Managed IT Services Near Me: Does Location Matter?

While the last year has taught us that more things than ever can take place virtually (think: school, counseling, events, etc.) some things simply have to be in-person. Ice cream tastings, childcare services, dog walking companies...you get the gist, right? While we've all expanded our minds as to what can be done (and done well) online, we've also found the hard stops where in-person simply can't be replaced. So, where is the line when it comes to Managed IT? Can you really get quality service from someone who has never stepped foot in your office? Let's find out.

MSP Near Me

MSP = Managed Service Provider. When you think of the word "Service" in the acronym, what do you picture? Up until recently for me, thinking of services evoked images of in-person interactions. Dining out? Your server will assist you. Looking for a spa treatment? You would expect an in-person experience, right? Yet with the widespread use of SaaS (Software-as-a-Service), I think we've all come to see that services actually aren't tied to a singular person providing them. 

The same is true with Managed IT. What is Managed IT? 👈 Read all about it in our blog. Managed IT means outsourcing your IT to another company that provides the service of managing your IT. So, why are we still wondering if it requires a face-to-face interaction? One reason: on-prem. On-prem? Yep. On-prem is short for on-premises and refers to an IT setup that consists of hardware in addition to software. Think server rooms, hard drives, etc. Brings back memories of floppy disks (#RIPFloppy), doesn't it? Mmmmkay, nostalgia sidestep aside, do you remember actually having to remember to bring your floppy disk with you? Do you remember the creepy server rooms or the added expense of maintaining and constantly upgrading hardware? 

If you're lucky enough to be living your best life in the cloud, these are distant memories but if you're still stuck in hardware hell, let me tell you, friend, there's a way out (hint: it's the cloud). If on-prem is getting to order one item off the menu that rarely changes (and seems to keep getting more and more expensive), the cloud is the all-you-can-eat buffet of conducting business today. There's no limit to what you can find and as new things come to the table, your business can quickly switch to new and improved options with ease.

OK, OK, we get it, the cloud is where it's at these days, right? Yep. But...even if all of my stuff is in the cloud, and thus can be managed by anyone, why wouldn't I want my IT to be Managed by someone locally? The answer? Maybe you do. Let's find out. 

Looking to migrate to the cloud? Chat with Josh to find out if it's right for you.

Managed IT Services near me

PROS: Face-to-Face

If you need to have eyes on someone before you do business with them and a video chat on Teams simply won't cut it for you, then a local MSP is right for you. Still, how many contracts do you enter into without a face-to-face? Think of your phone bill, your insurance, your electricity...you get the picture. Still, face-to-face is important but I think we've all found that face-to-face in the last year can mean anything from right in front of you to thousands of miles away. Here's a shot of our around the world champagne toast for a great Q4 in 2020 🍾🥂

Secret Sauce

Giving someone the keys to the castle is scary. So, meeting someone in person first can feel safer. We get it. We constantly deal with highly sensitive material. The trust our customers put in us has to be earned. With whomever you decide to partner with, either in-person or online, make sure that you feel a sense of trust. Read their reviews online, and ask all the questions you need to in order to feel secure. 

Boots on the Ground

In one of our customer interviews, we were told that we first lost out on a contract because the other company had "boots on the ground" meaning they could come by the company to help them hands-on. Did they? Nope. In the end, while the company was "local", it actually was a chain, dispersed throughout the country, and during the time Robert had hired them, they were acquired. What happened next? Radio silence. So, Robert switched over to BEMO. Watch his interview here:

The moral of the story? With on-prem (which they were switching from to the cloud and thus their initial choice for boots on the ground) having someone physically present to manage your IT makes sense. BUT on-prem is truly something you will need to migrate from (yes, we can help. If you need to migrate from GoDaddy to O365 or migrate from GSuite to O365, etc. we can migrate you to the cloud with care and ease) in order to compete in our digital world. Once you have, the choice between providers won't be about proximity, it will be about who is perfect for your company.

Pros of non-local outsourced IT support

Big Fish, Small Pond, or...the Worldwide Pond?

When your focus on proximity, your options are limited. While a local company may have a lot of success, that's not necessarily because they are the best. Perhaps they are, or perhaps they don't have any competition. Except now, they do. When your IT heads into the cloud (if it's not already there, we can help you) it can be managed by a company of your choosing. So, why not choose the best, instead of the closest? If you wanted a pair of shoes but your local store didn't have them, would you just get whatever was available? No, you'd head online. You see where I'm going with this...

Curious if moving to the cloud is right for you? Join the over 1,000 people who have taken our 2-minute cloud migration cost calculator quiz here:

Hire Anyone, Anywhere

While a huge pro, as mentioned above, of hiring an online MSP is that you can choose the best company for you, we also are benefitted from the world wide web because it means we can hire the best of the best from all around the globe. Our team spans the earth, which means we can hire the person best for the job, not just the person nearest our company. It also means extended working hours for your convenience and support. Here are the locations of our BEMO team members, just to give you an idea...

Flexibility

While we can't promise that every MSP will provide this to you, we at BEMO can. Why sign a years-long contract (some of our customers have reported local and online MSPs requiring 4+ year-long contracts) when you can be month-to-month? If you aren't 100% satisfied, you can cancel, easy as that. We don't like being tied into long contracts, we don't assume you do either so...we've done away with them. Everything from your Microsoft licensing to your Cybersecurity and Managed IT plans are month-to-month with no cancellation penalty. We have to earn your business every single month and we like it that way. Don't believe us? Hear more from our customers about why they chose (and continue to choose) BEMO for their Managed IT needs. 

Which of the following is not a benefit of outsourcing?

As a busy business owner or an overwhelmed IT team, you know that the benefits of Managed IT are plentiful. What should you expect to be included? With BEMO, expect the following: While we handle your incoming support tickets, you'll be freed up to run your team. While we ensure you're protected against hackers, you'll be able to conduct business without fear. While we help you to plan out how you'll greet the upcoming changes to our digital world and your industry's compliance requirements, you'll be able to focus on what's right in front of you. Still, in addition to handling support, mitigating risk, and managing a breach (if needed), and helping you create a solid roadmap, what else should your MSP do? With BEMO, this is what we offer our Managed IT customers:

There's a lot here to digest though, right? Luckily for you, we love us some tapas so we've broken it down into small bites. Head to the Managed IT page to learn more or watch the following videos that discuss some of the offerings in the table above:

What is Instructor-Led Microsoft 365 Training? With Julianne Hemingway of Storyals

What happens in a Quarterly IT Review? With Domonic Lastoria

NEW: What is in a Cybersecurity Breach Response Report and what is SIEM (Security Information and Event Management)? with our very own CEO and CISO, Bruno Lecoq!

The Wrap-Up

So, what feels right for you? In the end, that's the only thing that matters. In-person IT definitely has its time and place but that time is coming to an end. The technology that required on-prem help is no longer as effective, efficient, or inexpensive as the cloud. If you want options, you don't need your managed services to be near you, you simply need them to fit you. Managed IT is a highly personalized choice and we encourage you to do your due diligence. Research your options, research their competitors, and find what fits best. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to start a chat in the lower right-hand corner of your screen. We are happy to help 👉

Questions? Comments? Leave yours below! We want to hear from you 👇

Want to hear from more of our customers? Watch this interview with Judy of TPA Services or visit our Managed IT page.