When you hand over some or all of your IT tasks over to a Managed Service Provider (MSP), you are essentially outsourcing IT. Many companies opt to take this route since it is proven, cost-effective, and relieves the burden of hiring and paying for a full-time IT staff. Instead, you can rely on experts to manage your IT and have access to their services and guidance 24×7.
If you’re thinking about hiring an MSP, then you’re probably already wondering about the cost of outsourcing IT. We do get asked that question a lot, and we are here to provide some comprehensive answers. But, if you want to get down to brass tacks, cost is really only one of the critical factors.
In general, MSPs bill for IT usage – this means you only pay for the services you use and nothing more. Simple, right? There are also a few main components you can utilize when outsourcing your IT to an MSP:
Infrastructure management: Patching, firewall management, backup and recovery, server monitoring and more.
User support: On-demand support for your users’ queries and requests.
Cloud management: Data backup, hosted desktops, cloud security, network maintenance, and more.
IT consulting: If you need to update your systems, strategic consulting offers help with the right strategy and execution that will also be aligned with your company’s objectives. This might be one of the most important factors when determining the cost of outsourcing IT since you get access to the type of expertise that many small businesses do not have.
In terms of choosing the right MSP, you want a vendor who always starts with a practical assessment of your current environment along with manageable suggestions to meet your expectations. Further, it’s important to select an MSP that only charges for the services you use.
Further, a renowned MSP will have reliable techs with the expertise you need. In fact, they will often have much more experience than a full-time employee at your company since they deal with a variety of systems and environments regularly. For the most part, there won’t be much they haven’t already seen and managed. And, you will get a tech specialist assigned to your company who will visit consistently and, as needed. Plus, as an added bonus, you get to talk to live human beings.
Best of all, your service will always be hands-on, with a live human being in place to answer your questions.
As you can see, the cost of outsourcing IT can also depend on how many servers and desktops you need. But, you can save costs when you choose a pay-for-usage plan. Keep reading to learn more.
Learn more about MSP IT support
What makes outsourcing IT such a popular prospect is you can ensure you get remote monitoring of your systems 24/7 – no one has to be at the office. And, usually, there is a choice of several monthly fees – depending on your usage needs. Invariably, this makes sense and helps with planning your IT budget every month. In addition, you may even add select services piecemeal such as increased cyber security, mobile device monitoring, email monitoring, and more.
What makes this all much better is you have automated management that works all the time, ensuring the maintenance of your systems. And, you will get alerts of potential issues with remediation as well.
To break it down, think of the age of your current systems and what you would like to update. Then, consider how much usage you will need each month and any additional services that would benefit your business.
But, is there an average cost?
As with anything else we buy, we always want to know the cost. Why not? It’s how we can determine whether or not we can afford it. Yet, this can be a complex proposition because every business is unique and has unique needs. For the most part, many businesses start with a package that includes server management, patching, updates, help desk, anti-virus supplementation, and remote monitoring.
Nonetheless, other businesses may have more extensive technical needs from cloud hosting to managed cyber security. Given the evolving cyber threat landscape we face today, managed cyber security should be a must for every business.
A good MSP will work with your company to analyze your current IT infrastructure and recommend the most cost-effective package. The pricing can range similarly to the level of service you need and how many additional services you would like.
Final thought
We hope we have given you a better understanding of the cost of outsourcing IT. If you want to get a more precise number, and are interested in learning more about how an MSP can improve your IT infrastructure, contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our expert IT specialists. With our experienced team of friendly technicians, we ensure your IT issues are resolved quickly and permanently. What more could you ask for?
