Admittedly, not all managed service providers (MSPs) are created equal. As is the case in any industry, there are both good and bad options. Making the right choices depends on extensive research, as well as shaking the belief that, if you want a job done properly, you have to do it yourself.
The benefits of hiring a dependable MSP are undisputable, especially for smaller businesses with limited budgets and in-house IT teams. The concept of outsourcing critical functions like cybersecurity, compliance, and other IT services, might be little over a decade old, but it’s now well-established as the new normal.
As the industry matures, more and more businesses are coming to realize the benefits of lower costs, higher service availability, and expert guidance. After all, the world of business is getting more complex and difficult to navigate. That’s why support for the efficiency and effectiveness of MSPs continues to grow.
But first, let’s shed light on the more pervasive myths and misconceptions about MSPs:
Myth #1: Companies lose control over their IT infrastructure to a managed services provider
By now, most business leaders appreciate the fact that data is their most valuable asset, so it stands to reason that they’re often afraid of losing control over it. Perhaps the most common belief of all about working with an MSP is that it means losing control over your apps and data.
Losing control isn’t a result of hiring an MSP, but a sign of a lack of proper management and oversight over your outsourcing strategy. The degree of control you give to an MSP is entirely up to you. An effective relationship is defined by clear expectations, including a scope of the services delivered as defined by a strong service level agreement (SLA).
Myth #2: Managed services providers only offer a one-size-fits-all approach to IT
While it’s true that many MSPs cater to multiple industries, that doesn’t mean all of them are generalists. There’s a widespread belief that outsourcing your critical information systems will result in a drop in performance and efficiency.
You should always be wary of MSPs which take a generalist approach and fail to understand the distinct nuances and challenges facing your industry. Fortunately, there are now plenty of specialized providers to choose from, which understand industry-specific matters like HIPAA compliance in healthcare or CMMC compliance in the defense supply chain.
Myth #3: It costs a lot more to outsource your IT management to a managed services provider
Hiring someone else to do jobs that you’re currently handling in-house might seem like a waste of money. For some business leaders, it’s difficult to validate the monthly costs of outsourcing, and there’s often a persistent of hidden expenses.
A better way to think of outsourcing is from a task-delegation standpoint. For example, if your employees are spending more time focusing on technical issues that they aren’t best equipped to tackle, instead of focusing on their core competencies, then that’s a waste of money. Hiring an MSP offers greater cost efficiency and both short- and long-term savings.
Myth #4: Partnering with a managed services provider can leave your data vulnerable
Cyberattacks are an inevitability, and the costs of remediating them can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. As such, many business leaders prefer to keep their operations in-house and purely under their control.
The fact is that an MSP isn’t going to stay in business for long if they don’t fully understand the critical importance of cybersecurity and compliance. Many MSPs operate under a shared responsibility model, and since cybersecurity is often a key part of what they do, chances are they have the human and technical resources required to greatly improve upon your in-house security capabilities.
Myth #5: Outsourcing IT to a managed services provider means replacing your employees
It’s easy to view any kind of outsourcing as a symptom of downsizing to cut costs. Sometimes, that might be the case but, more often than not, outsourcing is a strategy businesses follow to improve efficiency and ease the burden on their in-house teams.
When you outsource your IT services, it’s not about firing your employees, and partnering with an MSP is rarely a reason for letting people go. The vast majority of partnerships exist to help businesses realign their internal priorities so that employees can focus on the things they’re best at. Any decent MSP can also scale and adapt to your needs to the point of being a fully outsourced IT services department or simply an extension of your existing team.
Charles IT serves as your outsourced IT department by offering tailored cloud solutions and responsive support you can count on. Talk to our team today to find out more!
