The upward trend in the use of managed service providers is set to continue. The global managed services market was last year valued at US$140bn and is forecast to rise to US$ 268bn by 2022, according to the latest report by Mordor Intelligence. That’s an overall rise of 11.38pc, with the SME market soaring by 16pc within this five-year period. Until recently, MSPs have mostly been contracted to help with technical and equipment issues but the range of services is gaining ground, resulting in a managed services maze covering everything from implementation and monitoring to database and helpdesk support. To help you make an informed choice, below are the five biggest benefits of managed services.
Staying ahead of the IT curve: IT technology continues to develop at pace and keeping up with its demands is challenging, even for an experienced IT workforce. In the workplace, multiple platforms are being used and the need to access data securely and quickly from remote locations is greater than ever. This is where an MSP can step up to the plate, offering you access to senior level technical expertise across a broad range of specialisms. This means you never have to worry about staying up to date with emerging technologies that could benefit your business.
Budget freedom: An MSP allows IT departments to pay only for what they need, freeing up vital funds for other projects and activities. You can accurately predict your IT costs, working on a fixed monthly fee basis rather than planning around the peaks and troughs of large capex and opex investments. You can choose which elements of your infrastructure you manage in-house, and which will fall under the terms of the contract. Working with a partner to keep your IT services in good health reduces costs, improves performance and reliability, and means less firefighting and more forward planning. All you have to do is choose the right provider.
Competitive advantage: Many SMEs struggle to compete with larger, more established businesses with extensive in-house support services to power their company. A good provider can help level the playing field by handling backup and recovery, storage, security, service performance monitoring and other day to day maintenance of your IT environment. In this way, your in-house resource is free to focus on improving service and making sure your infrastructure supports your business goals.
Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity remains a primary driver between the growth of MSPs and the importance of maintaining a secure online working environment. Data breaches can range from ransom attacks to corporate theft, financial phishing to nuisance hacking and can be devastating both financially and to brand reputation. No company is safe from such a threat with big names such as the NHS, Sony, Experian and TalkTalk all experiencing very public exposure from their respective breaches. A provider can deliver 24/7 IT security expertise which means you won’t have to employ a highly paid full-time roster of experts on your payroll.
Improved customer service: Are your internal and external customers frustrated by the inconsistent service they receive from your help desk? Are helpdesk tickets slipping through the net due to a lack of resource, with the result that customers’ issues are left unresolved and their productivity or user experience is negatively impacted? An in-demand, emerging MSP role is first-line helpdesk support. The MSP can furnish offsite staff to field helpdesk calls and email and handle tier-one troubleshooting tasks.
To sum up, if you want to maintain online security, keep up with the latest technology and deliver a consistent customer service, your solution could lie in managed services from a respected hosting provider. Transputec is an established MSP with more than 30 years of IT innovation and excellent customer service. We deliver infrastructure, development and traditional IT outsourcing services to customers around the world, with our new service portfolio focusing on IT Security. I’m proud to say that as well as winning the MSP Reseller of the Year 2017 at the PCR Awards, we were also a finalist in the prestigious PCR Awards for 2017 in the Managed Services Provider (MSP) category.
Shalen Sehgal
Chief Operating Officer, Transputec
