the management team to understand how the changes will unfold.
Knowing what to expect will make transitioning to a MSP solution easier, lower the learning curve and allow you to breathe easier. Here is what you can expect after upgrading to managed services.
- Streamlined Pricing: You will pay for what you want, not what you don’t need. That means you will pay based on the number of devices and the amount of storage you use. While other IT service companies offer a one-size-fits-all solution, Ontech Systems tailors its solutions to your needs.
- The Right Solution for Your Business: When you work with Ontech, we can design a solution as unique as your business. No more cookie-cutter approaches to IT.
- No Long-Term Contracts: Ontech’s managed IT services are billed on a month-to-month basis, with no contracts to worry about.
- Solve a Wide Range of Issues: Managed IT services can help you solve a wide range of IT issues, from a lack of security, storage space, and incomplete backups, to greater employee satisfaction and better customer service.
- Strengthened Security: You will see strengthened security for the business. Studies have shown it takes an average of 200 days for a company to discover a breach in their systems. By partnering with a managed IT service that constantly monitors your infrastructure, you can stop those breaches in their tracks.
- Preparation for Disaster: You will be better prepared for a disaster. Unexpected things happen every day but managed IT can help you be ready. When you work with Ontech, we will monitor your systems for you and alert you to any pending problems.
- Secure Backups: You will know immediately if your backups are not working. No more waiting until a critical file has been deleted only to find out you can’t get it back.
- Less Downtime: You will experience less downtime. No more wondering when the network will be back up or struggling to recover from unexpected issues.
- Enhanced Productivity: Your employees will be more productive. Employee productivity is a key driver of profitability and managed IT can help your employees get more done.
- Peace of Mind: You will have greater peace of mind and experience less frustration. Nothing is more frustrating than fighting a losing battle with IT problems.
- Greater ROI: You will see a greater return on your IT investment. ROI is a critical driver of success and managed IT can help you achieve higher returns on every dollar you invest.
Contact our sales team online or by phone at (262) 522-8560 today to learn more about managed IT services and how they can help your small business. We’ll help you find the best fit to address your business goals so you can manage your IT systems efficiently, reliably and cost-effectively.
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