1 vs. 100 – Why you need a Managed Service Provider (MSP): Practical vs Impractical

Your business is like a machine. Every department is a cog, well-greased and moving toward a similar goal. Machines work well when all other variables are controlled, but they fail to operate if one cog falls out of line. Your IT infrastructure is the operator of your machine that oversees all of the cogs. One small mishap and the entire machine might stop working.

In the 21st century, your company is only as safe as your IT team is diligent. Why would a sophisticated machine have only one guardian to make sure it runs smoothly? It makes sense that the largest and most complicated machines (businesses) would have a large IT staff. However, as a small-to-medium-sized business (SMB), this is highly improbable. A single IT hire can cost up to $75-$80k a year in the metro Orlando area. This is a large expense for a SMB, and although business owners want security from their IT department, it is impractical to spend this much on a single hire. That is one of many reasons why SMBs should outsource some, if not all, of their IT to an MSP.

IT Manager vs MSP

When you hire a single IT manager, their skills only go as far as their knowledge, and that’s when they are physically in the office during business hours (aside from sick/vacation time). You are solely dependent upon them for break/fix situations, proactive preventative measures, automation, helpdesk and cybersecurity. Utilizing an MSP is a resource. Not only does an MSP help with your day-to-day productivity and security, but they can also be used as a resource for your business’ IT quality of life. Vendor management and quarterly business reviews are just a couple benefits that an MSP also provides.

An MSP also helps businesses identify and improve their IT security and to navigate cybersecurity best practices. Having single personnel for IT means that individual will solely focus on their duties, not necessarily cybersecurity best practices for everyone else.

There is a common misconception among SMB owners. They tend to think that because they are smaller than the big guys, they are less vulnerable to a cyberattack. The fact is that if a business has a digital footprint, they are a target. This is where cybersecurity training helps to modify a company’s overall behavior when it comes to reaching a business-grade security posture.

Major Benefits of an MSP

They offer managed IT support and services that can be tailored to your company’s specific business needs. Because MSPs are paid by users per month regardless of the circumstances, it equates to proactively ensuring the technology your business relies on flows without major issues or interruptions.

Advantages of an MSP include, but are not limited to, the following:

• 24/7/365 coverage
• An expansive range of expertise and experience
• Highly rated IT affiliations and partnerships
• Services that are fully flexible and scalable as user count changes – no matter the circumstances
• You pay for only the technology you need
• No long-term contract commitment
• Internal cybersecurity training for your entire team

In Conclusion

By offering an impressive suite of managed IT services, OrLANtech can help streamline your business processes and empower your workforce. Our approach ensures productive businesses partnerships. As your company succeeds, so does ours. Technology should drive your profitability, efficiency, security and productivity. As a trusted managed services provider, we make technology work for you so you can focus on your bottom line.

Clearly, it is more practical vs impractical to have an MSP that meets your company’s specific needs. Connect with a Client Success Manager to schedule a time to discuss your needs and how we can meet them.