Modern businesses need a viable IT environment to remain competitive in the market and satisfy customer expectations. Large companies often have extensive, dedicated IT teams that implement and manage a computing environment designed to further business objectives. Supporting this IT environment requires a substantial financial investment and adequate technical resources.
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) often find it difficult to develop and maintain an IT environment that addresses their needs. Multiple issues can get in the way of efficiently providing the systems and computing power necessary to protect valuable data resources and meet business requirements. In many cases, it makes a lot of sense for an SMB to hire a third party to handle its IT needs.
Managed service providers (MSPs) like VAST IT Services can help an organization of any size implement and manage an IT environment that is tailored to the needs of its business. Working with an MSP is an excellent way for a business to optimize its IT spending and provide a computing environment that meets business objectives.
Following are some of the most important benefits of engaging a third party to manage an IT environment.
Cost Savings
Cost savings can be achieved in multiple ways when working with an MSP. The ways companies can expect to save money with an MSP include:
- Utilizing cloud services – An MSP can help plan, execute, and manage the migration of a company’s on-premises IT environment to the cloud. They may take advantage of public cloud service or have a proprietary cloud solution that eliminates the cost of maintaining an onsite data center.
- Reducing training costs – The technical resources available from a reliable MSP have experience managing the hardware and software a company needs to compete effectively in today’s business landscape. Companies can avoid the expense of training employees on new solutions introduced into the environment to further business objectives by relying on the manpower available from the MSP.
Addressing the Skills Gap
SMBs are often challenged with providing the necessary skills to optimally manage their IT environment. In many cases, a company must get by with a small team that may have additional duties unrelated to managing the computing environment. A small or overburdened team can result in degraded performance or security vulnerabilities that cannot be effectively addressed.
A lack of skills can make it impossible to take full advantage of technological solutions that would benefit the business. Rather than going through the expense of hiring and training an internal staff, an MSP can provide the personnel required to handle a company’s IT needs.
Accessing Cutting-Edge Technology
Advancements in the IT world come quickly and businesses must keep up to remain competitive. For example, advanced analytics enable a company to gain insights into trends that let them improve customer satisfaction. Unfortunately, many SMBs do not have the necessary funds or technical expertise on hand to take advantage of cutting-edge technology on-premises.
Working with a third-party MSP solves this issue by enabling companies of any size to access advanced IT solutions. Taking advantage of cloud providers, an MSP can help companies develop an IT strategy that incorporates cutting-edge solutions that directly address their business objectives. The MSP can also manage this cloud environment to reduce any manpower or skill shortages faced by an SMB.
Enhanced Security
Security is an essential component of an IT strategy and must be prioritized to protect valuable systems and data assets. Sophisticated threat actors are constantly devising new methods of exploiting security vulnerabilities that put valuable information and systems at risk. A successful cyberattack attack can put an SMB out of business.
A reliable MSP understands the importance of securing your IT environment. They also have the skills and technical expertise necessary to implement the correct solutions to protect your business and meet its unique objectives. As new and improved security solutions become available, an MSP can introduce them into the environment to strengthen cyber defenses.
Improved Data Protection
An MSP typically has extensive experience in developing and implementing robust backup and recovery strategies for their customers. This includes disaster recovery planning and testing to ensure business-critical systems and data resources can quickly be restored when necessary. Backing up to the cloud eliminates the need for an on-premises backup infrastructure, saving money and increasing the efficiency of data protection solutions.
Implementing a cloud backup and recovery strategy managed by an MSP enables a company to flexibly recover from anywhere with network connectivity. Cloud disaster recovery protects a company from relying on an onsite data center that may have been damaged and is inaccessible. The ability to quickly recover from a disaster can be the difference between a business surviving or failing.
Focusing on Core Competencies
One of the most beneficial aspects of having an MSP handle a company’s IT environment is that it allows the customer to focus on the core competencies of their business. Companies typically employ IT solutions to address business requirements and promote growth. Managing the IT environment distracts them from engaging in core business activities.
Working with an MSP eliminates these distractions and lets everyone concentrate on growing the business and serving their customers. In today’s competitive marketplace, the additional business focus provided by engaging an MSP to manage the IT environment can give a company a huge edge over its rivals.
How VAST Can Help Your Business
VAST is an experienced MSP that is in an excellent position to help customers optimize their IT spending and use technology to meet business needs. VAST has formed strategic partnerships with industry-leading public cloud providers and software vendors. They leverage these partnerships to bring you the most effective solutions for your business.
VAST offers a wide range of managed services designed to address the needs of any business. Their experience and highly-trained professionals eliminate the worries over managing your IT environment. VAST has your back and lets you relax and concentrate on doing the things that your business does best.
Talk to the IT expert at VAST and see how they can help you address all of your IT requirements and help your business grow and thrive.
