5 Reasons to Outsource Managed IT Services in 2018… and beyond.
It’s not just enterprise-level businesses that are tightening up their information technology processes in 2018. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are also heading into the new year ready to ask the tough questions about their current in-house infrastructure, if there is even one in place. Is it time to bring in a Managed Services Provider (MSP) to assume partial or full responsibility for your IT needs? There’s a very good chance the answer is ‘yes’
In May 2016, Deloitte released their most recent Global Outsourcing Survey which showed overwhelming support for the idea. In fact, 72% of respondents reported that they currently outsource IT services, with 31% expecting to see an increase in their IT outsourcing in the future. In fact, outsourced IT appears to lead all other services, including Legal, Real Estate and Facilities Management, Tax, Human Resources, Finance, and Procurement. But given that doing so necessitates investment, you need to have as much information as possible in order to perform a true cost benefit analysis for your company.
In this post, we’ll explore the key benefits of outsourcing managed IT services, as it directly relates to the opportunities and challenges facing businesses and organizations in 2018
1. The State of Cybersecurity is at a Critical Level
We’d be remiss to not lead with cybersecurity. The business world has yet to see a threat quite like the growing plaque of recent cyberattacks, and in 2018 the online black market has stepped up its game with a new wave of threats to take down and/or demand ransom from any company it deems fit.
The most concerning part, is that cybercriminals, fueled by both financial and sociopolitical incentives, are evolving faster than most cybersecurity protocols. While we can’t say with absolute certainty, we can almost guarantee that your in-house IT team is not evolving as quickly as the online black market. And how could they be? In-house teams are traditionally focused on the core needs of your business and lack the resources needed to adjust to the constant evolution of malware and ransomware in “real time”. This leaves your company exposed. In fact, did you know that your system is likely already compromised?
Having outsourced managed IT services that include a robust cybersecurity strategy means your business is better prepared to weather a cyberattack.
2. Lower Overall Cost of IT Management
When choosing the right managed IT services provider, you’ve got options. Depending on your needs, you may consider a fully managed, co-managed, or custom managed solution. Whichever you choose, it will be more cost efficient than an equally scaled in-house counterpart.
For one, you are able to better manage costs with a set monthly expenditure. The IT costs will not fluctuate from month to month. In addition, you will be able to take advantage of the provider’s economies of scale and lower overall cost structures for hardware and software alike. You also gain immediate access to a full suite of efficiencies and expertise that have come from decades of experience, all of which positively impact your bottom line.
But of course, there are the even more direct cost advantages that apply to human resources. When outsourcing IT, you’re not paying typical HR overhead, including pre-screening, staff training and employee benefits, nor do you accept the financial risk that comes with managing in-house staff, including turnover, internal theft, negligence leading to claims, and the like.
3. Dedicated (and Updated) Skills for Competitive Advantage
In order to successfully run your business, you need an expert to manage each department, from marketing to manufacturing (as applicable). For the most part, this can be accomplished with great in-house hires. But when it comes to information technology, things are not quite the same. The very nature of IT is ever-changing, growing, and adapting with the market in real time. This point has been addressed above with respect to both cybersecurity and cost, but bears expansion here.
For members of your in-house IT team to effectively manage the changing technology landscape, the would need ongoing awareness of new developments and continuous follow-up training. This adds expense and sometimes delays, which can subsequently lead to late product/service delivery to customers/clients, and ultimately give competitors the advantage.
Alternatively, when you bring in outside managed IT services, you gain access to a team with dedicated and updated knowledge and skills that will help ensure that you are the one that is “first to market”.
4. Gain an Outside Perspective
That dedicated and updated knowledge and skill set addressed above also provides you with a unique outside perspective that your business currently lacks. This allows you to tap into a deeper pool of ideas, new ways of thinking, and alternative approaches to a solution.
Your outsourced IT services provider is currently out there in the field, working closely with other businesses and organizations, and is frequently being exposed to new concepts that may directly complement what you do. Unless your in-house IT team is doing the same (which would mean they are not focused on their direct responsibilities) you simply cannot get that outsider perspective and in-depth strategic guidance. If you want your business to think outside of the box, outside IT support may be the perfect first step.
5. IT Support that’s 24/7/365
There’s no OFF button when it comes to online opportunities and threats. Effective IT management is not 9-5, it does not take lunch breaks, and it never misses a call—even in the wee hours of the morning.
Even if you do have qualified employees scheduled to cover operations 24 hours a day, the very nature of having internal human resources monitor systems is limited. They are reactive in nature, scrambling to limit downtime or respond to a threat as it occurs.
Professional IT service providers however, have proactive system tools and staff in place to foresee and catch issues within your IT environment so that they can be addressed and fixed before significant downtime or a critical attack occurs. They also receive immediate alerts regarding hardware and software updates, patches, and upgrades, and can apply them on the spot (as per your agreed upon contract). They will also ensure proper data backups (cloud or otherwise) and provide around the clock inventory auditing and control.
Capitalize on opportunities while mitigating risks through every hour of the day, week, month and year by outsourcing your managed IT services.
Fully Managed is proud to offer a comprehensive suite of services, including Fully Managed, Co-Managed, and Custom Managed IT Solutions, in addition to safe, affordable, Canadian cloud storage and advanced security-as-a-service solutions. Learn more about Solutions here, or simply contact us right now to start the conversation.