Posts

5 signs that your business needs a managed service provider

/in /by

When you’re focused on growing your business, it’s easy to forget the IT side of things. However, without an effective IT strategy, you risk costing your business money in the long run. That’s where a managed service provider (MSP) comes in. Here’s what you need to know about how a managed service provider works and the five signs that it’s time for an upgrade.  

What managed service providers do 

Think of a managed service provider as a one-stop-shop for all your IT needs. An MSP lets you outsource your essential IT services to an external provider. These services include:

  • Cybersecurity
  • Cloud storage
  • Network monitoring 
  • VoIP and communications 

Here are the five indications that you’re ready to partner with a managed service provider who offers these services and more.

1: No cybersecurity policy 

Cybersecurity is more important than ever because attacks are on the rise. Worryingly, a recent survey showed that over 67 percent of SMBs experienced a cyber attack. What’s more, 60 percent of SMBs admit that they wouldn’t survive a severe cyberattack financially. 

The good news is that an MSP can design a custom – and cost-efficient – cybersecurity package to protect your company using the latest in cyber technology. With a managed service provider on your side, you don’t need to worry about data compliance or network security. 

2: Regular downtime

Downtime is actually one of the first signs that your IT strategy is failing. Systems crash, software lags, and you lose critical data. These inefficiencies cost money – almost $10,000 an hour on average, to be precise. 

So, how can an MSP help? They’ll restructure your IT, so it’s efficient, streamlined, and above all, scalable. Whether you need system upgrades or more hardware, an MSP knows how to fix your infrastructure.

3: No usage tracking

If you can’t monitor IT usage across your organization, you can’t make the decisions that will help your company grow. It’s also impossible to save money or use your existing IT budget effectively. 

A managed service provider can supervise IT usage and reduce your expenditure without compromising system performance.  

4: Inefficient support

As your business grows, it becomes increasingly difficult for your in-house IT staff to keep up with demand. What’s more, as your systems become more complex, many in-house personnel simply lack the knowledge to effectively fix IT problems.

MSPs bring up-to-date IT knowledge to your company and answer queries around the clock, giving you the advanced support you need when you need it. 

5: No backup plan

It’s essential to safely back up data, whether you store data in the cloud or in hard copy. You also need ways to safely share files and back up any changes so everyone’s working with the most recent version of a document. Without the right procedures, you risk losing your data or compromising its security.

A managed service provider can devise a safe, secure backup strategy for data and show you how to share files across the company efficiently. In the long run, efficiency boosts productivity and your bottom line.   

Improve your IT infrastructure today with AppSolute

A managed service provider increases productivity, streamlines your internal processes, and ultimately boosts your business. For more information on what MSPs can offer your company, contact us.

3 Things your managed service provider should do every month

/in /by

Your business relies on IT to survive and thrive. It’s nearly impossible for a modern business to survive without properly leveraging technology. Unfortunately, many business owners choose to neglect their technology needs. Some justify this course of action by saying state-of-the-industry IT is too expensive or that hiring a managed service provider is an unnecessary substitute for hard work and elbow grease. This is a dangerous philosophy, especially in an increasingly digital economy.  The paradigm is shifting. In 2019, 52% of small business owners planned to outsource a business practice, including IT services.

Excellent IT is about working smarter, not harder. It’s about cutting down on the legwork your employees have to do so that they can focus on their most important tasks. Great technology helps your talent shine so that your business can compete against larger, more connected competitors. Not too long ago, it was difficult for smaller companies to access these solutions. Thanks to the emergence of managed service providers specializing in IT outsourcing, excellent IT is accessible and affordable for businesses of any size, and the market is growing.  According to a recent study, the global managed services market is forecast to reach more than 200 billion U.S. dollars by 2020.

You may be considering working with a managed service provider for the first time. If that’s the case, you’re probably curious about what kind of service to expect from the partnership. Beyond the initial project, you can expect several ongoing services from your managed service provider. Here are three things you should expect from your service each month.

1. Network performance updates

Every reputable managed service provider should offer ongoing maintenance and network monitoring for their clients. Network monitoring shouldn’t just be a silent feature that you pay for and never reap its benefits. A responsible managed service provider will have a proactive attitude toward network monitoring and keep you apprised of your network’s strengths and weaknesses.

Knowing how your network is doing enables you to work with your managed service provider to remedy pain points and optimize your processes to take advantage of your network’s strengths. It’s also important to stay informed of threats to your network, like emerging phishing and ransomware trends.

2. Current tech trends

It’s a managed service provider’s job to stay informed of the latest trends in technology. In a traditional setting, upgrading software and hardware is a huge hassle and expense for most companies. Part of outsourcing IT is knowing that your technology is as current as possible. That means your managed service provider should take the necessary steps to inform you of emerging technology solutions and how they can help your business. Having expert counsel a phone call away means that your business never has to lag again.

3. Personalized service

Even if a managed service provider monitors your network proactively, some things are hard to spot remotely. A reputable managed service provider will check in with their clients on an individual basis to discuss what is and isn’t working. This kind of one-on-one service strengthens the partnership and leads to superior service in the future.

Your managed service provider has many responsibilities and will help your business in a variety of ways, but these three practices, in particular, are excellent signs of professionalism and commitment. If you think your business could benefit from managed IT services, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’d love to learn about your business and discuss what AppSolute can do to change your world.

4 strategic benefits of working with a managed IT services provider

/in /by

Growing small and mid-sized businesses face many challenges that stand in between them and success. IT is the largest obstacle of all. SMBs without strong IT support and services are at a competitive disadvantage. Additionally, these firms are also far more vulnerable to everything from cyber attacks to natural disasters.

