the hidden benefits of managed IT for Calgary businesses

Most Calgary organizations are well aware of the benefits of managed IT. From the cost savings associated with a fixed-price model to having immediate access to deep wells of expertise when needed, managed IT has become a necessary part of nearly every successful business strategy. Whether you’re a company with in-house IT looking to extend your team’s capacity, or a company without internal any IT support, a managed service provider (MSP) can offer solutions to help your business flourish. If you are still questioning whether your Calgary business needs managed IT, there are many hidden benefits to consider that can have a significant impact on your organization.

Stay a Step Ahead of Threats

We talk often about the benefits of adopting a proactive cybersecurity posture. One of the biggest hidden benefits of choosing a managed IT support partner is that your MSP will be more likely to receive advance warnings about new threats – from colleagues, from partners, and from software services – and take action against these threats before you are even aware of them. Your MSP also knows when the services you utilize are reaching end of life and will help you develop an action plan for addressing any ensuing risk. A managed IT partner is a true extension of your own organization, working diligently to ensure that you stay ahead of the threats facing your business.

Access to Technology

Another hidden benefit of managed IT is access to state-of-the-art tools, technology, and systems that would not deliver enough ROI for companies to justify investing in these technologies themselves. As an MSP, we’re able to achieve economy of scale with our tech investments for the benefit of our clients. Whether it’s our secure, local servers that keep your data in Calgary, or our access to the most up-to-date threat detection systems, partnering with an MSP provides a technological leg up.

Extended C-Suite

Our virtual CIOs (vCIOs) extend the capacity of your C-suite without the need for an additional officer salary and benefits. And because our vCIOs work with a variety of organizations, they often have insights you would not obtain from an internal CIO whose viewpoint might be more myopic. Our vCIOs do more than just give you access to great strategic advice and expertise; they make your Calgary organization more competitive, with the ability to make strategic decisions that drive growth and build loyalty with your customer base.

Seamless Customer Experience

Virtually every organization is either in the midst of a CX transformation or contemplating one. Delivering a top-notch customer experience helps retain hard-won customers and helps ensure business success. Delivering that improved CX is often achieved through digital transformation. As you move toward providing your customers with an integrated experience – whether they walk through your door, utilize a mobile app, or visit your website – ensuring that your technology can keep up with their demands and protect their data is essential. Managed IT partners are behind the scenes, helping to ensure that your business strategy has a solid IT strategy.

Employee Attraction and Attention

When you have a managed IT partner at your side that can help you establish robust policies, procedures, and security protocols, your organization can offer employees more flexibility. Because flexible and remote work options are such attractive prospects for existing employees, the ability to provide such opportunities can help increase your retention rates. It can also help you attract the best talent. Alberta businesses are competing for talent in a tight market, and being able to offer flexible work arrangements without sacrificing security can give your business a competitive advantage.

Rapid Scalability

If your organization lands a big contract or new customer, will you have the immediate capacity to onboard them? One of the hidden benefits of having a managed IT partner is scalability. If you suddenly need to double the size of your network, it’s not only possible, but it can be done rather quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively. For your customers, it means no disruptions to service and no lag time in getting started. Knowing that you have that scalability to work with and the capacity to handle the growth makes it possible for you to plan accordingly.

Become a Better Leader

How much of your brain space is compromised when you constantly must have one eye on your infrastructure? How focused can you really be on cultivating customers, planning your growth strategy, and building relationships when you are constantly worried about setting aside some of your capital to replace a failing server or reassuring clients that you’ll be back up and running soon? Being a good leader requires knowing where and when to outsource, and outsourcing IT makes sense if it’s not part of your core business. It frees you to focus on developing your people, cultivating your company culture, and growing with your customers.