Most organizations use managed IT services because managing & securing networks and devices takes constant attention. One single missed detail has the potential to let malicious hackers into your systems. Even if you have an in-house IT team, they probably don't have the time to painstakingly focus on every single of your technology needs. Most in-house teams are not equipped to handle comprehensive cybersecurity, while insuring stellar IT support and maintaining networks & infrastructure.

Hiring a Managed Service Provider is more cost-efficient, it negates risks and improves flexibility. Recruiting, hiring, training, and managing in-house staff is costly and risky when it is not your core competency. When you hire a Managed Service Provider you are hiring a proven team of experienced professionals equipped with best-in-class technology that will set up your business for success. This allows managers to focus on their businesses instead of worrying about the company’s IT. A managed service provider also evaluates current and future IT needs, to guide what type of products and services a company should implement in the future. That being said there are occasions where in-house staff is a better fit or a necessity but even in these instances it usually makes sense to outsource some responsibilities to a managed service provider to allow your in-house team to focus on what they do best.

MSPs provide different billing options, some bill per user, others bill per computer/server. Some offer a flat fee for everything. That makes it complicated to compare apples to apples. Regardless, MSPs should all be priced around the same total figure per month.  If a deal looks too good to be true, it is.  If a proposal looks way too high, you need to ask how the proposal breaks down and what do you get for the money. Take some time to call a few of their current clients to get insights on their actual performance.

Leveraging Local MSPs allow for strong relationships to be built between your team and theirs as well as easier access to their resources. If you’re working through an international call-center, their hours aren’t going to be the same as yours, even if they work around-the-clock. That combined with cultural differences and language barriers often leads to lackluster service and frustration. Last but not least, remote service can’t send a tech out to your physical location. This is probably the biggest issue, as there will be times when talking to someone over the phone just won’t cut it. Finally your business can benefit from your relationship with your local MSP from more than just the quality of the services provided. A good MSP will have a lot of connections in your area which can be a great source of additional opportunities.