Managed services enable a business to offload IT operations to a service provider, who is called a Managed Services Provider. The managed service provider assumes an ongoing responsibility for 24-hour monitoring, managing and problem resolution for the IT systems within the business.
In 2022, IT outsourcing has firmly entered the mainstream. Most organizations now outsource at least some of their IT operations to a third-party provider. So, why has outsourcing become such a big trend? Let’s find out below.
What Makes Outsourcing So Popular?
There are numerous reasons why outsourcing has become so commonplace in 2022. These reasons being:
Access to better expertise: Many SMBs – and even larger businesses – are struggling to hire top tech talent. There’s a well-known skills shortage. Tech skills are in high demand but short supply. Not only does this make it difficult to source digitally-skilled individuals, but it also makes it very difficult to afford such people. With outsourcing, organizations can attain this much-needed access to specialist skills that they simply couldn’t source in a full-time professional.
Cost-effectiveness: Hiring a full-time IT person can easily cost upwards of $50,000 annually – and that’s for just one full-time individual. Outsourcing IT, by contrast, is much cheaper. You get access to a full team of experienced professionals at a fraction of the cost. Moreover, there’s a predictability and immediate return on investment with outsourced IT. These businesses’ promise is to quickly understand your company and bring about effective change, which is much more efficient than the time and cost you spend on hiring, training and monitoring a full-time staff member.
Focus on what matters: For non-technical people, IT can be a bit of a headache. You have to spend time and energy trying to understand the cloud, cybersecurity and data, when this isn’t your natural specialism. Naturally, this focus on IT takes you away from nurturing your business. WIth an outsourced IT provider, you don’t have to worry about IT anymore. They’ll take care of this function for you, so you can focus on what you do best.
Supercharge innovation: Chatbots, social media analytics and cloud storage are just some of the technologies that organizations use to gain a competitive edge. If you don’t have technical expertise, how are you meant to take advantage of these solutions? A good IT provider will not only troubleshoot issues for you; they’ll also be a consultant, acting as your innovation partner. You’ll benefit from the latest and greatest technologies, so you can enhance productivity and the customer experience while improving the bottom line.
Free up your internal staff: If you have in-house IT staff, you might be wondering if outsourced IT can still benefit you. The answer is yes. In-house IT teams are often overwhelmed by helpdesk requests. They spend their days fixing problems, rather than thinking about strategic plans. With an outsourced IT provider on hand, your core team can dedicate their energy towards bigger picture goals that grow your business and make a real difference to the bottom line.
A return on investment that is tangible: Outsourced IT providers work with you to discover your goals and make a plan of action to meet them. A good service provider will include a timeframe for meeting your requirements, alongside quantifiable measurements so you can see the output of your spending.
Access to new tools: Your managed service provider should keep their eye on the pulse of the technologies that are disrupting the world of work. Whether it’s a new collaboration tool, CRM solution or AI use case, your partner can help you to reap the rewards of the best new tools. Moreover, rather than having to pay for these amazing tools yourself, they’ll come as part and parcel of your monthly agreement.
Predictable costs: A good managed service provider will offer a fixed monthly rate for your services, so you know what you’re spending for the long-term. This, in turn, makes business forecasting easier.
Enhanced cybersecurity: Ideally, your MSP should also be an expert in cybersecurity and compliance. They’ll help you to defend against common threats like ransomware, phishing and DDOS attacks, while improving data security. This means you’ll be much less likely to suffer a cyber-attack or data breach, which can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Managed IT Makes IT Easier for Business of All Sizes
Managing your own IT environment can be stressful. As experts in this field, let us manage your environment with proven processes and best practices. Our All Covered® solutions employ proactive, preventive support, and industry-leading technology to keep your environment predictable, reliable, stable, and cost effective. PartnerIT delivers peace of mind and allows you to focus on managing and growing your business.
Contact us to find out how we can help you today.
