Managed IT Services: A Comprehensive Info Tech Guide for Businesses

If you’re a business owner, you know the importance of keeping a streamlined online presence. That’s easier said than done.

The inner workings of the internet aren’t exactly rudimentary. The last thing you want to do is compromise other areas of your business by trying to do everything yourself.

Where do you look for help? What are managed IT services? What is a Managed IT provider? And what are the benefits of managed IT services?

Read on to find out how you can utilize managed IT services to keep your online presence operating at an optimal level.

Managed IT services Depend on Your Type of Business

The first thing that goes into deciding whether or not IT services are for you is understanding that they aren’t a one size fits all application.

If you choose to outsource IT management, you should feel confident they are going to be well taken care of. Well managed IT services require tailored packages that fit the specific needs of your business.

Types of Managed IT services

There are multiple options when choosing IT management. Here are a few:

• Outsourcing your helpdesk- This can be great for customer satisfaction and client retention. Knowing how to give customers excellent service through technology outlets is an absolute must.
• Outsourcing your CIO– Your Chief Informations Officer is an extremely valuable role that can optimize all of your technological relations. It’s essential to have someone who can get the most out of technology on your team.
• Disaster Recovery and back-up planning- Crashes and other disasters can hit at any time. It’s important to be prepared for the worst.
• Email/Spam Protection-A ton of viruses disguise themselves as emails. Some of them are more clever than others. It’s essential to have a program that can spot the fakes.
• IT Consulting-If you’re not entirely sure whether you want to hire full on managed IT services, consulting can be a great substitute. Paying for knowledge is never a bad investment.

It’s natural to be unsure or uncomfortable with trusting an outside company with the entirety of your IT services. If that’s the case, most companies will allow you to hire individual services.

A great place to start if you’re hiring individual IT services is with the operation of your cloud infrastructure. These services optimize your storage and cloud computing capabilities.

Another popular launching point for MSPs is software maintenance and virus protection services.

Pros of Managed IT services

The Managed Services Market is expected to reach 282 billion by 2023. With an evaluation like that, rest assured, companies are delivering on their promises.

The reasons for hiring managed IT services stem from the importance of tech savviness. If you’re not tech savvy, something as little as your anti-virus software is out of date can have catastrophic effects.

A recent Deloitte Tech Trends report indicated that in house IT operations took up 70% of tech spending. This didn’t get businesses very far as it barely covered systems maintenance.

Put simply, hiring out of house IT services saves you money. They also afford you the advantage of focus.

Hiring in house doesn’t allow whoever is managing your IT services to dedicate as much time or precision to the task at hand. Technology requires expertise.

When you outsource IT services, you’re ensuring that your company’s tech needs are in the hands of professionals who specialize in their field.

Outsourcing IT services ensures that your business is being proactive. You’re paying someone to prevent problems from occurring.

Perhaps the most significant benefit of managed IT services is the peace of mind they offer. The continuity that your business will enjoy from secure, organized technology improves customer satisfaction and expands markets by saving you capital.

Statistics show that 40% of cyber attacks are launched at SMBs (small and medium businesses). Most of those businesses go out of business within a year.

With the rapidly changing business technology landscape, managed IT services can be the difference between success and failure.

Potential Drawbacks of Managed IT Services

If you’re considering managed IT services, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. One great way to ensure the value of hiring outside services is making sure they’re local.

Communication can be difficult when you’re across the country. Issues with hardware become your problem instead of who you hired.

The cost can be another drawback to managed IT services. Make no mistake; however, if you’ve done your budget correctly, you’ll make your money back and profit from the services you hire.

Keep in mind the scope of services that an MSP offers. Some businesses assume that when they hire an MSP, they can depend on them for everything they need.

Be clear on exactly what your business needs when considering an MSP. Some Managed IT services only deal with Google Chrome and Microsoft Office. If you have a technology issue outside of those providers, you might just be out of luck. Better to be safe than sorry.

Communication Is Key

As with any hot industry, there will be imposters. One of the most important aspects of choosing a managed It service is communicating on a high level.

Managed IT services is a large industry. Be clear. If you can’t, ask for help.

If your focus is customer retention and UI/UX, your provider needs to know that. If your focus is security and storage, they need to know that as well.

Are Managed IT Services Right for your Business?

Many decisions face the SMB owner in today’s business climate. Making the right ones depends on your individual circumstances.

If your business has been susceptible to security breaches and crashes in the past, perhaps it’s time to call in a professional.

Don’t save a penny and lose a dollar. There’s no sense in trying to operate everything on your own. Enlist the help of a managed IT service provider. You’ll thank yourself later.