4 Common myths to choosing a managed IT partner

Eventually, there will come a day when you realize that some ongoing help from an IT partner is simply a necessity. And when that day comes, what you’re actually looking for is a managed services provider.

However, when seeking the help of an MSP, you should know what you’re getting into—what it entails, what you’ll get out of it and the implications for your business and team members.

There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding managed services—I hope this article will help dispel some of the most common myths and help you understand what it really means to have a trusted IT partner as part of your business.

Myth 1: “I don’t need it, we already have an IT guy”

It’s great that you have someone you can rely on for general IT needs, but regardless of his/her expertise, it’s only one person. And no one person can know everything it takes to successfully implement and support the all the IT necessary for your organization’s success.

Managed IT services is not about “taking over your IT” entirely; many times, it’s about augmenting your capabilities and integrating with your staff to fill the gaps by working together.

Myth 2: “The bigger the IT company, the better service”

The size of a managed services provider is a very unreliable metric to judge whether or not they’ll be a good fit for your business. What you really want to know is how fast and how completely a managed services provider can respond to your needs.

It would seem that the more people an IT partner has, the better they can accommodate your needs. But this isn’t always the case. What it important is that the partner you are seeking has the track record and skills to deliver on their commitments.

Furthermore, if personalized service is important, you may want to actually consider a smaller MSP.

Myth 3: “Managed service providers are too expensive for small businesses like mine.”

Not true. In fact, for small businesses, many managed service providers will take 100% responsibility and management for your IT environment, since it is unlikely you even have a single “IT guy”.

Partnering with an expert MSP means you don’t have to worry about the tedium behind your IT, giving you more time to focus on your core competency and growing your business.

More importantly, services and inclusions are typically scalable depending on your budget and needs. Most MSP programs are meant to scale along with your growth.

Myth 4: “Managed service providers all do the same thing.”

Nope, not true! The basics should be the same: monitoring and proactive, preventative services, but the differences in terms of scalability, quality of service, reliability and expertise will vary greatly.

It pays to do your research when it comes to finding the right managed service provider, much like how you would approach finding an employee to join your team.

Give iWise Consulting a try!

If you’re still trying to find the right managed service provider for your business, give us a call. We’d be happy to explain how we can tailor our suite of services to answer your business needs.