Outsourced managed IT services for small businesses is a concept that has been around for a long time for entrepreneurs. It’s an emerging trend where small and medium-sized businesses hire an outsourced team or service provider to manage their internal processes.

A small business needs IT solutions when it goes on a development journey. The two main reasons behind this trend are convenience and ease of using IT outsourcing companies. The solutions help businesses run more easily and more efficiently. 

There are many roles and processes to consider, so place all options on the table. Everything from infrastructure, resources, tasks, and tools should be considered. 

Is your small business able to afford the investment? That’s where outsourcing for small businesses comes into play.

Keep reading as we demystify outsourcing for businesses ready to position their business for success.

What Are Outsourced Managed IT Services?

For many companies, outsourcing and managed services are attractive options for tight budgets. However, these terms are not interchangeable. Both involve outsourcing business services to a third party.

Determining the best fit for your company depends on your immediate and long-term goals.

Both managed services and outsourcing involve hiring a partner organisation. Outsourced firms provide services for specific business processes. For example, a company might want to outsource payroll or a tier-one help desk. 

Managed services offer a more comprehensive approach to supporting your company’s business needs. In a managed services outsourcing model, you can expect a full range of services from one provider.

These services include IT, ERP, and more. A managed service provider will provide complete operational support to ensure a smooth end-user experience.

Benefits of IT Managed Solutions

Choosing an IT services provider is all about what they can do for your business. Plus, what they can do to help you reach your business goals. You should be able to save money using their knowledge and experience in cloud, network, and support services.

When outsourcing IT, business leaders choose specific services and business requirements that can be outsourced to an outside partner.

Top benefits include the following:

• Better time management
• Cost savings
• Streamline productivity
• Data security
• Cutting edge technology
• IT industry experts
• Customised solutions
• Leverage in your industry

Managed IT services providers understand that small businesses want access to IT solutions they might not have on a larger scale. Support for two-factor authentication and dashboard monitoring are additional IT services among managed services to consider.   

Types of Managed IT Services

Not all IT managed solutions are perfect for every company. Your small business may do some things very well and you don’t want to depart from those practices. Instead, you want to focus on areas that could use outsourced IT support services.

Analytics and Reporting 

MSPs offer regular analytics and reports to help you assess how your network and other key performance indicators are doing. They can give you unbiased insights into workflows in your organisation and even give you ideas on how to improve them.

Audit and Compliance

Compliance puts a lot of pressure on organisations that don’t have the know-how. A managed IT service provider is knowledgeable in compliance rules. They can help you reduce the risks associated with your clients’ data, payment info, paperwork, and other sensitive info.

Disaster Recovery and Routine Backups 

MSPs also make sure your data is safe and secure. They use secure cloud savings. You never have to worry about downtime due to physical server outages. Nor will you risk losing data if a server is damaged.

They ensure you always have backups and can easily get your data back if something bad happens. Your provider will work within your business’s disaster recovery guidelines or Business Continuity Plan.

Network and System Monitoring

MSPs can take over network and system monitoring, one of the biggest time-wasters for any small business. Although monitoring is crucial, your resources could go toward filling other crucial staff positions.

Remote monitoring and management platforms can help organisations focus on other important parts of the organisation. Improve performance and reduce losses.

Security Management

The MSPs’ main job is to keep an organisation safe from cyber threats. They provide regular software patches, maintenance, and other security services.

Outsourcers are also helping their clients by providing security monitoring and audit services. These important functions give feedback, like logging and reporting failures and successful access attempts.

They also use auditing tools to ensure the best practices are followed in policy or standard settings. Intrusion detection is used to spot any unauthorised or suspicious activity.

Any service level agreement should specify who’s responsible for monitoring and reporting.

System Design and Upgrades

MSPs collaborate with companies to determine their specific needs and help them achieve their business goals. They stay updated on all the latest industry news and tech updates so that upgrades are done regularly, and companies stay ahead of the game.

Choosing a Managed IT Service Provider

Choosing the best outsourced IT support services provider means contracting with a company able to provide fast response times. That’s why asking your chosen company how quickly they’ll handle any technical issues before you sign anything is important.

Ideally, they can offer you a service-level agreement for outsourced IT support services. 

First, you want to identify your IT solutions needs. Next, ask business associates for recommendations. Meeting with a company with a proven track record gives you confidence going into the initial meeting.

Remember, not all IT service providers are created equal. Depending on your organisation’s needs and IT costs, you’ll need someone to align with your needs and not compromise on service. 

Do You Need Managed IT Services?

Not all IT outsourcing companies are created equally. Moving towards outsourced managed IT services is a big decision that you want to lead to a long-term partnership.

Utilise the advantages of IT solutions and see how they can transform your business and help you succeed. Learn more about how our Vivacity can help your business grow with IT services.

Contact us today to schedule a discovery call.