Under such circumstances, managed IT services can help companies manage their network downtime by providing regular system monitoring and proactive solutions for any problems that might crop up. The managed IT service provider takes care of your company’s technology needs so you don’t have to worry about them anymore. This frees you up to focus on what matters most – running your business effectively and improving its profitability.
This article will provide you with a brief introduction to the concept of managed IT services, look at how it can help your business, and discuss some of its advantages to help you understand everything you need to know about this concept.
What Are Managed IT Services?
A managed services provider is a company that offers a wide range of technologies and infrastructures to their clients, including running them in-house or hosting them remotely. When running a business in England, your choices of managed IT service providers are many. From IT infrastructure to IT support in London, a managed IT service provider can accommodate all the IT solutions you require under one roof. The services provided by these companies also usually encompass all the IT needs of the client business within a single contract.
Providers conduct routine system monitoring, keep systems updated with the latest patches and security updates, provide 24×7 helpdesk support, etc., so that businesses can enjoy uninterrupted network uptime without having to hire expensive in-house technical staff. In addition, they typically handle complex issues remotely from their end without involving you at all. This way your technicians don’t have to deal with any software glitches or hardware failures.
How Does Managed IT Services Work?
Managed IT services allow you to concentrate on your core business without having to worry about technical problems, which makes it a great choice for small businesses that have very little in-house technical expertise of their own. Using the assistance of a managed IT service provider, companies can get rid of all their IT problems and focus on what’s important – growing their business.
The services provided by these companies can include:
- Data Center Management – When your business takes up a package from an MSP, you will be given access to a secure data center that hosts all your organization’s information and technology systems. This ensures that there are no disruptions in the flow of all essential networks within your company. Your data center runs through state-of-the-art hardware along with other security measures such as firewalls and scanners for protection against malware attacks.
- Desktop Management – A managed service provider provides round-the-clock support for desktops within your workplace. Your employees can log their queries by phone or email at any time so that the IT technicians can look into them as quickly as possible.
- Cloud Services – Cloud services enable companies to shift their data storage and processing needs out of physical data centers and into remote cloud servers run by third-party providers instead, which is more cost-effective due to its pay-per-use model. This means that there is no need for companies to build their own data centers, which can be very costly and time-consuming.
- Networking Services – Including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), intranets, extranets, secure wireless networks for both public/open and private access all examples of networking services provided by MSPs
- Data Backup & Disaster Recovery – Locally stored data backups ensure that companies can easily recover their information if there is a disaster or hardware failure. The goal of any backup solution is to restore a system quickly and reliably so that employees don’t have to be put out because of a technology breakdown. With an MSP’s help, your business can have a backup solution that’s stored in a secure location offering protection from fire, theft, and natural disasters.
- Cyber Security – Companies need to ensure that their systems are protected against viruses, spamming, phishing, malware, and other cyber-crimes. IT managed services providers provide security solutions such as anti-virus software system updates, firewalls, and online threat intelligence reports which can be accessed whenever required by your company’s technicians.
- Mobile Device Management (MDM) – With the rise of BYOD (bring your device), employees’ laptops, smartphones, and tablets are often used at work for business purposes. MSPs allow you to configure these devices so that they integrate with existing organizational systems while keeping track of the different devices that are attached. IT managers working for your company can also produce and deploy enterprise applications and manage their device settings remotely.
How Can Managed Services Benefit Your Business?
The services provided by managed IT service providers offer many benefits to your company. Essentially, it can help your business in three ways:
Increasing ROI
IT expenditures are usually the highest when they’re an unexpected expense. With MSPs, you’ll know how much the total cost of ownership (TCO) for each service is and you’ll be able to plan accordingly. Your company will also be able to monitor and manage IT costs while benefiting from better flexibility, scalability, and reliability.
Boosting Productivity and Workflow
The focus should always be on what your business does best, which is usually the production of goods or services for your customers. This is why you shouldn’t spend hours trying to resolve a minor hardware problem or trying to restore data from backups when an MSP can do it in minutes instead. In fact, with managed services, businesses can increase their productivity by up to 20% because they’ll have more time for revenue-generating activities rather than dealing with IT problems all day long.
Reduced Risk
When there’s a question about whether your company’s systems are secure enough against cyber threats, it’s best to leave it to the experts. MSPs provide security solutions that help protect your company against all kinds of technological vulnerabilities. They also have the best practices and experience to ensure that your data will remain safe and secure throughout.
Managed services are designed to save your company money, time, and resources that are better allocated for other business activities. If you decide to outsource your IT requirements, make sure that you do some research first on the different service providers in your area. Always request recommendations and referrals from current customers, especially if they’re specialists in your line of business. Finding a reputable MSP can be difficult but it’s well worth the effort because, as you can see, there are huge benefits associated with it.
