Starting a business is a lot of work. It requires determination, learning, and most importantly, the right resources. Improving your product, and managing marketing, sales, client relationships, accounting, IT, and everything else can be difficult. Handling it all by yourself is even more difficult and can leave gaps that impact your growth.
This reality makes it practical to outsource activities like IT to a Managed Services Provider (MSP). They can look after your your network and servers, email services, cloud solutions, data backups, cybersecurity, and more. A provider can take complex tasks off your plate and let you focus on your business.
Managed Service Providers, or MSPs, are IT support companies that are bring together a group of IT experts. Their teams usually include several professionals who are experts in different IT-related fields and solutions. They manage the services that a business outsources to them. There are various managed services that can be outsourced, with a couple of the most common being print and IT services. Outsourcing IT solutions to an MSP in Eugene helps to reduce costs, boost productivity, and streamline processes.
An MSP can share their experience and bring the latest technology solutions to your organization. They will assess all your requirements at the very beginning, then suggest solutions that will maximize productivity and profitability at your organization. An MSP will also address the shortfalls in your current processes that you may not be aware of. MSPs align themselves with the company’s objectives and then build customized solutions for your startup.
Working with an MSP will allow you to set a budget for IT solutions based on your requirements and available cash flow. You decide what level of support and management you want for network administration, cybersecurity, cloud solutions, and other services, working within your set budget. Most MSPs will charge an onboarding fee to help cover the costs for any initial labor involved with getting your business set up for managed services, then a set monthly fee for ongoing services. This ends up being a win-win for the MSP and you, since it empowers and enables the MSP to make sure your technology is working for you, always on, up to date, and ready when you are. Outsourcing also reduces the dependence on hiring and managing in-house IT personnel, which can save a significant amount of cash over the life of the managed services relationship.
Downtime can severely impact any business. MSPs have dedicated support staff who help solve issues as they come up, and even better than that, they work to prevent issues so they never happen in the first place. Big bonus if you find an MSP that offers 24/7 support! Many of them do, and while it isn’t always included in your set monthly fee for managed services, knowing it’s available if you ever need it, gives real peace of mind.
MSPs also have working relationships with technology solution providers like Microsoft. Working with an MSP that has attained partner status with a company like Microsoft may mean you have priority access to their support channels, and your MSP will even handle the coordination for you! Almost like you don’t have to lift a finger…except to dial your MSP.
MSPs can manage the compliance requirements and regulations for your startup. They can secure the network at your organization and protect your data. Cybersecurity is a major compliance requirement in industry standards and government regulations.
Cybersecurity attacks can lead to loss of data – a violation of data privacy laws. MSPs can mitigate this problem by installing hardware and software like firewalls and multi-factor authentication on your network. This will protect your systems from attacks and keep your data protected.
In the initial phase of growth, the technology requirements of your organization can change rapidly. Your startup may need to migrate data to a new cloud system, improve compliance, offer new software solutions, etc. Without professional support, it can be difficult to determine what IT solutions your company needs. An MSP can help create an IT roadmap for your startup. An IT roadmap is a strategic technology plan for IT initiatives to meet the growing demands of your company.
Startups work in a highly competitive ecosystem, where operational efficiency and cost reduction play an important role. Adopting new technologies and setting yourself apart can help you stay ahead of the competition. Outsourcing IT reduces your human resources burden, offers highly-skilled technical resources, and provides a scalable and cost-effective solution. An MSP comes on board as a partner that will help you navigate your growing business to success.
Maybe you think your business is too small for an MSP, but nothing could be further from the truth. MSPs can help companies of all sizes with cloud computing, data storage and security, software and hardware maintenance and upgrades, and much more. Yes, even the smallest small businesses, including those with 50 or fewer users.
Leading an IT team is a tough, multi-faceted job, and no one understands that better than an MSP (managed services provider). An MSP is a tech partner that works with you to handle everyday IT tasks and can help you ensure that the changing nature of technology doesn’t leave your business behind.
Whether you’ve got 10 or 100 employees, a managed services provider can keep your IT on track and your business running smoothly. Even companies in the 250-300 user range, just toeing the line into enterprise-level tech solutions, can enjoy all the benefits of an MSP.
An IT generalist is a jack-of-all-trades. They’re by your side every day to manage your help desk, support your staff’s IT needs, deliver service and maintenance, and be network administrators who ensure everything is working as intended. On the other hand, an IT specialist works on more complex technology issues, such as projects and escalations. IT specialists also often take on the role of solutions architects.
Getting your outsourced IT services from an IT Services company seems like an obvious choice. You have someone you can call when things go sideways to help you get your technology back up and running. An MSP, or managed service provider, is a type of outsourced IT, but not all outsourced IT companies are MSPs. We’re going to break down the differences even further.
Between inflation, supply chain interruptions, and the looming possibility of yet another recession, it can be difficult for business leaders to chart the best course of action to keep themselves not just solvent, but thriving and growing in the face of such economic uncertainty. One way that businesses can make themselves more recession-proof is by having a solid IT structure in place, including software, hardware, security, data storage, and IT experts, to help everything run efficiently and effectively
Many businesses are turning to outside IT professionals to help them optimize their operations and keep their technology running smoothly and efficiently through strategic planning. A vCIO, or virtual Chief Information Officer, can be the key to streamlining IT functionality for your business.
There are outsourced IT services, and then there are MSPs—managed service providers. Managed service providers are outsourced IT companies, but not all outsourced IT companies are MSPs. Managed service providers are local businesses and, more importantly, local to your business.
Onboarding new staff members can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. While it symbolizes growth and new opportunities for your organization, it’s crucial to implement the necessary measures to guarantee a secure and seamless integration.
Since 2001, StepUP IT Services has been helping businesses in Eugene and throughout Oregon with their technology needs. We are your IT partner. We manage and maintain your technology, empowering your organization to reach its goals. Making you happy is what makes us happy.
228 Grimes St. Eugene, OR 97402
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