Let’s face it. Technology makes the world go ‘round.
If your IT systems fail for whatever reason, and you can’t access important information or perform critical tasks necessary to run your business, you’re essentially left in technology limbo until the problem is fixed.
A prolonged operational standstill could result in lost sales, missed deadlines, customer churn, revenue loss, and possible cybersecurity risks.
Of course, not every technology issue is going to cause your business to grind to an abrupt halt. Still, sometimes even relatively small IT issues that affect a single person or a handful of your employees can greatly impact their ability to perform their jobs.
That said, who do you call on when you inevitably have a technology-related issue that needs to be resolved?
When choosing a managed IT services provider (MSP), one key factor that should weigh in your decision is whether the company provides local IT support.
If you’ve never used managed IT before, you may be asking yourself, “Should I use a managed IT provider near me?”
While we know that managed IT isn’t right for everyone, we write articles like this to provide useful information to help small and medium-sized business owners like you make the best technology decisions for your organization.
In this article, we’ll examine the pros and cons of using a local MSP offering in-house support over a company that only offers remote support.
With this information, you’ll be able to decide if having a provider nearby is an important factor when looking for reliable, ongoing maintenance and management of your IT systems.
What Are The Benefits Of Working With A Local Managed IT Provider Near You?
Although it may seem obvious, it’s important to point out that not all local managed IT companies are the same.
With today’s technology advances, it’s easy enough to hang a virtual door shingle advertising a new business—even if it’s just a single person running the business out of their basement.
Like every other industry, the managed IT services industry is filled with companies that come in all sizes, capabilities, qualifications, pricing structures, and service offerings.
So, when looking for a dependable, local managed IT provider, make sure to do your research to ensure that you pick a reputable company.
As part of your decision-making process, consider these six benefits of using an MSP in your area.
1. On-site Support
Not all local IT service providers offer onsite support.
If you believe your business would benefit from the flexibility of having on-site support, this could prove to be an important factor in your decision.
Having a provider that’s relatively close to you means that if phone or chat helpdesk support isn’t sufficient to resolve your IT issue, the helpdesk can push the service request ticket up for escalation.
Once the matter is escalated, the engineer assigned to the ticket can come to your office or facility in person, as needed, to troubleshoot and remediate the issue.
Related Article: Kelser’s Helpdesk Ticketing Process: How To Get Technical Support
2. SDM Services
Service Delivery Managers are another essential part of a local MSP’s team to help oversee your project from start to finish.
An SDM will:
- help procure the technology you need
- offer status updates to ensure service levels are being met
- provide regular communication through quarterly business reviews, phone calls, and video conferences to address any questions or concerns you may have
- act as a bridge between the provider's IT department and your company’s internal stakeholders
- foster trust-building and collaboration by providing proactive customer service
3. Personalized Attention
With a local MSP near you, you can get customized care tailored to your business needs. You won’t have to deal with a cold and impersonal chat bot or a faceless helpdesk support agent from who knows where.
With a smaller locally-based MSP, even company executives—including the president and CEO—are accessible.
Instead of support that’s distant and detached, you can develop a strong, long-term relationship with an MSP whose team you know by name that is truly invested in your company and the success of your business.
A local MSP ensures that whether you’re facing a technical issue or are looking to undergo a digital transformation, you’ll have an entire IT support team close to home that’s ready to help.
4. Access To Specialized Skills
If you’re like many small and medium-sized businesses, your IT department is either small or nonexistent.
With an MSP, you instantly gain an entire team of IT and cybersecurity professionals with the specialized skills and experience to resolve your IT challenges and implement the solutions you need to keep your business running smoothly, efficiently, and securely.
This allows you to gain peace of mind in knowing you have readily available IT support close at hand to provide advanced technology solutions and give you a competitive advantage.
Related Article: Managed IT Services: What’s Your True ROI?
5. Flexible IT Solutions
Are you planning a company expansion with new hires or even new locations? Do you anticipate purchasing new laptops, desktops, networking equipment, or other hardware in the coming year? Does your business need 24-hour IT support?
A local MSP that’s adaptive to your changing business needs is essential.
While some MSPs apply a blanket support package to every organization, other local providers allow you to choose a service level agreement (SLA) that’s right for your business.
So, whether you need 24/7/365 support, or only need IT support during normal business hours, it’s important to do your homework to research providers with the capacity to meet your needs.
6. Accountability
A managed IT provider with a local office in your area means that you’re more likely to get responsive support and attention when unexpected IT issues pop up.
While there are many providers to choose from, the local MSP community in Connecticut is relatively small—and news travels fast. So, providers understand that their reputations are at stake if they deliver poor service.
After all, the foundation of all client-MSP relationships is built on trust. Part of that trust-building comes from providers delivering on what they promised and being accountable when things don’t go as planned, allowing both sides to work toward a mutually acceptable resolution.
Disadvantages Of Using A Local MSP Near You
As we mentioned, managed IT isn’t one-size-fits-all.
There are some businesses for whom working with a local MSP might not be the best option.
Some downsides to partnering with an MSP:
1. Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Perhaps you have a business with multiple shifts that work outside of regular business hours and you need to ensure you have access to support nights, weekends, and holidays.
Some providers, however, rely on third-party services that route to foreign helpdesk support to troubleshoot your IT issues.
For instance, at Kelser, we provide 24/7 U.S.-based helpdesk support, 365 days a year. We also have a team of engineers who are ready to provide in-person support when needed for escalated service tickets.
Regardless of your industry, it’s important that you pick a provider with flexible support levels to ensure you get the support you need when you need it.
Related Article: How Do Service Level Agreements (SLAs) Work In Managed IT Services?
2. Available Bandwidth
Sometimes the size of your MSP can matter, depending on the size of your own business, the complexity of your IT systems, and the state of your existing technology.
You’ll need to evaluate whether the provider has the appropriate number of staff with the experience and know-how to complete the statement of work (SOW) or provide accurate and timely helpdesk support.
Using a provider with insufficient staff or expertise to do the work could lead to major headaches, ongoing tension, and a possible fracture of your MSP relationship.
3. Cost
Using an MSP with an in-house team of IT professionals who are able to come directly to you to resolve your IT problems could cost a bit more than using a provider that only offers online or phone support.
Keep in mind that going the cheaper route doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting equal or better services.
In fact, you could be getting far less.
Some providers put pricing caps on their services, charging you more if you need to make certain changes.
When shopping for an MSP, be sure the provider uses clear, straightforward contract language to spell out its services, IT support, and pricing. This way you can be assured that you go into the relationship knowing exactly what you’ll get for your money.
The Bottom Line With Using A Managed IT Services Provider Near You
When it comes to picking an MSP, there are many things to consider—not the least of which is the provider’s proximity to your business.
After reading this article, you now understand some of the benefits, and disadvantages, of using a managed IT provider near you.
At Kelser, we have decades of experience providing advanced, proactive IT services and responsive, personalized care to our clients. Still, we encourage you consider several companies to find the MSP you believe can best meet your IT needs and business objectives.
If you are searching for a managed IT company, read this article to learn more about criteria to help you narrow the field.
Read this article to learn 5 Common Mistakes When Using Managed IT Support—And How To Fix Them.
Want to get an idea of how much managed IT might cost your business? Use our pricing calculator for a no-cost, instant estimate.
