5 Common Myths About Outsourcing I.T. to an MSP
Updated: February 28, 2020
Bringing up the topic of outsourcing I.T sends shivers down the spines of most business owners.
Just the idea of it is a scary thought.
Since technology and data are held dear, businesses are hesitant of giving over their data to an outside service to manage.
Below are a few myths and misconceptions about what outsourcing your I.T really means and what it does for your business.
But don’t let them scare you away from the possibility of finding the right MSP partner to work with your business!
5 Myths About Outsourcing I.T.
MYTH #1: Only Large Corporations Benefit From Outsourcing Their I.T.
Some business owners believe that only large corporations can benefit from outsourcing and hiring an MSP.
They think that contracts run around millions of dollars, so there’s no way a small business or start-up can flip that bill.
How can an MSP help out a small business when they don’t have the money or resources a bigger and more established business has?
There’s no way they’d even waste their time with us.
TRUTH: The idea that big businesses are the only ones that can benefit from outsourcing, is not true.
When smaller businesses work with an MSP team, they are increasing their competence level in a cost-effective and responsible way.
Since it is often difficult for small to medium-sized companies to find good I.T. talent, outsourcing provides access to skilled I.T. specialists without having to add them as an employee to your roster.
Outsourcing your I.T will allow your business to stay consistent in the way they manage their I.T issues.
Check it out: Buying Managed I.T. Services 101
MYTH #2: Outsourcing Will Compromise Your Company’s Privacy and Security.
The thought of handing over your company’s data to a bunch of strangers is not a welcomed idea among many business owners.
There’s a lot of financial and confidential information among that data.
Losing control over your business is not something many business owners are interested in, so why give another company power over the systems and technology that you’re using?
TRUTH: It’s understandable that as a business owner, you’re protective of your important and confidential information and don’t want someone else making important decisions for you.
But, in reality, your data is not at any greater risk with an MSP than it would be with any cloud-based storage provider you’re currently using.
And, if you’re that worried about security, your information is more at risk of being compromised by your employees using their smartphones and tablets than from your MSP.
Also, if you’re concerned about losing control over your business, don’t worry.
An MSP’s job is not to make big technological decisions for your business, that’s still on the organization’s decision-makers.
While an MSP works for you, they meet your standards and give you the ultimate control while simply shifting the way the information is processed.
MYTH #3: In-House I.T. Is Cheaper and More Readily Available Than Outsourcing.
Why would I want to take my I.T outside of where I work when I can have someone in the same building as me work on the issues I may face?
An in-house I.T team will be more competent handling any challenges hands on.
TRUTH: The quality and competence of an MSP depends solely on the team itself.
There are plenty of reliable and qualified teams out there waiting to help you and your business.
A good I.T. company will invest in innovative technology and systems to help give you quality solutions.
A team of I.T. technicians at an MSP also produces more brainpower than a typical in-house I.T. department by working collaboratively to come up with a solution.
Exceptional customer service is a priority for any proper MSP.
When a business and their chosen MSP decide to do business together, there will be a service level agreement (SLA) established.
A service-level agreement is a mutual understanding between both parties of what the expectations are.
Check it out: Why Outsource Your I.T (VIDEO)
MYTH #4: Outsourcing I.T. Is Expensive.
As a business, budgeting is one of the most important things you can do to make sure you are on the right path to success.
Why pay a MSP a ton of money when you can just hire someone to work in the building and take care of what you need.
Sure, maybe upfront it’s affordable, but not in the long run.
TRUTH: Employing someone or multiple people to fulfill your in-house I.T. staff sounds like a good plan, but the reality is that there are far more costs associated with hiring even that one person for the job as opposed to hiring an outsourced service team.
An employee in the company costs tens or thousands of dollars each year, plus benefits they receive and even the training they will need to do that job if they don’t have much experience with I.T.
Not to mention, MSPs also provide long-term cost savings by:
Reducing applications downtime
Cutting costs of I.T. infrastructure
Improving I.T. team productivity
Implementing greater security to avoid costly cyber attacks
Check it out: Outsourcing I.T Infographic
“Recent market studies show that, when properly executed, managed services for I.T. can reduce in-house I.T. costs by upwards of 40% while simultaneously facilitating a 50 to 60% increase in I.T. efficiencies.”
MYTH #5: There is a Lack of Communication Between an MSP and the Organization.
If you’re going to trust a MSP with your I.T, you want to have open communication with them.
But don’t they lack decent communication resources?
It’s too difficult to call and stay on the phone for sometimes hours at a time to find a solution to a problem.
TRUTH: A well rounded I.T service will have a good deal of experience and knowledge.
They will standardize their equipment to help create a stabilized network.
Some MSPs will provide the hardware that your company needs to fill an office such as computers, phone systems, firewalls, etc.
By standardizing the equipment, they can familiarize themselves with solution sets and troubleshooting their hardware to ensure the best performance of the technology.
Communication is also more than phone calls.
Email, chat services, screen sharing, and even a direct phone call, can make your communication experience with your MSP more enjoyable and less of a hassle.
These myths may be widely held, but they are traditional beliefs that don’t hold up like they may have several years ago.
Technology is evolving and so are the ways business manage their I.T.
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