The modern accounting firm relies on technology and has access to extremely sensitive and private data. And these modern accounting firms face modern challenges, such as balancing the demands of today’s IT security and compliance guidelines with the cost of maintaining an internal IT department. For many Columbus accounting firms, outsourcing IT to a managed service provider (MSP) can be a smart move. Here are some benefits of outsourcing your accounting firm’s IT responsibilities.
More Time to Focus on Clients
As a CPA, your income is dependent on billable time with clients. The more of that time you spend making sure that patches are installed – that security is up to date, and that your IT infrastructure is functioning properly – the less time you have to focus on clients. And if your infrastructure does fail for some reason and you experience business downtime, your clients won’t wait for you, because the tax collector won’t wait for them. Even if you have an internal department to handle your IT, turnover in the field is high, and the cost of competing for replacement talent is exorbitant. Outsourcing lets you focus on your clients.
Improved Protection
Most accounting firms can’t afford an entire IT department, so they depend on one person to help with IT tasks. That person might be an actual certified tech, but often, they’re an office associate or a fellow member of the accounting staff who just happens to know how to network computers or fix printers. What happens when your business grows quickly, or you have a complex issue with your technology, or a cyber threat appears on the horizon for which you’re unprepared? That one person or your small IT department is not usually equipped to handle such occurrences. Outsourcing gives you access to a breadth and depth of expertise, as well as a proactive approach, that helps you stay a step ahead of ever-more-sophisticated cyber criminals.
Your Own vCIO to Help You Strategize
When you’re busy tending to your clients and striving to survive another tax season, you often don’t have time to think about your IT infrastructure or strategy and what you might need to maintain your operation. You can easily be caught without the infrastructure in place that is necessary to grow your business and support your clients. By outsourcing your managed IT to a firm like thinkCSC, you will have a partnership that will provide you with your own virtual CIO. This person will get to know you and your business and meet with you quarterly, to help ensure that your IT infrastructure and strategy are well-aligned to your business goals.
24/7 Monitoring
Not all IT issues take place Monday through Friday, 9-5. Who is watching your network after you go home? Who is detecting and helping to thwart attacks on your network? Who is addressing issues with infrastructure failures so that you wake up to a functioning office the next morning? Sure, you can hire a tech to come in during the night to help, but at what cost? When you outsource your IT to a Columbus MSP partner like thinkCSC, not only can you realize peace of mind that someone is watching over your network when you close for the night, but also that the service comes with predictable costs that you can plan for.
Lifecycle Management and Compliance Support
As a firm entrusted with the most confidential information about a person, keeping your software updated is part of an overall compliance strategy that’s not only smart for business but necessary to mitigate risk and meet legislative compliance requirements. Outsourcing your accounting IT to an MSP helps you ensure that you meet these requirements.
Backup and Disaster Recovery
Even if you make your own on-site backups every night, a true backup and disaster recovery (BDR) plan requires offsite backups that are not connected to your network. This gives you access to your data even if ransomware infiltrates your business and encrypts your files. Having a comprehensive BDR plan helps you ensure that your accounting firm remains open for business. Outsourcing your IT to an MSP can help make certain that you have a robust plan in place to help you avoid the worst of any potential crisis.
Yes, Your Accounting Firm Needs an MSP
The challenges facing accounting firms and CPAs will continue to grow, as new threats and compliance requirements come into play. The risk of spending an inordinate amount of time focusing on maintaining your IT infrastructure rather than meeting your clients’ needs can impact your profitability. Partnering with a Columbus-based managed service provider to help you meet the needs of your growing firm is a smart move.
To learn more, visit thinkCSC’s accounting services page or get in touch.
