Do I Need an MSP if I Use SaaS?

software as a service

software as a serviceSoftware is a critical part of business operations, with recent adoption rates sharply increasing. In fact, the global Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) market is projected to grow to $67 billion in 2018, with cloud applications forecasted to account for 90 percent of worldwide mobile data traffic by 2019.

Remote access, collaboration functionality, and business continuity are just a few of the reasons for increased adoption. But when adopting SaaS solutions, there are still technology struggles, questions, and help that is required. Many companies do not enlist the assistance of MSP providers when it comes to software as a service — should you?

Here are 4 factors to consider when deciding whether you need an MSP to assist with your SaaS solutions:

Single point of contact. As your business grows, you may adopt numerous SaaS solutions, but managing these solutions and requests for help can get complicated. An MSP provider can eliminate this complexity by providing a single point of contact for all solutions, including representing you and “going to bat” for you when problems with these solutions arise.

Around-the-clock monitoring. Monitoring all SaaS solutions around the clock is difficult with limited IT staff resources; however, the MSP business model is built around 24/7 monitoring, so partnering with an MSP ensures that all systems are up and running so employees have the applications they need in order to complete business-critical tasks.

Handling upgrades and managing patches. A key benefit of using SaaS solutions is the ease with which software updates and enhancements are deployed to you. Some of those upgrades are critical to the security of the SaaS solution, but managing all those upgrades is time-consuming. Once again, an MSP provider ensures these tasks are handled in a timely manner and with little or no impact on your business.

Fast resolution to challenges. Even the best SaaS solutions don’t work perfectly all the time. Employees will still have questions, and often need help troubleshooting and resolving issues. MSP providers are experts at these solutions, and their Help Desks are designed to handle end-user questions and issues. When employees need help, they can get the answers they need much faster — and get back to work.

Do you have questions about the benefits of using an MSP to manage your SaaS solutions? If so, we can help. For more information, contact InfoManage online or call 212-931-0705.