Using an MSP – Four scenarios where businesses should switch to a Managed Service Provider
Posted 28th May 2023
As business owners, we all understand the worry of taking on a new service or changing the way we operate. Will it work? Is it a necessary expense? Will my business effectively use the service? These are all questions that we regularly hear when we talk to businesses that are considering swapping their IT support over to a managed service provider.
From our perspective, we believe that every business needs professionally managed IT support in some shape or form, which is why we launched our LP Lite packages aimed at small businesses and start-ups last year; and offer bespoke managed service IT support to larger companies. So, we thought we’d explain the value of using professional IT support or an MSP (Managed Service Provider) for various scenarios.
Managing your own IT systems is taking up too much of your time
One of the reasons we launched our LP Lite range is that we’ve often seen this scenario. Small businesses and sole traders who don’t have access to anyone with IT skills and are trying to manage their own IT support. While a company may be too small to take on an IT department or full MSP service, it’s big enough to need some form of IT support.
Our LP Lite + package is designed for growing businesses that want all their IT taken care of. From £60 per user per month, we provide reliable and accessible IT Support, combined with regular backups and cybersecurity options. Microsoft Office365 licensing is also included to provide a complete suite of essential products.
Transferring from an internal IT department to a Managed Service Provider
Companies with larger internal IT teams are always concerned about what will happen when staff members decide to move on. Alongside the concerns about continuity of service, there is also the worry about recruiting someone who will be the best fit for the company. And let’s not mention the stress and cost of recruitment.
Outsourcing your IT Support not only saves you the cost and concern about recruiting the right person, but it can also create significant savings on staff salaries, meaning you can allocate resources to other areas of your business. Additionally, because we have long-standing partnerships with suppliers, we can also source technical supplies and hardware at the best prices.
Changing from Pay as You Go IT Support to an MSP with a service agreement
Pay as You Go IT support is a particularly reactive (and potentially very expensive) way of managing your IT. It works on the premise that you only need assistance once something has already gone wrong. Financially, what this means is that when problems occur, your costs rise sharply. Alongside this, companies using PAYG often find that they are put to the bottom of the queue behind businesses with a service level agreement with their IT Support provider.
Using an MSP (Managed Services Provider) means that not only do you have a service level agreement (SLA) in place, placing you at the top of the work pile should a problem arise, but that you will also have a proactive team in place working to stop problems before they happen. In addition, using system monitoring and regular back-ups, LP Networks can ensure that our clients have an excellent level of business continuity and limited downtime.
Already using an MSP but considering switching providers
We don’t need to tell you the benefits of using a Managed Service Provider; you already know the benefits of outsourcing your IT, but it is worth considering that every MSP is different. The levels of service and time taken to resolve issues can vary from company to company.
LP Networks believe in providing bespoke and proactive advice and support to our clients. That’s because IT support is far from being a one size fits all solution. We partner with our clients to ensure that all their IT needs are met.
We also have an excellent ticketing portal that allows our clients to see the progress of their IT requests, ensuring that they always stay informed and in the loop. Doing this also allows us to keep a record of recurring problems and helps us find workable and cost-effective solutions. Alongside this, we keep businesses fully informed about the performance of their systems, back-ups, and security, giving them regular feedback, so they feel in control.
No matter what your scenario is, whether you’re a start-up needing help with your IT or an established business considering taking on or transferring to a different MSP, our team would love to have a chat with you. So, get in touch to arrange a consultation.