When it comes to using technology to run your business, there’s a lot of talk about “managed IT services” but not everyone’s clear on what that means. Although the number of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) using managed IT services is increasing, there’s still a lot of confusion around what these services can offer you and why they’re worth your time (and money).
Below, we’ve provided a brief overview of what managed IT services includes and why you should consider employing them as part of your overall business strategy.
What are managed IT services?
Put simply, managed service providers (MSPs) look after a company’s information technology needs, including but not always limited to:
- Hardware and devices
- Software
- Cybersecurity
- Networking
- Storage
- Backup
- System migrations and upgrades
- End user technical support
How do MSPs work?
Managed service providers offer service plans to suit different budgets, levels of support and business goals. Plans can range from basic tech support to comprehensive maintenance and repair services. Good providers help you align your required level of services with your short- and long-term business plans.
The business pays the provider a monthly subscription for these services – you don’t need to worry about complex contracts or billing.
These managed IT services support SMBs in many ways. They provide expert insight, experienced guidance, focused planning and professional IT support for businesses who don’t have a dedicated IT department. And most have specialties or project options for areas where you are unlikely to have in-house talent, such as:
- Cloud services
- IP phone systems/VoIP
- Technology standards and regulatory compliance
- Industry-specific software platform integration
And more.
Can managed IT services make my business more efficient?
Managed IT services save SMBs time, money, and resources. Why? Because they streamline and protect business operations:
- Managed IT services reduce the technology burden on in-house resources to increase your team’s focus on productivity, customers and results
- Managed IT services oversee the complexities of network and server management to maximize technology investment, value and performance
- Managed IT solutions include storage and backup data plans to ensure redundancy for disaster recovery and compliance
- Managed IT service providers perform maintenance and monitoring to reduce downtime and keep your systems running smoothly
- You don’t need to know the ins and outs of IT – instead, you can focus on running and growing the business
Business efficiency is a top priority for most SMBs. Managed IT services help deliver that efficiency in a cost-effective, sustainable way.
Do managed IT services improve business cybersecurity?
Cyberattacks, hacks, insider threats and data loss are major threats to businesses of all sizes in today’s digital world. Most SMBs know they must take cybersecurity seriously, but they don’t know where to begin. That’s where managed IT service providers come in.
- IT experts know how to identify system vulnerabilities and how to resolve them, especially as the business grows and adds new infrastructure
- These managed service providers ensure that systems are fully up-to-date and protected against the latest security threats
- If there’s a security breach, a managed IT provider will help mitigate damage, reduce downtime, and modify the security plan going forward
Alongside supporting businesses with their cybersecurity needs, managed IT service providers can help minimize disruption and compliance concerns caused by infrastructure damage and disasters.
Is it really worth the money?
In short, managed IT services help you run and grow your small or medium-sized business in a more streamlined, cost-effective way. Besides taking the hassle out of managing complex IT systems, your managed IT service provider helps you reduce your overhead, as well. Most importantly, managed service providers (MSPs) help keep you operational and safeguarded against cyberattacks. This offers business owners cost-savings benefits, as well as competitive advantage and invaluable peace of mind.
For more information on our IT service solutions and how we can help you, contact us here.
