Who doesn’t want to save money? As a managed IT service provider in New Mexico, we are constantly talking with businesses of all sizes and, of course, the expenses of running a business always come up. A question that inevitably surfaces is, “Is outsourced IT support cheaper?” In most cases, businesses do see financial benefits when they outsource the management of their technology.
While cost savings are certainly an important factor, there's much more to gain from managed IT services than just financial benefits. In this article, we'll explore how outsourcing your IT support can transform your business in more ways than one.
The Basics: What are Managed IT Services?
Before we dive into the benefits of managed IT services, let's first define what they are. Managed IT services refer to outsourced IT support provided by a third-party provider. These services can include everything from network management and security to hardware and software support. Specific offerings vary by provider, so be sure to verify what is provided.
Cost Savings: The Obvious Benefit
Let's start with the obvious benefit of managed IT services: cost savings. By partnering with an MSP, you can reduce your IT expenses by leveraging economies of scale. MSPs have the expertise and resources to manage your IT infrastructure more efficiently and effectively than an in-house team. Plus, by outsourcing your IT support, you can avoid the costs associated with hiring and training your own IT staff.
At Kosh Solutions we have a stringent vetting process for our technicians. We interview a lot of people who have a wonderful resume but when interviewed we find they do not have the expertise they claimed. It’s time consuming and tough to filter and find great technical people.
Let’s say you run a small healthcare clinic, it will be even more difficult for you to hire a person to manage your technology because you have no vetting process and simply have to trust that the person is telling you the truth. The costs associated with hiring, training, and retaining an internal IT person or team are significant and, in most cases, outsourced IT is far more cost effective.
Increased Focus on Core Business Functions
One of the less obvious benefits of outsourcing IT support is that it allows you to focus on your core business functions. Instead of spending time and resources on IT-related tasks, you can devote your attention to growing your business and serving your customers. With an MSP handling your IT support, you can rest easy knowing that your technology needs are being taken care of while you focus on what you do best.
Nothing in business is completely hands-off, but when working with an MSP partner, it is typically a strategic conversation about technology rather than running around putting out IT fires.
Support and Monitoring
Another benefit of managed IT services is business-hours support and 24/7/365 monitoring. Kosh Solutions offers business hours and emergency after-hours support. We offer 24/7/365 monitoring that proactively strives to keep your IT infrastructure up and running smoothly. This means that you can avoid costly downtime and minimize the impact of any IT-related issues that do arise.
Kosh’s helpdesk staff are located in New Mexico and Southern Colorado – not overseas! We are proud to offer support in both English and Spanish!
Access to Advanced Technology and Expertise
Partnering with an MSP also gives you access to advanced technology and expertise. MSPs invest in the latest hardware, software, and tools to manage your IT infrastructure. Additionally, MSPs employ a team of IT professionals with a wide range of expertise and certifications, so you can rest assured that your technology needs are being handled by knowledgeable and experienced professionals.
Perhaps even more critical than an MSPs expertise is the consistent access to tech support. If you hire an internal tech person, when that person leaves so does all their knowledge regarding your tech stack. Your business now has a single point of failure! With an MSP like Kosh your business has continuity – just make sure to select an MSP that has a proven track record!
Improved Scalability and Flexibility
One of the key benefits of managed IT services is the ability to scale up or down quickly and easily as your business needs change. Whether you're experiencing rapid growth or facing unexpected challenges, outsourcing your IT support means you can adjust your technology needs on the fly. This is especially important for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that may not have the resources to hire and train in-house IT staff.
A common example we see in the real world is how our managed IT services help companies onboard new staff. Here are some ways we are a partner for our customers:
We advise on what technology hardware to order for the new hire,
We have a hardware rental program so the upfront capital required to outfit the new hire is minimal,
We setup the new computer or laptop,
We make sure all the applications are available and functioning (licensing management!),
We configure permissions so the new employee only has access to files and programs that have been approved,
We ensure everything is setup in a secure manner (cybersecurity).
Whether our customer is adding new staff, changing staff, or losing staff, we are able to provide flexible and secure technology for them.
Enhanced Security and Compliance
We feel like a broken record, but it’s true that in today's digital landscape cybersecurity is more important than ever. SMBs are prime targets for cyber-attacks, and the consequences of a breach can be devastating. Managed IT services providers offer a range of security solutions to protect your business from threats such as malware, phishing, and ransomware. Additionally, outsourcing your IT support can help ensure that your business is compliant with regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, PCI, and GDPR.
One of the key components of our cybersecurity suite of services is we educate your staff on how to not fall prey to cyber-attacks. Most cybersecurity incidents occur due to human error.
Kosh also carefully selects security partners to work with so that you can have confidence in what companies you are working with.
If you'd like a FREE (with email sign up) Cybersecurity Checklist, fill out the form below.
Increased Productivity and Efficiency
In-house IT staff can be a drain on productivity, especially when they're busy troubleshooting technical issues instead of focusing on strategic initiatives. By outsourcing your IT support, you can free up your employees to focus on their core responsibilities, which can lead to increased efficiency and productivity. Additionally, managed IT services providers often offer proactive maintenance and monitoring to prevent issues before they occur, further reducing downtime and increasing productivity.
For example, Kosh monitors the age of your hardware, the warranties on your hardware, and any announcements from the hardware manufacturer (end of life, recalls, patches, and updates) which keeps your IT environment running smoothly and removes these important and tedious tasks from your to-do list.
Wrap-up
While cost savings may be the first thing that comes to mind when considering outsourcing IT support, there are so many other benefits to managed IT services. From increased focus on core business functions to live support and monitoring, partnering with an MSP can transform your business in ways you may not have considered. If you're a SMB decision maker looking to take your business to the next level, it's time to consider outsourcing your IT support to a trusted MSP like Kosh Solutions.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this communication is intended for limited use for informational purposes only. It is not considered professional advice, and instead, is general information that may or may not apply to specific situations. Each case is unique and should be evaluated on its own by a professional qualified to provide advice specifically intended to protect your individual situation. Kosh is not liable for improper use of this information.