Working with a trusted managed IT services provider ensures SMBs can stay ahead of the game. If you’re a company with no on-site IT, enlisting a partner provides peace of mind when it comes to your technology and frees you to focus on more pressing issues.  

Even if you already have an IT department in place, a managed IT services provider can still help. For example, current staff can be allowed to pursue larger projects designed to spur business growth while the managed IT services provider focuses on day-to-day operations.

Whatever the case may be, SMBs can take advantage of several strategic benefits when working with a managed IT services provider.

Stay productive

As an SMB grows, issues such as downtime become more noticeable. Inefficiency is something that can stunt the progress of many SMBs, and there is nothing more inefficient than paying staff not to work.  

ITIC’s 2017 Reliability and Hourly Cost of Downtime Trends Survey found 47 percent of SMBs, companies with up to 150 employees, estimated that a single hour of downtime would cost their business $100,000 in lost revenue and end-user productivity. And according to research from the Aberdeen Group, businesses experience 14.1 hours of IT downtime annually.  

The cost of this downtime is significant for most SMBs even if it falls under these averages. This cost is why partnering with a managed IT services provider can make a huge difference. With proactive IT support along with constant monitoring, potential issues can be identified and eliminated. The money that would have been lost due to downtime can instead be re-invested into the company.

Your technology umbrella

Unpredictable weather can bring with it dire consequences for SMBs that are unprepared. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), almost 40 percent of small businesses never reopen their doors after a disaster such as a hurricane or tropical storm. While these events used to be rare in New York City, strong storms with flooding are becoming a more common occurrence.   

And while the physical damage can be costly, it is the downtime and loss of data that dooms most SMBs. Without a comprehensive backup and disaster recovery plan in place, it can be difficult to get everything back up and running. This is where a managed IT services provider can be of use. By creating off-site or cloud backups, your data will always be available regardless of what your company faces. With these backups, you can minimize downtime and keep your business going in the face of adversity.   

Gain access to cutting-edge tools

Have you ever seen big businesses using IT devices and programs that you think would be great for your company? Well, partnering with a managed IT services provider can give you access to the same tools the big firms use without needing to make a significant investment. They can help create a proactive plan to ensure your business can utilize IT devices and programs that provide a competitive edge.

Protect yourself from cyber attacks

As an SMB acquires more data, cybersecurity is something that must be taken into consideration. The 2017 State of Cybersecurity in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (SMB) report from the Ponemon Institute contained some staggering findings. More than 60 percent of SMBs surveyed said they had encountered a cyber attack. Of this group, 54 percent were victims of data breaches involving customer and employee information and the average cost of these attacks was more than $1 million when all factors were taken into consideration.

Strong security is another valuable strategic benefit of working with a managed IT services provider. They utilize virus and spam protection systems that work around the clock searching for threats such as ransomware that can derail your business at a moment’s notice.  

More importantly, you don’t have to worry about constantly upgrading your IT security as the managed IT services provider will be doing that automatically. Instead of cutting corners and possibly endangering your business with strained security measures, you get a robust security partner, allowing you to focus on important business decisions.

What are the 5 most compelling reasons for managed IT services?

/in /by

What is it about managed IT services that make them so appealing to businesses?

For starters, they allow businesses to shed the tedious (and challenging) task of managing technology and put it in the hands of experts. Many companies are already working with a “reactive” IT provider to some degree – that is, someone who been coming in to fix things only after they’ve broken.

But managed IT services changes the break/fix dynamic by putting proactive care of technology first.

It’s a win-win for both customers and IT service providers alike. IT service providers get to build partnerships that help them grow and sustain their business. Similarly, business owners get to unlock multiple benefits that they’d otherwise never get.

Let’s take a look at 5 of those benefits.

1. Reduced costs

Here’s a core business truth – broken technology quickly racks up a hefty bill. Managed services give you access to a team of IT experts whenever you need them for a flat monthly rate. The costs are far less than an in-house team with similar experience or a break-fix provider that charges by the hour.

2. Improved security

It’s not always about keeping things operational. Managed service providers also take great care to keep both your hardware and your software secure from dangerous cyberthreats that could cost you dearly.

The average cost of a single cyberattack sits around $5 million, with $1.25 million – a quarter of the total – attributed to system downtime and another $1.5 million (30%) to IT and end-user productivity loss.

3. Expedited growth

Partnering with a managed service provider gives you access to tools that enable better growth and scalability. Having a technology partner that understands your business lets you gain a CIO that can roadmap and plan your technology to support your growth with ample documentation along the way.

Helpful: 5 Server Maintenance Tips and Tricks to Better Support Your Business

4. Expert collaboration

Many organizations assume that outsourced IT providers “take over” everything IT. In reality, that’s not always the case. Managed services agreements are built to customize offerings to the unique needs of each company.

“Co-managed IT services can provide businesses with a broad range of experience and deep bench of experts beyond that of the existing in-house staff.” – The Business Journals

Of course, while that can mean taking over every aspect of IT, it can also mean working with an established in-house team to complete projects and upgrades together.

5. Functional technology

There’s little worse than subjecting your staff to the tortures of working with old and outdated hardware. Managed service partners ensure that your office is using technology that fits within your budget … while being conducive to a productive and functional environment … and not one that incites rage.

Related: Common Technology Problems Solved By an MSP

Finding the right IT partner

Locating the right partner doesn’t have to be hard. It’s simply a matter of talking to a managed service provider and seeing how they can help you run your business better.

Of course, before you go seeking all the IT people in the Tri-State Area, you could always give us a shot. We can help you turn your technology into a powerful asset for your business growth.

Looking for more to read? Check out the 6 IT Best Practices for Your Business.