In this digital age, businesses from any field or industry have to seek more creative, practical ways not simply to stay afloat but to get ahead of the competition. Considering that information technology is constantly evolving, it is essential for business owners to keep abreast with the latest trends so they won’t get left behind. However, with the demands of running day-to-day business operations, it is not always possible for a company’s leaders and decision-makers to stay updated and get everything running smoothly in their organisation without seeking external help.
For this reason, tapping into IT managed services has become a popular practice among many of today’s businesses and organisations. Managed service providers (MSPs) offer an array of benefits to companies regardless of their size, nature of business, and industry. Small and medium sized businesses mostly benefit from the services that IT support companies provide, but even large corporations with their in-house IT teams have recognised the importance of outsourcing some IT functions to third party providers.
How Do IT Managed Services Work?
Managed service providers basically are companies that remotely manage a client company’s IT infrastructure and systems. They work on a proactive basis and usually charge their customers a flat, ongoing monthly fee for a certain set of IT managed services. MSPs assume the responsibility of the 24/7 monitoring, maintenance and management of their client company’s IT assets and systems.
IT managed services differ from other IT solution providers like break/fix services. Companies following the break/fix model generate their revenue through on-demand outsourcing, pricing their IT services on a time-and-materials basis. Simply put, break/fix service providers bill customers only for a particular service rendered and charge a fixed price per device or product for every transaction.
On the other hand, IT managed services adopt a subscription model which gives them a monthly recurring revenue stream. This practice of outsourcing allows the MSP and their client company to establish a business relationship through a contractual, service level agreement (SLA). The contract or agreement between the two parties identifies the quality and performance metrics of their relationship.
There are a variety of IT functions and operations that IT managed services providers specialise in. Among the most common managed services that you can avail include on-site support and troubleshooting, desktop support and maintenance, data backup and recovery, network monitoring, management and security, IT asset management, procurement services, and the like. You may opt to hire a managed service provider to handle part of or your entire IT infrastructure requirements. The beauty of working with IT managed services is that you enjoy flexibility in terms of meeting your company’s IT requirements while having predictable IT support costs.
Why Companies Outsource Their IT Functions
Outsourcing your company’s IT operations to a reliable MSP offers a myriad of advantages. Through IT managed services, you have the chance to reduce operational costs that you would otherwise incur by purchasing or upgrading IT assets and by establishing or expanding your internal IT team. With the rising costs of IT and the difficulty of managing IT systems, business owners and general managers may find it impractical to procure IT assets and keep up with the technology required in running their business.
Furthermore, working with an IT managed services provider allows you to gain access to exceptional IT capabilities that your organisation may be lacking. These service providers employ individuals who have undergone necessary trainings and certifications in the field of information technology. IT managed services allow you to leverage on their skills, expertise and ability to keep up with the changing trends in finding solutions to your company’s specific IT requirements. Instead of relying on one person, you have a team of IT professionals to call on whenever your company experiences downtime or any IT and network-related problems.
IT managed services providers are flexible enough that you can choose from the wide array of their service offerings. MSPs especially the industry-leading companies pride themselves on the range of IT solutions that they can provide no matter their customer’s business model, size or IT requirements. Naturally, small and mid-size enterprises have less demanding IT needs as compared to large organisations and multinational corporations. By working with a trusted IT managed services provider, you can be sure to have a partner who will take the time to understand your business IT requirements and offer you customised solutions to meet those needs.
