Change can be difficult for people, especially the skeptical business owner, understandably. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t useful or necessary. Control over precious business technology and data is something many owners don’t want to give up, especially to another business of strangers. Many of these hesitations businesses experience are due to some common misconceptions regarding managed service providers and outsourcing I.T. The key is to not let them scare you away from finding the right MSP to partner with!

Myth: Many small to medium business owners believe that only larger businesses will benefit from outsourcing to an MSP. They think that contracts run around millions of dollars and there’s no way a business of their size can afford such an expense. How could an MSP service a smaller business without the same financial resources as larger businesses? Why would they even waste their own time and resources with us when they could be servicing businesses 3x the size of ours?

Fact: The thought that most MSPs only want to focus their time and efforts on big businesses is not true. When small to medium size businesses partner with an MSP, they are increasing their competence level in a cost-effective and savvy way. Outsourcing your I.T will allow your business to stay consistent with technology and get a leg up on the competition while managing complex I.T needs.

Check it out: How To Introduce New Technology Into The Workplace

Myth: The thought of handing over your company’s data and technology to a group of strangers is not a very welcomed idea for many business owners. There’s too much financial and confidential information of customers among that data. “Losing” control over your business is not something you’re remotely interested in, so why would you give another business the keys to the systems and technology equipment you’re using?

Fact: Coming from an MSP, it’s completely understandable that you want to be protective of your data and that of your own customers. After all, that’s a sign of a responsible business owner. However, the job of an MSP is not at all to control your business, but to assist and suggest strategies for the issues you face that hinder business in regard to technology and software. Their job is not to make decisions for your business, but to work with you to meet the standards you’ve set for your company and help you reach your goals. At the end of the day, your business is yours and only you have control over it. An MSP is there to assist with the way information and data are processed.

Check it out: Your Questions Answered: Managed I.T Video

Myth: Why would I hire someone who doesn’t even work in my building every day to manage the technology inside of it? They don’t understand the issues I’m facing if they aren’t here to experience them. An in-house I.T professional would be a better option.

Fact: The ability and the competence of an MSP depends solely on the team itself. There are plenty of reliable and qualified companies out there just waiting to service your business. A good I.T company will invest in innovative technology and processes to help give you quality solutions. A team of I.T professionals from an MSP will also produce more brainpower and reliability that a typical in-house I.T department (which is often only 1 person) by working collaboratively to develop a solution. Customer service is also a large part of working with an MSP. When you decide to partner with an MSP, there will be an SLA established. A service-level agreement is a mutual understanding between both parties of what the expectations are moving forward.

Check it out: Benefits of Outsourcing For Your Business Infographic

Myth: Budgeting is one of the most important and often stressful parts of operating a successful business. To make sure your company is on the right path, it’s helpful to have a clear I.T budget. So, why pay an MSP a ton of money when you can simply hire someone to work around the building and take care of things as they pop up? Maybe up front it’s affordable, but not so much in the long run.

Fact: There are far more costs associated with employing an in-house I.T staff, even if it’s just one person. An employee can cost the company tens of thousands of dollars each year, plus benefits, along with the additional costs of training they will need to do the job if they have minimal I.T experience.

Myth: If we’re going to hand our technology over to an MSP, we need to have reliable communication. But I.T services always lack decent communication resources when people call in with an issue. It’s really annoying and time-consuming to call in and hang on the phone for hours at a time to find a solution to my problem.

Fact: A well-rounded MSP will have a great deal of knowledge and experience. They will use standardized equipment to create a stable network. Some MSPs even offer hardware that your company needs to fill and office such as desktops, phone systems, firewalls, etc. By offering standardized equipment, they are able to familiarize themselves with processes and troubleshooting the hardware to ensure the best performance of the technology. Communication is also more than just phone calls. Emails, chat services, screen sharing, and online forms can make your communication experience with the MSP less of a hassle and more enjoyable when the issue gets resolved faster.

Check it out: Why Use VoIP: 7 Advantages Your Business Will Have Using VoIP

All of these myths are widely held, and you’ve more than likely had these same thoughts before when considering whether to partner with a managed service provider. But trust us, do the research and more than that, give us or any local and respected MSP a call to discuss options for your business. Remember that technology is evolving, as are the companies that service it.

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