AI Adoption Made Easy With an MSP
Everyone’s trying to get a piece of the AI pie. The problem is that many small businesses aren’t quite sure how AI adoption works, with many feeling out of their depth when trying to adopt this new technology.
But there’s good news: help is available, and it starts with a managed service provider (MSP).
In this blog, we’re breaking down AI adoption – from its biggest challenges to how an MSP can help you overcome them.
Let’s get into it.
The Benefits of AI Adoption
AI is making waves. In fact, according to a research report by McKinsey & Company, 92% of companies plan to increase their AI adoption over the next three years.
And here’s why:
- AI saves time on repetitive tasks – AI can take over time-consuming, repetitive work like invoice processing, data entry, and other routine operations, freeing up your team.
- AI helps you make smarter decisions – AI can spot patterns and trends in your data that might be hard to spot otherwise. It can help you figure out what products are selling best, where to cut costs, or how to improve your services.
- AI improves customer service – AI tools like chatbots can answer customer questions faster, recommend the right products, and even handle common support issues. In fact, IBM found that AI can reduce customer service costs by up to 30%.
- AI improves your cybersecurity – AI brings automated security functions to the next level. Smarter than your average anti-virus software, AI tools accurately identify suspicious activity as well as quickly react to any threat.
Biggest Adoption Challenges
With that said, AI adoption doesn’t always come easy – especially for small businesses. Here are the biggest barriers that might be standing in your way:
Lack of Experience
While today’s AI tools are easier to use than ever, they still require a bit of know-how to use correctly. In a Forbes survey, 42% of businesses said lack of experience was one of their biggest AI adoption challenges. Without proper experience, AI tools can end up underused and misconfigured.
Dirty Data
AI tools need clean data to function properly. That’s because AI pulls information from exactly what you provide it. If you give your AI a database filled with outdated or messy information, your AI tools won’t be able to provide accurate results, making your AI adoption a lot more difficult than it needs to be.
Budget Pains
The upfront costs of AI adoption can be costly. You need to organize your data, train your AI models, educate your team on how to use your AI tools, and then keep your entire system updated and maintained – it adds up fast. For many SMBs, this can be enough to stop their AI adoption before they’ve even started.
Privacy Concerns
Sloppy AI adoption can lead to data leaks or even legal trouble. If an AI system isn’t properly configured, it could accidentally expose sensitive customer or business information. Without a strict AI policy – complete with strict guidelines and safety checks – you risk violating data privacy laws and losing customer trust.
How an MSP Can Help
Yes, small businesses can overcome the challenges of AI adoption on their own. That said, it’s time-consuming and costly, and it will take some time for the long-term benefits to pay off.
Enter the MSP.
Helping businesses thrive with tech is what MSPs are all about – and AI adoption is no exception. A good MSP will give you the tools, expertise, and support you need without the massive overhead that usually comes with advanced tech.
Here’s how MSPs can help you overcome those AI adoption hurdles.
AI Experts
Not every MSP is the same, but over half of them are already using AI. MSPs are pioneers of cutting-edge tech, meaning they’re two or three steps ahead when it comes to understanding and implementing AI.
When you partner with an MSP, you’re not just getting IT support; you’re getting a partner who understands AI inside and out.
Lowers the Cost of Entry
Most MSPs operate on a subscription model, with some – like The 20 MSP – offering flat-rate pricing. That means AI adoption could be included in what you’re already paying.
So instead of hiring a new team or spending thousands on consultants, you’re getting AI help bundled in with everything else your MSP offers – like cybersecurity, service ticket support, and system monitoring.
Data Readiness
For most MSPs, cleaning customer data has always been part of the job. If your data is messy or outdated, they can help you build a plan to get it in shape before your AI adoption. That way, your AI tools have clean and reliable information to work with.
Compliance
MSPs are regulatory compliance experts. Many SMBs already rely on their MSP to stay current with evolving rules – and AI is no different.
Your MSP can make sure your AI setup meets all relevant privacy can compliance regulations. And as laws change, they’ll be able to keep things updated so you don’t have to worry about constantly tracking new regulations yourself.
Ongoing Management
AI isn’t a “set it and forget it” tool. It changes and adapts with your business. Whether you’re changing workflows or the AI model itself needs tuning, someone has to keep it running smoothly.
Like compliance, MSPs are great at keeping everything up to date. They can monitor AI performance, fix bugs and errors, and fine-tune your AI tools for the best results. All you have to do is approve the changes.
You Can Adopt AI Alone, But Why Bother?
Nothing we’ve mentioned is impossible for small businesses to do on their own. But having the right help makes a big difference – especially since many SMBs already work with MSPs or tech consultants.
If you’ve been eyeing AI adoption for a while, take this as your signal to start asking questions. Reach out to your tech experts, learn what it takes, and see how they can help.
And if you need a tech expert you can trust, we’ve got you covered.
At The 20 MSP, we’re embracing this brave new world of AI adoption and would be happy to talk with you. Just give us a call, and we’ll help you get where you need to be.
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About The 20 MSP
As a leading provider of managed IT services, The 20 MSP serves thousands of businesses nationwide, including single and multi-location organizations, delivering white-glove service, secure and streamlined IT infrastructure, and 24/7/365 support. We believe in building lasting relationships with clients founded on trust, communication, and the delivery of high-value services for a fair and predictable price. Our client’s success is our success, and we are committed to helping each and every organization we serve leverage technology to secure a competitive advantage and achieve new growth.
