Unraveling the Complexities of Managed IT Solutions

Although necessary, technology can be complicated, and for many business owners, it can also be a major source of exhaustion and frustration. Outsourcing your office technology responsibilities to a Managed Service Provider, or MSP, can bring you a much-needed sense of relief.

Estimated read time: 3 minutes

Portrait of man in glasses tangled in wire, cables and isolated on a white background.

Make a Managed IT Plan to Reduce Complexities

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) offer solutions in many forms but typically are broken into two categories: Fully Managed and Co-Managed. Fully Managed IT solutions offer companies the technical support they need as a substitute for having an internal department. A Co-Managed IT model allows businesses to retain their existing IT staff while supplementing additional needs with highly trained experts who specialize in other areas.

The needs of a business and how they handle their IT varies greatly, so there’s no “right time” to implement a Managed IT solution. That said, when your business begins to employ between 5-10 staff members or more, it’s time to put together a technology plan, regardless of the industry. In a recent radio interview, Adam Jurgens, Account Executive at Hamilton, shares how entrepreneurs and business owners tend to postpone outsourcing their technology. If a business is experiencing growth, it’s time to plan for the present and the future and utilizing a Managed IT provider is likely the next step. Take a listen as he explains more, here:

Watch time: 4 minutes, 36 seconds.

If something happened today and your computer wouldn’t turn on or you couldn’t get it to work, what would you do? It’s critical to make sure you do not wait until a cyberattack or other issue occurs before making a plan. Taking steps to be prepared now will ensure you are set up and able to navigate any crisis.

You may not think of your business as a likely candidate for a ransomware incident, but according to a recent article published on Inc.com, cybercriminals—now more than ever—view small businesses as easy targets.

Partner with a Professional

Managed IT solutions can be made available onsite or remotely, and the most credible MSPs do not offer a one-size-fits-all option. It’s important to look for providers that offer not only help desk support and firewall protection but also bring a wide array of expertise to the table including IT, cybersecurity and technology planning. Not all MSPs are created equal and it is important to work with a professional organization that combines expertise with the ability to adjust for your business’s growth. MSPs who focus on Managed IT services with a heavy emphasis on cybersecurity solutions should be one that makes it to the top of your list. MSPs like Hamilton have an entire team of expert technicians and highly trained staff who manage these aspects day in and day out. As your company has grown and continues to grow over time, a 2 or 3-man tech team will no longer cut it.

Many entrepreneurs and business owners have been able to get by on their own supporting their office technology (servers, phones, computers). Still today’s work is so ingrained with the internet and the cloud that it takes an expert to keep up. Not only can the professionals take the tasks off your plate that take the most time, they can also stay abreast of any future technology trends and challenges as it relates to cybersecurity and keeping your business prepared for future growth and change.

Many times, business owners report that their data is saved on a computer, local drive or on the company’s network. If your computer or network were to be hacked, it could cause real damage to your customers and your business’s reputation. It’s best to avoid putting yourself in a situation where your customers’ data is at risk. Take a proactive approach and enlist a professional who can keep you safe and your data secure.

The benefit of working with Hamilton as your MSP is that our people live in the technology world every day. We will walk you through the setup of a variety of solutions from the start, or we can guide you through a difficult situation after the fact. It’s for these reasons that so many businesses choose to outsource their IT to Hamilton. From tech support and prevention to seamless call handling, we offer better IT solutions to help your business succeed.