With New Zealand and Australia leading the world in technology and business integration, it would be understandable if you were starting to question your ability to keep up.  

With the increasing reliance on technology to create growth and competitive advantages for businesses, the solution is not to do it all yourself, but to partner with an IT Provider who works in partnership with your business.  

But how do you know if your business is ready to engage with a Managed Services Provider (MSP)? If you're on the fence, we've broken down the key indicators that it's time to find an IT Partner. 

7 signs you need a managed services provider

1. You don't have confidence in your technology 

Your IT is always breaking down, and no one can give you an answer, let alone a solution. Because of this, you can't rely on IT to support your business operations. Sound familiar? 

The number 1 job of an MSP is to keep your technology working 24/7, 365 days of the year. Their pay isn't an outcome of your IT breaking down, so having your IT working at it's optimum is their main goal! 

2. You don’t know what's around the corner 

You’re a business person, not an IT professional. You know you invested heavily in technology, such as your servers, in the past but you have no idea what state they are in, or how well they are supporting your business.  

When the functioning of your business relies on technology, it's not fun driving blind into avoidable technology dangers. That's where an IT Provider can help. Not only can they maintain your IT platform, but they can provide you with reports you can understand, on-demand. 

3. Fluctuating costs

Your IT is currently being managed by a break and fix support model. Something breaks, you pay to have it fixed. However, not only is this not progressing your IT, it's impossible to predict your bill each month.  

The only relationship you can gather is the more your technology fails, the more you pay! 

MSP's work off a different model – you're billed a fixed monthly fee for an agreed outcome. Doesn't that sound like music to your ears?  

4. Your IT is not up to the standards you need 

You have a plethora of lingering IT 'quirks', that you just have to live with. Due to the lack of solid answers and 'it could be' predictions, you don’t fancy spending more money without the guarantee of a fix.  

On the other hand, MSP's are paid the same, whether they have to fix your IT every second day or not, they are motivated to find solutions that keep your IT working at optimal efficiency, not quick band-aid fixes.

5. In-house is no longer an option

You have had an in-house IT support person, but they are moving on, or they can no longer cope with your growing business demands.  

You value having someone who is dedicated, and motivated to keep your IT ticking along. 

What many people don’t know is that Managed Service Providers can scale to fit your needs. If your in-house talent can't cope, an MSP can work with them, the same if you're looking to fully outsource your IT support needs. Best of all? A good MSP will make you feel like they are an extension of your team, without the HR commitments! 

If you’ve decided to do it yourself, make use of the various pricing calculators that the leading cloud providers have available on their platforms and websites.

6. Reoccurring issues 

Your IT is always broken, or else it has a heavily degraded performance. Most frustrating of all? No one can give you answers. 

That's where the benefit's of an MSP come into play. MSP's can give you the answers you crave by using monitoring and diagnostic tools. 

7. Unhappy staff  

Your staff are less than impressed with the technology they have to use, and you know all about it, despite it not being part of your responsibilities. 

A MSP is your saving grace. A good MSP will have a scalable service desk where your staff will be able to contact in regards to all their technology issues. They will have all your staff's issues resolved quickly, while implementing a solution that addresses the root cause of the problem. But best of all, you will no longer be the go-to for IT issues! 

So what now?

If you're on the hunt for a better IT future for your business, partnering with the right MSP will feel like you've found the Golden Ticket. If you resonate with the signs above, you've officially been given the sign to start looking for a technology partner. 

Here is our guide to the services we provide at Lancom Technology. If you feel our services may be of help, or you simply want to learn more, feel free to contact us.