Outsourcing IT is one of the best ways for small and medium-sized businesses to scale up, improve their efficiency, and reach their growth targets. Today, about 37% of small businesses outsource their IT. Relatively few, however, are really making the most of their partnership with a managed services provider. Here are four of the best ways to get the most from your outsourced IT services.
Don’t Bargain Shop for an MSP
While it’s understandable for a company to try to save money, cutting costs on something as essential as outsourced IT is never a good idea. Hiring the cheapest MSP you can find may save you some money now, but it will almost certainly backfire when you need critical IT support later on.
While MSPs offer great services at affordable prices, simply choosing the lowest price tag you find could mean that you don’t get the services you need and could make it difficult for your company to remain competitive. Instead, look for a provider that will deliver expert service at a fair price.
Put a Clear Backup and Recovery Plan in Place
In the IT world, few things are more devastating than data loss. Although malicious hacks and natural disasters are obvious causes of major data loss, about 40 percent of data loss incidents occur as a result of ordinary hardware failure.
For this reason, it’s extremely important to set up a backup and recovery plan with your MSP. Cloud backups in particular allow you to quickly retrieve copies of your data and restore proper function more easily. Putting a comprehensive recovery plan in place with your MSP can save you large amounts of time and money later on when your data is compromised.
Define Roles and Expectations
When you outsource your IT, it’s critical to lay out the role you expect your MSP to play as early as possible. Communicate clear expectations so that both your new MSP partner and your team know who is responsible for what.
If the role of your MSP is unclear, your company will lose time and productivity as both sides struggle to determine how to best work together. By laying out clear expectations from the start, you can enjoy a much more efficient partnership with your IT service provider.
Consider Partnering With a Local Service Provider
Although cloud-based IT services can be handled from any location, it’s still a good idea to consider working with an MSP in your area. A local MSP will understand the challenges and conditions that are specific to your area.
Local providers are also more likely to understand the business environment in which your company operates, allowing them to more effectively target their services to your needs. If you’re looking for an IT company in Orange County, consider partnering with Rednight Consulting for all of your cloud-based service needs.
These four simple tips will allow you to optimize the partnership between your business and an MSP. Whether you’re looking into outsourcing your IT for the first time or looking for a new MSP to help you grow your business, following this advice will help you set yourself up for a successful partnership with an IT service provider.
Contact RedNight Consulting for access to modern, affordable IT solutions. Our cloud-based approach to managed services will revolutionize how your business operates!