Many people believe that their business is either too small or too large and complex to consider using a managed service provider (MSP) to handle their IT. However outsourcing IT in part or completely, is very common practice today in all-sized organizations, from single-person startups to large multinational enterprises.

If you are wondering if outsourcing your IT is right for your organization, or if you just want to know where to start we are going to cover all that in this article.

Why outsource IT?

Organizations typically outsource their IT for multiple reasons.

Handing off some responsibility of your businesses IT to a managed service provider can alleviate significant risk to the security of your business, especially if you don't have skilled IT staff on your team.
Hiring skilled IT staff can be costly and potentially out of budget for many smaller organizations. Often the cost of an MSP can be significantly lower than hiring in-house IT, while providing a much quicker ROI.
If your business does have an IT department or skilled IT staff, an MSP is able to free up your team allowing them to refocus on other important tasks that may be able to boost your production capability and/or focus on IT improvement.
As businesses grow and scale their workforce, facilities, and intellectual property, an MSP can provide rapid support where it's needed most - From a birds-eye-view perspective, while delivering it's services with extremely high efficiency.
Since MSPs manage other organizations concurrently, they have the potential to foresee and proactively resolve problems with your business IT, as they can apply gained experience from other organizations.

It could be a single reason why you choose to hire an MSP for your business, however the benefits are often numerous and can be quite compelling.

How to outsource IT

Outsourcing can be done in whole or in part with often flexible contracts. If your business only requires support with a specific business unit or component of your IT solution such as security, an MSP or MSSP (managed security service provider) can often handle just that, applying the support right where it's needed.

Begin by searching for MSPs local to you online that offer a wide range of services and have published objectives that align with that of your business. You will want to book a consultation to really assess your business's needs, and work with the MSP to help them understand your business. At ZCS Systems, our objective is to provide seamless, peace of mind, and do so with zero compromise in our customer service to you. We are highly regarded for our value-driven solutions, which are tailored to the needs of your business, which we understand can change regularly. Read more about our services here.

Who outsources IT

You may be surprised to know that many if not most businesses you've come to know, outsource significant portions of their IT, either consistently or at some point in their history.

Google outsourced much of their early development before becoming the powerhouse that it is today.

GitHub Outsourced their IT management as well as their development before becoming becoming the largest platform for hosting open source code.

United Way Outsourced IT management and security.

Who else?

Most medical practices, retail operations and hundreds of thousands of other organizations from just about every industry look to MSPs for their IT solutions.

When to consider outsourcing

First and foremost, you should absolutely be considering outsourcing your IT to an MSP if you do not have any skilled IT staff. Even if your operation is small, MSP contracts are affordable, scalable, and will grow with your business.
If your current IT team is struggling to keep up with the demands of your business, an MSP can help reduce the workload tremendously.
Your growing, you've hired more staff or are opening up a new facility. First off, Congrats! Let an MSP help avoid the growing pains associated with an expansion. You will be glad you did.

Conclusion

Outsourcing IT support can be an excellent strategy for many businesses with their affordable pricing, flexible terms and 24/7 expertise. looking for an MSP or MSSP in Toronto, Contact us today to schedule a consultation. Or if you have any questions about managed IT, please feel free to ask us on our social media down below! We are always here to help demystify any concerns you might have.

Guide to Outsourcing IT