There are outsourced IT services, and then there are MSPs—managed services providers. IT service providers are not all created equal. While all managed IT services providers are outsourced IT companies, not all outsourced IT companies are MSPs. And not all MSPs are local. One of the biggest benefits you have with choosing a provider, is the option to work with a local business for your managed IT services. Because location matters. A lot.
An local MSP knows your community because they are in your community. They know the lay of the land, both in terms of unique geographic challenges and also the business climate. They know what businesses in your area need to thrive because they live and work there. When it comes to outsourcing your IT, do you want someone across the country from you, or do you want someone in a nearby zip code? A local MSP is a neighbor and a fellow contributor to your immediate economy.
A local managed services provider offers many, if not more, of the same services as a national or international IT company—things like fully managed and co-managed IT support, cybersecurity, cloud solutions, and backup and disaster recovery—but with a truly personalized approach that cannot be beat.
When you contract with a local MSP, you give them access to your business’s most precious assets, your data and systems. That’s a tremendous amount of trust given to an outsourced service. But that’s the beauty of an MSP. You’ve only giving access to one team. That one team will then handle all your IT needs or, in a co-managed agreement, handle your IT alongside your own employees. The fewer people with access to your data and systems, the lower your chances of a data breach. When you have too many separate providers managing your IT, every single one of those providers is a potential security breach.
You also run the risk of a conflict of interest, which might not be in your company’s best interest. It’s the old adage of “too many cooks in the kitchen,” where if too many providers are handling your data and systems, their practices might not always align. That could leave your business stuck in the middle, forced to make the decisions you hired these providers to make for you. You always have open communication to put best practices in place and do what’s right for your company when you work with a local MSP.
A local MSP is there for you to listen to your needs but also to handle any communication with your vendors so that you can focus on running your business. There is much less chance of misinformation and misunderstanding when you’ve got one point of contact—your MSP—who can communicate your needs to other partners and suppliers.
A local MSP can offer you something the faraway IT can’t, and that’s truly personalized service. A local MSP will work with you to find a service plan that aligns directly with your company’s needs and, maybe more importantly, your values.
When you work with a local MSP, you work alongside dedicated professionals who get to know your business and make it their business to see you succeed. You’ll have access to a diverse team of IT specialists who know what it takes to keep your company running smoothly and familiarize themselves with all aspects of your IT requirements.
A huge benefit of working with a local MSP is, well, that they’re local! They can visit your site promptly and save you downtime and loss of revenue should you ever have an issue. Fully-managed IT services from an MSP also save you the employment costs and workspace needed for an onsite IT team. Even if you choose to co-manage your IT with a local MSP, you know the support that your onsite team needs is just a phone call away and a few miles down the road. It’s even easier to get the assistance you need if your data is managed in the cloud. That can mean that help is a couple of clicks away from getting you back on track, no site visit needed. Local MSPs offer so much more than just IT services.
It’s an amazing feeling when you know that you’ve got personalized service from local experts and that you’ve streamlined your communications and strengthened your security. And it’s even better when that feeling comes from working with people who know what your community and business climate are like because they live and work there, too.
If you’re ready to learn more about how a local MSP can benefit your business, get in touch today! There’s a team of IT professionals who can’t wait to walk you through what managed services can look like for your business and help you make informed decisions about what offerings are best for you.