Updated: February 8, 2023
4-minute read
Like most business owners, you consider your business like a child requiring your unending love, attention, and care. The mere thought of sharing this profoundly personal responsibility with others can be a source of anxiety.
Sometimes, however, facing your most significant worries head-on is what you need to do so that you and your business can grow. Top business leaders at Forbes agree that CEOs who achieve better business results are decisive and adaptable.
When you are focused on IT-related concerns, you cannot focus on growth and profitability as you want. Whether your IT is experiencing growing pains, hiring challenges, or another struggle: Trust your gut and take action. Or risk falling behind your competition.
Let’s look at the top signs that can reliably reaffirm your feelings: it’s time to outsource your IT to a managed services provider (MSP).
1. Employees Are Wearing Multiple Hats
The fact that many employees in small businesses often have several unrelated responsibilities is common. It’s a feature and something many employees enjoy because it makes workdays less monotonous.
Even the best features can’t continue serving their intended purpose. Employees who wear too many hats can significantly drop their ability to keep customers happy and complete essential business objectives.
Non-IT businesses often task one or more “techies” to keep everything running smoothly. This task is challenging even for seasoned IT professionals.
2. You Lack the Bandwidth to Grow Your Business
When engineers design a car engine, they have two basic ways to make the engine more powerful: they can make it larger, or they can make it more efficient. The first approach gave us the gas guzzlers of the 70s. In contrast, the second approach gave us today’s incredibly efficient turbocharged petrol engines.
As a business owner, you have the same two options for adding additional bandwidth to grow your business. If you decide to grow, you will soon find yourself competing with larger companies. But what if you optimize your processes to accomplish more with what you already have? In that case, you can quickly become a leader in your market segment.
By outsourcing your IT to an MSP, you gain access to seasoned experts. They will help you replace some cogs that keep your business turning with modern, more efficient alternatives.
3. Finding the Right Talent Is a Major Problem
The many benefits of using managed IT services don’t make the reasons for growing an in-house IT department any less valid. For example, in-house IT employees know the business they work for inside and out. This knowledge makes it easier for them to develop solutions that fit like a glove.
The problem is that finding the right talent has become a significant problem due to the ongoing IT talent shortage – reported at a 10-year high. With little talent to choose from, outsourcing to an MSP is sometimes not just the best option but the only option.
This solution, however, comes with many perks:
- It will reduce IT costs.
- It can fill critical security gaps.
- It will allow business leaders to focus on core initiatives.
- It will provide you with a breadth of knowledge that would otherwise be unobtainable.
Many MSPs like Aligned offer co-managed IT solutions – collaborating with your internal team to give your business the best outcome.
4. You’re Losing Sleep Over Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is a thorny issue that concerns all organizations today, regardless of their size, especially those subject to regulatory requirements like CMMC, HIPAA, or Arizona’s breach notification law.
Suppose you’ve recently experienced a cybersecurity incident that reminded you of the gaps in your defenses. In that case, you will immediately patch them because it’s only time before cybercriminals notice them.
Even if you haven’t experienced an incident doesn’t mean you can afford to ignore cybersecurity. Sadly, 43 percent of all data breaches involve small and medium-sized businesses. It’s only a matter of time before someone sets their sights on your business.
A capable MSP can help you survive the encounter so your business can thrive. (Related content: Tips to Help You Stop Wasting Money on Cybersecurity)
5. Legacy Systems Are Holding You Back
It’s standard for computers, servers, printers, and other essential components of most organizations’ IT infrastructures to function for years and sometimes even decades. It’s great when technology works as intended; however, the lifespan of IT assets shouldn’t be limited just by their ability to turn on.
Many legacy systems businesses still depend on every single day pale compared to their modern alternatives in terms of capabilities, security, and overall value – unknowingly putting them behind their competitors.
Instead of clinging to dusty, old hardware, let go of it and partner with an MSP. They can help you develop a comprehensive digital transformation strategy to achieve all business goals successfully.
Is it Time to Outsource Your IT?
Are any of the signs described in this article familiar to you? If so, it’s time to evaluate possible MSPs. But choosing the right one is essential – or you’ll be disappointed in your outsourced IT investment. Get started with 11 expert tips for choosing the perfect managed service provider for your business.
Related content: 11 Tips for Choosing a Managed Service Provider
