Partnering with a top-notch managed service provider can be greatly beneficial to SMBs. By outsourcing their IT support, companies can focus more on their business and deal less with burdensome IT issues. And with more time to spend on their business, they can grow their bottom line and gain a competitive edge.
But when it comes to outsourcing their IT support, small and medium-sized businesses always seem to hesitate. For one reason or another, they rely on false and outdated information to dissuade them from even seeking more information about the matter. And without proper support, these companies unknowingly hurt their chances for success.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the four most common lies that SMBs tell themselves about outsourced IT support.
1. They’re Too Expensive
SMBs usually tell themselves that they simply can’t afford to have outsourced IT support. They’ll usually turn to what they mistakenly believe to be a cheaper form of IT support – themselves. When there isn’t much going on, this isn’t an infeasible plan. Handling an email here and there is absolutely manageable for a company just starting out.
But with multiple employees, copious important email attachments, sensitive data transfers and more factored in… what happens? They quickly become overwhelmed with the sheer amount of data thrown at them. From there, they also have to begin accounting for hardware and software purchases, including their setup and management.
Many companies will then turn to hiring an in-house IT person, still believing that it’s cheaper. But this person requires a salary, time off, benefits, continuing technical education, and more. Meanwhile, outsourced IT support is done on a set, flat rate that is predictable and easy to budget around. Many MSPs don’t realize that this rate can also vary based upon need; not all companies have the same level and costs of support. In the end, SMBs partner with IT professionals for far less money (and headaches) than they could by handling it themselves, or leaving it to an expensive in-house IT person.
2. We Can Handle Our Own Security
Seeing a cyberattack in the news is hardly a rare sight. Though bigger companies take the spotlight more often, SMBs are still at a very high risk for cyberattacks. After all, 43 percent of cyberattacks target small businesses. Why? Because SMBs often don’t have the knowledge or resources to defend themselves properly. When they attempt to handle their own security, they only scratch the surface of proper network protection.
Many outsourced IT support providers include 24/7 network monitoring for security issues. They also assist with firewall configurations and installations, and even the management of an antivirus program for the company. Partnering with a managed service provider gives SMBs the peace of mind to focus on their work without the fear of being stalked by cyber threats.
3. We’re Too Small to Need Outsourced IT Support
For some reason, SMBs think IT support is something that is achieved at a certain level of size. But the truth is a company is never too small to have IT issues. When things like computer system crashes, file deletions, and malware infections occur, the SMB is left to their own devices. Without someone to handle the problems, the SMB is forced to seek out specialists to fix their issues as they occur.
This break/fix approach is very expensive and ultimately impractical for companies. However, with outsourced IT support from a managed service provider, SMBs can skip the issue entirely.
Modern IT support is completely scalable. It doesn’t matter how big the company is; they can get the service they need for a price they can afford, at any size.
4. All Support Is the Same
The idea that all outsourced IT support is the same is a common belief of SMBs. However, that simply isn’t the case. It’s not as simple as choosing the most expensive or inexpensive service, as those are often poor indicators of the caliber of service received.
Instead, SMBs need to focus on how the managed service provider treats each interaction. The perfect IT partner needs to understand where the business is coming from, and where they want to go. They also should strive to be an extension of the company, rather than just another service that will come and go. And at outsourceIT, that’s exactly what we do.
If you’d like to talk to us to see how our managed IT services can help you grow your business, feel free to contact us. We’ll work together to develop the best plan of action for your company, and we’ll choose the type of services that make the most sense for you.
