A large and expensive part of starting a business in Chicago is setting up your company IT infrastructure, and finding the time to manage it effectively. If you’re finding this a struggle, then a Managed Service Provider (MSP) might be just what you need.
An MSP is an online system operated by a third party that manages all your IT needs for a low monthly cost and has many benefits for a newly growing business.
Cost Effective
If your cash flow isn’t great – and even if it is – saving money is crucial to new businesses. Using an MSP can substantially cut down on startup costs both with hardware and software. Using the MSP servers means you don’t have to supply your own at great expense and if you combine this with a BYOD policy, your hardware costs will be very low indeed. An MSP provides state of the art software apps as part of their package. Ultimately this helps you to manage your money effectively and makes budgeting for growth easier.
Updated systems
A part of the MSP package is the availability of updated software apps and patches, allowing your business to keep up with its competitors whilst using the latest features. Regular updates make sure you’re always at the forefront of technology and not struggling with slow, hard to use software that takes up too much time and money.
Expert support
Using an MSP means that you have expert teams working for you 24/7. Online support is available if you do run into problems, with most issues easily solved based on a proactive rather than a reactive mentality. This greatly minimizes downtime in the event of a system failure, and provides a lot of assistance at a more affordable cost.
Scalability
By providing you with a tailored package for your business, expansion becomes much easier, less expensive, and it can be factored in to the startup needs. Many businesses find that as their companies grow, so do their IT needs, which quickly overwhelm their in-house staff, and halt growth until the problems are solved. Often, this comes down to hiring more staff, which is not always feasible. Your MSP package grows with you, making scalability smooth.
Security
Antivirus, malware and spyware programs are not cheap and many companies cut costs in their security department to save. Unfortunately, this puts them at risk of cyberattacks that cause companies thousands of dollars’ worth of damage which may not be possible to bounce back from. An MSP always has the most updated and effective cybersecurity especially since its reputation relies on how safe it’s service is and how securely your sensitive data is kept. MSPs are aware of the most common threats and can educate your staff to recognize them too. This way, everyone in the office stays a little safer. Additionally most vendors also offer BDR packages to give an extra layer of protection knowing that if your system does fail, all of your data is safe and can be accessed immediately.