We all want to protect our businesses. They’re a part of who we are, and it would be devastating if anything bad happened — including an unexpected cyberattack. But it happens. Businesses are attacked every single day. Some businesses are left in ruin. Some can pick up the pieces, but at great cost. Then there are businesses that are back up and running in a matter of hours, almost as if nothing happened at all.

These are businesses that said “yes” to managed IT services and made the commitment to protect their business, employees, and customers. If your business lacks managed IT services and you haven’t yet embraced total IT security, it’s time to say “YES!” and give your business the top-notch IT support it needs to be protected from the countless IT threats that exist in the world today.

Managed services essentially offer complete IT support without having to hire dedicated in-house IT support staff. You get full-time access to network and technology experts without having to pay a full-time team. In other words, you save money and you have someone keeping a close eye on your network. The good news is, the IT company you already work with may already offer managed services — you just have to ask for it! (If you don’t work with an IT support company or managed service provider (MSP), it’s highly recommended that you do!)

Here are a few reasons why managed services should not be ignored:

It’s a proactive service you can’t find anywhere else. Proactive IT support is HUGE. You have to be proactive because, guess what? Hackers and cybercriminals are proactive. They’re smart people and they’re relentless. Managed services will give you access to your own outside team of exceptionally smart people and systems that
can identify IT problems before they actually become problems.

On top of that, proactive managed services ensure your network — and everything connected to your network — receive regular updates, security patches, and routine maintenance. Basically, they help keep your business protected while minimizing downtime which can cut into your bottom line.

It helps you save money — and you know how much you’ll be spending month-to-month. Hiring in-house IT experts is expensive. It’s one of the most common reasons why many small to medium-sized businesses don’t invest in good IT support. The sticker shock is too much. But managed service takes away the sticker shock.

Instead, you get the exact support you need and you pay a set fee every month. It makes it MUCH easier to set a quarterly or yearly budget. And because managed services are customizable, you can put together a specific plan for your business and pay only for those specifics — there are no fluff or padded fees. Managed IT is also scalable, so as your business grows or changes, your managed IT services can change as well.

It protects you in many different ways. You can count on your MSP to minimize malware, spyware, ransomware, even phishing scams and exploitative hacks. You’re protected by advanced software, hardware, and old-fashioned human knowledge and experience. But the protection doesn’t stop there — far from it! Managed service providers can also protect you against potential natural disasters, such as fire or flood, or hardware failures — things that are impossible to predict yet possible to prepare for.

They can also protect you when it comes to compliance. There are many industries where compliance is a big deal, from banking to health care. If you operate in one of these industries, you know how important this is.
Having a managed IT service means your network is up-to-date with all the fine print. You don’t have to worry about anything slipping through the cracks or breaking compliance, which can lead to all kinds of costly headaches.

It gives you TIME. This is the most precious commodity of all. If you’re running around dealing with network issues yourself — or trying to — you’re spending a lot of time doing everything you DIDN’T want to be doing when you started your business. Wouldn’t you rather be focused on taking care of the things that you intended to focus on, like growing your business and taking care of customers?

When you bring managed IT into the fold, you have so much less to worry about. No, it’s not set-it-and-forget-it, but it’s close. Your MSP handles your IT, while you handle your business — and you collaborate when you need to. You can rest assured that someone is keeping a close eye on your network and that your MSP is a quick phone call or email away (should you have any questions or concerns).

These few points only scratch the surface of why managed services are so important. Stop putting it off and make the phone call. Tell your IT company you want managed services and you’re ready to protect the future of your business!