Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are organisations that provide a range of IT and technology-related services and support for businesses. 

Many small and medium sized business use MSPs because they cannot afford to employ an IT team with the necessary skills, expertise and specialisations required to effectively service them and mitigate their risk.

1. Expertise and Specialisation: you need highly skilled and specialised professionals who are experts in various IT domains, such as network management, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and data management. By working with an MSP, you gain access to this expertise without the need to hire and train in-house staff.
   
   
2. Cost savings: these are achieved through smarter solutions, associated with hiring and retaining skilled IT professionals, procurement and maintenance of hardware and software, and dealing with unexpected IT issues. 
   
   
3. Scalability: with an MSP you can easily scale services up or down based on your business needs. This flexibility is particularly valuable when your organisation experiences growth or needs to adapt to changing circumstances.
   
   
4. 24/7 support and monitoring: MSPs provide round-the-clock monitoring and support, ensuring that your IT systems are running smoothly and that any issues are addressed promptly. This can help reduce downtime and prevent potential problems before they impact your operations. 
   
   
5. Enhanced security: Cybersecurity is a key concern for every business. MSPs often have advanced security measures and expertise to protect your organisation from evolving cyber threats. They can implement robust security protocols, monitor for vulnerabilities, and provide rapid response to security incident.
   
   
6. Disaster recovery and business continuity: MSPs often have robust disaster recovery and business continuity plans in place. They can help you develop and implement strategies to ensure the continuity of your operations in the event of data loss, natural disasters, or other disruptions.

Even when understand why it is mor effective to engage an MSP, it can be difficult to make decisions about which company to select.
In our experience, there are three key factors that impact on successful partnerships:

1. Organisational cultural fit: This is important with any partnership. Aligned values and An MSP is an extension of your team, and a strong cultural fit can aid communication and collaboration. This allows you to build trust and work together to plan ahead.
   
   
2. Financial security: With the number of failing businesses almost doubling in a year due to tough economic conditions and the withdrawal of government pandemic support, it is always important to be mindful of an MSPs longevity and financial backing. 
   
   
3. Cybersecurity expertise: Many MSPs claim to have cybersecurity expertise, but it is important to understand the capabilities of specific employees in this space - the experts will be at the frontline of the battlefield every day and understand how cyberattacks are transforming. It is often due to a lack of protection that relationships between organisations and their MSPs.

To learn more about NineWire’s MSP service model, call us on 1300 646 394.