Encompass Managed IT Support

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) offer businesses comprehensive IT services on a subscription basis, catering particularly to small to medium-sized businesses that lack in-house IT capabilities. These services range from network monitoring and data backup to software updates, effectively acting as an external IT department. The MSP model allows businesses to focus on their core operations without the burden of managing their IT infrastructure.

Small and medium-sized businesses, as well as enterprise clients, can benefit greatly by outsourcing their IT operations. Here are five of the most common advantages:

1. Strategic Focus: Does your IT department spend most of their time fixing issues? Are essential initiatives being put aside due to lack of time? By outsourcing routine IT tasks, companies can free up their IT staff to focus on business-critical objectives.
2. Staff Augmentation: With staff augmentation, businesses can adjust to internal staffing changes, seasonal demand, and strategic growth. Technical consultants can be deployed as needed, either in-office or remotely.
3. Optimized IT Spend: Without a clear understanding of their IT infrastructure, it's easy for businesses to overspend on unnecessary services while neglecting critical ones. Working with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) can help companies invest strategically in their IT infrastructure.
4. Industry Best Practices: Having immediate access to IT experts is highly valuable. A technical consulting firm provides businesses with expert best practices and cross-functional industry knowledge.
5. IT Governance: An MSP that is aware of rapidly changing regulatory landscapes can be invaluable, even if the regulations don't directly impact the business. From GDPR to CCPA, an MSP should have the expertise to understand how these regulations impact the IT infrastructure of their clients.

Are you concerned that your current managed service provider (MSP) may be struggling to keep up with your business's needs? If so, it's important to be proactive and identify the signs that it's time to look for a new MSP. Here are six red flags to watch out for:

1. Mobile security is not a part of your IT plan.
2. Your firewall is not being properly managed.
3. Shadow IT applications are being used without accountability.
4. Your employees are not being trained on cyber threats.
5. Your operating systems have not been upgraded recently.
6. Your business does not have a continuity and disaster recovery plan.

Don't let these issues harm your business or reduce employee productivity. By recognizing these warning signs, you can take action and find a new MSP that can provide the level of support your business needs.