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IT services are an irreplaceable part of every business. With cyberattacks constantly on the rise, you can’t afford to leave your valuable data out in the open. Still, as a business owner, you can’t devote all your time to maintaining the IT aspect of your company. That’s why having an IT team isn’t an option — it’s a necessity. However, small startups often can’t afford to keep an entire in-house IT team. That’s where managed IT services come into play. They offer a time-efficient way of securing your information and keeping up with the latest technology trends without allocating too much of your company budget.

How Managed IT Services Benefit Your Business

Although having in-house IT staff might give business owners a sense of control, managed IT services prove to be more beneficial. The following sections outline everything you need to consider before hiring your IT staff.

Saving Time

The most significant benefit of managed IT services is the time-saving aspect. With an external IT team, you and your employees can focus on more pressing matters regarding your business. Even if you have an in-house IT team that works on maintaining and fixing on-site problems, the outsourced IT team will “keep watch” and work without pause.

A team ensures you and your employees can work without unnecessary interruptions and delays. That ultimately increases workspace productivity and revenue.

Saving Money

As mentioned, having an IT staff can take a financial toll on a small or new business. You need to consider the staff’s salary, paid leave, benefits, and other expenses that come with aspects like the office space and equipment.

On the other hand, an external IT service has its own workspace and equipment. In addition, you have fixed monthly fees, so you don’t have to worry about sudden expenditures that go outside the budget you devoted to the IT aspect of your business. Some IT services have the option to be paid by the hour, day, or week, so you can easily decide when you don’t need their services anymore.

Increasing Security

Generally, outsourcing your IT services involves hiring people from different time zones. That means there’s always someone to monitor potential cybersecurity risks and threats. Your data will be protected 24/7, giving you and your employees peace of mind, not only in the office but even while you’re home and away from work.

Accessing the Latest Technology

IT service providers hire people who are experts in the field and keep up with technological developments. The competition in the market is fierce, so you can be sure that you’ll get a team of professionals who regularly update themselves about the latest technology.

What’s more, by finding an IT staff outside your city or even state, you don’t have to restrict yourself to a limited number of options. You can hire professionals across the world and access cutting-edge technology that hasn’t yet reached your side of the world.

Customizing Your Needs

Managed IT services comply with your needs and requirements. That involves getting familiar with your entire IT ecosystem and understanding your weaknesses and how to fix them. In other words, apart from maintaining your current IT landscape, they’ll work with you on improving it in the most suitable way possible.

This proactive way of managing your IT needs presents the main difference from in-house IT teams, who typically only act when there’s an issue.

How to Find a Reliable IT Team

Although managed IT services can provide all the benefits mentioned above, they’re not guaranteed. You’ll only access them if you find a reliable managed IT service provider. To do so, you have to ensure the provider satisfies the essential criteria.

• Experience and expertise — Ensure the service provider has a proven track record. You’ll be handing them your most valuable data, so check whether they’ve worked with other companies and how successful the job was. Find reviews online and get recommendations as you make a list of potential candidates.
• On-site support — While it’s not mandatory or sometimes even possible, on-site services make all the difference. That means that in addition to monitoring the IT aspects of your business at all times, they’ll be able to jump in and help you in person whenever a situation calls for it.
• Transparency — Make sure there are no secrets when it comes to the terms and conditions of your partnership. In addition, ensure the provider is honest about their work, services, and experience. Carefully read the contract from start to finish, ensure there are no hidden fees or vague statements, and that everything that has been decided on is included.

In addition to looking at credibility, experience, and transparency, ensure that the provider checks all your personalized boxes. They can be the best-managed IT service provider in the area, but if they don’t meet your business needs, they’re not the right for you.

Downsides of Outsourcing Your IT Services

Although managed IT services come with plenty of benefits, there are still some things you should consider.

The first aspect you should consider is whether you’ll be comfortable giving your information to a third party. While it’s 100% secure if you thoroughly inspect the service, some business owners might feel they don’t have complete control over their business.

Another factor to consider is whether you’ll be able to communicate your business needs properly with limited contact. Keep in mind that you might never see those handling your information in person.

In addition, know that if you find managed IT service providers outside your location, you might not benefit from on-site interventions. In that case, you’ll either have to rely on an in-house IT team or deal with issues yourself.

Start Your Partnership With the Right People

IT services are necessary regardless of the size of your business. They keep your data secure, allow you to devote more time to other tasks, and provide IT support whenever required. These services become increasingly important if you have limited IT knowledge and need help organizing this aspect of your business. For businesses in Houston, Stargel Office Solutions is the answer. Contact us today to get your managed IT services going as soon as possible.