One of the biggest challenges small businesses face is staying competitive on a tight budget. Technology is expensive, and many business owners just don’t have the budget to keep up with the constant advancements. Unfortunately, not keeping up with technology can leave a small business struggling as its competition grows.
Tight budget or not, no business can survive long without IT support. Fortunately, you don’t need to employ an entire IT team to stay sharp. Today’s savvy small business owners hire a managed IT service provider (MSP) to install, manage, and repair all their technological needs. Let’s look at the advantages of having an MSP on your side.
- They Increase Productivity
When you use managed IT services, you can be sure that your business is optimized, organized, and upgraded. You will notice that you get the most out of resources – human and technological. Your operations will be streamlined so that unnecessary expenditures and wasted time don’t negatively affect your bottom line.
- They Free Up Resources
If you already employ an IT team, partnering with an MSP will remove repetitive and mundane tasks from their plates so they can focus on innovation and growth. You may be surprised at the talent you unearth when employees don’t have to handle tedious tasks and can concentrate on bigger and better things.
- They Reduce Stress and Risk
As a business owner, you’re probably already overwhelmed by the sheer volume of work that needs to be done daily to keep your business afloat. Keeping up with new technology trends and protecting your business from cyber threats are likely way over your head.
Feeling stressed is normal, but working with an MSP can reduce your burden. These companies tackle all your IT needs to ensure you stay up and running, and they also identify potential risks and vulnerabilities that could affect your company’s sensitive data.
- They Ensure Less Downtime
Downtime for a small business can be financially devastating. It is estimated that just one hour of downtime for a small business can add up to about $8,000 in losses. That’s a lot of money for a business on a tight budget.
However, by working with a reputable MSP, you can expect a quick return to normal operations, so there’s as little downtime as possible. If data loss occurs, your MSP should be able to recover that data quickly as it is likely stored in the cloud. What this means is any hardware or software malfunctions won’t be as devastating as they could be if you didn’t have a managed IT service provider on speed dial.
- They Improve Communication and Collaboration
Today’s communication and collaboration in the workplace depend heavily on having the latest technologies in place. Having an MSP on your side means you’ll have access to all the latest and greatest software and hardware necessary for your staff to stay connected no matter where they are.
That means you can employ remote and in-house employees, and everyone will be able to see and talk to each other regardless of where they work. This is a huge plus if you hope to grow your business, as it gives you access to a much larger talent pool.
It’s almost impossible to stay competitive and experience growth if you don’t have the latest technologies in the workplace. If money is a factor and you don’t think you can afford such luxuries, consider working with an MSP to reap the benefits listed above.
