Do you own a business and have trouble maintaining the IT side of things? We know that technology can be overwhelming and that is exactly why you need to invest in managed IT services today!
So, what exactly are managed IT services?
In a nutshell, managed IT services are the type of services you need to scale your business and grow your client base. To elaborate, they are information technology services that are handled by a third-party vendor, it’s basically like having your very own IT department at a third of the cost. Managed IT services are great for small to mid-sized businesses because they can leverage these services to fill the gaps in their business’s day-to-day operations by paying only a monthly fee. It is important to note that there are other types of plans available to get these services, including annual plans depending on the size of your business.
Since managed IT services are so flexible, organizations can use them to reduce their task workload, automate administrative tasks so that their workforce can focus on core business goals, and so much more.
Managed Service Provider (MSP)
The third party – or the vendor you hire to deliver services – is known as a Managed Service Provider or MSP. A managed IT service provider is a type of provider that takes on the role of providing business technology services to its clients. The vendor is responsible for taking care of all the services that come under the Service Level Agreement or the SLA. For example, an SLA will typically contain downtime management, disaster recovery, technical support, etc. The clients who receive these services usually pay a monthly subscription fee, but are typically free to change their plans as their business scales up and down.
Benefits of Managed IT Services
If you’re a business on the fence about why you should get managed IT services for your business, here are a few benefits that will help you decide!
1. Contract
One of the biggest benefits of getting managed IT services is that you only pay for the services you want. The SLA typically comes in levels so you don’t have to waste time hiring, recruiting, and looking for people who are qualified to do the job. When you get IT services, you can pick the services you want and pay a monthly fee for the same. This not only saves time but also a significant amount of money.
2. Increase Efficiency
When you hire a third-party vendor to take care of your IT needs, you can take the workload off your staff and let them focus on tasks that will increase your business revenue. In addition to this, your vendors can help you streamline and organize your daily business operations by making recommendations and suggestions through their assessments.
3. Uptime Management
Since MSPs are not tied to your company, they can usually work even when you and your staff are off the clock. This means that any system updates and maintenance can be taken care of even during off hours. This results in lesser disruptions while working and greater uptime.
4. Dependability
Your MSP is always at your service even when you’re not, this means that your business is up and running at all times. When you hire an MSP, you don’t have to worry about downtime, data security, or cyberattacks. Moreover, your SLA clearly states what to expect from your contract and when to expect it so you always know the kind of services you’re getting.
When you have your own internal IT teams, they are often juggling multiple tasks. This leaves room for errors that you won’t face with an MSP. An MSP’s only job is to make sure that your services are up and running and to deliver whatever your SLA states. Rest assured, MSPs are more reliable in handling your IT infrastructure.
Types of Managed IT Services
IT services can range from general services to specific services and even customizable services depending on what your business needs. Some typical IT services include IT systems management, maintenance, and monitoring of equipment, remote monitoring, management of servers, etc.
There are two approaches to managed IT services. The first one is the more traditional, and is known as the Break/Fix model. As the name suggests, this type of approach includes monitoring the systems until there is a problem and subsequently fixing the problem. However, newer MSPs take a different approach and work on patch management and predictive maintenance.
Cloud-based managed services or cloud services range in applications. It can be delivered as a service. For example Software as a Service (SaaS) or Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). These types of services are great as they support business scalability and also cut the costs of having to buy or rent expensive data centers along with the cost of management. Cloud based services also provide better access to data analytics, storage, etc.
Cloud Services and Managed IT Services
While cloud services and managed IT services are often mentioned together, they have distinct differences. Cloud services refer to software services offered by vendors and accessed by customers as needed, with the vendor handling the management of the application, data, and platform services. Cloud services usually do not include management of the customer’s workload. On the other hand, managed IT service providers offer a range of IT services, including the cloud platform on which their services are delivered, as part of their service offerings
Things to Consider While Choosing Your IT Service Provider
Before picking your IT service provider, there are a few things to consider. So, let’s have a look at some of them:
1. Clear SLAs – The first thing you should consider before you pick an MSP is their contract. Their contract should be clear and concise about the services they deliver and how they deliver them. In the long run, you would want an IT provider that you can not only rely on but also hold accountable.
2. Strategic Planning – To fully benefit from managed IT services, it’s important for providers to assist in planning infrastructure upgrades, changes, and additions based on your business goals. A good understanding of your current infrastructure is necessary for effective management. Planning should also take into consideration the future, ideally looking ahead in one to two years. Without proper planning, you may not be able to fully leverage the value of managed services.
3. A Trusted Vendor – When it comes to hiring an MSP, you need to make sure that they have a proven track record of good work. It’s best to do your research and look up reviews before you sign any contracts.
So, how do you make sure that your IT service provider is the best in the game? Well, talking to any current or past clients and a Google search for reviews and testimonials should suffice.
OR you could simply come to Aptica, a leading IT service provider. We are committed to providing the best-managed IT services in the game. From cloud computing to email spam protection, we do it all. The best part? You get to try our top-notch services for FREE before you decide to commit! So, don’t wait and contact Aptica today to unlock your business’s full potential: https://apticallc.com/