Organizations are rapidly shifting to managed IT services as technology and cybersecurity become more complex and indispensable. As such, outsourced IT is becoming a more viable option for businesses worldwide, and the demand for managed services is projected to reach 274 billion U.S. dollars by 2026. In this post, we’ll help you discover if and why you need managed IT services.
What are Managed IT Services?
Managed IT Services are those provided by a Managed Service Provider (MSP), a third-party service that provides infrastructure, specific on-demand technical support, or 24/7 coverage of IT duties to organizations. The demand for MSPs is growing among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) who need access to cutting-edge technology to stay competitive in their respective markets and sustain their ongoing growth. These services may be both cloud-based and on-premises.
Outsourced IT support is typically sought by businesses when they:
- Lack of resources to hire and manage their in-house IT team.
- There is a need to fill gaps left by current IT roles.
- Need the specialized skills for specific tasks
What is Included in Managed Services?
Numerous companies provide managed IT services, and choosing the best one is not a walk in the park. Not all providers will provide all types of services. Look for an MSP who will be able to handle an extensive range of services and infrastructure that you may need at any point in time. Managed services offerings may include:
- Networks and Infrastructure. Networking tasks, such as establishing LANs, WAPs, and various connections for your company as well as backup and storage services.
- Security and Compliance. Security infrastructure that is constantly updated and backup and disaster recovery services (BDR) as well as anti-malware options to get your systems back up and running in the event of a security breach. Making sure that systems are compliant helps to reduce cybersecurity risks.
- IT Support Services. This typically covers all services related to IT help—from troubleshooting general maintenance to dealing with advanced issues.
- Cloud Infrastructure. Managed cloud service may include full or partial cloud management, taking care of issues such as troubleshooting, networking, responsive support, and data monitoring. Migration, security, storage, configuration, and optimization are all part of the process.
- Data Analytics. Process of monitoring services for data management by inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data to discover useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. This service encompasses business intelligence to target specific trends by creating roadmaps for enhanced business performance.
- Virtual Chief Information Security Officer. vCISO services involve putting together security policies, guidelines and standards as needed.
What are the Benefits of Managed IT Services?
A company may choose to outsource its IT for a variety of reasons. Here are some managed services benefits that drive the decision:
- Savings and Return on investment. Hiring an MSP can result in a reduction of overall operational costs and allow for company growth by reducing manpower, increasing performance efficiency.
- Enhanced Productivity. When your office network, end-user systems, and software are up to date, secure, and running at peak performance, this helps ease technical burdens from your staff, allowing for a more productive environment within the organization.
- Improved Security. Cyber security threats are a constant source of concern for businesses. They can ruin your reputation with customers and can be costly. Managed IT Services providers can prevent the majority of threats and thereby reduce your risk.
- Get Time to Focus on Your Business If your IT staff needs additional resources, staff augmentation to handle major projects or provide a backup for a specific skill can give you time back to work on those items that are in your sweet spot.
- Latest Technology. MSPs have access to a wide range of technology solutions that can be tailored to your specific business requirements.
- Facilitated Scalability. With a streamlined technology, the managed services model is designed to help organizations scale up or scale down their resources.
What should I look for in a Managed IT Services Provider?
- A flexible service model
- An escalation and backup strategy
- A solid backup and disaster recovery strategy
- A thorough understanding of the technology service you need
- Support for multiple time zones
- Remote monitoring and management for proactive maintenance
- Round-the-clock support
- Understanding of and the capability to handle legal compliance issues
If you are asking yourself, “do I need a managed service provider?” the answer is as simple as this:
If IT issues are ingesting your company—whether minor troubleshooting errors or massive declines in performance, you should consider consulting with an experienced managed IT services provider. eMPiGO is a responsive and strategic IT services provider that understands all-sized business technology needs and can guide you through the right solutions for you.