What is an MSP?
MSP, or Managed Service Provider, is an IT support company that will handle another company’s daily IT-related tasks. MSPs can provide security management, network administration, IT consulting, help desk support and much more.
By hiring an MSP, you get to ensure that your IT infrastructure and applications runs smoothly while being aligned with your business objectives.
Some common functions of a Managed Service Provider (MSP) include:
1. Monitoring, backup, and recovery
An MSP will remotely monitor all of the servers on your networks 24/7, maintaining your business’ data and applications secure and healthy. This involves giving preventive maintenance to ensure that things move smoothly without interruption to business operations, as well as data backup and recovery services in case a disaster happens.
2. Helpdesk and technical support
An MSP provides the ‘people’ to answer most IT questions and guide the use of future applications. They may also manage cloud computing, mobile phone and tablet management, network design and implementation, Office 365 email and VoIP phone solutions.
Managed services free up your employees to focus on other business activities, like servicing customers and building products for the future.
How Does a Managed Service Provider Work?
In simple terms, a Managed Service Provider (MSP) provides proactive management and support of a business’s IT infrastructure and systems through a service-level agreement (SLA). Once hired, the MSP will evaluate your current IT environment, determine vulnerabilities, and deploy solutions for monitoring, wrapping, and security.
From remote, they manage day-to-day IT tasks like software updates, data backups, and monitoring networks so downtime is minimal. Most MSPs offer support 24/7, so businesses can run seamlessly without relying on an internal IT department.
When businesses outsource to an MSP, they benefit from a team of IT professionals, state-of-the-art tools, and scalable services that maintain the efficient and secure operation of the technology they depend on.
Types of Managed Service Providers
There are 2 types and each offers expertise in specific IT services, so that each company can select the one that suits its unique purpose:
Pure-Play MSPs
These MVPs focus exclusively on the most fundamental aspect of IT, i.e. system monitoring and maintenance and basic troubleshooting. They mainly serve small businesses that require basic, entry-level IT support.
High-Level MSPs (Value-Added MSPs)
These MSPs provide specialized services, like strategic IT consulting, cybersecurity, compliance, cloud management, etc. They partner with mid-sized and large businesses that need tailored IT solutions.
Specialized MSPs
This type of MSP offers services tailored to industries, such as IT for healthcare or financial compliance or cloud infrastructures. It is a much more specialized service that helps address the necessary industry regulations.
The Benefits of an MSP
You don’t want to consider an MSP before you can effectively stand up all relevant cost factors. What would the cost be on a per-desktop basis to have all applications managed via the MSP? Outsourcing the IT function to the MSP should reduce overall costs, increase employee productivity in other operational areas, and make the organization more efficient.
Here are 5 benefits to partnering with an MSP:
- Service and response time faster then any. With external technical support, people are rapidly responding to any issues that monitoring soNo eware identifies on your network’s servers. These servers can be a combination of cloud-based and in-house servers.
- Business continuity and disaster recovery planning If you think about it, a weather disaster, theft or vandalism, a major power outage, or a colossal computer virus can bring your in-house IT infrastructure to its knees and interrupt customer service.
Your organization should prepare for your organization. An MSP will protect all data and successfully manage your nonprofit organization’s or small- or medium-sized business’s (SMB) recovery. If your MSP’s employees perform security tests regularly and look for attacks, recovery becomes possible. The other added benefit of an MSP is peace of mind that your networks are protected from hackers and cyber-criminals.
- Cloud services used for daily data backups. When you work with an MSP, your data is safe. All business systems are backed up in an alternate location [backup server system] You have a redundant set of all business data at all times, which puts your nonprofit or SMB safe from gigantic data losses.
- Annual IT budget planning. Count on the lead contact from the MSP regularly meeting with the organization’s top IT officer to strategize commercial technology needs for the future. This means knowing what applications businesses in the same industry have already decided to implement. How else will you build infrastructure to compete with the people you compete with? You may also implement new technologies, but the MSP recommends business strategies that allow the organization to scale without straining the budget.
- Computer ServiceDetailsRemote access support and proactiveContinue reading Your employees are continually supported by technology when the staff of the MSP can offer onsite or remote support. You should not wait until your systems stop working and then just fix them. You require preventive approaches to defend and update every computing system before they fail.
You can’t just let your organization’s computing systems be run by what’s left of an IT staff. Your company would be way too susceptible to disasters, cyber attacks, and employee sabotage. Select an MSP with assists as with a cost structure that is able to handle the would like we shall in a decreased cost. Don’t let yourself be oversold on services your organization can’t handle at this point in its evolution.
We have heard horror stories from our clients about MSPs they have used in the past. Those companies weren’t able to fulfill their needs. October 2023: Depend on an established IT services leader for cost-effective cybersecurity, IT managed services, business continuity, and lifecycle management.
How to Choose the Right MSP for Your Business
The million dollar question is, how do I select the ideal MSP for my business? This will affect the long-term results, so here are some points to consider when choosing:
Assess Service Offerings and Scalability
Ensure the MSP offers services that meet your business needs now and in the future. These scalable solutions allow your IT support room to grow alongside your company.
Check Industry Experience and Certifications
Find MSPs with industry experience and proper certifications, such as CompTIA, Microsoft, or Cisco. This ensures they know your business challenges and follow industry standards.
Evaluate Support Availability and SLAs
Make sure the MSP offers 24/7 support and well-defined service-level agreements (SLAs). Consistent support leads to reduced downtime and swift resolution during issues.
TVG Consulting – our Managed Service leaders stand ready to help you grow your bottom line and alleviate network downtime
