What is an MSP Anyway?

Without knowing each other yet, there is one thing I’m sure we can agree on: Only you know your company, product, or service inside out. No one can do it better than you, and you should be proud of that. 

I would dare to say we can agree on something else, too: There are some parts of your operation that take a good chunk of your time, but don't require your expertise. 

I mean day-to-day, repetitive stuff. You know, like payroll, accounting, and IT.

A managed service provider (MSP) takes care of those parts of your business for you. It’s a partner that helps you manage tasks that don't require your special attention, so you can focus on what matters: growing your business.

MSP’s don’t work for your company, they become part of it. And as part of your company, they will do what it takes to help you grow.

There are several benefits you get from delegating part of your workload to a specialized professional. For starters, it frees up your time, resources, and money so you can use them where you really want, or need to.

There are other benefits, too. Most notably, you don't have to do them at all! 

Pretty sweet, right?

You might be thinking that it would be obvious, then, for businesses to be inclined to get these services.

Especially for IT. Unlike accounting or payroll, which usually look pretty similar no matter the company, managing technology is complex, time-consuming, and usually not cheap.

Yes, I see them too. So, before you mention them, allow me to address the two elephants in the room.

Show Me The Numbers 

Expensive could mean very different things depending on who you ask.

What is more valuable to you, time or money? 

Well, good news. MSP’s help your business save both.

• Time: Forget about creating processes, systems, trackers, or records. If you have a need or problem, one call or message to your MSP is all it takes to make it happen.

That’s not even the best part, since your MSP will proactively monitor the health of your infrastructure, most issues or problems will be prevented before they even happen. 

We're talking about saving time and money you never even knew you would spend. How's that for innovation?  

• Money: Yes, saving time is nice. But it usually translates into spending more than before. IT is expensive. Like, really expensive. And for good reason, IT is the backbone of your business. It’s how you communicate, it’s how you transact with your clients, it’s how you tell the world about your products and services. IT is crucial for your business.

An MSP is the most effective way of avoiding the IT spending trap. By streamlining your services with a specialized partner, you can cut your in-house costs by up to 40% while improving service levels. You only pay for what you need, nothing else. 

Not to mention, as service providers for multiple companies, MSPs usually have strong connections with vendors and suppliers. Being able to secure better pricing than your business, both for services and equipment. 

They're All the Same, Just Different

IT departments across companies seem to have the same tasks, yet they rarely run similarly. Each company has its own culture and priorities. 

Yours might value security over speed, or availability over flexibility, for example.

Maybe you need to run your own security system, but need help with everything else. Maybe you need a professional to implement a new system no one knows how to use. Maybe you don’t want to think about IT at all.

There are no wrong questions or correct answers. IT departments are flexible by nature. So are MSPs. 

What Can an MSP Do for My IT Department?

Short answer: 

MSP’s can manage as little as just your network, making sure it'

s always running smoothly, or as much as your whole IT department. 

Yes, the whole thing.

With services like co-managed IT support, you can delegate part of your IT workload while keeping control of your strategic decisions. Forget about day-to-day issues, downtime, or complaints and focus only on what you need to.

Alternatively, if what you’re looking for is being completely worry-free, services like ManagedCare™ Complete help you outsource your entire IT department, so you have a couple (or a thousand) fewer things to worry about. 

Even-shorter answer:

Anything you need them to. No matter what business you are in.

The Least Common of All Senses

If a company sells and installs curtains. Would you hire them to take care of your IT department?

Of course not. 

Avoid hiring curtain companies (a.k.a. yourself) to manage your IT needs. Focus on growing your business, and leave the hard work to your MSP.