What is an MSP?
Though Uniserve has been in business for over 30 years and even though there have been
Managed Service Providers (MSPs) since the beginning of corporate computers, we are still asked regularly what an MSP is and what an MSP does.
When you boil it down, an MSP is an I.T. services company that provides both full-service I.T. support or complimentary I.T. support to businesses. When we talk about full-service I.T. support services, which means everything from desktop & server support, security, network management, backup, and disaster recovery planning and execution, telecom/unified communications solutions for businesses that do not have internal I.T. teams. For businesses that have their own internal I.T. team, we provide augmented services to help complement the team’s skillset and capacity.
You may wonder, why would a business need an MSP if they have its own internal I.T. department? Well, while businesses like to believe that their I.T. team knows everything about technology, that is just often not the case. Internally, the I.T. team may be specialized in desktop, server, and network support, but may be unable to handle a proper backup and disaster recovery plan, may not have full insight into the telecom system, or may just need specialized support with security. MSPs will often have teams of staff specialized in different things – so you will have desktop and server specialists, telecom and communication specialists, backup and disaster recovery planning specialists, and network specialists. While each of the team members can overlap with other teams, having people who specialize full time allows an MSP to have exponentially more knowledge than small I.T. teams.
Utilizing an MSP also allows you to control your costs as you are only paying for the services and support that you need. For example, if you know that your business only needs help implementing and supporting a unified communications solution, you are only paying for that service. A good MSP will be able to tell you how much support they envision you needing and will be able to help outline that for you. With a predictable monthly cost, you are then able to focus your budgets on other areas of your business.
The major benefits of using a Managed Service Provider:
- Predictable Costs
- Easily Scalable (many hands make light work)
- Minimize your downtime
- Working with a team of specialists
- Keeping up with data and regulatory requirements
The true value of utilizing an MSP is in keeping your business running smoothly. Downtime in most businesses is a killer; reduced revenue, reduced team productivity, halted communications with customers, or data loss. Any or a combination of these for any real length of time can cripple a business. There is an old bit of wisdom in regards to business and technology: If all your systems are running smoothly, why do you need your I.T. team? Because at the end of the day, they are the reason your systems are running smoothly so you can continue your business. An MSP can keep your business running smoothly.
To find out more about how Uniserve can benefit your business, please call us at 1-800-688-1946 or email us at business@uniserve.com.