Technology plays a central role in driving business growth. Not having the right technology infrastructure makes it even more difficult to succeed, which is why it’s not uncommon for household brand names have disappeared in recent years. With success depending heavily on an organization’s ability to innovate and adapt to the constant pace of change, it’s never been more important to have access to the optimal blend of technology solutions and expertise.
For smaller businesses, the challenge is many times greater. Unlike large enterprises, which generally have the resources for a fully equipped IT department of their own, smaller companies often have to stretch their resources to their very limits. Even then, they can’t get close to achieving a competitive advantage if they’re trying to do everything alone. That’s why managed IT services providers (MSPs) have popped up in huge numbers over the past few years. They can address many issues that can’t be resolved by small businesses alone.
Scalability
With in-house data centers and servers bursting at the seams with increased demand, there comes a point when existing in-house infrastructures can’t handle the workload anymore. Meanwhile, employees work overtime on repetitive manual tasks that are better off being automated, or tackling problems that they’re not best equipped to deal with. Employee morale and productivity suffer as a result, which directly impacts customer satisfaction.
To enable seamless productivity and unhindered business growth, your technology needs to be scalable. Rather than constantly investing in increased server capacity, workstations, and laptops, you can partner with an MSP who can help you migrate to the cloud. With your computing infrastructure such as virtual servers, virtual desktops, and other web-based apps hosted in a remote data center, you’ll have access to a practically unlimited pool of computing resources. This also means you can scale back and forth on demand and maintain full control over costs.
Security
Most of us have heard the horror stories of third-party vendors being the source of enormous data breaches — US retailer Target being one of the best examples. Headlines like these have led many to believe that outsourcing technology is a risky business, and that the cloud is less secure than in-house IT. However, these are misconceptions born by a lack of understanding about how the cloud works. In truth, major cloud data centers, including those operated by companies like Microsoft, Google, or Amazon, are among the most secure places in the world.
Any dependable MSP adopts the approach of security and design by default. After all, they have a vested interest in safekeeping your digital assets as well as a legal responsibility to protect them. Working with an MSP gives you access to cutting-edge modern security systems and expertise, even to the point of being a fully outsourced security operations center (SOC). With access to resources no small business can possibly hope to achieve in-house, an MSP offers tremendous advantages in information security and compliance.
Redundancy
As organizations depend more on technology for everyday business processes, the effects of downtime, data loss, and data breaches are getting more pronounced. Many businesses never reopen after a disaster, and many more fail within the first year. That’s why backup and disaster recovery should play a central role in business continuity planning.
An MSP provides redundancy by helping you migrate your data to the cloud and monitoring your network around the clock for potential issues. Also, data stored in the cloud is generally kept in at least three different physical locations, thus keeping it safe from ransomware attacks, natural disasters, hardware failures, and a multitude of other threats.
Founders Technology Group helps fuel the growth of small businesses with a bespoke range of IT services and expertise. Call us today to find the perfect solution for your company.