Take the worry of handling your company’s IT needs with a managed IT services business. Read on to learn the benefits of managed IT services.
A managed IT services provider (MSP) is a third-party business responsible for handling your company’s IT needs. If you’re a growing company or small business looking to advance your technology and increase your network’s cyber security measures (among other advantages), you might be interested in working with a managed IT answering service.
From their cost-effectiveness to their 24-hour support, there are many reasons to consider hiring an MSP. In this blog, we’ll discuss 9 benefits you can expect when you entrust an MSP to lend your business a helping hand.
9 Benefits of Managed IT Services to Consider
If you already pay your IT department to complete all of your tech-related tasks, you might be wondering, why should I consider IT support outsourcing services?
While your team is likely more than capable of completing their day-to-day responsibilities, an MSP can provide expert advice and innovative suggestions that bring your IT to the next level.
Here are 9 benefits you’re likely to encounter when deciding to work with an MSP:
#1 More Affordable IT Solutions
One clear advantage of using managed IT solutions is that they can be more affordable for your expanding business. Yes, you could hire new IT employees, but the overall cost of new staff members is considerable. In addition to providing a competitive salary and benefits, training each new employee costs an average of $1,886 per person.1
Instead, you could hire a managed IT service at a flat monthly rate. For that fixed price, you receive access to:
A fleet of trained IT professionals – Rather than hiring just one or two IT professionals and then training them, a managed IT service provider allows you access to an entire fleet of experts.
Additional support whenever you need it – If there are some months when you require additional support, your point of contact will find you the perfect specialist, in addition to your normal team, to make sure you have all the help you need—at no additional cost to you.
#2 Experts in All IT Sectors
As your business grows, so will your demand for newer technology and professionals with more specific certifications under their belts. However, training new staff to operate advanced software and transition into new roles doesn’t happen overnight. It usually doesn’t even happen in a month—at least not at full capacity.
While training new staff members takes an average of one to two years (to get them fully up and running)2, hiring an MSP provides you with instant access to a team of highly qualified experts in a variety of specialties, including:
Infrastructure management
Cloud storage
Server maintenance
Systems administration
Data backup and systems recovery
Authentication
Network monitoring and security
#3 A Proactive IT Team
Imagine you’re having your first cup of coffee and are about to check your online calendar for the day, when suddenly, the network goes down. You look out at the rest of the office and see everyone glancing at their neighbors with confused expressions on their faces. You’re now at the mercy of your IT team to fix the problem as quickly as possible. It could take five minutes, or five hours.
But this isn’t the case when you hire an MSP team.
Unlike a traditional IT department, an MSP team is proactive from the start. This means they actively monitor and troubleshoot any potential issues before they happen. This can save you time and money, especially when you consider how unplanned network downtime can cost you up to $5,600 per minute. That’s a pretty expensive minute—and it’s even more expensive if that minute turns into hours.
#4 Lower Infrastructure Expenses
IT infrastructure for a business can be quite extensive. From hardware—such as servers, routers, data centers, and other equipment—to the facilities that store and power this hardware, expenses for infrastructure can add up quickly.
You can avoid some of these expenses with the use of a managed IT service. Rather than needing infrastructure on-site, your MSP team can work remotely and provide their own equipment, leaving you with a slew of financial savings, including:
Fewer hardware costs
Cost savings on power bills
Less space dedicated to data centers
#5 Direct Lines of Communication
Not only do you get a committed team of professionals when you hire managed IT service providers, but you also receive a point of contact you can count on to answer your questions and resolve any issues quickly and efficiently.
Your personal representative—an experienced customer success manager—will get to know all the nooks and crannies of your IT needs so they can make sure their team knows how to best serve your company.
#6 Increased Staff Productivity
Is your current internal IT staff working single-handedly to resolve user errors or fix malfunctioning software? If they are, it’s likely taking away valuable time from their day-to-day responsibilities.
With a managed IT service at the ready, your internal IT team will have more time to focus on more important tasks. This benefits them, as well as the company at large.
#7 Enhanced IT Security
From malware and phishing scams to SQL injections and password attacks, a potential cyber threat is an unfortunate reality for any branch of IT.
One way to feel more confident in your network’s security is by working with an MSP. They often use the following security services—among others—to benefit your network’s cyber security:
Encrypt all devices – Encryption doesn’t just end with on-site computers. An MSP can encrypt mobile devices, too, since many employees use them regularly to answer emails and edit documents.
Test your current protection – Your MSP can do an internal security audit to find any weaknesses in your current antivirus protection. If they find any chinks in its armor, they’ll take proactive measures to increase its strength in case of future cyber threats.
Back up your data regularly – This can be useful whether you’ve accidentally deleted a folder of important data or you’ve unknowingly become a pawn in a virus attack. Even if crucial documents have disappeared from your computer, you can rest easy knowing they’re backed up remotely.
Establish strong password guidelines – Gone are the days of ‘Smith123’ as an indecipherable password. Your MSP will likely ask you to create complex passwords that are changed every three months to lessen the likelihood of a network breach.
#8 Better Stability in Off-Site Data Centers
If all of your company’s secure information is housed in your managed IT service’s data center, you can feel secure knowing that, should the worst happen (for instance, accidental fire or flood), your data will still be safe.
Not only does hosting your data remotely benefit your business in case of a natural disaster, but it also comes in handy when you need to access information quickly while offsite.
#9 24/7 Support
Picture this: It’s 8:02 p.m. Your business closes its doors at 8:00 p.m. each night. But just as you’re about to leave, you hear an incoming call. You don’t want your customer’s call to go to voicemail, but you also want to honor your business hours. So, what do you do?
Managed IT services like Nexa offer around-the-clock answering services available to your customers 24/7/365. So, whether a customer is calling from Singapore or Chicago, there’s always someone available to assist them.
And, when you partner with Nexa, you receive so much more than your run-of-the-mill customer support team. In fact, choosing Nexa’s 24/7 answering service provides you with:
Live virtual receptionists – Never worry about letting a phone call go to voicemail again. Virtual assistants are on standby whenever your customers need them—nights, weekends, and holidays included.
Overflow and after-hours answering services – Create a better work-life balance for your employees with receptionists that can lend a helping hand after everyone’s gone home for the day.
Live chat services – Not all customers prefer talking by phone. But with Nexa, that’s not an issue. Nexa is inclusive of everyone’s needs, whether they want to communicate via phone or mobile device. That’s why we offer convenient online chat services.
People-powered text messaging – Meet customers wherever they are—literally—with real-time text messages. So, whether your customer is at home, on the go, or at work, they can get the answers they need when they need them.
CRM integration – Receptionists can send all the information they’ve collected during their shifts to your chosen CRM software or Nexa’s portal. This provides you with automatic updates as soon as you return to the office in the morning.
Improve Your IT Services and Offer Your Customers Around the Clock Care With Nexa
Rather than asking your employees to manage your IT department—along with their day-to-day tasks—and handle customer service after hours, why not kill two birds with one stone? Ensure your employees can prioritize their responsibilities and maintain a solid work-life balance while simultaneously making your customers a top priority by hiring Nexa’s support service.
Whether you’re a small business looking for help after hours or you’re a multinational corporation seeking more advanced answering services, Nexa is ready to assist your company.
With our expertise and innovative technology, we’re prepared to provide your business with superior customer service whenever you need it. Contact us today to learn more.
Nexa Receptionists Holdings, LLC (“Nexa”) welcomes Pravin Chandrasoma as its first-ever Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for its two brands: Nexa and Alert Communications.
