Managed IT services refers to an outsourced service that includes the regular monitoring of a company’s IT infrastructure and its computer workstations by an external IT service providers. These services usually also include unlimited IT support and are billed on a monthly basis.
With managed IT services, your company can use a service provider handle all your IT issues while you focus on other things. Since your company pays a flat monthly rate, no matter what issues might arise, IT service providers spend a lot of time on proactive measures that will prevent you from having too many IT problems. This results in a win-win situation for both your company and the IT service provider.
What are the benefits of managed IT services?
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IT experts solve all your IT issues while you focus on your core business:
Your organization is probably not specialized in handling IT issues. Because of this, it’s better you leave all your IT issues to IT specialists so that you can spend your time and resources on growing your business.
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Managed IT services align the goals of your company with those of the IT service provider:
IT service providers aim to proactively reduce the IT problems of their clients since that improves their own KPIs.
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Access to highly trained experts:
With managed services, you can have a full IT department handling your IT issues. You can even get a virtual CIO along with IT managers that offer day-to-day IT support.
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Dedicated IT support:
While your in-house IT team might be too busy to deal with daily support issues, an IT service provider can offer dedicated support staff that are always available.
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Help with long-term strategic IT planning:
An IT services provider can help you plan ahead and advise you on what you should plan for and what will work best for you. They will ensure that your IT software and infrastructure is always updated and there aren’t risks like viruses, malware attacks, system downtimes etc.
How to implement Managed IT Services successfully
The following are four major factors that will help you implement Managed IT services successfully. They must be considered before your organization starts using Managed IT services.
Analyze the cost of your total IT operations
Before using a managed IT services, it is best that you perform an analysis to determine the total cost of IT. This way, you can find out how much you already pay for IT support. You should also factor in the cost of downtimes and low productivity that inadequate in-house IT services may be costing you.
You can look at how much you pay all your staff for a period of time. Then you calculate how much time during that period your staff is unable to work due to downtimes and inefficiencies in IT systems.
Even short downtimes that occur regularly can add up to have a significant effect over weeks and months. Perform these calculations in detail to find out how much your organization is losing in terms of reduced efficiency and effective output, due to inadequate IT support.
Request a Managed IT Services provider to audit your systems
After you have analyzed all your IT costs, you should look for some good managed IT services providers. Find reputable IT companies with a great track record. You should also watch out for IT firms that have worked with organizations in your industry, as they will have more expertise in dealing with your needs.
Request an audit of your IT system from them (this can be done remotely or on-site). Generally, this will involve one of their experts looking over your entire IT system, including the software and infrastructure.
Take your time in selecting one managed IT services provider from the lot
Before selecting a managed IT services provider, you must ensure that they meet your requirements. This is crucial to the success of your organization, so don’t select an IT partner simply based on the price. If you are looking for the cheapest price, you may not get the best service. Select a highly competent partner that will deliver a good service and has your interests at heart.
The IT firm you select must have a proven track record, and they must be able to deliver top-notch services with the proven outcome. Check their references and find out the kind of clients they have. You should also ask if they are experienced at dealing with companies similar to yours.
The IT firm you select must be able to help you improve your IT efficiency. They must be able to reduce downtime and increase productivity. You need to cover all of these aspects before selecting a managed IT services provider.
Finalize the on-boarding process with your IT services provider
After you have selected the right IT firm, the final step is to carry out the on-boarding process. In this phase, you make some security changes so IT companies can have access to your systems. They may need to carry out some work that is needed to get your services up to the standard it should be. Then they will spend time collecting network diagrams, collecting and consolidating documentation checklists, and ensure that your IT system can be managed effectively.