If you’re not sure why you need a managed services provider (MSP), you’re not the only one. Despite all the benefits to hiring an MSP, many businesses are still skeptical, but they don’t need to be — and neither do you.
Before contracting an MSP to protect your business, do your research, ask the right questions and consider your options, but above everything else, understand why you need one.
While there are many reasons to hire an MSP in 2019, there are four to focus on when considering and evaluating IT security professionals in your area.
Cybersecurity — are you ready to handle threats?
Without the right expertise, the ever-evolving threat landscape can be difficult for any business to navigate — especially as the number of attacks continues to rise.
Businesses of all sizes are at risk for cybersecurity breaches. In fact, some of the biggest hacks in 2018 included the following giants: Marriott International, Quora, and Facebook.
The concern over cybersecurity threats is continuing to grow, and the authorities have taken notice.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), “the growing number of serious attacks on essential cyber networks is one of the most serious economic and national security threats our nation faces.”
Even the FBI has an entire page dedicated to the agency’s most wanted cybercriminals.
Not being prepared for looming threats could be costly for many businesses.
The truth is this, cybercrime will cost the world more than $6 trillion annually by 2021, up from $3 trillion in 2015, according to Cybersecurity Ventures.
While these numbers are scary, you shouldn’t have to worry about them too much after hiring an MSP (if that’s what you choose to do).
Stop worrying about IT, and focus on generating revenue for your business
Having an MSP in your corner allows you to focus on what really matters — generating revenue for your business and attending to the needs of your customers.
Whether you own a law firm or a construction company, more than likely, you’re not an expert in technology (there’s nothing wrong with that; we’re all experts in something but not everything).
By partnering with an MSP, you allow yourself to dedicate the time you need to grow your business, especially if you’re already understaffed.
If you’re understaffed, how about contracting out IT services?
Many businesses — especially small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) — don’t have enough capital to build and maintain an in-house IT team.
One of the main reasons is IT professionals are costly, especially in today’s economy, where the U.S. tech unemployment rate is at a record low (the jobless rate dropped to a 20-year low of 1.3 percent in May 2019).
Even when capital isn’t an issue, many businesses would rather allocate funds to business initiatives designed to grow their top lines, instead of wasting time, money and resources on staying on top of rapidly evolving technologies.
Technology is constantly changing, so can you keep up?
When IT isn’t your main priority, keeping up with evolving technology is nearly impossible.
With technology, there’s always something to update or learn every day, whether it be hardware, software, or the continuously changing threat landscape businesses of all sizes are facing.
To avoid always feeling like you’re behind, hiring an MSP is typically your best bet to ensuring your business and its assets are protected.
Outsourcing IT better protects you against cybersecurity threats, enables you to focus on generating additional revenue streams for your business, provides you with a dedicated IT team without having to build one and helps you with overcoming the constantly changing technology landscape.
