Outsourcing is common for many different jobs, such as accounting or coding. As it turns out, IT services are also one of the most outsourced jobs in the U.S., simply because they let businesses focus on what they’re good at. Instead of doing the bare minimum with their own solutions, they choose to get the experts to do it for them. Managed IT services for Perth businesses can result in significant savings, improved cybersecurity, and other benefits that make this decision a no-brainer for many organizations. If you’re curious about the main benefits of hiring a managed IT services provider, just keep reading!
#1: It lets businesses focus on business
If a business doesn’t already have an IT solution in place, most of the smaller details will fall by the wayside. That is, they’ll probably miss the problems that don’t disrupt daily workflows, and only focus on the ones that do. Unfortunately, this means that many issues will be allowed to develop without being detected or addressed, until they’ve progressed to the point where they can’t be overlooked anymore.
When this happens, the typical solution is to call an IT service to resolve system errors, try to find malware protection software that can prevent the next attack, and so on. In other words, the solution is always remedial, rather than preventative.
Rather than constantly playing catch-up with their IT needs, a business should be proactive about them. When there’s a dedicated IT team that’s trained to nip every issue in the bud, this allows the organization to function more smoothly.
#2: It saves time
Who would you rather get to fill a skilled position in IT – the person who’s trained for it, or the person who has to learn how to do each task before they can actually complete it? That’s one of the differences between outsourcing to a managed IT service, and taking care of things in-house. Even if a business calls a local service for IT emergencies, there can still be considerable wait times, and they won’t be available for every little task that needs to be done.
For example, let’s say an organization decided to create a disaster recovery plan in the event of a cyberattack. Unless they already had a knowledgeable team member who could contribute, this task would involve hours upon hours of research to ensure that all the relevant details were included. A team of experts, on the other hand, would already know exactly what to include, and how to personalize the plan for that specific company.
#3: It gives the company access to expert knowledge
IT support is an important function for businesses of any size, but for many it simply isn’t accessible. Maybe a small business owner isn’t able to take care of it themselves, or a business can’t afford to hire trained staff for the job. Whatever the case, some companies do without full IT services because they think it isn’t feasible for them.
However, outsourcing represents a solution that’s affordable without compromising on quality. Managed IT service providers typically have strict screening and training procedures in place, meaning their team members are highly capable for any company’s IT needs. Best of all, these services can be scaled up or down for businesses of any size. Whether it’s a company of 5 people or 500 people, it can benefit from the expertise of a trained IT team.
#4: It ensures compliance with regulations
There are multitudes of regulations that control the way businesses use and protect customer data. These have to do with proper data handling, authorized use of information, safeguards against hacking attempts, data privacy, and more. Companies are required to follow these regulations, as well as develop policies to ensure consistent compliance.
The problem is, it takes specialized knowledge to make sure that all of the applicable regulations are being followed. It’s possible to take care of this in-house, but this means a much higher risk of non-compliance, penalties, and potential lawsuits.
When a business hires a managed IT service, they won’t have to worry about accidental non-compliance – the experts will take care of that for them. This can also help bolster the company’s reputation, since they’ll be known for their proactive stance on protecting customer data.
#5: It reduces the risk of cyberattacks
Cyberattacks are more sophisticated than ever, and hackers don’t necessarily care who they target. Companies in any industry are vulnerable to cyberattacks, which is why security is so crucial. Customized IT support won’t just install the best security systems; they’ll also be able to identify weaknesses that a hacker could potentially exploit. This last task is something that only trained specialists could do, since even a fairly tech-savvy person wouldn’t have the skills to go over an entire company’s system with a fine-toothed comb.
Another aspect of protection against cyberattacks is training for how to respond to them. Even with the strictest security measures in place, sometimes the worst happens. In that case, the best plan is to respond in an organized, efficient way with a disaster recovery plan. IT experts have seen this type of scenario before, and will know exactly how to formulate this plan for each company they work with.
#6: It saves money
This is one of the main advantages of hiring a managed IT services provider, but not every business realizes it. While it’s true that outsourcing IT services is more affordable than training an in-house IT department, some businesses prefer to hire IT services only when an obvious problem arises. This may seem cheaper on paper, but it can actually be more expensive over the long term.
Why? Because using IT services on a break-fix basis is like repairing a machine with duct tape. Eventually the machine will break down due to poor maintenance, and the cost to replace it will be much more than the cost of maintenance. By hiring a managed IT service at a fixed monthly fee, the long-term savings will be just one of the benefits of making this decision.