Technology has come to be omnipresent. Nearly everyone is constantly connected to a global network linking humans across nations and continents. It’s rightfully called the age of screens. And nowhere else is it more evident than in the business world. Naturally, most companies need a robust informational technology (IT) infrastructure to stay up-to-date and catch up with a modern customer. However, an in-house IT department isn’t always the cheapest or most convenient option. This is where Managed IT Services come into play. With them, companies can delegate their IT sector to an expert third-party organization.
What Are Managed IT Services
Managed IT services are essentially IT tasks that a third-party contractor delivers to a customer. The client business usually pays a monthly subscription fee for the Managed Service Provider to take care of their IT services and equipment.
The prices for these services are, for the most part, fixed. They also offer service packages of several tiers, so clients can pick and choose what works for them while expecting predictable costs. Furthermore, Managed IT Services providers are expected to keep pace with emergent technologies faster and more consistently than in-house departments.
Main Components
Considering that they provide different services and packages of different tiers, understandably, managed IT services are not one-size-fits-all solutions. They encompass a broad repertoire of services that can suit different businesses.
IT can fit into three broad categories: constant monitoring and support, security and risk management, and hardware and software management. Generally, a Managed Service Provider (MPS) will provide all three to a certain capacity, but some of them may specialize in a narrower niche.
Consistent Monitoring and Support
Consistent monitoring and IT support are one of the primary components of Managed IT Services. Monitoring means keeping a watchful eye on the IT infrastructure to detect and resolve issues before they can escalate into larger problems.
So does it make a difference if IT problems are identified early? Many businesses need their systems to run constantly, and even relatively short downtime can cause major disruptions, although it depends on the business how much downtime it can handle. Some estimates suggest that system downtimes can cost between $400 and $9,000 per minute, depending on the size and requirements of your business. This loss soars into $20,000 and more per minute for larger manufacturers.
Alongside monitoring the systems consistently, often 24/7, Managed IT Service providers also offer on-demand support. This means they both detect and resolve problems automatically and respond to human-reported issues or uncertainties.
Security and Risk Management
Beyond technical issues, another major, perhaps the biggest, concern for businesses is cyber-security. As technology progresses, cyber threats become more refined, insidious, and elaborate. And, contrary to a seemingly pervasive belief, end-users are typically not the most targeted victims of cyber-attacks, but rather businesses. Consequently, once a business is exposed to a security vulnerability, its client data is also put at risk. This is a privacy and material threat and also a threat to a company’s reputation.
Managed IT Service providers monitor and manage potential security risks for SaaS applications, thus protecting a company’s and their customers’ sensitive data. Moreover, they provide zero-trust secure access for users, locations, and devices, implementing stringent security measures to prevent access from unwanted parties.
Hardware and Software Management
Managed IT services also comprise hardware and software management. Hardware and software management entails sourcing the right technology and technicians to cover all aspects of a business’s IT infrastructure.
MSPs can assist with hardware purchases and software installation, assessing the exact equipment a company needs to function effectively. They also manage software applications by updating them when necessary and optimizing them for performance.
Benefits of Managed IT Services
Managed IT Services offer a multitude of benefits that extend beyond simply offloading IT tasks. If you run a business, taking advantage of these services can considerably transform how your business operates. As a result, it can be more cost-efficient, have easy access to expertise, and benefit from greater scalability. Let’s delve into these benefits in more detail.
Cost Efficiency
Cost efficiency is one of the most immediate benefits of outsourcing IT services to an MSP. Traditionally, managing IT in-house can have unpredictable capital outlays. The costs would fluctuate depending on the need for equipment upgrades, software updates, or unexpected issues.
On the flip side, Managed IT Service providers provide a more consistent and usually predictable monthly subscription cost (barring cost fluctuations due to inflation and other major economic disruptions). This predictability allows for more accurate budgeting and frees up capital for other investments. Furthermore, the cost of hiring, training, and maintaining an in-house IT team can be much higher than outsourcing.
Expertise
Managed IT service providers are specialists in their field. They have large, versatile teams with members with diverse skills and experiences. When companies enlist one of these services, they gain access to this expert knowledge and skills.
This can be particularly beneficial for small to medium-sized businesses that might not have the resources to maintain such a professional team in-house. That way, smaller businesses can play on a technologically level playing field with their industry-leading competitors.
Scalability
As a business grows, so too does its demand for IT services. One of the significant advantages of Managed IT services is their scalability. Managed IT service providers can scale their services to match the company’s growth, providing additional resources when necessary.
Having such flexibility lets companies adapt their IT services to their current state and business offers without worrying about recruiting more staff or investing in more hardware before they’re ready.
Let Experts Manage Your IT
Managed IT services are a flexible and cost-effective solution for the conundrum of business IT management. While not quite the same, they offer many of the benefits of a dedicated IT department at a much lower and more predictable cost.
Consider Metro Sales for your managed IT services if you run a business in Burnsville, Twin Cities, Fargo, Duluth, or St. Cloud. With a proven track record in providing top-notch services, Metro Sales can help drive your business forward through up-to-date and professionally managed technology. Visit the Metro Sales website or contact us today to learn more.