Managed IT services represent a convenient way for businesses to acquire top-tier IT services and support. Instead of paying a dedicated staff, you can simply pay a third-party company on an as-needed basis. Many of the world’s top companies are now utilizing such services, but it may seem out of reach for some of the smaller cats in the yard. Thankfully, that’s not the case. Due to the customized nature of managed IT services, anyone can benefit from them. Let’s talk about some of the key benefits of managed IT services for small businesses.
1. Cost Savings On Labor And Equipment
This is the most obvious benefit, so it should be discussed first and foremost. As we already mentioned, it can be expensive to keep a dedicated IT staff on a permanent basis. In many cases, they will have a very small workload until something goes wrong. This means a lot of wasted labor dollars. On the other hand, a managed plan can be customized for your specific needs, allowing you to pay for only those services that you actually need.
Apart from payroll savings, you can also save a lot of money on equipment costs. When you go with a totally in-house approach, you will have to invest in the equipment that the IT team needs. This will obviously include computers and other end-user devices, but it will also include things like servers, routers, cables, and switches. You will also have to provide physical security for some of these assets, and that also adds to the cost.
2. Cost Savings On Training
When you use an in-house IT team, there might very well be times when they do not have the expertise that is needed. When that happens, your only real option is to send them for training. Most of the time, the expenses related to that training will have to come out of your pocket. However, when you go with managed services, there is no need to worry about that. A third-party IT company will take care of those training costs without passing them down to you.
3. Wider Range Of Knowledge
That brings us to another point: Your in-house IT team will only be as large as your budget allows. For small businesses, that often means you will not have enough top-tier people. With a smaller team, there will be a smaller pool of knowledge from which they can draw. Thus, if they run into a problem that no one is familiar with, the whole team can end up being deadlocked. At that point, you will have to seek outside help anyway.
Third-party IT companies, on the other hand, can generally afford to have a larger staff with more highly trained individuals. This is because they are servicing multiple companies both large and small. Thus, it is totally cost-effective for them to invest in the best people, the best tech, and the best training. Such a thing is unlikely to be possible for the average small business operating on a tight monthly budget.
4. An Unbiased Source Of Information
One problem with internal teams is the fact that they are a little too close to the situation. If something goes wrong, in-house employees are more likely to conceal the problem. Why? Because they are the ones who will be held accountable. Permanent employees are going to be thinking more about their long-term job security, while a third-party IT worker can be completely honest with you.
From a security standpoint, this lack of bias can be a great asset. If you are concerned about a particular person’s work or activities, you can have the third-party company check those things out. If a problem is found, the third-party employee will have no motivation to conceal that problem. Further, there is always the chance that they will catch something that others have missed. Either way, managed IT services give you the relatively impartial opinion that you need for certain situations.
5. Better System/Network Monitoring
With all the cyber-security threats out there, you have probably wondered what you can do to keep your business safe. One of the best measures you can take is to implement a strong and effective network monitoring system. However, here is the problem: It is very hard to automate something like that. Proper monitoring requires the attention of an expert, and that attention is required on a near-constant basis.
So, do you want to pay people to monitor your network and files 24 hours a day? Because, if you go with an in-house approach, that is what will likely happen. Those hourly wage costs will definitely drive down profits to some degree. On the other hand, managed IT service plans aren’t usually based on an hourly wage. In most cases, you will simply negotiate a flat monthly fee for all the services that you need. Thus, this is yet another instance where managed IT services can save you money.
Conclusion
These are five of the biggest benefits that you are likely to see when you choose managed IT services for your business. Private individuals don’t usually need these kinds of services, so we are talking about business matters here. For those who operate a small business, streamlining your expenses is one of the keys to survival and growth. If you would like to acquire some of these benefits, you can call PCH Technologies at (856) 754-7500.