BITS BLOG

How to Save Money with Your MSP and Improve Your IT Partnership

Are you looking for ways to save money with your MSP while improving your IT outcomes? You are not alone.


Many businesses feel locked into rising IT costs. But the truth is, how you manage your MSP relationship has a big impact on what you pay and what value you get.

At BITS Cyber, we help businesses optimize MSP costs, reduce risk, and improve IT performance. In this guide, we will show you exactly how to do the same.


Why Are MSP Costs Increasing?

If you have noticed your IT costs creeping up, you are not imagining it.

Several factors are driving higher MSP pricing in 2025:

  • Cybersecurity threats are growing rapidly
  • Compliance requirements are getting tougher (HIPAA, CMMC, PCI, and more)
  • Businesses are using more cloud services and SaaS tools
  • MSPs face rising labor costs and tool licensing fees

Some of these costs are unavoidable. You need strong cybersecurity and compliance to protect your business.

But there are many areas where you can control your IT spend and get more value from your MSP partnership.


How to Optimize Your MSP Relationship

Many businesses unintentionally drive up their IT costs by focusing on the wrong things.

Here are common mistakes to avoid:

  • Counting support tickets instead of focusing on outcomes
  • Chasing the lowest hourly rate
  • Submitting random one-off project requests
  • Only contacting the MSP when something breaks

The key to reducing MSP costs is to shift your approach.

Successful businesses:

  • Focus on business outcomes (risk reduction, productivity, compliance readiness)
  • Plan IT projects and roadmaps collaboratively with their MSP
  • Standardize tools and processes to simplify support
  • Treat their MSP as a strategic partner, not a vendor


5 Proven Ways to Save Money With Your MSP

Ready to take action? Here are five practical ways to start saving today.

1. Optimize Licensing and Subscriptions

Many businesses waste thousands of dollars on unused or redundant software licenses.

Conduct a license audit at least twice per year:

  • Identify unused accounts
  • Consolidate tools
  • Align licenses to current headcount

Your MSP can help with this and may even suggest alternatives that deliver better value.


2. Standardize Endpoints and User Profiles

A standardized IT environment is much easier and cheaper to support.

When employees use consistent laptops, operating systems, and security configurations, MSPs can resolve issues faster and reduce reactive support costs.

Standardization also improves your cybersecurity posture.


3. Improve Data Classification and Access Controls

Many support tickets and compliance issues stem from poorly managed data and access controls.

Implement:

  • Clear data classification policies
  • Role-based access controls
  • Least privilege permissions

This reduces support needs and strengthens your data security.


4. Embrace Strategic Roadmaps and Compliance Alignment

IT firefighting is expensive.

Businesses that align IT projects and compliance work with their MSP roadmaps enjoy smoother project delivery, fewer surprises, and lower costs.

Proactive clients are also more likely to get preferred pricing and priority service.


5. Become a Strategic Client

The best way to optimize MSP costs long term is to become a strategic partner.

This means:

  • Communicating proactively
  • Participating in Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs)
  • Aligning IT and business goals
  • Building internal Business Change Tolerance (BCT) to reduce risk and increase agility


How Business Change Tolerance (BCT) Lowers IT Costs

BCT measures how easily your business can adapt to technology, compliance, and operational changes.

Businesses with high BCT:

  • Absorb change more smoothly
  • Reduce reactive MSP labor costs
  • Complete IT projects on time and on budget

At BITS Cyber, we help clients improve BCT through better visibility, data governance, role clarity, and change management.

The result is lower IT costs and stronger MSP partnerships.


Conclusion: Build a Win-Win MSP Relationship and Save Money

By optimizing your MSP relationship, you can:

  • Reduce IT costs
  • Improve service quality
  • Build a long-term, strategic partnership with your MSP

At BITS Cyber, we help SMBs achieve exactly that. Our services include:

  • IT Cost Optimization and MSP Alignment Workshops
  • vCIO and vCISO Advisory
  • Business Change Tolerance (BCT) Assessments