Small and medium-sized businesses in Los Angeles are opening and expanding at a rapid pace. Like any organization, these SMBs are continually trying to scale their operations and grow so as to serve more customers and improve their services. To achieve this growth and keep up with the competition, they need the right IT infrastructure and support.

As a small business, you may not have the financial resources to build an in-house IT team. The equipment, tools, and personnel required to set up an in-house IT department can be intimidating if you’re operating within a tight budget. However, you can turn to outsourced IT in Los Angeles to keep your operating costs down, and scale your business without being held back by technical limitations.

What are Managed IT Services?

Managed IT services essentially enable you to outsource your IT department to a reliable third party. The demand for these services has risen exponentially in Los Angeles in line with the growth in local commerce. Los Angeles county is now home to 244,000 businesses, with technology being integral to their success.

Outsourcing your IT department means you’re entrusting a third party with your IT operations, such as data security and backup, system administration, infrastructure management, cloud storage, and more. These services require significant skills and resources, which most small businesses would find impossible to sustain in-house.

Managed IT service providers in Los Angeles offer these services in a more cost-efficient manner than if you were to develop the equivalent team within your business. Most also offer the flexibility to scale your support requirements as your business grows, or as per your current needs. 

Before you can engage a managed IT service provider, you need to understand what they do, their scope of operation, and their costs. You also need to know which managed IT service provider will be a good fit for your business in order to avoid complications in the future. Keep reading for everything you need to know. 

What Does an LA Managed IT Service Provider Do?

Managed IT service providers offer a range of services, though the scope and type of service varies from one provider to the other. When choosing the best managed IT service provider for your LA business, be sure to consider the services they offer, and whether they can be customized to your needs.

Los Angeles managed IT service providers may offer the following:

1.  Network infrastructure maintenance

The growth and profitability of your SMB depends on many factors, including how well you manage your network infrastructure. Managed IT service providers can take charge of your networks, ensuring they are in optimal working condition, and that they operate in a safe and secure environment.

2.  Cybersecurity

One of the biggest challenges facing SMBs is cybersecurity. With the proliferation of cyber threats, and cybercriminals continually developing new ways to break into the IT systems of businesses, cybersecurity is now more important than ever. Managed IT service providers have the knowledge and resources needed to implement stringent cybersecurity measures for your business.

3.  Support services

Your growing business can benefit from support services that handle everything from troubleshooting to device crashes. When IT problems arise, you need fast and responsive support to minimize downtime and disruption to both customers and employees. Outsourcing this requirement can lead to quicker and easier resolutions for IT issues.

4.  Software and cloud configurations

As a small business in Los Angeles, you can benefit from professional help in selecting the right software for your needs. Once new software is chosen, you can get it up and running in less time with the help of a managed IT provider who has previous experience of how to do it best.

5. Onboarding and offboarding employees

Seemingly simple tasks like onboarding and offboarding employees can be surprisingly challenging for small and growing businesses, especially during periods of rapid team expansion. Managed IT service providers can undertake important but time consuming processes such as device provisioning and credential management for you.

6.  Wireless and mobile devices

Managing wireless and mobile devices can be quite challenging for any business, not only SMBs. Workplace devices can be seen as the weakest link in your security defences, and are regularly targeted by criminals when they want to break into your IT systems. Setting up and securing devices is critical to the safety of your data structures, and can be done effectively and efficiently by a managed service provider. 

How can Los Angeles businesses benefit from managed IT services?

Los Angeles businesses stand to benefit enormously from using reliable managed IT service providers. Some of the benefits include the following:

1.  Availability of expertise

Managed IT service providers offer the technical expertise that may not be available in your business. Hiring and maintaining a professional IT team can be quite difficult, and is becoming more expensive every day. Outsourcing these services gives you access to IT expertise, without the hassle of hiring and training staff.

2.  Scalability

Outsourcing your IT department means you can reduce or increase the scope of your IT services without major difficulties. Small businesses can upgrade to a higher tier or downgrade to a lower tier of support depending on your current IT needs.

3.  Real-time support

Managed IT service providers can offer your business real-time support for everyday challenges. This means that you have a round-the-clock safety net in the event of a system failure.

4.  Reduced costs

It’s often significantly cheaper to outsource your IT department compared to the investment involved in running an in-house IT team. This is because you don’t need to spend as much on equipment or hire additional staff when you outsource.

Outsource Los Angeles IT services for faster growth

Your small business in Los Angeles can achieve improved efficiencies and faster growth by outsourcing your IT services to a professional and dedicated managed service provider. Electric can take care of your IT infrastructure, so you can concentrate on your core business objectives. If you’re looking for a managed IT service provider to partner with, or need more information, please contact us today.