What Is a Managed Service Provider, and How Can Partnering With One Help Your Business?

Communications and infrastructure are rapidly moving to the cloud, reducing the need for a large onsite IT staff. In 2020, more than 90% of companies used connected cloud technologies. Organizations of all sizes are increasingly relying on a managed service provider (MSP) to assist with daily IT operations in the cloud and onsite. Many also look to an MSP to provide expertise for complex tasks like cloud migrations and cybersecurity. 

The technology that businesses today need to remain competitive can be costly. The average organization spends just over 3% of its revenue on information technology (IT), with the most demanding industries spending over 7% and the least spending approximately 2% of their revenue. 

Expenses can include everything from infrastructure to staff, and for small to medium-sized businesses, it can be cost-effective to invest in cloud-based services and outsourced talent. A managed service provider is advantageous for organizations that demand qualified and reliable IT services at an affordable rate. It would typically be cost and time-prohibitive for small and medium-sized businesses to obtain a similar level of service onsite.

This blog will explore managed service providers and why your company would want to partner with one. We will explain the benefits an MSP can provide your organization and how to choose a quality partner.

What Is a Managed Service Provider?

A managed service provider offers remote management of IT systems and infrastructure for a client. It provides outsourced services for businesses of every size but offers the most significant advantage for small to medium-sized companies. 

MSPs provide security, monitoring, network management, and infrastructure management. Companies can hire them to handle their entire IT operations or to complete one or more tasks. Some MSPs specialize in a single market, like healthcare, education, or retail industries.

Why Should Your Company Consider an MSP?

If your company is a small or medium-sized business, an MSP can be a cost-effective solution for your IT security, monitoring, and management. IT services are the second-fastest-growing sector of technology spending, following software services, increasing by 7% from 2021 to 2022. 

Experts expect the trend to continue as CIOs see the value in these services and continue to rely on outsourcing to meet organizational demands for designing and deploying technology during economic uncertainty.

Managed service providers can deliver the following services to organizations:

• Deployment and management of cloud computing infrastructure and software
• Diagnosis and repair of hardware and software
• Data backup and recovery
• Network monitoring, data analysis, and reporting
• Network infrastructure architecture and administration
• Cybersecurity
• Managed communications, including telephony, email, and video conferencing
• Auditing and compliance with standards like HIPAA

An MSP can also efficiently support organizations using hybrid or remote office environments. The dynamics of these organizations benefit from cloud-based communication, systems, and infrastructure. With the IT infrastructure offsite in the cloud, a well qualified MSP can provide the same or better support than an onsite IT department.

Related: Connectivity IT Solutions You Need to Know About

What Are the Benefits of Partnering With an MSP?

A managed service provider offers advantages over onsite IT and can also benefit organizations that already rely on onsite professionals. While many organizations enjoy the cost-saving benefits, an MSP’s expertise and business continuity deliver value that few small or medium-sized businesses can replicate onsite.

Cost-Effective IT Staffing

Partnering with a managed service provider delivers several benefits to your organization. The MSP provides quality IT support and management services at a lower cost and time investment than onsite IT operations. When paired with a small in-house team, they can free up resources for other business and technology-related tasks. An MSP can concentrate on a single task or provide a comprehensive solution. 

Hiring and training IT staff can be difficult for many small and medium-sized businesses. Outsourcing your services can help your organization stay on top of its needs and provides professional and reputable support without relying on internal resources.

In certain regions, there are limited trained IT professionals in the hiring pool, and managed service providers can fill in the gaps with professionals from other parts of the country or world. It can also assist companies in a region with IT professionals demanding higher wages by providing some support professionals from lower-priced areas.

Business Continuity

Managed service providers can also deliver services that small and medium-sized businesses may find cost-prohibitive to have onsite. For example, an outsourced cybersecurity expert can identify vulnerabilities to your company’s security, configure security software, and train staff in security awareness at a lower cost than hiring an onsite expert. 

MSPs can back up your organization’s data to provide disaster recovery and business continuity, along with services to monitor your network activity and cloud infrastructure 24/7. Many offer specialized software, remote management, auditing, and regulatory compliance consultations.

Extend IT Capabilities

Extensive IT projects can require all or more of your staff to accomplish, including new device or software rollouts, cloud migrations, and disaster recovery. If your organization’s onsite IT reaches its limit, a managed service provider can continue daily tasks. 

Having several extra IT staff offsite will ensure your company’s technology operates smoothly while your onsite staff concentrate their efforts where they are needed. MSPs typically provide 24/7 support when your IT staff may not be onsite, allowing your organization to keep its services and networks monitored and running after business hours.

Related: What Is SD-WAN and How Can It Help Your Business?

Finding the Right MSP for Your Organization

When partnering with a managed service provider for your IT management and support, finding the right provider for your business needs is crucial. Most use flat-rate pricing, but other options exist, including per-user and break-fix pricing plans. The MSP you choose should price its services in a way that reduces your IT expenses, whether it supplements your onsite team or provides a complete solution. 

Some MSPs specialize in a specific segment of IT services, such as security, cloud computing, or software support, and others cater to a particular industry, like manufacturing or law. When choosing a provider, determine what services your organization needs and find an MSP that delivers a solution to your unique needs.

Assessing the reputation and reliability of a managed service provider is a primary component of choosing an ideal solution for your company. If your organization depends on outsourced IT, you should review the service level agreement (SLA) as well as customer service metrics like the providers Net Promoter Score (NPS). 

Trusting an MSP that fails to meet expectations could result in vulnerabilities, data loss, and downtime. A reliable provider delivers responsive services, so your company will receive suitable solutions. A transparent MSP provides data from its monitoring and reports that are easily accessible for your company, avoiding charges for unnecessary services.

Rely on a Qualified 24/7 Managed Service Provider

A managed service provider delivers IT management and support services for organizations of all sizes. It is an ideal solution for businesses undergoing digital transformations and other large-scale projects or companies needing affordable and high-quality IT support.  It can also provide security and regulator compliance, a costly endeavor for small businesses.

Small and medium-sized businesses typically invest in an MSP for all or some of their IT management and support requirements. In addition to cost-effective IT enhancement or comprehensive services, it can also provide business continuity with offsite data storage and management. Whether you need an MSP for your complete IT requirements or to extend your onsite capabilities, finding a partner that meets your needs at an affordable price is essential.

Managed services from BCM One provide your organization with comprehensive 24/7 communication and technology solutions. We offer network design, technology integration, agnostic technology procurement, and carrier selection solutions. BCM One provides managed services with NextGen Communications. Contact us today to learn more about our managed service solutions.